The excitement for this year’s rookie class will be building up as they get ready to experience the thrill of the NFL firsthand as players. With the preseason underway already, regular season action is just a month away. Several rookies will have lofty expectations placed on them as teams look to make full use of their potential.
Although it is unjust to expect rookies to be standout performers in their debut season, we have seen multiple examples where such players take the league by storm. A fine example is C.J. Stroud in 2023, as he ran away with the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award.
Turning our attention to 2024, let us explore five rookies from this year’s draft who are primed to exceed expectations by the end of the season.
Marvin Harrison Jr., Wide Receiver, Arizona Cardinals
The first wide receiver off the board, Marvin Harrison Jr. already has a tremendous amount of expectations on his young shoulders. Son of former NFL great Marvin Harrison, the No.4 overall draft pick is expected to have a great season for the Cardinals as he is their true WR1.
What makes Harrison’s name justified on this list is the fact that the Cardinals don’t have much firepower in the receiving unit. The leading pass-catcher for Arizona last season was their tight end Trey McBride with just over 800 receiving yards. As per Pro Football Focus, the Cardinals receiving unit ranks 21st in the league.
With Harrison getting the most number of targets this year, there is a great chance he will exceed even the lofty expectations placed on him before the season begins.
Malik Nabers, Wide Receiver, New York Giants
Giants rookie first-round wide receiver Malik Nabers finds himself in a similar situation to Harrison. Actually, the Giants’ situation at wide receiver is even worse, with PFF ranking them 28th.
Everything will depend upon Nabers and his ability to make the big plays. Whatever the remaining receiving unit does will just be a helping hand, as Nabers will have to do all the heavy lifting. Moreover, the tight end room also does not boast elite talent.
Had the Giants kept Saquon Barkley, they would have added a pass-catching option from the backfield, but with his departure, New York signed Devin Singletary, who is not known to be as effective receiving the ball.
As a result, Nabers should have a much better season than previously expected.
Bo Nix, Quarterback, Denver Broncos
The last quarterback taken in the first round, Bo Nix could be a surprise for the league. Not many are sold on his selection by the Broncos. However, playing under Sean Payton, Nix is in good hands.
Training camp has been a solid one for Nix, and he has already impressed his new coach who stated that watching him is “boring” since Nix just goes about his business with very little feedback required.
The 24-year-old signal caller is set to be the starter in Denver ahead of Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson.
Kingsley Suamataia, Offensive Tackle, Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs are preparing for their three-peat and everything they do from the moment the regular season starts is going to have a major impact. One of the major areas of interest this year is the left tackle position, which is currently a two-way battle between sophomore Wanya Morris and rookie Kingsley Suamataia.
As per the reports coming out of the Chiefs’ training camp, Suamataia seems to be doing a better job than Morris. Suamataia has also received a substantial amount of reps with the ones and is looking good to win the starting job.
Protecting the blind side of Patrick Mahomes won’t be an easy job, but should the Chiefs make yet another deep run into the playoffs, Suamataia’s presence at the tackle position may just be the right choice.
Laiatu Latu, EDGE, Indianapolis Colts
Laiatu Latu is expected to have a big year, especially as the Colts have lost defensive end Samson Ebukam for the season due to a torn Achilles.
Latu has already impressed in training camp making his way to the quarterback and getting past the second-team O-line on multiple occasions. He is a special talent to have on defense, and had it not been for his medical history, he might have even been selected higher than his No. 15 overall spot.
Although Indianapolis could have used their first-round pick on other positions of need such as wide receiver, they decided to draft Latu to add to their deep pass rush, which just goes to show how much Latu is valued.
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