NFL Rookie Rankings: Top Performers After 2024 Preseason Week 3 (2024)

In an attempt to project the best cumulative performance by these rookies, how much and how well they played, while also taking their impact into account, factored into these final preseason rankings.

The top two remained the same from last week, even though neither played this past weekend. Conversely, four cracked the list for the first and final time based on their complete body of work. As a reminder, this ongoing series will reset at the start of the regular season.

However, this version provides a look into which players deserve recognition for immediately taking to the professional game from Day 1.

Off the List

S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, Arizona Cardinals: The fourth-round safety didn't do anything to lose his spot, other than not playing in the Cardinals' final preseason game. Two other defensive backs found their way onto the list based on slightly better bodies of work.

QB Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders: Daniels basically secured his status as the Commanders' starting quarterback before the preseason began, though it didn't become official until last week. He didn't need to be in the lineup. Another rookie quarterback made a huge push as the preseason progressed.

OT Tyler Guyton, Dallas Cowboys: Guyton didn't look out of place making the conversion from right to left tackle. The Cowboys appear to have another big-time talent along their offensive line. Guyton didn't need to be on the field, either.

WR Xavier Worthy, Kansas City Chiefs: One big performance—even though it's a really exciting proposition for the Chiefs offense—isn't enough to crack the lineup for the entire preseason.

NT Taki Taimani, Minnesota Vikings: Taimani deserved credit for how difficult he is to handle in the trenches. His play at the point of attack against the Philadelphia Eagles proved to be a step down compared to his previous performances.

Names to Watch

RB Frank Gore Jr., Buffalo Bills: During the last two preseason contests, Gore carried the ball 26 times for 142 yards (5.5 yards per carry). The Bills have two talented rookie backs in Gore and Ray Davis.

C Zach Frazier, Pittsburgh Steelers: Frazier entered the preseason as a projected backup, but an injury to veteran Nate Herbig opened the door for the rookie to claim the job. Frazier played well enough that he probably would have replaced Herbig anyhow.

Edge Laiatu Latu, Indianapolis Colts: Latu proved to be extremely disruptive in his preseason debut. He then sat out the second contest. This year's 15th overall pick showed in the finale that he can get after it with his first NFL sack.

Edge Austin Booker, Chicago Bears: Booker's potential is obvious. He still has plenty of work to refine his technique, but the length and explosivity he possesses will make life difficult for opposing blockers.

S Jaden Hicks, Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs have found yet another mid-round defensive back who will contribute early in his career. Hicks can play in various roles and packages as a Swiss Army knife.

Prior to the start of the 2023 season, many viewed defensive tackle Leonard Taylor III as a future first-round draft pick. But his final season at Miami was disastrous.

Still, the upside remained.

"Overall, Taylor has the potential to be a fairly complete player," B/R scout Matt Holder wrote in the defensive lineman's scouting report. "He has a good frame, is hard to move with one-on-one blocks against the run and has shown a few pass-rush moves he can win with. His biggest flaw is his pad level, which is the primary cause of many of his issues. When the Hurricane does keep his pads down, he's hard to block and very disruptive."

Well, the 22-year-old has been a terror for the New York Jets after signing as an undrafted free agent.

His preseason ended with a spectacular 1.5-sack performance against the New York Giants, which included three quarterback hits and a tackle for loss. The interior defender posted a 25 percent win rate, per Pro Football Focus.

In total, Taylor finished with 2.5 sacks and 4 tackles for loss during his first preseason. Draft status shouldn't matter in this case. The potential is obvious and deserves a roster spot somewhere.

Last Week: N/R

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton torched defenses throughout the preseason. He's yet another promising young target for standout quarterback Joe Burrow.

However, two things must be taken into consideration.

First, Burton caught eight passes for 157 and two scores through three games. However, he did so against backup defenders.

Second, the third-round pick understands that game performances are only part of the evaluation. Clearly, he played well, but the Bengals are loaded at wide receiver with Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and an elevated Andrei Iosivas. The rookie must show consistency in his preparedness going into each matchup.

"I could've been better in how I've been handling my business in my preseason," Burton said during with Dan Hoard of Bengals Radio (via Russ Heltman). "I could lock in more on my details and the things that I did wrong, but it's all about how you handle it. It's all about what it means to you and I feel like I need to do a better job of showing how much this means to me."

