Six NFL players who might surprise you this season
Posted On: 8/29/14
Written By: Nate Brunet
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Wow, it’s been a long time since I’ve talked about football, and it feels great to be able to say that Week 1 of the 2014 NFL season is just one week away! Life just isn’t the same without football; there’s nothing like hanging out at a bar with friends, eating your favorite munchies and watching your team on a big screen. And with all the great specials offered by the many bars in Ocean City, I can’t wait for the season to start! Especially since this season looks like it could be one of the most exciting of all time on the offensive side. Because of new rules demanding less contact by defensive players, wide receivers could be more open than ever before this year, giving the outlook that there will be a lot more big offensive plays than usual. Most NFL preview articles talk about the best players and the best teams, but I’d like to take a different look at some players who might surprise you this season. Here is my take on the projected top new rookies and comeback players on the watch this year in the NFL.
Top Rookies to break out
Kelvin Benjamin, WR
Drafted by: Carolina Panthers
College: Florida State
The player who had the game winning catch in last year’s BCS title game is due to have a monster season in his first year in the NFL. The Panthers lost almost their entire receiving corps this offseason, with tight end Greg Olsen as Cam Newton’s only familiar target. So not only does Benjamin not have much competition in the first place, but he is a truly talented player. He has had a great preseason as the star of training camp and is the team’s clear #1 wide receiver.
Drafted by: Carolina Panthers
College: Florida State
The player who had the game winning catch in last year’s BCS title game is due to have a monster season in his first year in the NFL. The Panthers lost almost their entire receiving corps this offseason, with tight end Greg Olsen as Cam Newton’s only familiar target. So not only does Benjamin not have much competition in the first place, but he is a truly talented player. He has had a great preseason as the star of training camp and is the team’s clear #1 wide receiver.
Blake Bortles, QB
Drafted by: Jacksonville Jaguars
College: University of Central Florida
As the first quarterback taken in this year’s draft, above notable names such as Johnny Manziel and Teddy Bridgewater, Bortles had a lot to prove this preseason. And boy, did he show exactly why he was chosen before any other quarterback. He has by far been the most impressive rookie quarterback this preseason, showing poise in the pocket, an accurate arm and great decision making. Veteran Chad Henne has still been penned in at the starting quarterback, but I can easily see the team benching him for the rookie as soon as his production falters.
Jadeveon Clowney, LB
Drafted by: Houston Texans
College: University of South Carolina
Some weren’t as certain about Clowney’s potential as an elite NFL defenseman after his junior year in college last year was pretty unimpressive for his standards. It was then revealed after the draft that Clowney was playing with a sports hernia all last year. The Texans run a 3-4 defense, so he is now technically a linebacker, but still plays on the line and has shown much explosiveness already this preseason. His expectations this season are through the roof; especially with elite defensive end J.J. Watt playing on the other side.
Drafted by: Jacksonville Jaguars
College: University of Central Florida
As the first quarterback taken in this year’s draft, above notable names such as Johnny Manziel and Teddy Bridgewater, Bortles had a lot to prove this preseason. And boy, did he show exactly why he was chosen before any other quarterback. He has by far been the most impressive rookie quarterback this preseason, showing poise in the pocket, an accurate arm and great decision making. Veteran Chad Henne has still been penned in at the starting quarterback, but I can easily see the team benching him for the rookie as soon as his production falters.
Jadeveon Clowney, LB
Drafted by: Houston Texans
College: University of South Carolina
Some weren’t as certain about Clowney’s potential as an elite NFL defenseman after his junior year in college last year was pretty unimpressive for his standards. It was then revealed after the draft that Clowney was playing with a sports hernia all last year. The Texans run a 3-4 defense, so he is now technically a linebacker, but still plays on the line and has shown much explosiveness already this preseason. His expectations this season are through the roof; especially with elite defensive end J.J. Watt playing on the other side.
Comeback Players to watch
Ray Rice, RB
Baltimore Ravens
2013 rushing stats: 660 Yards, 4 Touchdowns, 2 Lost fumbles
After making a name for himself in the league with four 1,000+ yard seasons in a row, last season was a disappointment for Rice, to say the least. And this year didn’t start off much better with a two-game suspension for his act of domestic violence. However, I think Rice knows this is the season where he has to make a statement, or he’ll have a lot of trouble being a continued feature back in the NFL. This year, he looks much quicker, has lost weight and has already made some vintage long runs in training camp.
Julio Jones, WR
Atlanta Falcons
2013 receiving stats: 580 Yards, 41 Receptions, 2 Touchdowns
The young star’s explosive start to the season ended after a foot fracture sidelined him after Week 5. Reports this year say his foot is 100 percent healed and will not be an issue at all this season. The year prior to his foot injury, Jones had almost 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns in only his second year in the league. Now, with an aging Roddy White on the opposite side and veteran tight end Tony Gonzalez leaving for retirement, Jones is due for what could be his best season yet.
Baltimore Ravens
2013 rushing stats: 660 Yards, 4 Touchdowns, 2 Lost fumbles
After making a name for himself in the league with four 1,000+ yard seasons in a row, last season was a disappointment for Rice, to say the least. And this year didn’t start off much better with a two-game suspension for his act of domestic violence. However, I think Rice knows this is the season where he has to make a statement, or he’ll have a lot of trouble being a continued feature back in the NFL. This year, he looks much quicker, has lost weight and has already made some vintage long runs in training camp.
Julio Jones, WR
Atlanta Falcons
2013 receiving stats: 580 Yards, 41 Receptions, 2 Touchdowns
The young star’s explosive start to the season ended after a foot fracture sidelined him after Week 5. Reports this year say his foot is 100 percent healed and will not be an issue at all this season. The year prior to his foot injury, Jones had almost 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns in only his second year in the league. Now, with an aging Roddy White on the opposite side and veteran tight end Tony Gonzalez leaving for retirement, Jones is due for what could be his best season yet.
Tom Brady, QB
New England Patriots
2013 receiving stats: 4,343 Yards, 25 Touchdowns, 11 Interceptions
Looking at Brady’s stats alone, it’s easy to say he didn’t have a bad season at all last year. And technically you’re right, because his worst completion percentage since 2004 was due to the almost complete overhaul of the receiving corps last year. Brady’s only healthy familiar target was Julian Edelman, while every other player was either injured or couldn’t catch the ball if their life depended on it. Now Brady is in the second year with this new young talent and elite tight end Rob Gronkowski looks good to play a large majority of the season, if he’s not ready for Week 1. Now with likely the best defense since the team won three Super Bowls in four years last decade, expect the Patriots offense to score often this year.
«Go back to the previous page.New England Patriots
2013 receiving stats: 4,343 Yards, 25 Touchdowns, 11 Interceptions
Looking at Brady’s stats alone, it’s easy to say he didn’t have a bad season at all last year. And technically you’re right, because his worst completion percentage since 2004 was due to the almost complete overhaul of the receiving corps last year. Brady’s only healthy familiar target was Julian Edelman, while every other player was either injured or couldn’t catch the ball if their life depended on it. Now Brady is in the second year with this new young talent and elite tight end Rob Gronkowski looks good to play a large majority of the season, if he’s not ready for Week 1. Now with likely the best defense since the team won three Super Bowls in four years last decade, expect the Patriots offense to score often this year.