This was a very offensive-heavy NFL Draft, at least in the first round, but the second round provided some gems on both sides of the ball. There are quite a few teams that have to be excited after Week 1 with several of their rookies. Jadarian Price got a lot of attention as he’s the interim feature back in Seattle, but he might have solidified a long term role. The same could be said for the other four players on this list.
RB Jadarian Price, Seattle Seahawks
Jadarian Price drew a lot of attention because Seattle essentially drafted him and immediately had to insert him into the starting lineup with Zach Charbonnet recovering from his ACL injury. It turned out to work just fine after Price’s NFL debut. Though he didn’t get into the end zone, he did rush for 52 yards on 10 carries. The Seahawks didn’t need much from him thanks to a defense that once again frustrated Drake Maye and New England.Â
His NFL debut was everything it needed to be and at this point it's proof the Seahawks were right to take Price when they did. While he was a first-round pick, he was second fiddle to Jeremiyah Love in college. Seattle’s proving Price was always a good option as a starting running back.
TE Kenyon Sadiq, New York Jets
Kenyon Sadiq didn’t have the most eye-popping numbers in Week 1, but he did get a rushing touchdown while also making three catches for 21 yards. The New York Jets needed a tight end that can produce and they found one in Sadiq. Though he was a high first-round pick, he was a player that was always going to be a later pick because of positional value. The Jets landed a player that looks to be a producer for the offense and give Geno Smith another weapon to work with.Â
Garrett Wilson is the No. 1 option on this offense and Adonai Mitchell had a big week as did Omar Cooper Jr., another fellow rookie. What Sadiq means to this offense though is that he’ll be a player that can be reliable. He doesn’t have to carry this offense, just produce when he’s called upon and Sunday he proved he can do that.
LB Anthony Hill Jr., Tennessee Titans
There wasn’t a lot to be proud of for the Tennessee Titans in Robert Saleh’s second crack at being a head coach. That said, they got an absolute gem in Anthony Hill Jr. After Sunday’s game, he led the NFL with 16 total tackles, including 14 assisted tackles. Not only did he disrupt the offensive flow when he had the chance, he also had two passes defended in his NFL debut. Hill was a big name coming out of Texas, but fell to the second round.Â
Hill is the perfect player for Saleh’s defense. I’m not going to say Hill is identical to Fred Warner, but I will say the potential is there. If Hill can continue to build on his NFL debut, it will prove he’s not only the heart of Tennessee’s defense, but one of the best players in his draft class.
LB Josiah Trotter, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay might have lost, but they found a gem on their defense that just might bring back the fear the Buccaneers once had in their front defensive seven. Josiah Trotter was all over the field against the Cincinnati Bengals, recording 11 total tackles, sacking Joe Burrow and picking him off for a touchdown. You can’t have a debut much better than that. Like Hill, Trotter fell to the Bucs in the second round. Because of all the offensive players at the front of last year’s draft – and the hype around the pass rushers too – Trotter didn’t get as much hype.Â
The Bucs benefitted from that, landing him and giving him a chance to start Week 1. Strong starts are important, but it’s how you finish and with Trotter playing the way he did against the Bengals, Todd Bowles and his defensive staff have to be very optimistic about Trotter’s rookie season.
WR Denzel Boston, Cleveland Browns
It wasn’t necessarily a massive Week 1 from Denzel Boston, but he did score the only touchdown for the Browns on a deep pass down the seam. Boston and KC Concepcion were two of the more talked about rookies after they each had strong camps and preseasons. Boston wasn’t targeted much in the game – as much as Deshaun Watson could actually move the ball on offense – but he proved that he can be a down-field target that can produce in this offense.Â
Boston’s touchdown catch gave Browns fans something to be excited about on this offense even if the quarterback decision continues to handcuff Cleveland’s success. That play alone proved the Browns were wise to double up on drafting receivers in the 2026 draft and it could just be more reason to look forward to the post-Watson era. This team is more than a quarterback away from being good, but maybe this offense is in good shape.Â
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