Burton is a player. That's obvious. He can be a contributor this season if all goes well.

Last Week: N/R

The Minnesota Vikings signed five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Stephon Gilmore to a one-year, $10 million contract just over a week ago.

Yet the one-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year isn't the most exciting addition to the Vikings' secondary this offseason.

Dwight McGlothern joined Minnesota as an undrafted free agent after three seasons as a starter between the Arkansas Razorbacks and LSU Tigers. He's continually flashed.

"Dwight's been, basically every other day or so, you feel like he's making a play, significant play like that," Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell told reporters.

Defensive coordinator Brian Flores said: "We liked a lot of things about him as well coming out. Ball skills would be the first thing that comes to mind. He's a guy who's just got a knack and a feel for being around the ball when it's in the air. Obviously, he's got the height and length and speed but the instincts are the thing that jumped out to me and the staff."

In coverage, the undrafted defensive back posted an 87.3 grade throughout preseason, with one interception and an 16.7 passer rating allowed, per Pro Football Focus. Also, the corner did well against the run with an 85 grade and two run stops.

Last Week: N/R

The mistake often made when discussing how to properly develop a young quarterback is the assumption one specific way provides a definitive outcome.

Some quarterbacks sit on the bench for a period and then shine. Others start immediately, take their lumps and grow from their on-field mistakes until they become true franchise options.

Patrick Mahomes sat. Joe Burrow played. It's up to the individual.

For the New England Patriots, they have a decision to make regarding this year's third overall pick, Drake Maye. He looked like a playmaker for the second-straight week. He threw a pair of touchdowns, though one was called back due to an illegal formation.

"What I will say is this is a true competition and I would say at this current point, Drake has outplayed Jacoby [Brissett]," head coach Jerod Mayo said during a radio interview on WEEI Boston (via ESPN's Mike Reiss)

"Now, in saying that, we have to take in the full body of work going all the way back to the spring and beginning of training camp. And we'll see where we end up, but those are the conversations that will happen here over the next couple days."

The fact that Mayo outright stated the rookie outplayed the veteran is significant. The Patriots do have question marks along their offensive line and other skill positions. Still, the team chose him as high as it did and he may have earned the spot, whether Brissett is healthy or not.

Last Week: N/R

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers invested in the draft class' top center prospect, albeit via a left tackle conversion, because their offense lacked someone after Ryan Jensen suffered a career-ending knee injury during the team's 2022 training camp.

Graham Barton's rapid improvement after moving back over the ball has been apparent to everyone.

"Yes, Barton will start at center," head coach Todd Bowles told reporters last week. "We knew he was tough. It's just how fast he picked it up and the experience he's been getting and the way he's been finishing plays. His pass protection has picked up a lot."

The Duke product is already building a rapport with quarterback Baker Mayfield. The two need to develop a symbiotic relationship where they see things the same way to properly set the protections.

"Center is one of the hardest positions to play in sports. … And yeah, he's still learning," Mayfield said. " But for him to be able to come in and communicate well and to learn as quickly as he has is impressive, especially since he hadn't played center in quite a few years."

Most importantly, the Bucs' reworked offensive interior is now set.

Last Week: 5

Baltimore Ravens cornerback Nate Wiggins came out of the gates swinging and ranked as the second-best rookie after the first week of preseason play.

Unfortunately, the 20-year-old suffered a slight shoulder in that contest, which cost him an appearance during the second week of play. He returned to the lineup Saturday and looked outstanding once again.

According to Pro Football Focus, this year's 30th overall draft pick posted a 91.1 coverage grade, allowed a 39.6 passer rating, forced three incompletions and surrendered only eight receiving yards.

Just being back on the field was a positive, Wiggins also excelling shows how talented he is and how important he can be for the Ravens this fall.

"He's had a heck of a camp," head coach John Harbaugh told reporters. "I mean, he's definitely everything we thought he was. ... He's going to be counted on heavily this year."

The Ravens have dealt with a rash of injuries over the last few seasons, particularly in the secondary. Marlon Humphrey hasn't played a full slate in three of the last four campaigns.

A dinged shoulder may be a concern due to a slight frame, but it's clear Wiggins can cover and provide quality depth.

