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NightLink: Spotlighting Some of 2009's Draft Class

As we revel in the glory of beating the Steelers, I thought it might be interesting to see how some of this year's draft class is doing so far this season.  

#1 overall pick Matt Stafford, Lions

Two games into the season, he is in the basement of the NFL with a 40.5 QB Rating.  Including the preseason, has thrown 9 INTs in 14 quarters. 

Alg_goodell-stafford_medium

Star-divide

#3 overall pick Tyson Jackson, Chiefs:

Held out due to contract disputes until August 7th, when he signed a 5 year/ $57 million contract with $31 million guaranteed.  Has registered 1 tackle so far this season.

#12 overall pick Knowshon Moreno, Broncos:

Injured before the regular season kicked off, but was able to see the field by week 1.  Has 94 yards on 25 attempts thus far into the season (3.8 avg).

#22 overall pick Percy Harvin, Vikings:

He is the team's leading receiver, with 8 receptions for 88 yards and 2 TDs.  Has stayed healthy so far.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And all of those high-profile WRs that everyone was clamoring about this past offseason (Darrius Hayward-Bey, Michael Crabtree, Jeremy Maclin, Hakeem Nicks, Kenny Britt, etc,)... well, the leading rookie WR in the NFL right now, who is also the #15 WR in all of the NFL, is 5th round selection Johnny Knox, with 8 catches for 152 yards and a TD.

Have you been following any rookies this season so far?  If so, let us know who you are keeping an eye on, and how they are doing so far in the season.

2 recs  |  Comment 46 comments |

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I'm impressed with

Mark Sanchez thus far…this kid seems to be for real. I guess it helps to have a monster o-line and great running game.

Denver is happy with the trade, great, God bless you and Kyle Orton. You told us Jay will suck, great thanks for the heads up. There are many Bears fans who are still happy to have Jay as our QB. Yes even after a 4 INT night with a loss.

by BigAppleBearsFan on Sep 21, 2009 5:02 PM CDT via mobile reply actions   0 recs

Kind of the opposite of Staffords' situation

Isn’t it interesting what a difference a quality system/supporting cast can make?

by JimmyMack on Sep 21, 2009 5:18 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

He's put up good numbers and has played well,

but he doesn’t seem to have the “tools.” He looks like he’s gonna be good, but I don’t ever see him being one of the five best QB’s in the league at any given time.

by dakoose on Sep 21, 2009 5:40 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I'll take "one of the ten best" just about any day of the week.

People should remember that while they have the right to their opinion, they are not entitled to be taken seriously. --Bruce Bartlett

by tyger1147 on Sep 21, 2009 8:25 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

No doubt,

but the talk this week has been how he’s the best thing since sliced bread. And I only see him as one of the ten best if all things go right. Remember, he’s not in the typical rookie QB situation. He is on a team that was 9-7 last year, so he doesn’t have to do much. Good defense, good running game, good special teams.

by dakoose on Sep 21, 2009 9:14 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

And

it’s looking like they’re the NFL’s best defense so far.

"Repetition is only good when you've been winning." - Valet

by propheteer on Sep 21, 2009 8:59 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I tend to think

that Sanchez would have done as poorly as Stafford in Detroit

"I'm sorry Josh, I'm with Chicago now, you need to stop calling me" -JerBear50 as Jay Cutler

by BearNecessities on Sep 22, 2009 3:54 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

It's obviously really early, but...

If Knox can reasonably stay close to his current pace, he’ll be in the mix for rookie of the year.

Remember, he’s been one of the top recievers on the team since the OTA’s, so this is no fluke that he’s off to a fast start. And if anyone can find him and get him the ball in space, it’s Cutler.

by JimmyMack on Sep 21, 2009 5:15 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Yhea but

He’s not a high enough pick. If Sanchez stays even remotely productive, I bet it’ll be him.

by Virto on Sep 21, 2009 5:23 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Of course

Sanchez is also a media darling…

by JimmyMack on Sep 21, 2009 5:26 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Lol...

The Jets defense kicked the shiat out of the Pats… Sanchez just didn’t screw it up for them.

