The best NFL rookies after seven weeks: We ranked the top 10 and answered five big questions

Matt Bowen
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Matt Bowen
ESPN Writer
,
Kalyn Kahler
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Kalyn Kahler
ESPN
,
Jeff Legwold
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Jeff Legwold
ESPN Senior Writer
,
Jordan Reid
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Jordan Reid
NFL draft analyst
,
Ben Solak
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Ben Solak
ESPN

Oct 29, 2026, 06:30 AM ET

The 2026 rookie class has had a unique start to the NFL season, specifically at quarterback. According to ESPN Research, the 308 snaps by rookie QBs through Week 7 are the fewest since 2007. Tampa Bay's Jalon Daniels is the only rookie QB who has started so far, and his three starts are also the fewest at this point in the season since 2007.

Because of this, zero quarterbacks made our debut top-10 rookie rankings -- sorry to Daniels, who just handed the Bucs' starting gig back to Baker Mayfield. But there are plenty of intriguing players from six other positions who made our top 10.

We polled five NFL analysts and reporters -- Matt Bowen, Kalyn Kahler, Jeff Legwold, Jordan Reid and Ben Solak -- to form a consensus ranking through Week 7. Our experts also predicted when quarterback Fernando Mendoza will start for the Raiders, picked out the most impressive position group, named one underperforming first-rounder and selected one overperforming late-rounder.

Jump to a section:
Top 10 | Just missed
Big questions

T-1. Arvell Reese, Edge/LB, New York Giants

Stats: 56 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 1 INT
Drafted: No. 5

Just as we saw during his final season at Ohio State, Reese's physicality and speed have shown up right away at the NFL level. He is comfortable attacking downhill as a run defender, and his consistency in coverage has been excellent. His four pass breakups are tied for the second most among all linebackers in 2026.

Reese is the ultimate playmaker who can not only be used on the second level but is also equally as effective as a blitzer. He has 10 pass-rush wins and two pass breakups on 93 blitz attempts this season. Reese is a key building block for the Giants' defense alongside 2025 first-round pick Abdul Carter. -- Reid

T-1. Sonny Styles, LB, Washington Commanders

Stats: 46 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT, 1 FF
Drafted: No. 7

Styles' speed is what made him a top-10 pick, and he has put it on full display this season. In Washington's only win, he went stride for stride with Seattle running back Jadarian Price to break up a deep pass. Later in the third quarter, he caught up with tight end Eric Saubert and stripped the ball at the goal line -- though Saubert recovered it for a touchdown. (He also had his only interception in that game.)

Styles even made a strong debut, trucking Eagles running back Saquon Barkley on his way to sacking quarterback Jalen Hurts. Styles has 13 tackles in Washington's past two games, which suggests he's only improving as his rookie year continues. -- Kahler

3. Denzel Boston, WR, Cleveland Browns

Stats: 20 receptions, 372 yards, 3 TDs
Drafted: No. 39

The physical 6-foot-4 receiver is second in air yards per target (16.1), a full yard ahead of Detroit's Jameson Williams. Boston has become the Browns' dangerous deep threat, and though he has had a quiet couple of weeks, he is also second in yards per reception (18.6).

Cleveland's offense features multiple playmakers equally. Boston sees 20% of the Browns' total targets, but fellow rookie KC Concepcion sees 21.8% and tight end Harold Fannin Jr. is just behind at 18.9%. It will be interesting to monitor whether that distribution shifts throughout the rest of the season. -- Kahler

4. Josiah Trotter, LB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Stats: 62 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT
Drafted: No. 46

Trotter's play recognition stands out on the tape. He is quick to diagnose against the run, getting eyes on formation keys and pulling guards to make tackles. His 43% run stop win rate ranks 10th among all linebackers, and he has the physical play style to drop the hammer on contact.

Plus, Trotter has created some on-the-ball production in coverage, which includes a pick-six on quarterback Joe Burrow and the Bengals. He's an ascending player who can also be schemed as blitzer in Todd Bowles' defense. -- Bowen

5. Olaivavega Ioane, G, Baltimore Ravens

Stats: 7 starts, 89.2% PBWR, 69% RBWR
Drafted: No. 14

Ioane has already shown some versatility with 196 snaps at center and 182 at right guard. The Ravens have been forced to throw him into the deep end because of injuries, including three centers being put on IR.

The injury bug caught up with Ioane himself, as he sprained an MCL at right guard in a Week 7 loss to the Bengals. It's considered a short-term injury, but so far Ioane has played with physicality, and his pass block win rate at center (94.5%) is third best in the league. Ravens coach Jesse Minter has already said he believes Ioane deserves Offensive Rookie of the Year consideration. -- Legwold

6. Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Miami Dolphins

Stats: 61 tackles, 1 INT
Drafted: No. 43

At the center of Miami's rebuild, Rodriguez has been among the most impressive rookies regardless of position. After ranking 27th in the FBS with 8.6 tackles per game last season at Texas Tech, he is third in the NFL through seven weeks (10.2).

Rodriguez is a quick-footed linebacker who's consistently able to diagnose and attack downhill on run plays. He has also shown the ability to close throwing windows and make plays in the passing game. -- Reid

7. Mansoor Delane, CB, Kansas City Chiefs

Stats: 27 tackles, 1 INT, 5 PD
Drafted: No. 6

It's almost impossible to excel as a rookie corner in the NFL. Just ask Delane, who had perfect positioning and an elite strike on Seattle's Jaxon Smith-Njigba but still got beat for a touchdown in Week 7. Regardless, Delane has consistently been in the hip pocket of top NFL receivers; he has the physicality and ball skills necessary to develop into a premiere ball hawk.

