NFL Rookies Who Already Look Like Draft-Day Steals

Alexander

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After the NFL draft, many teams are ecstatic with their hauls. The event instills false hope, because the majority of picks won't succeed at the next level.

There will be a multiple picks, however, who exceed expectations. These men will be lauded for outperforming their draft slots. Their teams will be deemed brilliant for seeing something no one else did.

Every year, NFL analysts re-draft the previous year's class to determine how teams hit and/or missed on their evaluations.

It's amazing to realize the Oakland Raiders selected Derek Carr (the league's highest-paid player) in the second round after Blake Bortles, Johnny Manziel and Teddy Bridgewater were scooped up.

Here, we'll look at players drafted in the second round and beyond. After the first round, incoming rookies can be deemed draft-day steals because expectations are not sky-high immediately.

Anticipation is already building for the following 10 rookies, and their teams hope to get big returns on their modest investments.

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Move over, Cole Beasley. Ryan Switzer is going to find a way on the field as rookie for the Dallas Cowboys.

"Switz has been a baller in OTAs," Beasley said, per the Dallas Morning News. "He's really good getting off the press and beating man coverage. That's the hardest thing to teach. If you don't have that coming in, it's kind of hard to make it in the NFL."

North Carolina's all-time leading receiver had the lowest drop rate of any draft prospect operating out of the slot last season, per Pro Football Focus.

And his short-area quickness allows him to get open in the first place. Switzer tied for first at the NFL combine with a 4.00-second short shuttle.

Cowboys faithful should expect both Beasley and the rookie to be on the field together.

"[Switzer's] role is significant," offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said, per the Morning News' Jon Machota. "...He complements Beasley and also gives us some big-time needed depth at that position."

Switzer also brings a rare skill set to special teams. He set an ACC record with seven career punts returns for touchdowns. The Cowboys averaged 7.1 yards per punt return in 2016, which ranked 23rd overall.

"I love little Switz," Pro Bowl wide receiver Dez Bryant said, via the Morning News' Jori Epstein. "He comes in, he works hard and he focuses on what can get him better."

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The Dallas Cowboys have made a habit of smart picks. Whether it was Ezekiel Elliott or Zack Martin in the first round, Jaylon Smith in the second or Dak Prescott later, the team's recent success can be attributed to its drafting.

After obtaining Michigan's Taco Charlton in the first round, the Cowboys doubled down on defensive backs. Chidobe Awuzie's combination of versatility, coverage skills and NFL-ready physicality land him on this list.

"We've got to find ways to put speed on the field," defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli said, per the Dallas Morning News' Kate Hairopoulous. "...[Awuzie is] going to be an asset. He can cover."

There were rumblings that Awuzie's would be selected in the first round. But he eventually went 60th.

"He's got all those factors that say, 'Hey, this guy could go do it [at safety],'" secondary coach Joe Baker said, per Pro Football Talk's Charean Williams. "Right now, we'd like to see what he can do at corner first."

Dallas required a major overhaul among its defensive backs with the losses of Barry Church, Brandon Carr, J.J. Wilcox and Morris Claiborne in free agency. Awuzie will be one of the defense's key components as the team revamps its secondary.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2717515-nfl-rookies-who-already-look-like-draft-day-steals
 

jwooten15

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How do we know they're steals?
They haven't played a single snap of NFL football yet.

Agreed. It's like creating "power ranking" lists in the middle of June. Or how they always say the Eagles have won the offseason.

It's all pure speculation. But I guess that's what gets us through the dog days of summer.
 

MWH1967

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only way you can look at it is "Potential".

th
 

jwooten15

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only way you can look at it is "Potential".

Only problem with that is guys like JaMarcus Russell and Derrick Henry had potential also.

And a lot of these articles are written as if the Cowboys (or any team) definitively found themselves a steal, all before the player has done anything of substance on an NFL field.

I bet they like to write all kinds of stuff so they MIGHT look smart if one of their 1,000 offseason predictions actually comes true.
 

MWH1967

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Only problem with that is guys like JaMarcus Russell and Derrick Henry had potential also.

And a lot of these articles are written as if the Cowboys (or any team) definitively found themselves a steal, all before the player has done anything of substance on an NFL field.

I bet they like to write all kinds of stuff so they MIGHT look smart if one of their 1,000 offseason predictions actually comes true.
Well, yeah.:)
 

MileyDancer

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Switzer would be a nice steal but what this team needs is Defense, Defense, Defense. I pray the DB's and Taco are the real deal. The lack of discussion regarding Taco so far concerns me.
I honestly didn't see what excited the FO about Charlton, but they obviously know eons more than I do. I hope I'm wrong, but I don't think our pass rush is improves because of him. We need another defensive draft.
 

PJTHEDOORS

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"It's amazing to realize the Oakland Raiders selected Derek Carr (the league's highest-paid player) in the second round."

That's amazing? No, it would be if he was picked in the 4th like Dak or in the 6th like Tom Brady. Just because the Raiders paid Carr to be the highest paid player in the league isn't amazing. It's not like his stats back it up that he's been amazing. A career 60.;9 passing %, and 87.9 qb rating.
 

ksadler1

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Switzer would be a nice steal but what this team needs is Defense, Defense, Defense. I pray the DB's and Taco are the real deal. The lack of discussion regarding Taco so far concerns me.

Don't forget that we have a couple guys coming off injury from last year who never had a chance to contribute. This D-line is going to surprise people this year. Believe it or not, we have the perfect mix of veteran/rookies on that D line. There's a lot to be excited about. We finally have some decent depth too.....
 

Trouty

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"It's amazing to realize the Oakland Raiders selected Derek Carr (the league's highest-paid player) in the second round."

That's amazing? No, it would be if he was picked in the 4th like Dak or in the 6th like Tom Brady. Just because the Raiders paid Carr to be the highest paid player in the league isn't amazing. It's not like his stats back it up that he's been amazing. A career 60.;9 passing %, and 87.9 qb rating.
PJ, you really dislike Carr! :) :laugh:
 

DFWJC

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Only problem with that is guys like JaMarcus Russell and Derrick Henry had potential also.

And a lot of these articles are written as if the Cowboys (or any team) definitively found themselves a steal, all before the player has done anything of substance on an NFL field.

I bet they like to write all kinds of stuff so they MIGHT look smart if one of their 1,000 offseason predictions actually comes true.
Derrick Henry is a monster, btw
 

DFWJC

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"It's amazing to realize the Oakland Raiders selected Derek Carr (the league's highest-paid player) in the second round."

That's amazing? No, it would be if he was picked in the 4th like Dak or in the 6th like Tom Brady. Just because the Raiders paid Carr to be the highest paid player in the league isn't amazing. It's not like his stats back it up that he's been amazing. A career 60.;9 passing %, and 87.9 qb rating.
Has only been in the league 3 years.
Therefore, im sure his most recent season is what is considered the current player.

That would be 28 tds, 6 ints (so huge 22 differential) , and a 97 rating.

Really though, his second year with 32 and 13 (19 differencial) and 91 rating is very strong too.

I'm on team Dak, but just a reminder that his differencial was 18.
 
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