NFL Analysis

10/31/24

19 min read

2024 NFL Midseason All-Rookie Team: Jayden Daniels, Malik Nabers lead NFL's Best Rookies

By James Foster

NFL Analyst
New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers enter the field during introductions before the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium.
New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (1) enter the field during introductions before the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images.

We're now eight weeks into the NFL season, which is a good checkpoint to evaluate the 2024 rookie class and create an NFL Midseason All-Rookie Team.

I've dug through the tape of most rookies who have played meaningful snaps and chosen the 22 best players through the first half of the year.

NFL Midseason All-Rookie Team

QB: Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders Washington Commanders logo

Jayden Daniels is putting together a historic rookie season and has been the driving force behind Washington’s 6-2 start. His completion rate (71.8%), EPA per dropback (0.25), and success rate (53.2%) rank first among rookie quarterbacks since 2000. His 8.4 yards per attempt and 104.3 passer rating rank second.

While his deep accuracy is a bit inconsistent relative to his final year at LSU, the high difficulty and tight-window throws he’s completed downfield stack up with any quarterback in the NFL.

He’s shown the ability to work the middle of the field and decipher zone coverage, an element of his game that I believe was unfairly criticized during the draft process. He’s arguably the best-scrambling quarterback in the NFL and can punish defenses for playing man coverage or abandoning rush lanes.

He still needs to speed up his processing, as he’s occasionally late reaching his second or third read. More decisiveness working through his progressions will also help him avoid sacks at a higher rate. Compared to most rookies, however, he still executes from the pocket at a high level.

HB: Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tampa Bay Buccaneers logo

Tampa Bay’s fourth-round pick, Bucky Irving, has emerged as a dynamic playmaker, leading rookie running backs in rushing yards, receiving yards, touchdowns, and yards after contact per attempt. Irving is an electric runner with the creativity to manufacture explosive plays out of thin air. His spatial awareness and sudden change of direction make him a nightmare to tackle in the open field.

He also has a complete third down skill set, only dropping one pass through the first eight weeks. His pass protection has been a pleasant surprise, as he struggled with blitz pickup at Oregon but has looked good this year in limited opportunities.

WR: Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars Jacksonville Jaguars logo

In a shocking turn of events, the 6-foot-3 receiver who ran a 4.33 and caught 17 touchdowns is good. Brian Thomas Jr. is already one of the NFL’s best deep threats, with immediate acceleration and blazing top speed to stack corners vertically.

He doesn’t need a creative play design to create explosive plays. He can run a straight line and consistently torch elite corners in press man. Thomas Jr. has room to improve as an intermediate route runner, but his rapid deceleration makes him a weapon on stops and comebacks.

Although he has outstanding focus and a massive catch radius, he doesn’t fully utilize his physical gifts at the catch point. If he eliminates the focus drops and starts attacking the ball with more assertiveness, he’ll be essentially unguardable on deep routes.

WR: Malik Nabers, New York Giants New York Giants logo

Despite only playing six games, Malik Nabers ranks second among NFL receivers with 72 targets. He leads the NFL in “Open Score,” according to ESPN Analytics, and his yardage total (498) would be significantly higher if Daniel Jones was a league-average deep passer.

The speed, quickness, and start-stop ability that made Nabers a special college receiver have fully translated to the NFL. His vertical push is top-tier, but his ability to sink his hips and decelerate from top speed is unmatched. He hasn’t struggled to shake press coverage, and his fluid change of direction ability unlocks the entire route tree.

His catch radius is slightly limited, but he’s flashed the ability to high-point the ball and win through contact. However, focus drops have been a slight issue.

WR: Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals Arizona Cardinals logo

Marvin Harrison Jr. has had an inconsistent start to his NFL career. His rookie season has been a continuous cycle of two/three-week stretches of anonymity, followed by a dominant performance to silence the doubters.

His erratic production is partially due to an unimaginative route tree full of neglected backside digs, but Harrison Jr. isn’t blameless. He has a tendency to rush his routes against off-coverage without using the stem to set up his break.

Sometimes, he also drifts into contact at the top of the route, which prevents him from separating cleanly. He’s flashed the ability to win contested catches, but his overall success rate on jump balls has been average.

But when he’s involved in the offense and playing up to his potential, he looks like the pro-ready receiver we all expected. His best routes are teach tape, and he can make incredible acrobatic adjustments deep downfield.

TE: Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders Las Vegas Raiders logo

Brock Bowers has been arguably the best tight end in the NFL, regardless of experience. His 2.21 yards per route run ranks second in the NFL and would be the highest for a rookie tight end since 2000.

