NFL: 2021 Season Rookie Report Card

Grading each position of rookies and how they did their first season in the NFL. Click here to read more about how each position performed during their rookie season.

Author:
Bobby Greco
Publish date:
Jan 13, 2022 4:00 AM EST

NFL: 2021 Season Rookie Report Card

Grading each position of rookies and how they did their first season in the NFL. Click here to read more about how each position performed during their rookie season.

The 2021 NFL season is officially in the books, and it’s safe to say this was the most outrageous season ever. Could this season have finished with a better microcosm of the entire year than that Raiders and Chargers game, and is it possible to give Derek Carr the Coach of the Year award? After how he performed, he deserves all of the accolades. Speaking of playoffs, what happened in Indianapolis? There is a lot to digest from the last week of the season. Let’s discuss what we came here to talk about - Rookies. All season long, we have explored the rookie landscape of the NFL, and we have been through a lot. There were many peaks and valleys for this rookie class, but overall, it was a really good year to be a rookie.

Offense

Quarterbacks: Grade C

It was not a stellar year for rookie quarterbacks, which is disappointing as there were a lot of high hopes coming into the season. Mac Jones was the best performing rookie quarterback this year, and that is evident from the Patriots making the playoffs. The top three picks were underwhelming at best, though it’s difficult to fault Trevor Lawrence because he had to deal a lot in Jacksonville. Davis Mills finished the season pretty strong, and it will be very interesting to see what he can do in the future.

Running Backs: Grade B+

This was a ton of talent at the running back position this year, yet it’s still surprising how good they were. Najee Harris was the clear leader of the pack, which was expected, but the late-round picks stole the show. Players like Elijah Mitchell and Rhamondre Stevenson weren’t even supposed to see the field this season and instead ended up being major catalysts in their teams making the playoffs. Then you have the role players who filled in when needed and did whatever the team asked that also impacted this year. These rookies are extremely intriguing because a couple of them weren’t even expected to make the final roster, like Khalil Herbert and Jaret Patterson.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: Grade A+

Both tight ends and wide receivers were breaking records. What else needs to be said about this rookie receiver class? They were outstanding and performed at such a high level all season long. Ja’Marr Chase broke almost every record there is, and Devonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle took down their respective franchise records. Then you have tight end, Kyle Pitts. He showed everyone exactly why he was the highest-drafted tight end in NFL history and became the first rookie tight end since Mike Ditka to record a 1,000-yard season, and he was just shy of breaking Ditka’s rookie receiving record. Outside of the stars in this class, there were many big contributors and many exciting players to watch going forward.

Offensive Line: Grade A-

Overall it was a strong year for rookie offensive linemen, and it’s quite surprising. Besides a couple of reaches like Alex Leatherwood, most of the rookie linemen who played this season were very good. Chief’s center Creed Humphrey has been outstanding all season, and mid-rounders Spencer Brown of the Bills and Quinn Meinerz played key roles on their teams, which was much earlier than expected. Many more rookies ended up playing across the league’s offensive lines this season, and for the most part, they performed very well. It will be very exciting to see all of their development next season because it will give opposing defenses a year of film to find their weaknesses.

Defense

Defensive Line: Grade B+

There were many rookie defensive linemen in this draft class, and for the most part, they played well. Most of the attention goes to pass rushers, but this crop of linemen are pretty complete players. That’s not to say they don’t need to improve, but they play the run just as well as the pass. Odafe Oweh of the Ravens showed great prowess when pass-rushing, yet some of his best and most important plays came against the run. Buffalo Bills Gregory Rousseau and New England Patriots Christian Barmore played important roles on their teams. They helped greatly improve their respective teams and didn’t have big seasons statistically. That is a theme of this class of defensive linemen, players who were very important to their team without the flashy big stats. There is still a lot of development needed here, but there should also be a lot of promise and excitement with these players.

Linebackers: Grade B

This was a class of linebackers, but two were instant stars for their teams, and that was Cowboys Micah Parsons and Chiefs Nick Bolton. Parsons did everything for the Dallas defense and excelled at it all. He even lined up at cornerback at one point. The one thing nobody expected was how effective he would be as a pass rusher. It’s his 13 sacks that make him a clear favorite for Rookie of the Year. Bolton was a tackling machine for the Chiefs and played a big part in Kansas City’s defensive resurgence. His 112 tackles and 11 tackles for loss, giving Kansas City an extremely stout presence in the middle of the field. A few other linebackers showed promise this year but weren’t able to sustain success all season. Cleveland’s Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah gained a lot of traction before an injury derailed his season. That seemed to happen a good amount at linebacker, but there is a lot of potential in this class still waiting to be released.

Defensive Backs: Grade A-

The defensive backs in this class were very strong. Many were expected to be good from the start, and most were. Patrick Surtain Jr was the diamond in this group, and from the moment he arrived in Denver, he became their top corner. It was pretty incredible because he didn’t have a single bad game. Dolphins safety Jevon Holland was one of the most surprising players. Though he was thought to be a solid player overall, he ended up starring for the Miami defense as a do-it-all safety. Many of the other rookies were role players and had more specific jobs and will look to build on their rookie performance next season.

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