Six Rookies You Need To Know About Before The 2014 Season

Around this time, every year, the NFL gets its first glimpses of the stars of tomorrow. In recent years, players like Victor Cruz, Andrew Luck, Julio Jones and Russell Wilson have emerged as some of the best in the league, and that journey begins in the preseason.

Impressive showings and good production are generally expected of top level draft picks, but in training camps around the league there will be some pleasant surprises as unheralded rookies forge unexpectedly prominent roles for their respective teams. They can also rack up monster fantasy football points for those in the know, but we'll save that for another time.

In this article, I'll be looking at the players who have been turning heads in training camp.

Terrance West, Running Back, Cleveland Browns

The Browns upgraded their offensive backfield this season with the addition of former Houston Texan Ben Tate, but the unit got a whole lot more explosive with the emergence of Terrance West. Drafted by the Browns out of FCS college Towson in the third round of the 2014 NFL draft, West has quickly made his presence felt at training camp, showcasing his explosive speed and pass-catching talents and earning chants from the fans in attendance. A competition could be brewing in Cleveland, but the likely outcome suggests Tate will handle the bulk of the workload, with West complementing him in the passing game.


David Fales, Quarterback, Chicago Bears

The San Jose State Spartans prospect was criminally overlooked - I still believe he's one of the strongest candidates from the class - heading into the 2014 draft, so it's nice to see him with a shot at seeing the field in his début NFL season. He may not possess prototypical arm strength or height (although I think we can say that Russell Wilson and Drew Brees have made a convincing case for 'short' NFL quarterbacks), but Fales can certainly make all the throws, is aggressive, accurate and anticipates his receivers. Marc Trestman's scheme is a great fit and - in spite of stiff competition from the less-talented Jordan Palmer and Jimmy Clausen - Fales could see the field should Jay Cutler pick up an injury, as he often does.

Devon Kennard, Linebacker, New York Giants

I wrote only last week about the initial success rookie linebacker Devon Kennard had experienced in the early stages of the New York Giants' training camp. His stock has only risen with the advent of training sessions in full pads, being moved from the middle linebacker spot (Jameel McClain's injury turned out to be a minor one) to the starting strong side linebacker spot. Camp rosters mean little, but it's a sign of faith in a rookie who has clearly impressed the coaching staff. Look for him to take a prominent role in the Giants' preseason games.

Carlos Hyde, Running Back, San Francisco 49ers

Thanks to a decimated running back corps, Carlos Hyde is staring at a golden opportunity to get his NFL career off to a fast start. The Ohio State alum has cruelly benefited from LaMichael James' dislocated elbow, Kendall Hunter's torn ACL, and Marcus Lattimore's slow progress healing from a horrific injury sustained in 2012. As a result, Hyde - who averaged an incredible 7.3 yards per carry in college - is the incumbent number two behind the ageing Frank Gore and should see work as a change-of-pace back or injury replacement should Gore go down injured himself.

Donte Moncrief, Wide Receiver, Indianapolis Colts

Like Hyde and Kennard, Donte Moncrief has the fortune of being a naturally talented wideout in an unpredictable situation. The third round pick soon made an impression in minicamps, drawing the praise of offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton and quarterback Andrew Luck after making a number of impressive catches and displaying good speed, awareness and his considerable size. Reggie Wayne partners with the newly-acquired (but injury-prone) Hakeem Nicks, with T.Y Hilton operating as the third receiver and Moncrief figuring to establish himself in the rotation as the fourth receiver.

Jon Halapio, Guard, New England Patriots

Faced with an ageing and depleted offensive line, the Patriots used a number of late-round draft picks on offensive linemen. Leading the charge is former Florida Gator Jon Halapio, who, even in the earliest offseason workouts, was taking a lion's share of reps with the starting offense. Tom Brady's completion percentage fell to 45.8% when pressured last season, so this injection of youth is vitally important at this stage of Brady's career. Halapio - despite being flagged before the draft for having less-than-ideal quickness and limitations as a pass blocker - has clearly earned the trust of his coaches for now, has clearly won over his coaches for now.