7 NFL Rookies Who Could Surprise Fans Next Season

There’s a lot to look forward to, with the 2022/23 NFL season to begin this November. The upcoming campaign will be interesting on many fronts but some folks will be keener on seeing how the rookies do in their first year. 

Of course, a lot is expected from the top picks, but plenty of first-year players from the latter rounds could surprise everyone. 

Here are seven of them right below.

• Cameron Thomas – Arizona Cardinals

A third-round pick for the Arizona Cardinals, outside linebacker Cameron Thomas has been described as a player who could be the steal of the 2022 NFL Draft. 

The Cards brought tight end Trey McBride in via the second round but he might not have as big an impact on the team as Zach Ertz is already the No.1 in the position. Thomas, on the other hand, will have an opportunity for loads of playing time. 

He should be able to find success as a nickel pass rusher playing as a sub for Devon Kennard and could register double-digit numbers when it comes to sacks.

• Khalil Shakir – Buffalo Bills 

New Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir will get his snaps out wide but could also be part of the team’s backfield carrying the ball for plays such as jet sweeps. He could also slot in as a kick returner for the Bills.

The former Boise State star offers quite a lot and is one of the most diverse players turning pro this year, which makes him a very valuable prospect.

• Jeremy Ruckert – New York Jets

Tight end Jeremy Ruckert is on this list because of all the potential he possesses. The Jets only brought seven players in via this year’s draft and four of them were within the first four rounds, as well as among the first 36 names called. This might make it difficult for any single rookie to stand out but Ruckert seems like a player who could turn out to be a surprise first-year success.

He stands at 6ft 5in and is a good blocker as an inline TE. His pace is also perfect for the position. While he might not usurp C.J. Uzomah as the No.1 option at tight end, he could find lots of opportunities if he could lock the No.2 spot down.

• Tyler Badie – Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens lost running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards to torn ACLs before the start of last season and they missed the entire campaign.

They’ve brought Tyler Badie in as a sixth-round pick and he could have an early opportunity to stake his claim for playing time if Dobbins and Edwards still need time to get back to 100 percent. Badie logged in over 6,500 yards from scrimmage as a college player and can prove his worth as both a rusher and receiver. The Ravens prefer running the ball and offensive RBs are likely to find favor in their setup.

• Zach Carter –  Cincinnati Bengals

Zach Carter, a defensive tackle who joined the 2022 Super Bowl runners-up in the third round, could turn out to be a player who has a notable first season, though the Bengals have high hopes for their first two picks, Dax Hill and Cam Taylor-Britt.

Cincinnati hasn’t brought in a replacement for Larry Ogunjobi at the 3-tech pass rushing spot, having opted to hand B.J. Hill the mega contract. As such, Carter might be the one who gets played if they don’t get a veteran to pair with Hill and he could make an instant impact.

• Brandon Smith – Carolina Panthers

Left tackle Ikem Ekwonu, who was selected as the sixth overall pick out of NC State, grabbed all of the headlines where the Panthers’ drafting was concerned. But it could be linebacker Brandon Smith who stirs the pot by the timeNorth Carolina sports betting goes live in 2023.

Matt Corral has also come in as a quarterback and has lots of eyes on him too, yet Smith could get just as much attention given his raw athleticism and the fact that the Panthers are light at LB. Sure, he could be on the weak side, where Shaq Thompson starts now, but he could get a real break sooner rather than later.

• Tyler Allgeier – Atlanta Falcons

Tyler Allgeier will have lots of competition at running back but should be encouraged by the fact that he was one of the most dependable players in college last year, rushing for 1,611 yards and scoring a remarkable 23 touchdowns for BYU last year.

Atlanta has re-signed Cordarrelle Patterson but Allgeier, a fifth-round pick, could still find his opportunities as the Falcons have cut veteran Mike Davis, who was the No.2 RB last season. He will have his work cut out for him, with Qadree Ollison, Damien Williams, and Jeremy Nichols all vying for that spot behind Patterson. Third-round pick DeAngelo Malone is also a huge threat, having made 180 QB pressures during his time in college.