More impressive than the raw production is how many different ways he wins as a receiver. He’s an automatic separator on option routes against linebackers. He understands where and when to sit down between zone coverage and leads tight ends in third down conversions vs. zone.

He beat Trent McDuffie and Joey Porter Jr. in press man. He’s been dominant on contested targets and leads tight ends with 280 yards after the catch. Bowers has multiple explosive receptions on out-breaking double moves, where he attacks the hook defender’s blind spot to make them think he’s running an in-breaker.

Aside from a drop in Week 4, I can’t come up with a single criticism of Bowers as a receiver.

OT: Joe Alt, Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Chargers logo

Joe Alt has had an outstanding start to his rookie season and is comfortably the best rookie offensive tackle.

He began his career by shutting down Maxx Crosby in Week 1, allowing zero pressures on 11 pass-blocking snaps. The significance of these high-profile 1-on-1 matchups is often exaggerated, as two players are rarely isolated for enough snaps to declare a “winner” or “loser,” but this was an erasure. Alt showed his sturdy anchor and composed hand usage, completely neutralizing Crosby’s bull rush.

He had several losses to T.J. Watt in Week 3, including a sack and a holding penalty, and I expect elite speed rushers to have some success attacking the corner.

Alt also occasionally loses balance when he drops his anchor and then has to reset his feet to protect his edges later in the play. Aside from these infrequent issues, Alt’s tape has been nearly flawless through the first half of the season.

OT: JC Latham, Tennessee Titans Tennessee Titans logo

After a rough performance in Week 1, JC Latham has settled in and given the Titans quality left tackle play for the first time since Taylor Lewan was on the roster. He hasn’t faced any top-tier pass rushers, but the early results have been promising.

Latham is well-versed in multiple punch techniques, which allows him to keep pass rushers off balance and adapt his strategy to his competition. He can end reps early with a powerful jump set or patiently flash his outside hand to disrupt the timing of chops/swipes. His anchor is essentially bulletproof, and using a bull rush on Latham is a wasted play.

At 335 pounds, however, Latham’s foot speed and pocket range are limited. Laiatu Latu beat him around the corner twice, and he gave up a sack in Week 7 due to an over-aggressive set he couldn’t recover from. His recovery ability, particularly against inside counters, has actually been a pleasant surprise based on my expectations.

He has elite drive power to carve out massive rushing lanes on duo and counter, and combo blocks with Latham and Skoronski have been deadly. However, he lacks the range to reach distant targets at the second level and sometimes appears unsure of his assignment.

OG: Dominick Puni, San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers logo

Dominick Puni has looked like a seasoned veteran since his first start, and his addition has stabilized the 49ers’ offensive line. He has the foot speed to mirror quick pass rushers and recover when he gets out-leveraged initially. His slide quickness and coordinated hand usage allow him to stay square with cross-face moves for the entirety of the rep.

He’s also hyper-aware of stunts and pressures and is constantly looking for work. He hasn’t had any immediate losses to power, but his anchor is below average and frequently lapses after a few seconds.

Puni is a perfect fit for San Francisco’s wide zone-heavy rushing scheme, routinely executing second level climbs and staying connected to his assignment.

He’s also a phenomenal puller with the straight-line explosiveness to reach difficult landmarks in space. He still needs to improve his pad level to generate more displacement off the line of scrimmage and sustain reach blocks more consistently.

OG: Jackson Powers-Johnson, Las Vegas Raiders Las Vegas Raiders logo

The second guard spot was a difficult choice, as no one besides Puni has quite played up to the All-Rookie standard, but I went with Jackson Powers-Johnson.

He plays with a mean streak and has several dominant finishes in both phases every game. His tenacity, combined with his size and square power, makes him an imposing force, even as a rookie. While his flashes are exciting, he’s still rough around the edges and needs to learn to play with controlled aggression.

Erratic set points and late hands force him into difficult recoveries in pass protection, although he has exceptional reactive athleticism to minimize the damage. In the run game, he prioritizes kill shots instead of consistently securing blocks, so the losses offset his dominant wins. He’s also been called for five false starts and is oblivious to stunts and twists.

OC: Zach Frazier, Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers logo

Zach Frazier has missed the last two games with an ankle injury, but his tape from the first six weeks was elite. He’s delivered an absurd number of knockdowns in the run game, and his 1.94 percent pressure rate is the lowest among rookie offensive linemen.

He’s an excellent zone blocker with the acceleration and flexibility to secure reach blocks and eliminate targets at the second level. Frazier plays with textbook pad level at the point of attack, which allows him to uproot defensive tackles and drive them downfield.

His wrestling background also shows up in the run game, as he torques defenders and finishes blocks once he latches on. Centers face relatively few isolated pass-blocking snaps, but Frazier hasn’t had any decisive losses.

