With the 2023 NFL season in the books, it's only right that we now rank the rookie classes for all 32 teams.
The "hits" are ranked in order of how well they performed as rookies, and that ranking is based relative to when they were drafted. Higher expectations for earlier picks etc.
32. Carolina Panthers
Year 1 hits: None
Not a good sign when the team that has the No. 1 overall pick has zero rookie hits. Which is why there's a new GM -- Dan Morgan -- in Carolina. Second-round pick Jonathan Mingo did have 43 catches but that was more about opportunity than anything else. He averaged less than 10 yards per grab.
31. Dallas Cowboys
Year 1 hits: None
First-round pick Mazi Smith did play a little over 300 snaps as a rookie but registered a mere eight pressures and wasn't much of a factor against the run. Injuries did play a part in this low ranking for Dallas.
30. Washington Commanders
Year 1 hits: RB Chris Rodriguez
It clearly wasn't a high-volume role for Rodriguez as a rookie, but he nearly averaged five yards per tote and forced an impressive 12 missed tackles on his 51 carries. Other than Rodriguez, the Washington 2023 draft class was essentially non-existent, and first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes was a liability in coverage.
29. New Orleans Saints
Year 1 hits: RB Kendre Miller
While Miller averaged a rather pedestrian 3.8 yards per tote in his rookie season, there were 10 forced missed tackles on his 41 attempts. First-rounder Bryan Bresee did register 31 pressures but it took him 386 pass-rush snaps to get there, and he missed a boatload of tackles.
28. Denver Broncos
Year 1 hits: WR Marvin Mims
Mims was clearly one of the most dangerous Broncos with the ball in his hands, he just rarely saw it. The former Oklahoma star never received more than five targets in a single game but averaged 17.1 yards per snag and was a dynamic returner.
27. San Francisco 49ers
Year 1 hits: DB Ji'Ayir Brown
The highlight of Brown's rookie year is an interception of Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl. And after he returned from injury, he was a steady performer on the back-end for San Francisco. This low ranking for the 49ers is more about the insane collection of veteran talent on the roster making it immensely difficult for rookies to break through in 2023.
26. Jacksonville Jaguars
Year 1 hits: OL Anton Harrison
A strong start to Harrison's rookie campaign in northern Florida faded to average-at-best play. He did log over 1,000 snaps at right tackle protecting Trevor Lawrence. Tank Bigsby didn't even crack 3.0 yards per tote. But the Jaguars did get some production from sixth-round wideout Parker Washington -- 16 snags for 132 yards and two scores. Overall, this class had a dull Year 1 in the NFL.
25. Indianapolis Colts
Year 1 hits: WR Josh Downs
Downs was a spark underneath for Gardner Minshew with 68 snags for 771 yards with two scores. JuJu Brents was average at his very best at corner, and fifth-round tight end Will Mallory turned in 18 receptions for 202 yards. Other than that, the Colts did not get much impact from the rest of their huge, 12-pick class. Of course Anthony Richardson waits to return from an early-season shoulder injury.
24. Cleveland Browns
Year 1 hits: OT Dawand Jones
Jones probably had the best season at tackle among all of his contemporaries, but like many other Browns in 2023, got injured before the end of the campaign. Dorian Thompson-Robinson struggled after a stellar preseason but did lead a game-winning drive against the Steelers. Can't label him a "hit" though.
23. Los Angeles Chargers
Year 1 hits: EDGE Tuli Tuipulotu
Tuipulotu, at just 21 years old, was a brick wall against the run and registered 51 pressures in his debut season with the Chargers. Darn good. Quentin Johnston labored through a difficult rookie campaign that did feature a rare splash play. The rest of the Los Angeles 2023 draft class was either injured -- Daiyan Henley -- or failed to make an impact.
22. New York Giants
Year 1 hits: WR Jalin Hyatt, CB Deonte Banks
Hyatt didn't exactly rekindle all of the magic he had at Tennessee winning down the field on a regular basis. But averaging over 16 yards per snag as a rookie demonstrated there's a bright future for him if the development as a route runner continues. Sixth-round pick Tre Hawkins was respectable as a rotational cornerback. Second-round pick John Michael Schmitz really struggled with power before his injury. Banks had some hiccups in coverage but mostly dealt with No. 1 receivers in man coverage and snagged two picks while knocking away 11 passes.
21. Miami Dolphins
Year 1 hits: RB Devon Achane
Only four picks for the Dolphins for the second-straight year, and one of those picks was a grand-slam home run. Achane averaged nearly eight yards per tote and looked like he was born to run in Mike McDaniel's system in his debut season in the NFL. So electric.
20. New York Jets
Year 1 hits: OL Joe Tippmann
The Jets spent a Top 50 pick on Tippmann to be their center of the future, and besides a mid-season injury, he was respectable at the pivot as part of what was an otherwise porous blocking unit. First-rounder Will McDonald was buried on the depth chart but hardly moved the needle when on the field, and fourth-rounder Carter Warren was a liability in pass protection and for the ground game when he saw the field.
