There’s a big learning curve for rookies in the NFL.
One moment, you’re making big plays against a bunch of guys who will be working desk jobs in a few months, the next, you’re facing off against some of the world’s best athletes.
There are currently 10 rookies on the Detroit Lions’ active roster, one on injured reserve (Austin Bryant), and five on the practice squad (Tom Kennedy, Travis Fulgham, Wes Hills, Isaac Nauta and Matt Nelson).
Of the 10 players who have proven that they have what it takes to play in the pros, four of those rookies — Beau Benzschawel, Michael Jackson, Amani Oruwariye, and David Blough — have barely seen the field, if at all, this season, so they will not be graded.
So how have the rest of these rookies graded out halfway through their first season? Let’s take a look.
T.J. Hockenson, tight end
If you’re selected eighth overall, expectations will be high. If you’re selected eighth overall by a team who has had some recent misses on first-round tight ends, you’ll have to prove your worth every time you step on the field.
Hockenson didn’t get to decide where he was drafted, so it’s unfair to grade him on that. Instead, let’s look at how Detroit’s new starting tight end has played thus far.
He made waves in week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals, setting an NFL record for the most receiving yards by a tight end in their pro football debut. Since that game, he’s stayed relatively quiet.
The rookie has averaged 13.5 yards on 22 receptions through eight games and has found the endzone twice.
His play hasn’t been great, all told. Hockenson is credited with two drops this season and has caught just 58 percent of the passes that came his way.
It would be one thing if the Lions’ offense wasn’t playing well, but that’s not the case here. Stafford has thrown for 2,499 yards to multiple receivers, so it’s not like Hockenson hasn’t had the opportunities.
He only has eight games under his belt, so it’s way too early to write him off. Let’s hope the rookie can stay healthy and find a way to become a part of the offense again.
Grade: C
Jahlani Tavai, linebacker
Relatively unknown when selected out of Hawaii in the second round, nobody knew what to expect from Tavai entering this season.
In a linebacker group that has been struggling, Tavai has been able to stand out.
He hasn’t cracked the starting lineup full-time, taking just 57-percent of defensive snaps, but his usage has gone up in recent weeks.
The rookie has made 31 tackles this season, three of which have gone for a loss. He has been making steady improvement against the run, an area that the Lions’ defense has had issues with so far.
As a pass rusher, Tavai hasn’t stood out. On nine blitzes, he’s caused one hurry and two pressures. That has led to his three quarterback hits and one sack.
His best play has been in coverage. He’s let just 56-percent of passes against him be completed and hasn’t allowed a touchdown yet. As a whole, the Lions’ linebacker corps hasn’t done a good job at covering tight ends and running backs, but Tavai shows some promise in that area.
Grade: B
Will Harris, safety
After the Lions shipped Quandre Diggs out to Seattle, rookie Will Harris suddenly found himself in the starting lineup.
Selected in the third round out of Boston College, Harris was expected to play a role as a third safety in specific defensive packages. The 23-year-old has exceeded all expectations halfway through the season. In the Week 9 matchup against the Oakland Raiders, he was on the field for every single defensive snap.
His stats aren’t anything special — 17 tackles in eight games — but it should be taken into account that he’s only played two games as a starter.
While it’s good to see Harris acclimating into the defense quickly, his play hasn’t been without issue. His tackling, specifically, needs a lot of work. The rookie has already missed five tackles this season. His struggles with finishing tackles have allowed seven completions for 97 yards against him.
Harris has a lot of upside, he just has to work out some of those rookie mistakes.
Grade: C+
Ty Johnson, running back
Another rookie who has gotten more first-team action than expected, running back Ty Johnson has yet to prove that he’s ready for the role.
He’s being overshadowed by fellow running back J.D. McKissic in every aspect of the game. The two backs have roughly the same number of rushing yards this season, yet Johnson took twice as many carries to get there. In the passing game, the rookie has one less reception and 60 less receiving yards than his teammate.
He does bring a unique skill set to the team. His 40-yard-dash time is faster than any of his fellow teammates’ times. If he could find a way to put that speed to use, he could be the clear-cut number one back on offense.
For a sixth-round pick who was expected to be the fourth-string back when he was drafted, Johnson has gone far beyond any expectations of him halfway through his first season. He has much more room for improvement, but the rookie should continue to contribute as part of the running-back-by-committee approach that the Lions are taking.
Grade: B-
Defensive lineman Kevin Strong Jr.
Making the 53-man roster as an undrafted rookie is hard to do. Taking over a quarter of the defensive snaps in seven games as an undrafted rookie is even more impressive.
Strong came to Detroit and reunited with defensive line coach Bo Davis, who was his position coach in college. The rookie made quite the impression in training camp after capitalizing on some opportunities when several of his fellow defensive linemen were out with injuries.
He now serves as the team’s fourth interior defensive lineman and gets a small share of snaps in the rotation.
Strong has just five tackles and a defended pass to his name, but the rookie has been able to put some pressure on opposing quarterbacks in his limited playing time.
Grade: B
Safety C.J. Moore
The Lions place a lot of value on special teams when it comes time to cut down the roster.
Undrafted rookie C.J. Moore showed enough promise to stick around and has been on the active roster for every game so far this season.
He took his snaps almost exclusively on special teams in his first six games as a Lion, but following the trade of starting safety Quandre Diggs, the rookie got some looks on defense.
In the last two games, Moore has taken 42 snaps on defense, making one tackle.
He’s been a stalwart on special teams and has done enough to earn some extra playing time in multiple-safety sets. The rookie could stick around on the roster for a while if he keeps this up.
Grade: B