EDGE: Jared Verse, Los Angeles Rams Los Angeles Rams logo

Through Week 8, Jared Verse has the second-highest pressure rate in the NFL and has been the most productive rookie edge rusher by far. His bull rush is lethal, and he complements his power with a speed chop to win around the outside shoulder. His sack total (three) doesn’t match his pressures, partially due to missed tackles, but he recorded two sacks in Week 8.

He’s also been a force in the run game and ranks sixth among edge rushers with 14 run tackles. Even when he isn’t the one finishing the play, Verse demolishes blocks on the backside and is a chore for tight ends to seal off.

EDGE: Laiatu Latu, Indianapolis Colts Indianapolis Colts logo

No other rookie has approached Verse’s level of productivity, but Laiatu Latu has shown the most promise. His cross-chop and double-swipe have been significantly less effective against more athletic NFL tackles, and his matchups with Laremy Tunsil and Terron Armstead were quiet.

He won the corner several times against Tennessee and Chicago, and his bull rush has been moderately effective against weaker left tackles. I’m still optimistic that he’ll be a productive player, but the gap between Latu and Verse’s tape is a good example of the uneven NFL translatability of speed and power.

3-TECH: Byron Murphy II, Seattle Seahawks Seattle Seahawks logo

Byron Murphy II missed several weeks with a hamstring injury but has played well in his 4.5 games of action. His pressure rate is just 9.8 percent, but he’s had several “wins” that weren’t recorded as pressures because the quarterback released the ball too quickly to be affected. He has a violent club move and arm-over to pry open blocks and elite lateral burst to attack the edge.

He'll most likely always be more of a disruptor than a steady presence in the run game. He uses his heavy hands and explosiveness to defeat blocks quickly and make plays in the backfield, but his anchor at 308 pounds is just average.

While there haven’t been any pancakes or dominant losses, he will occasionally get moved out of his gap or driven a few yards off the line of scrimmage.

NT: T’Vondre Sweat, Tennessee Titans Tennessee Titans logo

T’Vondre Sweat has been one of the best nose tackles in the NFL as a rookie. He doesn’t fill up the box score, but he eats blocks and anchors Tennessee’s interior run defense.

As anyone who watched Sweat’s college tape would expect, he’s been immovable at the point of attack. His pure mass allows him to clog the A-gap, and force runs outside. The most surprising aspect of Sweat’s game, however, has been his range as a run defender.

He has a high motor and enough straight-line speed to chase stretch runs to the alley and make plays outside of his sphere of influence. His Week 4 tape against the Dolphins is one of the most impressive nose tackle performances of the year, as he almost single-handedly neutralized Miami’s off-tackle run game.

Sweat has violent hands and lateral quickness to defeat blocks and can make some splash plays on passing downs, but he only has six pressures and isn’t a volume pass rusher.

LB: Edgerrin Cooper, Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers logo

Edgerrin Cooper has played a rotational role for Green Bay’s defense, and he’s been the best rookie linebacker in the NFL through Week 8. His play is a bit chaotic, but the upside he’s shown in just 200 snaps is exciting.

Cooper’s rare closing burst makes him an electric pass rusher or quarterback spy; he’s recorded four pressures and three sacks on just 20 pass-rushing snaps. He also has elite pursuit range to flow from sideline to sideline, and no pursuit angle is unwinnable. He often arrives at the ball carrier out of control and isn’t as fluid as he is explosive, so he struggles to break down and secure tackles in the open field. He also has a light, lanky build, which results in a weak anchor when blockers are able to make contact.

He has upside as a cover linebacker but is still adjusting to a traditional coverage role after playing mostly as a spy at Texas A&M. This pass breakup from Week 8 shows his elite range.

The Packers are showing blitz but dropping into Tampa 2, and Cooper has to run from the line of scrimmage to carry Christian Kirk down the seam. He closes almost 10 yards of separation and breaks up the pass on third and long:

His overall awareness in zone coverage still needs development, but Cooper has shown a lot of promise as a third down weapon.

LB: Payton Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers logo

Payton Wilson’s rookie season has been similar to Cooper’s, with slightly less extreme highs and lows. He hasn’t been a full-time starter, but he’s taken advantage of his opportunities, and his snap counts have gradually increased each week.

Wilson ran a 4.43, and his elite speed is obvious on tape. He blankets the entire width of the field and has an immediate closing burst to contain outside runs. He isn’t much of a block shedder and struggles to play through contact, but he’s usually fast enough to outrun or undercut climbing blockers.

Wilson fell in the draft primarily for medical reasons, but if he can stay healthy, the Steelers got incredible value in the third round.