19. Las Vegas Raiders
Year 1 hits: QB Aidan O'Connell, WR Tre Tucker
O'Connell's lengthy audition wasn't so stirring that the Raiders will avoid addressing the quarterback spot in the 2024 offseason, but they know now they have a quality backup who's capable of making difficult throws at times. He doesn't need to be totally shielded by a gimmicky, conservative offense. Tucker wasn't ultra-productive but did average 17.4 yards per snag with two touchdowns on 19 catches in a super-limited role. Tyree Wilson was a sizable first-rounder after being selected inside the Top 10.
18. Atlanta Falcons
Year 1 hits: RB Bijan Robinson
Robinson met sky-high expectations by averaging 4.5 yards per tote inside a passing-deficient offense and was plenty efficient individually with 52 missed tackles forced along with nearly 500 receiving yards. Third-round pick from Ohio State Zach Harrison turned in 13 pressures on just over 160 pass-rushing snaps -- respectable -- and Clark Phillips wasn't a total disaster in the slot in a limited capacity. This group is mostly buoyed by Robinson.
17. Baltimore Ravens
Year 1 hits: WR Zay Flowers
Flowers made noticeable contributions to the Ravens boosted passing attack. His 21 missed tackles forced was fourth among all receivers in football in 2023. After his selection in the first round, Baltimore, with an uncharacteristically small class, didn't get much impact, and fifth-round pick, cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly, didn't even make the team out of camp.
16. Kansas City Chiefs
Year 1 hits: WR Rashee Rice, S Chamarri Conner
Rice finished third in YAC among all receivers and slowly emerged as the No. 1 receiver target in Kansas City after Travis Kelce in the Chiefs run to back-to-back Super Bowl titles. Conner saw the field late during the regular season and proved to be an explosive occasional playmaker at safety. Offensive tackle Wanya Morris spelled an injured Donovan Smith for a stretch but was a turnstile, and first-round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah struggled.
15. Cincinnati Bengals
Year 1 hits: S Jordan Battle, RB Chase Brown, WR Andrei Iosivas
Battle moved into a full-time role later in the season and played steady, assignment-sound football, just like he was back at Alabama. DJ Turner had his hiccups in coverage, and first-rounder Myles Murphy hardly produced. Brown went over four yards per carry and had a long score in a limited role out of the backfield. Oh and Four of Iosivas' 15 catches as a rookie went for touchdowns!
14. Philadelphia Eagles
Year 1 hits: DT Jalen Carter
Carter anchors this mostly uninspiring group from what is normally one of the better draft franchises in football. The former Georgia superstar had 50 pressures on a little over 420 pass-rush snaps but fizzled down the stretch. Sydney Brown was forced onto the field but was mostly a liability in coverage and against the run despite a few splash plays, and injuries hampered most of the rest of Howie Roseman's 2023 class.
13. New England Patriots
Year 1 hits: OL Sidy Sow, EDGE Keion White, CB Christian Gonzalez, WR DeMario Douglas
Altogether an unspectacular group, the Patriots did get respectable return on Sow, a mid-round selection, who played tackle and guard hailing from the MAC. Before his injury, Gonzalez was having a borderline Defensive Rookie of the Year season, and early on White looked like a ferocious, power-based pass rusher. Douglas didn't amass major numbers -- mostly due to the quarterback play -- but was a steady facet of an otherwise anemic pass game.
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Year 1 hits: DL Calijah Kancey, EDGE YaYa Diaby, WR Trey Palmer
Kancey was injured early on in his NFL career but eventually finished the season with 45 pressures on 443 pass-rush snaps, quality efficiency for a rookie interior rusher. Diaby demonstrated the functionality of his springy athleticism on the edge with 30 pressures of his own, and Palmer a sixth-rounder from Nebraska via LSU, had 42 catches for 473 yards including four scores.
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11. Arizona Cardinals
Year 1 hits: WR Michael Wilson, EDGE B.J. Ojulari, LB Owen Pappoe
The oft-injured Stanford product had a fine rookie campaign in Arizona, often showcasing his above-average blend of size and athleticism on the perimeter. Ojulari didn't play like a rookie of the year candidate, but the Cardinals should be encouraged by his Year 1 as someone who can eventually be a useful rotational piece up front. The explosive Pappoe only played a little over 100 snaps but flashed in his time on the field, and Kei'Trel Clark was serviceable in the slot.
10. Tennessee Titans
Year 1 hits: OL Peter Skoronski, QB Will Levis, RB Tyjae Spears
Skoronski lived up to the expectations as a reliable interior blocker making the switch from tackle to guard in the NFL. Levis' flashes were outstanding just few and far between and Spears proved to be the running back of the future as a versatile, elusive weapon out of the backfield.
