NFL Rookies Who Already Look Like Draft-Day Steals After 2024 OTAs (2024)

Organized team activities are the appetizer that will become the entree of the next NFL season. Little morsels can be taken from here and there, but a person can't fill up on those bites.

"Good, he's farther along than most," Broncos coach Sean Payton told reporters when asked about he's picking up the offense. "We're talking about a player who has played 61 games. He's extremely smart. He's picked it up very quickly."

The last first-round quarterback taken could actually provide the quickest return, because the 24-year-old signal-caller is a good fit for Payton's system, with the playing time under his belt to even out some of the ups and downs that rookies tend to experience.

Coleman is an above-the-rim target. He's going to body off defenders and make spectacular grabs. He's already become a fan favorite because of affable personality. But the rookie appears to be the missing piece.

"I think his play style (is) what we needed in our offense," quarterback Josh Allen told NFL Network (h/t David De Cristofaro of Bills Wire). "Talking with our offensive coordinator (Joe Brady), our quarterbacks coach (Ronald Curry), (general manager) Brandon Beane, and, obviously, coach (Sean) McDermott, a guy that's a big-bodied guy and can go win one a back-shoulder fade and not afraid to be a physical wide receiver."

Safety Damar Hamlin added, "He's been working. You can't even tell he's a rookie. Looks like he's been with us since I've been here."

Quentin Johnston, Joshua Palmer and D.J. Chark Jr. are all bigger, vertical-type of targets, which should work great in a play-action-heavy scheme. But someone needs to work the short-to-intermediate portions of the field. McConkey can do so, while surprising opponents with his 4.39-second 40-yard-dash speed.

He's using his draft-day slide as motivation. The rookie chose to wear No. 10 to represent the 10 wide receivers selected before him.

Colts head coach Shane Steichen builds his offensive gameplan around explosive vertical pass plays. Indianapolis lacked that dynamic last season. Mitchell's skill set is a perfect fit, which already showed up in his first professional practice sessions.

"The explosiveness that he goes off the ball and wins one-on-ones," Steichen told reporters. "He's been making a ton of plays out here the last couple days. Really good to see those one-on-one winners. He's going to bring an element to our offense that we're really excited about."

"One thing that I can say I took from Texas, and I know that other receivers in my room (there) did, we learned concept-based, and I think that directly translates to this offense," the rookie told Stu Jackson of the Rams official site. "So just learning it as a concept, the words change, but most of the concepts are somewhat similar. So I think we did a good job at Texas by learning concept-based."

Furthermore, Whittington should play a significant part in special teams. He'll be able to contribute in multiple phases thus making him invaluable as a rookie.

The New England Patriots knew they had work to do on offense while entering the Jarod Mayo era.

"The other receiver whose hype train already has a full head of steam [aside from Tyquan Thornton] is fourth-round pick Javon Baker," Evan Lazar of the Patriots official site reported. "Baker made two impressive plays. First, a catch in traffic working over the middle, and then he beat CB Marco Wilson along the sideline on a high-point fade. Baker has some noticeable tools to work with in his explosiveness, strong hands to make catches outside his frame, and body control to thrive in contested situations.

Baker is still a work-in-progress, particularly with overall consistency within the nuances of playing the position. But he's catching the eye of veterans.

"I think that's how you build trust," quarterback Jacoby Brissett said of Baker. "He is a good route runner, good hands, can go up and make plays like he did today. We're looking forward to seeing more of what he can do."

The New York Jets' Eric Watts is the only undrafted free agent on this list, and his inclusion may be tad premature.

But the Jets signed Watts to a free-agent contract with $245,000 in total guaranteed money, which will be more than any seventh-rounder gets this year.

Watts stands out naturally because of his size (nearly 6'6" and 274 pounds) and excellent athletic profile.

What makes Watts interesting for the Jets is that he has the size and length to work up and down the line of scrimmage. He now needs to back that up with improved technique and production.

The Dallas Cowboys see another defensive chess piece in third-round linebacker Marist Liufau.

"Number one, he's brilliant," defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer told reporters. "He catches on really quick. He wants to be so good and so intense that he's almost too much at it right now. The other thing is I think he's a really good pressure player and I think having that with (Micah) Parsons and another pressure player that is a linebacker or he can move somewhere else and Parsons can move somewhere else. I think those pieces add to confusion for the offense, plus he's a really good rusher. "

Liufau isn't just a box player, though. He didn't allow a single touchdown when in coverage over the last two seasons, according to Pro Football Focus.

For the Cowboys, the coaching staff has a good problem on its hands. Veterans Eric Kendricks, Damone Clark and DeMarvion Overshown are the projected starters. Liufau is going to push Overshown in particular for a spot. But Zimmer can move all of them around to give opposing offenses different looks.

Even if Liufau doesn't find himself in the starting lineup, he'll be a sub-package performer providing flexibility for the entire unit.

Cooper DeJean's inclusion has less to do about shining during practice sessions and more about how the Philadelphia Eagles plan to deploy this year's second-round selection.

Throughout the previous draft cycle, arguments arose about whether DeJean would be a better cornerback or safety at the professional level. He primarily played outside corner for the Iowa Hawkeyes and excelled.

Even so, the defensive back's versatility proved to be one of his biggest selling points. Interestingly, the Eagles doubled up on their defensive backfield after drafting Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell in the first round.

Philadelphia is getting plenty of early looks at DeJean, including some glimpses with the first-team defense, as a nickel corner.

To be clear, the rookie will be cross-train in multiple roles. But expectations have already been built that he can handle multiple responsibilities and may serve as the Eagles' primary slot defender once the season begins.

"DeJean appears to be picking up the nuances of his new defensive system," The Athletic's Brooks Kubena reported. "He adequately shadowed his one-on-one matchups, and he astutely passed off receivers on assignments that might otherwise draw less disciplined defensive backs incorrectly inward."

Basically, the Eagles want DeJean on the field, as they should. He has a better chance working inside right now with Mitchell, Darius Slay and James Bradberry also on the roster.

Certain players look the part but don't play that way. Kansas City Chiefs fourth-round safety Jaden Hicks looks the part and is already making waves.

"I tell him all the time, 'You know what? You are the prototype safety,'" Chiefs defensive backs coach Dave Merritt told reporters. "He has the body, the size, the mental to be able to be a really good football player in this league."

The 6'2", 211-pound defender has already caught the eye of a two-time league MVP.

"He's a big dude and he's going to get better and better," quarterback Patrick Mahomes said. "You can see it early, he has the physical ability."

For Hicks, the biggest part is how he fits into Kansas City's secondary. The back-to-back Super Bowl champs already have Justin Reid, Bryan Cook and Chamarri Conner. Hicks is a physical defender who plays like a missile to the ball. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has a plan for him, of course.

"We've got him all over the place," Spagnuolo said. "... He made a really great play today down toward the end zone at the end of practice. ... He's not as vocal as we need our safeties to be because he doesn't know (the playbook) yet."