CB: Quinyon Mitchell, Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles logo

Quinyon Mitchell leads rookie defensive backs with six pass breakups and is rewarding Howie Roseman for finally taking a cornerback in the first round. Although his tape has been good, the production he's left on the field is frustrating.

Mitchell has dropped three interceptions in seven games and had another easy pick broken up by his teammate, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson. On top of his ball production, Mitchell has allowed few explosive plays in single coverage, thanks to his top-tier recovery speed. He rarely gets stacked vertically, but when he does, he can close the separation in just a few steps.

He plays primarily off coverage, even when Philadelphia runs Cover 1, which further protects him from getting beat downfield but opens up opportunities underneath. His elite closing burst was impossible to miss on his college tape, and he’s flashed the same click-and-close ability in the NFL, but he needs to improve his technique and anticipation to limit plays from off coverage. He’s allowed some easy completions on drift routes and 10-12-yard outs due to indecisiveness or delayed break recognition.

He also has a bad habit of opening his hips prematurely, inhibiting his ability to recover when the receiver breaks in the opposite direction.

When playing off coverage, it's important to stay square with the route for as long as possible to maintain a two-way go until the receiver breaks. There were several examples of this in Week 8 where he allowed a wide open backside route, but luckily wasn’t targeted:

CB: Renardo Green, San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers logo

Renardo Green has only played three games of meaningful snaps, but he’s made enough of an impact to be included on this list.

He directly forced two turnovers, undercutting an in-breaking route to intercept Geno Smith and forcing a fumble in Week 8. He was also the targeted defender for two other interceptions where he was in tight coverage, and the free safety made the catch.

He gave up a touchdown in Week 6 where Tyler Lockett boxed him out in the end zone. He over-committed to a release fake from DK Metcalf and allowed a conversion on third and short. He also allowed several completions in zone coverage where he was late to peel off of his initial assignment and connect to a route down the sideline.

NB: Dru Phillips, New York Giants New York Giants logo

Dru Phillips just had his worst performance of the season in Week 8, but his total body of work is enough to earn him a spot on the All-Rookie team. Phillips was a tenacious heat-seeking missile at Kentucky, but poor tackling severely limited his impact. This year, he’s been an excellent tackler, and his tone-setting play style is finally resulting in production.

Phillips makes the majority of his impact within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage, erasing screens, checkdowns, and outside runs. At 187 pounds, he epitomizes “punching above your weight class” and has no issue escaping blocks.

He has some shortcomings in man coverage and hasn’t recorded a pass breakup all season. The Giants have limited his exposure early in the year, but in Week 8, he allowed five first downs and two completions of 25+ yards.

SAF: Evan Williams, Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers logo

Evan Williams entered Green Bay’s starting lineup in Week 5 and has given the Packers quality safety play opposite of Xavier McKinney. He’s made an impact in both phases with two pass breakups, nine run tackles, a forced fumble, and an interception.

Williams played more than 2800 snaps in college, and his experience has led him to early success in a hybrid role. He can shed blocks and fit the run from the box, play man coverage on receivers and tight ends, or defend shot plays as a single-high safety.

Williams left the game in Week 8 with a hamstring injury, but at full strength, the Packers have assembled a well-rounded group of safeties with diverse skills.

SAF: Tykee Smith, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tampa Bay Buccaneers logo

I’m slightly cheating by choosing Tykee Smith, Tampa Bay’s third-round pick, as my second safety, but no other true safety has done enough to make this list, and Smith deserves to be included as much as any other defensive back I’ve already discussed. I also viewed him as a safety in last year’s draft and have no doubt that he could make the transition if necessary.

Smith started every game at nickel before suffering a concussion in Week 7, and he looks like one of the biggest steals in the 2024 Draft. After shaky performances in the first two weeks, Smith has been excellent in zone coverage.

As a flat defender, he can get depth, process the route distribution, and play multiple receivers simultaneously. He’s flashed in man-to-man but has been inconsistent overall and needs to improve his break anticipation from off-coverage.

Smith was an outstanding run defender at Georgia, and that has translated to the NFL. He’s the best block-shedding defensive back I’ve ever evaluated. His play strength and physicality allow Tampa Bay to play nickel personnel but defend the run like they’re in base.

His ability to strike and discard blocks at just 205 pounds is remarkable, and it makes him the perfect nickel to defend modern NFL offenses that are predicated on attacking the alley.

Tags: Andru Phillips, Arizona Cardinals, Brian Thomas Jr. See More

James Foster

NFL Analyst

James Foster is an NFL writer who creates film-based analysis of NFL players and teams. He previously worked for A to Z Sports.

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