These Were The Best Rookies In Week One Of The NFL Season
The 2023 NFL season boasts one of the most interesting years for young players, as many teams are counting on rookies to step into big roles early. Defensive players tend to have the biggest impact early in their careers, whereas offensive players typically take more time to blossom in pro-style offenses. Here are the three most impactful rookies in their debut.
DE Keion White, New England Patriots
The Georgia Tech product was a force in the loss to the Eagles. He played a considerable amount, generating pressure in many key situations. White fell to New England in the second round which stunned many NFL experts.
The reports stated that teams were wary of his 'chill' personality. The Patriots nearly chose him with their first-round pick but were able to grab Christian Gonzalez and take White in the second.
The important thing to note is that White was going against one of the strongest offensive lines in the league. He dominated Jordan Mailata on this particular play, who is regarded as one of the better tackles in the league. If White continues to progress, the Patriots have an elite pass rusher on their hands.
OLB Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans
The Alabama product was tremendous in his debut. Anderson tallied five pressures and his first career NFL sack against the Baltimore Ravens. Lamar Jackson can be a difficult guy to sack, but the speed of Anderson was on display.
Anderson was highly touted in college and was drafted third overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. He's already showing why he plans to be a dominant presence for a very long time.
WR Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
Outside of his awesome name, Nacua was one of the most electric players on the field. In a game where Matthew Stafford and the Rams offense were clicking on all cylinders, Nacua made a huge difference. He played at BYU in college, and many wondered if the speed would translate to the NFL. I think we have our answer.
Nacua had 10 catches on 15 targets, good for 119 yards in his NFL debut. Arguably more important than his speed was his ability to run routes and avoid defenders with yards after the catch. Nacua will be an exciting wide receiver going forward.
Conclusion
There are a lot of exciting rookies to watch as this season progresses, but after week one, these three caught my eye the most. There'll surely be more stand-out games for them as the NFL season rolls on.
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