With a 20% pass breakup and interception rate (league average for corners is 15.3%) and a tight window forced on 32% of his targets (league average is 25.3%), Delane is answering the call as a top-10 draft pick. -- Solak

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8. David Bailey, Edge, New York Jets

Stats: 35 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 3 FF
Drafted: No. 2

Bailey leads all rookies in sack totals, and his 24 pressures rank sixth in the league. He entered the draft as the most pro-ready pass rusher after four collegiate seasons, and that is evident on the tape.

Bailey combines his quickness and lower-body agility with a refined set of counter moves to work the edges of offensive tackles. Plus, he can create production late in the down by tracking the quarterback outside of the pocket. His 23.8% pass rush win rate ranks third highest among qualified rookies. -- Bowen

T-9. Blake Miller, OT, Detroit Lions

Stats: 5 starts, 91% PBWR, 65.7% RBWR
Drafted: No. 17

After Miller made 54 consecutive starts to close out his career at Clemson, there were some NFL evaluators who believed he was one of the safest picks in April. He looks every bit the long-term solution at right tackle for the Lions, who moved All-Pro Penei Sewell to left tackle over the offseason.

Miller's current pass block win rate ranks 10th in the league and tops among all rookies. He has surrendered one sack and been clean with his handwork -- no penalties for holding, illegal use of hands or hands to the face. -- Legwold

T-9. KC Concepcion, WR, Cleveland Browns

Stats: 30 receptions, 315 yards, 0 TDs
Drafted: No. 24

Concepcion's career-best game against the Titans in Week 7 -- eight catches, 129 yards and a touchdown with 23 rushing yards to boot -- was strong enough to catapult him into our top 10. If he had more stable quarterback play, he would be an easy leader among rookie receivers in receiving yardage and receptions.

Concepcion is lightning quick and able to make tough catches away from his frame. He looks like a three-down receiver; his designed touch and field-stretching ability is in the mold of Baltimore's Zay Flowers or New Orleans' Chris Olave. -- Solak

Just missed

Carnell Tate, WR, Tennessee Titans: 34 receptions, 413 receiving yards, 1 TD

Dillon Thieneman, S, Chicago Bears: 47 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 1 INT

Gabe Jacas, Edge/LB, New England Patriots: 21 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 1 INT

Jeremiyah Love, RB, Arizona Cardinals: 67 carries, 245 rushing yards, 1 TD; 11 receptions, 36 receiving yards; 1 TD

Caleb Downs, S, Dallas Cowboys: 48 tackles, 1 sack, 3 FF

Also received top-15 votes from our panelists (in order of votes): Omar Cooper Jr., WR, New York Jets; Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Tennessee Titans; Max Iheanachor, OT, Pittsburgh Steelers; Germie Bernard, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers; Austin Barber, OT, Cleveland Browns; Malik Muhammad II, CB, Chicago Bears; Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Cleveland Browns; Harold Perkins Jr., LB, Atlanta Falcons; Dani Dennis-Sutton, Edge, Green Bay Packers; Kadyn Proctor, OT, Miami Dolphins; Zakee Wheatley, S, Carolina Panthers

Is it time for Fernando Mendoza to get his first start?

It is and it isn't. There's no doubt in my mind the Raiders would benefit from a quarterback who can relocate in the pocket. Kirk Cousins' lack of mobility has limited coach Klint Kubiak's preferred reliance on boots and rollouts. Also, the lack of scrambles and play-extension limits the Raiders' potential for explosive gains through the air.

On the other hand, the passing offense is healthier than the Raiders' running game and entire defense. If the only goal for their 2026 season remains insulating Mendoza and developing him behind the scenes, they can reasonably continue to play Cousins for at least a few more weeks. -- Solak

Which rookie could see more time on the field as the season progresses?

Chris Bell, WR, Miami Dolphins. He tore an ACL in his final college season at Louisville, and he has just eight receptions so far as a rookie. But Bell is averaging 20.5 routes run over his past four outings, and he has the physical profile to play a more productive role over the second half of the season.

At 6-foot-2, 222 pounds, Bell can play through contact at every level of the field. He's a power strider after the catch -- similar to New England's A.J. Brown. -- Bowen

Which position group of rookies has stood out the most so far?

This has been a strange year for evaluating the rookie class production without any quarterbacks playing significant time. I'll go with the linebacker group here because three full-time linebackers (Styles, Trotter and Rodriguez) made our top 10 and are playing significant snaps for their teams.

Also, New England's Jacas made our "just missed" section as an edge/linebacker. He has three tackles for loss and six QB hits. -- Kahler

Which first-rounder is underperforming?

Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Though players have no control over where they're selected, the expectations follow them anyway. Bain certainly had high expectations after a dominant College Football Playoff, but his introduction to the NFL has been choppy at best.

Bain has missed two games because of groin and shoulder injuries. He has just one quarterback hit and a sack thus far. Plus, his 8% pressure rate ranks 73rd among qualifying rushers. Some personnel executives believe Bain is simply going to need a better rush plan, especially when it comes to creating more of a threat to the inside shoulder of offensive tackles. -- Legwold

Which late-rounder is overperforming?

Zakee Wheatley, S, Carolina Panthers. The fifth-round pick has yet to record an interception in the NFL, but his impact has been felt in a Panthers secondary that has been decimated by injuries. He has three pass breakups, showcasing excellent range to make a play on the ball in pass coverage.

When defending the run, Wheatley takes consistent angles and is able to come to balance when tackling. His eight tackles on rushes are seventh most among all rookie safeties. -- Reid

Source: ESPN · Matt Bowen, Kalyn Kahler, Jeff Legwold, Jordan Reid, Ben Solak

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Topic: Sports
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Added to Allnira: 10/29/2026, 1:38:04 PM