5 NFL players entering contract year with something to prove

2. Dante Fowler Jr., Los Angeles Rams

Dante Fowler Jr. is another player that had a tremendous amount of hype and promise coming out of college. While Beasley may have been the best college football player in the country, Fowler was every bit as highly thought of and productive while with the Florida Gators.

Taken with the third overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Fowler had racked up 14.5 sacks and 140 tackles throughout his three years with the Gators. When the Jaguars selected him, they believed they were taken a big step in the right direction and adding an elite pass rusher.

Unfortunately, his career got off to a rocky start in Jacksonville as the then-rookie tore his ACL on the first day of minicamp. Thus, he was forced to the sidelines for his entire first year at the professional level.

In the three years since that Fowler has spent in the NFL, he’s racked up 16 sacks and ended up getting traded to the Los Angeles Rams at the 2018 trade deadline. After his fifth-year option had already been declined, the Rams elected to bring Fowler back on a one-year deal, thus showcasing that they want him to prove it.

While Fowler was projected to be one of the best pass rushers in the league coming out of college, he clearly hasn’t lived up to expectations. If he wants a big-time payday entering the 2020 season, he’ll need to start approaching those expectations.