Every year, when the NFL draft season rolls around, we get hit with the hype machine in full force. There are endless player comps, scouting reports, and promises of ‘the next big thing.’ But once the season rolls around and it is time actually to deliver on the field, that is a different story! A seemingly infinite number of variables can alter how an NFL rookie shows up in Year 1!
And 2024 is no different. Some of these young guns are already living up to the buzz, making huge waves on the field… while others? Eh, let’s just say the early returns aren’t looking too hot.
It is time to take a look around the NFL and dive in!
Which current NFL rookies are on their way to stardom, and which ones look like busts?
Star: Malik Nabers, WR, NY Giants
You don’t have to squint to see the talent in Malik Nabers. You could see it at LSU, and now you’re seeing it every time he steps on the field for the Giants.
The kid’s only four games into his rookie season, and he already leads the league in both targets and catches—on a team that can barely get out of its own way offensively and has Daniel Jones at quarterback, which says a heck of a lot.
He was drafted in the first round, No. 6 overall, but somehow has managed to massively outperform that slot, even in a terrible Giants offense.
When the Giants took Nabers 6th overall, people were skeptical. Everyone thought Marvin Harrison Jr. was the clear top wide receiver in the draft. But the folks in Harrison’s camp have been awfully quiet lately.
Because it isn’t just the impressive counting numbers, which are very impressive considering a month into the 2024 campaign, Nabers leads the league in targets with 52 and catches 35, as the single source of fuel for the Giants offense.
And if he didn’t have to miss Week 5 due to injury, well, the case would be even better!
But as I was saying… it isn’t just the counting numbers. Nabers plays with the kind of poise and toughness that makes fans love him and should instill fear in the hearts of defensive coordinators for years to come.
Bust: Rome Odunze, WR, Chicago Bears
The Bears offense has been stuck in neutral to start the season, the coaching staff feels like it’s guessing most of the time, and the quarterback situation is a work-in-progress mark. But when you’re a top-10 pick, people expect you to make an impact no matter the circumstances. And so far, Odunze hasn’t done that, as the Bears ninth overall in the 2024 NFL draft.
On July 16, 2024, Odunze signed his four-year rookie contract with the Bears worth $22.7 million, but there has been a little bit of choppy waters since, as the Bears offense hasn’t been the high-powered machine that many in the media were expecting it to be heading into the season.
Yes, he had a nice game against the Colts—a 112-yard outing with a touchdown. But if you strip that away, his production has been… underwhelming. Just 94 yards in the other three games combined. And the bigger issue? He’s not creating separation. NFL corners are smothering him, and he looks like he’s still adjusting to the speed of the pro game.
This is a massive concern because he just hasn’t looked super comfortable in the system, and he’s struggling to run routes against legit NFL corners.
It would be one thing if he was just a by-product of the Bears offensive inconsistencies, but this is starting to look sketchy for Chicago.
Star: Jared Verse, DE, Los Angeles Rams
Though the Rams season hasn’t gone to plan thus far, in part because of the massive slew of injuries that they’ve endured on offense, Jared Verse, their rare first-round pick as an organization in 2024, has been a pleasant surprise.
They took the 6’ 4” pass rusher 19th overall out of Florida State, and he has continued to deliver ever since. Verse has hit the ground running. He was named Defensive Rookie of the Month for September, racking up 19 tackles, five tackles for loss, and a sack across four games. Even more impressive? Verse is a pressure machine, leading the Rams in QB hits and helping them rank first in QB pressure rate at 41.3%.
His knack for pressuring quarterbacks has garnered league-wide recognition.
And the crazy thing is—he’s still raw and developing.
The kid has 11 missed tackles already, which is way too many. But that’s part of the learning curve. What’s clear is this: Verse has the kind of relentless motor that you just can’t teach. If he can clean up the fundamentals, the Rams might have found their next defensive superstar.
With his motor and athleticism, it’s only a matter of time before he tightens things up and really takes that next step.