9. Buffalo Bills
Year 1 hits: TE Dalton Kincaid, OG O'Cyrus Torrence
Kincaid was the second-most productive rookie tight end, and his 63 grabs set a Bills franchise mark for the position. Torrence never dominated but was rarely heard from in the penalty department and wasn't a major liability in pass protection. While I won't label him a Year 1 hit, third-round pick Dorian Williams filled in nicely for what was a decimated Bills linebacker group with 12 stops on fewer than 250 total snaps.
8. Minnesota Vikings
Year 1 hits: WR Jordan Addison, CB Mekhi Blackmon
A small class did yield two quality future key contributors for the Vikings in Addison and Blackmon. Even with Justin Jefferson out for a considerable stretch and Kirk Cousins tearing his Achilles, Addison still led the team with 10 touchdowns and got open often. Blackmon wasn't incredibly stingy in coverage yet registered eight pass breakups and a pick in Year 1 and wasn't often picked on by opposing quarterbacks.
7. Seattle Seahawks
Year 1 hits: CB Devon Witherspoon, WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, RB Zach Charbonnet
This ranking is carried by the first two selections. Witherspoon had a dynamic pick six against the Giants in prime time and after that played just like he did at Illinois. Aggressive and sticky in coverage. Smith-Njigba wasn't quite as productive as many of us expected but still managed 628 yards and four scores on 63 receptions in Year 1. Charbonnet averaged 4.3 yards per tote as a rookie behind Kenneth Walker.
6. Chicago Bears
Year 1 hits: OT Darnell Wright, DL Gervon Dexter, CB Tyrique Stevenson, RB Roschon Johnson
No one from Chicago's defensive-heavy 2023 class was outstanding but there were multiple steady contributes who appear to have their best football in front of them. In took a few contests for Wright to find his proverbial footing, and down the stretch he was much more comfortable and under control. Dexter quietly had 29 pressures on just under 300 pass-rush snaps and Stevenson had 16 pass breakups and four picks in his debut season in the Windy City. When healthy, Johnson was a runaway train toting the rock. He averaged 4.4 yards per rush.
5. Pittsburgh Steelers
Year 1 hits: CB Joey Porter Jr., DT Keeanu Benton, OT Broderick Jones, EDGE Nick Herbig
No one was downright sensational from the Steelers 2023 rookie group, yet Porter Jr. settled into somewhat of a lockdown role as he was provided a full-time role on the boundary. Jones was up and down but flashed as a run blocker. Actually, there's a case to be made that Benton, the third-round pick from Wisconsin, was the most consistent contributor from start to finish. And Herbig flashed around the corner in a limited role.
4. Detroit Lions
Year 1 hits: RB Jahmyr Gibbs, LB Jack Campbell, TE Sam LaPorta, S Brian Branch
My word, what a class GM Brad Holmes compiled in Detroit. Gibbs was a lightning bolt out of the backfield and as a traditional runner -- he averaged 5.4 yards per touch and scored 11 touchdowns during the regular season. Campbell became a stud run defender the more he played, LaPorta broke the NFL rookie tight end receptions record by a mile, and Branch got Defensive Rookie of the Year votes for his versatile play at slot corner/safety.
3. Los Angeles Rams
Year 1 hits: WR Puka Nacua, DT Kobie Turner, EDGE Byron Young, IOL Steve Avila
This is exactly why the Rams weren't clinging to first-round picks for all those years. They trust their drafting system. Nacua was the gem of the draft uncovered in the fifth-round. Turner, a third-round pick, was one hell of a find too. He was a rocket of a pass-rusher down the stretch and finished second in the Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. Quietly, Avila was a steady stud on the interior of the Rams offensive line, and even Young chipped in with 51 pressures. Hats off to you, Les Snead.
2. Green Bay Packers
Year 1 hits: WR Jayden Reed, TE Luke Musgrave, TE Tucker Kraft, DL Karl Brooks, WR Dontayvion Wicks, EDGE/DL Colby Wooden
The Packers went full "YOUTH MOVEMENT" and it paid immediate dividends, particularly on offense. By the way, Green Bay doubled-up on receiver in 2022 -- Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs -- then tripled up at the position in 2023. Reed was a slot star with eight touchdown in the regular season, Wicks demonstrated his athletic gifts translate to big plays, and the tight end duo combined for 65 catches, 707 yards and three touchdowns. On defense, the uniquely shaped Brooks was a wrecking ball late in the season and into the playoffs, and they even got respectable productive from fellow versatile defensive lineman Colby Wooden.
1. Houston Texans
Year 1 hits: QB C.J. Stroud, EDGE Will Anderson, WR Tank Dell
Selecting the eventual Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Year will get you atop of this ranking every time. Stroud had one of the most efficient rookie quarterback seasons in football history, Anderson took home the hardware thanks to a steady Year 1 that featured a torrid stretch late in the season, and before breaking his leg, Dell was uncoverable at the intermediate level and down the field.