And Sanchez may have poise, but will never have the heart and courage of Brady Quinn. :)

Be nice. Flag comments that you think are offensive. Use the "reply" button. Drink plenty of water. Compliment others. Rec (wreck) comments and posts you like. Don't call people names. If you don't like someone's comment, attack the comment and not the commentor. Learn the difference in your/you're, then/than, to/too. Exercise. Relax. Stretch often. Find good in the world.

by Dane Noble on Sep 21, 2009 6:06 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

True dat

Still, not screwing up when under that microscope is still sayin a lot…

by sabbath999 on Sep 21, 2009 6:23 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Very nice

My favorite:

precocious poise under pressure

"Repetition is only good when you've been winning." - Valet

by propheteer on Sep 21, 2009 9:04 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Of course, he just had a pretty good game and plays a much higher premium

of a position.

People should remember that while they have the right to their opinion, they are not entitled to be taken seriously. --Bruce Bartlett

by tyger1147 on Sep 21, 2009 8:25 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

We'll see....

granted, stellar rookie QBs take the cake, but he needs some solid stats as well… unless the Jets keep winning

Bear Down, Chicago Bears!

by topdoggkyle on Sep 21, 2009 6:27 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I don't know about all that...

But, Nothing gets people attention like “BIG PLAYS”. I wouldn’t bet against this dude.

by Big Ike on Sep 21, 2009 6:40 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Ditto on that

Knox is proving a lot of people wrong right now. AA will only improve with more games under his belt; he may be a stalwart at SS for a long time.

"Repetition is only good when you've been winning." - Valet

by propheteer on Sep 21, 2009 9:07 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Until

we Trade him when he gets really good

"I'm sorry Josh, I'm with Chicago now, you need to stop calling me" -JerBear50 as Jay Cutler

by BearNecessities on Sep 22, 2009 3:19 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Stafford always looks to me like he was in the slow reading group. In that photo, it’s like he’s receiving big boy pants.

"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt." - Bertrand Russell
"F*** everybody outside of Halas Hall. BEARDOWN" - WavyGravy

by Spongie on Sep 21, 2009 8:32 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Yeah, but I reckon when you are the #1 overall pick

it doesn’t matter how you look…

Be nice. Flag comments that you think are offensive. Use the "reply" button. Drink plenty of water. Compliment others. Rec (wreck) comments and posts you like. Don't call people names. If you don't like someone's comment, attack the comment and not the commentor. Learn the difference in your/you're, then/than, to/too. Exercise. Relax. Stretch often. Find good in the world.

by Dane Noble on Sep 21, 2009 9:18 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

or read

the girl in the yellow looks like she’d give him a run for his money.

"Repetition is only good when you've been winning." - Valet

by propheteer on Sep 21, 2009 9:20 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I'm guessing "a run" is in fact

not what she’s giving him for his money.

"The time has come to get deeply into Football. It is the only thing we have left that ain't fixed." - HST

by JerBear50 on Sep 22, 2009 5:17 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I meant

that she is part of “the slow reading group” like Stafford.

"Repetition is only good when you've been winning." - Valet

by propheteer on Sep 22, 2009 9:49 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Well

with sunglasses like that, you have to have come from some kind of “small bus” group

"I'm sorry Josh, I'm with Chicago now, you need to stop calling me" -JerBear50 as Jay Cutler

by BearNecessities on Sep 22, 2009 9:51 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

All the rave

I guess those kinds of rediculous, cheap, kiddy glasses are in-style.

"Repetition is only good when you've been winning." - Valet

by propheteer on Sep 22, 2009 10:02 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I knew what you meant.

Just couldn’t walk away from the cheap joke.

"The time has come to get deeply into Football. It is the only thing we have left that ain't fixed." - HST

by JerBear50 on Sep 23, 2009 3:51 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

One of the perks of being the top pick

Even if he does turn out to be a $40 million bust, he’s gonna hook up with some smokin’ hot babes…

by JimmyMack on Sep 21, 2009 10:53 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

My early offensive rookie rankings

1. Mark Sanchez- so far he’s shown great “poise” in the nation’s biggest market.
2. Michael Oher- LT already showing he’s a stud.
3. Jason Smith- he’s ranked below Oher cause of his awful team.
4. Johnny Knox- shown an unbelievable knack to get open, go over the middle, and beat DBs deep.
5. Percy Harvin- soft hands, speed, and runs with great power for a WR.

honerable mention- Kenny Britt.

"Repetition is only good when you've been winning." - Valet

by propheteer on Sep 21, 2009 9:31 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Good call on Oher

He’s looked really good so far.

"The time has come to get deeply into Football. It is the only thing we have left that ain't fixed." - HST

by JerBear50 on Sep 22, 2009 5:18 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Forgot about Murphy

He belongs on that list too.

