Top 10 Rookie Standouts (Bears have 2)

[hebs]

Top 10 rookie debuts of the 2022 NFL season: Drake London, Dominique Robinson stand out

Did any rookie get off to a better start than Drake London? Does Derek Stingley Jr. look like a foundational piece for the Texans? The Next Gen Stats analytics team ranks the top rookie debuts of the 2022 NFL season.

www.nfl.com

Rank
5

Dominique Robinson
Edge · Round 5 (No. 174)

Chicago Bears


KEY WEEK 1 METRICS:

• 27 defensive snaps
• 7 tackles (25.9 tackle percentage, which led all players with 20-plus defensive snaps)
• 1.5 sacks (led all rookies)
• 6 defensive stops (tied for most among rookies, with the Jaguars' Devin Lloyd)
• 22.2 percent defensive stop rate (led all players with 20-plus defensive snaps)
• 2 QB pressures on 11 pass rushes (18.2 QB pressure percentage)

WEEK 1 OVERALL SCORE: 70

Robinson's performance didn't just stand out among rookies in Week 1; some of the defensive numbers posted above ranked among the best in the league, period. How did he get it done? Sheer effort went a very long way. Robinson had three hustle stops in Chicago's win over San Francisco, the most by any rookie defensive lineman in a game in the NGS era (since 2016). Robinson's chase-down of a screen pass to Jeff Wilson is a great example of a hustle stop, which is defined as any tackle resulting in a successful play for the defense in which the tackler covered at least 20 yards from snap to tackle.

Rank
7

Jaquan Brisker
S · Round 2 (No. 48)

Chicago Bears


KEY WEEK 1 METRICS:

• 26 coverage snaps, 5 targets as nearest defender, 1 reception, 2 yards, 0 TDs, 39.6 passer rating allowed
• 4 tackles, 2 defensive stops, 1 run stuff
• -54.3 percent catch rate over expected allowed (led all DBs, among those with a minimum of 3 targets)
• -2.4 EPA when targeted
• 100 percent coverage success rate (tied for first among all players)
• 0.1 yards allowed per coverage snap (second among DBs, to D.J. Reed, among those with a minimum of 5 targets)

WEEK 1 OVERALL SCORE: 66



The Bears' defense was the centerpiece to their win over a 49ers team that reached the NFC Championship Game last season, and Brisker -- classified as a "sleeper" by Next Gen Stats' draft scores in April -- played a major role. As the above metrics show, Brisker was among the NFL's most effective DBs in pass coverage in Week 1. He also made some major plays in the ground game when the Bears needed them most, adding a crucial fumble recovery from Deebo Samuel in the red zone on the 49ers' opening drive, then making a goal-line stop of Jeff Wilson that forced San Francisco, which was leading 7-0 at the time, to settle for a third-quarter field goal.

 

[bamainatlanta]

Would this be the Historic draft class and not the 2021 Historic Draft class??

 

[Nelly]

That seals it. Kyler Gordon is a bust.

 

[mattb78]

Great post OP thanks. Brisker was one of those guys that people expected to start, but contributions from a 5 round selection on the DL is awesome.

 

[Bearly]

Would this be the Historic draft class and not the 2021 Historic Draft class??

Not until next year.

 

[Nelly]

Notice Jalen Pitre and Derek Stingley Jr. on there, both from the Texans. With Davis Mills looking like an NFL QB and Lovie getting that infusion of young talent to his defense, they might be another team (like us) that you don't want to take lightly. Under-talented but well-coached, play hard and can turn the ball over (assuming they can under Lovie's coaching).

 

[Noonthirtyjoe]

Would this be the Historic draft class and not the 2021 Historic Draft class??

65 draft is the historic one, Sayers and Butkus.

 

[UK_STALEY]

Steals and Gems lads, steals and fucking gems

 

[UK_STALEY]

Why isn’t Velcro Jones on that list, ageist bastards!!

 

[Dumpster Fire]

I knew Robinson would be one of them, but I wasn't sure who the second rookie would be. My guess was Brax, but for sure Brisker is the guy. Kudos to Ryan Fucking Poles!

 

[bamainatlanta]

65 draft is the historic one, Sayers and Butkus.

That's the pre-historic draft class

 

[bears51/40]

Notice Jalen Pitre and Derek Stingley Jr. on there, both from the Texans. With Davis Mills looking like an NFL QB and Lovie getting that infusion of young talent to his defense, they might be another team (like us) that you don't want to take lightly. Under-talented but well-coached, play hard and can turn the ball over (assuming they can under Lovie's coaching).

That is if Lovie doesn't play for a fucking tie. Who the hell punts with seconds to go to preserve a damn tie.

 

[bamainatlanta]

That is if Lovie doesn't play for a fucking tie. Who the hell punts with seconds to go to preserve a damn tie.

Lovie Smith does

 

[hebs]

That is if Lovie doesn't play for a fucking tie. Who the hell punts with seconds to go to preserve a damn tie.

A Tie is better than a loss..
Also his defense isn't designed to stop offenses. Just make them move slow enough down the field that they make a mistake in one of the 10 offensive plays necessary to get them in scoring range.

The other team could have easily converted a few plays and kicked a game winning FG....

 

[Nelly]

That is if Lovie doesn't play for a fucking tie. Who the hell punts with seconds to go to preserve a damn tie.

Hey, everyone's a winner in Lovie's book.

 

[Noonthirtyjoe]

That's the pre-historic draft class

I was not born yet. But still, it can't be topped.

 

[ThatGuyRyan]

Great post OP thanks. Brisker was one of those guys that people expected to start, but contributions from a 5 round selection on the DL is awesome.

Yes please take snaps from the end table known as Gipson