The Top NFL Debuts of 2022

The 2022 NFL season has officially begun – and it’s done so with a bang. With some great performances and nail-biting games to kick off the action, we’ve found ourselves hooked, and there’s still plenty more to come.

It’s some of this year’s rookies who’ve delivered our favorite performances, and a few have really stood out. We’re talking, of course, about the likes of Drake London, Jalen Pitre, and Cade York.

In this list, we look at who’s put in the most impressive debuts so far.

Drake London

NFL has always been an all-American sport, and its popularity shows no sign of waning. According to an infographic from ExpressVPN, streaming interest in it has soared since 2017. It’s now streamed more than any other sport in the US, suggesting viewing figures and audience engagement remain strong.

If the 2022 season carries on as it has so far, we can’t see that interest dropping off – especially with rookies like Drake London to lead the charge. While there were concerns that a knee injury would stop him from taking to the pitch, he dominated throughout, doing especially well in terms of intermediate passes. This means that, despite the Falcons adjusting to their first season without Matt Ryan, their aerial attack is unlikely to suffer too drastically.   

Jalen Pitre

Texans Wire described Jalen Pitre as making a “solid” debut, but we’d argue he did a bit better than that! The versatility he was famed for coming out of Baylor showed no sign of wavering, with this particular rookie proving he could do it all during play. Indeed, he was fundamental in helping Houston to secure a tie in his first game.

Cade York

It was also a joy to see Cade York in action. He was picture perfect during his debut, helping his team to reverse the longest week one winless drought in NFL history, which has been ongoing since 2005. Though he played fantastically throughout, we were particularly impressed by his 58-yard, game-winning kick. We’d argue he was the man of the match, eclipsing everyone else on the field that day – no easy feat for a rookie! You can see him make that play on the NFL website.     

Derek Stingley Jr.

Jalen Pitre wasn’t the only Houston rookie to make his mark. Teammate Derek Stingley Jr. also impressed us, especially with his incredible ability to change direction. These two together seem to spell good news for the team, representing a potentially unbeatable secondary set once they’ve had a little more time to mature and hone their partnership.

Dominique Robinson

We couldn’t round out this list without including the talented Mr. Robinson. Some of the defensive stats from his debut stand out not only among his rookie comrades but among far more experienced players too. His hustle stops were flawless, and his play was pristine from start to finish.  

Tell us, which 2022 NFL rookie have you most enjoyed watching?