Last Week: N/R

The Los Angeles Rams drafted Jordan Whittington in this year's sixth round, and he performed so well through his first two preseason contests that the team didn't feel the need to play in the third.

In two appearances, the wide receiver caught 11 passes for 126 yards.

The Rams coaching staff understand they have another weapon for their offense.

"Whittington is a guy that from high school being a wildcat quarterback having just a million yards in a state championship game to what he did in college with a really loaded roster, then to what we've seen since he's been here, we felt pretty confident that when the pads got on and it was real football, he was going to be an even bigger problem," offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur told reporters. "I think that showed. He has a long way to go. He's a kid that's really confident and his teammates are pretty confident in him as well."

The way he played, coupled with his handling through the final preseason contest, indicates that Whittington can be more than just a factor in the Rams offense. He could work his way into third wide receiver role.

Last Week: 3

Dominick Puni played his way into the San Francisco 49ers changing their plans for the third-round rookie.

All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams has yet to report while in the middle of a contract holdout. Puni, who played left tackle for the Kansas Jayhawks, would have gotten a look at playing the premium position had it not been for injuries at right guard that led to him outright claiming that spot as his own.

"We probably would have [tried Puni at left tackle] if he didn't have to get at the starting right guard position within those first couples days," 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters. "With [Spencer Burford] going down so fast and then [Jon] Feliciano doing the same, we weren't able to move him out there at that spot."

The fact that Puni immediately took over the interior spot and hasn't been a problem speaks to how well he's played. The 313-pounder improved with each preseason appearance.

"I thought he has done a good job in all three of his games," Shanahan said. "He got a hell of an opportunity with the guys in front of him going down, and I believe he's taken advantage of it and he's gotten better throughout camp, and it's carried over to these games."

Last Week: 4

Caleb Williams' play wasn't perfect throughout his two preseason appearances, but he's perfect for the Chicago Bears at this point in time.

The excitement over his playmaking ability has spread from a Chicago fanbase desperate for a bona fide franchise quarterback to the entire NFL.

Some of the big-time throws the 22-year-old made were breathtaking and representative of a No. 1 overall pick. As impressive as those were, it's the little things that has those within the walls of Halas Hall purring.

"Just the process of being able to get into the huddle, make the call, be clean, get to the line," head coach Matt Eberflus told reporters. "Look at the shot clock and say, 'OK, this is a little bit low,' and move guys around fast enough to get the snap off."

The process needs to speed up a little for Williams as the Bears get into the regular season and defenses start to game-plan for the rookie. Still, the preseason provided a glimpse of what Williams can be.

"I think it's been clean," Eberflus said. "Post-snap, I think he's been relatively good in terms of going through his progressions, making good decisions, taking care of the football in the pocket with two hands and moving around there when he does have to do that."

Williams has looked the part so far. His potential is the biggest thing that's happened to the Chicago franchise since the last time it went to a Super Bowl during the 2006 season.

Last Week: 2

The Denver Broncos named Bo Nix their starting last week after back-to-back efficient outings.

"I really believe that they're putting him in a good situation," teammate Zach Wilson told reporters. "I think Sean [Payton] has done a phenomenal job. ... And then Bo has just continued to keep getting better, you know, so I'm excited to see what he can do and I think he's ready for it."

To be fair, Nix not being named the Broncos' QB1 would have been a disappointment considering his age (24) and extensive starting experience. Still, they were the last of six teams to draft a quarterback in this year's first round.

Some viewed the Oregon product as a limited prospect with a low ceiling, but he's been everything Denver brass hoped he'd be.

"Away from the lights, he's been just as good," Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported. "Denver's seen a guy with great pocket presence and escapability, accuracy in the intermediate areas and down the field, and he's shown command of the Broncos' offense.

"Given that he had 61 college starts, the expectation was that Denver was getting a guy who'd be ready to play right away. The Broncos, and Payton, saw more than that in him—they saw a guy whom they felt a lot of folks were missing on, maybe because those people couldn't let go of Nix's Auburn years."

After the dismal era the Broncos have endured at quarterback since Peyton Manning retired, then seeing how well Nix has handled the offense so far, the swing in momentum for the entire franchise shouldn't be underestimated.

Last Week: 1