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Chiefs, Raiders have enjoyed tremendous ’19 rookie classes

By Bill Williamson

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 08: Maxx Crosby #98 of the Oakland Raiders pumps up the crowd in the second half against the Tennessee Titans at RingCentral Coliseum on December 08, 2019 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 08: Maxx Crosby #98 of the Oakland Raiders pumps up the crowd in the second half against the Tennessee Titans at RingCentral Coliseum on December 08, 2019 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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The Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders should be thrilled about the output from their rookie classes, led by Juan Thornhill and Maxx Crosby.

Overall, 2019 has been a disappointment in the AFC West.

Sure, the Kansas City Chiefs have done their part as a legitimate Super Bowl threat as expected. But no other team is going to finish with better than a .500 record and the only team that has a chance to go 8-8 is the Oakland Raiders, who have lost four straight games. The Los Angeles Chargers are 5-9 and are probably the biggest disappointment in the NFL after going 12-4 last year. They were expected to be a Super Bowl contender along with the Chiefs. And the Broncos are just the Broncos.

However, not all has been lost in the big picture of the division. There have been some very promising rookie classes , particularly by the Broncos, Chiefs and Raiders. Let’s look at the four rookie classes in a thumbnail, presented in alphabetical order:

Denver: This class has potential to be the best in the division. The Broncos drafted tight end Noah Fant in the first round, quarterback Drew Lock and guard Dalton Risner in the second round. These three have a chance to be foundation players for the next decade. Lock has been mostly promising in his three starts and has a chance to develop. Fant started slow, but has shown his talent and Risner looks like an anchor of the line. Also, pass-rushers Dre’Mont Jones and Justin Hollins both have a chance to be good. This group could be better than the strong Denver 2006 draft class that featured quarterback Jay Cutler, pass-rusher Elvis Duemrvil, receiver Brandon Marshall and guard Chris Kuper.

Kansas City: The Chiefs have quietly gotten major contributions from this rookie class, especially late in the season. It’s all been a bonus for the best team in the division. The Chiefs, who traded their first-round pick to Seattle for pass-rusher Frank Clark, are happy with his contributions, of course, but the youngsters are coming through as well. Second-round pick, receiver/returner Mecole Hardman, is an explosive option behind Tryeek Hill.

Safety Juan Thornhill is already a playmaker and may have a huge future, and was another second-round score. In the third round, the Chiefs took defensive tackle Khalen Saunders, and he is playing well. The Chiefs are also getting contributions from sixth rounders, cornerback Rashad Fenton and running back Darwin Thompson. This class illustrates how good general manager Brett Veach is and, while the Chiefs don’t appear to be a young team, they are set for the future as well as the present.

Los Angeles: Thus far, the Chargers’ rookie class has made the least impact in the division in what has been a bad season overall. First-round defensive lineman Jerry Tillery hasn’t made an impact and has even been a healthy scratch this season. Second-round pick, safety Nasir Adderley, was praised for being a great pick at draft time. Yet, he has barely played on defense.

This doesn’t mean the Chargers won’t get much out of their 2019 rookie class in the future, but it hasn’t happened yet. Adding difficulty to that reality is that the other three rookie classes in the AFC West have flourished.

Oakland: Oakland coach Jon Gruden and first-year general manager Mike Mayock knew this had to be a foundation class after so many recent poor drafts for the Raiders. Thus far, it looks like the Raiders could have something special. Oakland had three first-round picks due to the Khalil Mack (Chicago) and Amari Cooper (Dallas) trades. It took defensive end Clelin Ferrell, running back Josh Jacobs and safety Johnathan Abram.

Jacobs is the favorite to win the NFL Offensive Rookie of the year award. He has 1,150 rushing yards and is averaging 4.8 yards a carry. He has been a punishing runner. Ferrell has been slow to make an impact, but he is growing as a run stopper and could have a solid career. Abram has promise, but was lost for the season in Week 1 with a shoulder injury. Cornerback Trayvon Mullen, taken in the second round, is starting and has made some plays. Fourth-round defensive end Maxx Crosby may be one of the top stories of the draft. He has 8.5 sacks.

Fifth-round pick, receiver Hunter Renfrow, looks like he will be a solid slot receiver for the long haul. Fourth-round pick, tight end Foster Moreau, also shined before he was lost for the season earlier this month. If the Raiders turn it around soon, this rookie class could be the primary reason why.