Five Rookies Who Impressed During First Preseason Game

The NFL preseason is a tool for team executives to evaluate the young talent on their roster. Every year, a few players manage to burst onto the season during these exhibition games and begin to make a name for themselves. Last night, a handful of rookies put on impressive performances and started to get their hype train rolling.

Who are some of the rookies who made their impacts felt immediately?  Here is a list of five stars from opening night of the preseason.

5. Josh Portis, QB, Seattle Seahawks

Undrafted free agent Josh Portis showed head coach Pete Carroll that he could have found a gem. Portis completed 5 of 9 passes for 69 yards, including a six-yard touchdown toss to Anthony McCoy after Portis showed his improvisation skills. Portis is one of the most exciting and athletic young quarterbacks and could develop into a solid starter under Pete Carroll.

4. Ryan Mallett, QB, New England Patriots

Nobody doubted Ryan Mallett, they just doubted the head he has on his shoulders, but after the performance he had last night a lot of teams could be wishing they did not decide to pass on him in the NFL Draft. Mallett competed 12 of 19 passes for 164 yards and one score. He showed better footwork than anticipated and put his rocket arm on display. It seems like only a matter of time until the Patriots work up a trade and exchange Mallett for a premium draft pick, a la Matt Cassell.

3. KJ Wright, LB, Seattle Seahawks

KJ Wright quietly had one of the best games out of the rookie class last night. He tallied a team-leading and game-high 9 tackles and put his incredible awareness on display. The Seahawks had to be confident they had a talent on their roster that could replace Lofa Tatupu and Wright is off to a hot start. Linebackers often make the transition from college to NFL easier than players at other positions, so don’t expect a drop off from Wright anytime soon.

2. Dwayne Harris, WR, Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys let Roy Williams walk and now it is a competition to see who can step up and replace him. Dwayne Harris seized the opportunity and picked up where he left off during an impressive week at the Senior Bowl this past January. Harris pulled in 5 catches for 127 yards and 2 touchdowns. Harris also showed his added value in the return game by busting out a 32 yard kickoff return. Harris has all of the potential to blossom into a star for the Cowboys and add another serious threat to their receiving corp.

1. Stevan Ridley, RB, New England Patriots

No one is better than the New England Patriots at finding NFL ready players. Stevan Ridley is just the latest example of a Bill Belichick gem. Ridley rushed for 64 yards on 16 carries and found the endzone on the ground twice. Ridley, despite not showing this aspect of his game in college, also produced in the receiving game. He hauled in 7 passes for 47 yards and added another touchdown. The former LSU back is definitely one to watch as the season progresses and he gets more work in the Patriots offense. He’s also a guy you may want to keep an eye on in your fantasy drafts and jump on the opportunity to snag him before your friends.

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