July has been such an amazing month. We celebrated our nation’s independence, saw the U.S. women win the world cup, Stranger Things season 3 came out (Heyoooo) and we even got to witness one of the most exciting Home Run Derby’s in MLB history. It has been quite a month for entertainment and it’s only going to get better as the NFL training camps start getting underway in less than a week. Though there won’t be a meaningful game for another month and a half, football fans can rejoice as their favorite teams and players hit the field, creating hype for themselves and their teams. Training camp is a time where position battles are won and lost, dreams become reality for some and turn into heartbreak for others. As it has been in years past, rookies and free agents will battle in an attempt to crack the depth chart during training camp and be crowned the starter come week 1 of the NFL season. In this article, we’ll be looking at 3 rookies to keep an eye on during training camp/preseason who can have a huge impact on their franchise’s going forward.
1.) Darrel Henderson, RB, Los Angeles Rams
This dude can absolutely fly. In his Junior year at Memphis, Henderson wracked up 1900 yards and 22 touchdowns rushing in just 13 games, a truly mesmerizing statistic. Clearly he can move, but he was drafted in the 3rd round of this years draft to be the backup to Todd Gurley, arguably best RB in the NFL. However, Gurley’s knees weren’t doing him any favors at the end of last season, as he missed the last 2 games entirely and had a very limited role in the playoffs. I suspect that his issues will progressively get worse since Gurley tore his left ACL in 2014 and it has been reported that he’s dealing with arthritis in that knee. It’s very possible that his days as a bruising, downhill runner are coming to an end, paving the way for Henderson to get some serious action. In the Rams high octane offense, Henderson’s speed would make him a valuable asset in stretching the field, handcuffing the defense as to what they can do. With the ability to cut hard around the edge and dance his way through holes, Henderson’s lightning fast feet make him a hard target to read for defenders. Last season, Todd Gurley had 315 total touches for the Rams. Give that workload to Henderson, who average 8.9 YPC last season, and it’s hard to imagine him not being able to create some magic. Injuries are a terrible thing, but if Gurley can’t go, expect BIG things from Darrell Henderson this season.
2.) Drew Lock, QB, Denver Broncos
John Elway’s time as GM in Denver can be boiled down to 1 word: Mediocre. Coming into his 9th season, Elway has taken shots and missed on some awful Quarterbacks (Brock Osweiler, Paxton Lynch, Trevor Siemian). To add to the misery, he went out and traded for Joe Flacco this offseason, a QB who has one of the worst TD/INT ratios in the league over the past 4 seasons. John Elway should be fired, no doubt, but his saving grace might be in the form of a 6’4, 230 lb Quarterback from the University of Missouri. Drew Lock is one of my favorite QB’s in this whole class and could easily be the guy in Denver for a long time. The kid has an absolute rocket where his arm should be, which will only be enhanced when throwing through the thin air in Denver. In his 3 years as a starter at Mizzou, Lock managed to throw for nearly 11,000 yards, 95 touchdowns and only 31 interceptions, an impressive number if you consider how elite the defenses are in the SEC. On top of his arm talent, Lock’s decision making is what makes him the second best QB of this 2019 class. 95 TD’s to 31 INT’s is an incredible ratio, a ratio that was only bested by 5 Quarterbacks in the whole NFL last year, all of whom are either the current MVP or won MVP in the past. With an incredible arm, great decision making, and even decent mobility, Drew Lock is poised to make a huge splash in the NFL. Mix that with a GM who needs to regain the admiration of his fan base or it’s his own head, and I’ll say that Drew Lock will be leading the Denver Broncos come week 5, their Bye week in week 10 at the latest.
3.) DK Metcalf, WR, Seattle Seahawks
Everyone has seen the photos; 6’3, 233 lb and only 1.6% body fat is an absolute SPECIMEN of a human being. Combine that with his 4.33 40 yard dash and his 40 inch vertical, the thought alone of guarding Metcalf is daunting. A lot of people have complained about his potential route running, saying he can’t cut fast enough, and that it will be hard for him to get separation because he can’t change his speed/direction on a dime. In my opinion, all of these concerns are ill-founded because he won’t be doing much of that as an outside receiver. With Doug Baldwin retiring this off-season, Seattle really needs someone to step up and be the #1 option for Russell Wilson to throw to this year. In his brief stint at Ole Miss, Metcalf averaged over 18 YPC and was able to go up and get the ball out of the air with ease over big SEC DB’s. Metcalf’s physical abilities give him all the upside in the world with Russell Wilson at the helm, a QB with expert precision and place the ball in a spot only Metcalf can get to it; it’s tough to take the ball from a guy who can pinpoint the ball at 12.5 feet in the air. His repertoire is building with Wilson as well. Training camp may not have started yet but at rookie mini-camp and OTA’s, Wilson and Metcalf have been working together tirelessly to put together this offense. The ‘injury prone’ label is one that shouldn’t warrant much consideration either, as the 2 he suffered were vastly different and unrelated( Foot 2017, Neck 2018). DK Metcalf has an extraordinary opportunity this season in Seattle and I believe he’ll take full advantage, embarking on a career that will see him become the next Calvin Johnson.
This training camp and NFL season will be full of new-comers who shock the world and show how talented they truly are, whether they’ve been hyped up or unheard of. The Kyler Murray’s of the world will always be examined, but hidden gems are found constantly, sparking hope for other players who know they just need a chance. While the guys mentioned in this article were drafted, it doesn’t guarantee them success in the league, not by a longshot. They’re going to have to show grit, tenacity, and poise among other things if they’re going to thrive in this league. When they show up and showcase everything the have to offer this training camp, there will be no doubt but to look at them and say “A Star is Born”.
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