"Repetition is only good when you've been winning." - Valet

by propheteer on Sep 22, 2009 9:48 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Harvin and Murphy on a top rookies list?

I thought spread WR’s didn’t have a place in the NFL… Looks like the QB makes the reciever (ie. Iglesias was overvalued with Bradford’s passing offense at Oklahoma whereas Harvin and Murphy were undervalued with Tebow’s running offense at Florida). Lessons for the future

Fortunately, I'm adhering to a pretty strict, uh, drug, uh, regimen to keep my mind, you know, uh, limber.

by Moral Narcissist on Sep 22, 2009 2:11 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Huh?

Tebow threw for 6,000 yards and 62 td’s over the last two seasons, and Harvin was drafted in the mid-1st round. How does that make him undervalued because of Tebow?

"The time has come to get deeply into Football. It is the only thing we have left that ain't fixed." - HST

by JerBear50 on Sep 23, 2009 3:47 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I wouldn’t be shock if Knox is in the starting line up in place of Bennett.

by NiqueBears on Sep 21, 2009 10:54 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

That might give them the best chance to move the ball down the field

Heading into the season, I kind of felt like Hester, Bennett and Knox where the 3 best WRs on the team – based on how well Knox did throughout OTAs and camp.

by JimmyMack on Sep 21, 2009 11:01 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I would keep Knox as #3 WR

because he would line up in the slot and use his speed and quickness to his advantage against a nickleback which is the 3rd best CB on team

by BEARSFAN19 on Sep 21, 2009 11:07 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Beanie Wells looks good.

Even though he missed most of the OTAs and Training Camp he had 2 touchdowns in his first game against the Packers in the Preseason. He also had some great runs in the first two games against the Jags and 49ers although he fumbled twice yesterday [but the humidity was bad, and there were 9 fumbles during that game so I don’t pin it on him].

He had 7 carries in both of those games, and he got 29 yards [4.1 Average] against the 49ers and 44 yards [6.3 Average] against the Jags.

If he can keep running like that, and if Warner keeps playing as well as he did yesterday, the Cardinals will finally have a dangerous run game to go along with one of the best passing games in the NFL, and that will make them even tougher to beat.

I’m also impressed by Sanchez.

by JoeCB1991 on Sep 21, 2009 11:15 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Beanie Wells

is a monster of a running back, it’s unfortunate that they will give Hightower more carries, but Beanie is the future there.

"I'm sorry Josh, I'm with Chicago now, you need to stop calling me" -JerBear50 as Jay Cutler

by BearNecessities on Sep 22, 2009 3:20 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

If he can fix the fumble problem he had on Sunday he probably will start by the middle ofthe Season.

I can’t believe the Cards were able to get Beanie because I thought he was the best RB in the draft and I thought he would have been one of the first picks.

Beanie has the potential to be like Adrian Peterson after seeing how explosive he is over the last tow games he has played in. It looks like they are going split carries because Beanie and THT [along with the other 2 RB’s on the team] were on the field a lot during the game, and they both looked much better than the run game for the Cards was last year.

by JoeCB1991 on Sep 22, 2009 2:32 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I wouldn't quite

say AP just yet, but I’ll definitely say he’s someone to watch

"I'm sorry Josh, I'm with Chicago now, you need to stop calling me" -JerBear50 as Jay Cutler

by BearNecessities on Sep 23, 2009 4:55 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I said he has the potential to be similar to him.

I don’t think he will be as good as AP since the Vikings have a better O-Line, but Beanie looks a lot more explosive than anything the Cardinals have had for a long time.

by JoeCB1991 on Sep 23, 2009 10:45 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Louis Murphy has looked good so far (6/113 1 td)

especially when you consider that he’s in Oakland. It’s great that Russell can throw 80 yards from his knees, but it’d be even better if he could throw it fifteen yards and get it remotely close to a receiver.

"The time has come to get deeply into Football. It is the only thing we have left that ain't fixed." - HST

by JerBear50 on Sep 22, 2009 5:23 AM CDT reply actions   0 recs

I wish the Bears

had Drafted Murphy, he went in the 4th round.

"I'm sorry Josh, I'm with Chicago now, you need to stop calling me" -JerBear50 as Jay Cutler

by BearNecessities on Sep 22, 2009 5:49 AM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

that makes two of us

though, there may be a few more out there

Fortunately, I'm adhering to a pretty strict, uh, drug, uh, regimen to keep my mind, you know, uh, limber.

by Moral Narcissist on Sep 22, 2009 2:14 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

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