Early reports on all 32 first-round picks
Dan Orlovsky dissects Kyler Murray’s skill set and explains why he has the capability to take the league by storm like Patrick Mahomes. (1:48)
In early June, fans and teams alike are excited about the incoming draft picks — especially the first-rounders. Training camp is still weeks away, but teams have had a look at their draft classes during offseason workouts and can start to get an idea of how quickly the first-round selections are adapting to the pro game. Who’s off to a quick start? Who will have a hard time cracking the starting lineup? Our NFL Nation reporters share their first impressions of how the first-round picks are performing.
QB Kyler Murray: The only access to Murray on the field is through stretching and individual drills, so it’s tough to get a true gauge on how he looks, but one thing is for sure: His passes are crisp. They seem to jump off his hand and his long passes land rather effortlessly. His teammates rave about him. They’ve praised his speed, accuracy, intelligence and his leadership — all high marks for the 21-year-old No. 1 overall pick. — Josh Weinfuss
DE Nick Bosa: Getting an early read on Bosa has been difficult after a Grade 1 hamstring strain slowed him in the team’s second OTA. Before that injury, Bosa looked as advertised: He had NFL-ready pass-rush moves, fit in well in the locker room and is expected to contribute right away, according to teammates. “He works very hard,” defensive end Dee Ford said. “He’s a very good guy. You hate to see that [injury] for a rookie because he’s really progressing, and he’s going to be important for this defense, and that D-line room is really starting to mesh. He’ll get healthy and he’ll get back. He’ll be fine. It’s important as a rookie to stay the course. Stay the course, don’t get down. You’ve got a lot of stuff to go through as a rookie. I told him once ball gets here, it’s all about ball. All the extra stuff is gone.” — Nick Wagoner
DT Quinnen Williams: Williams hasn’t practiced because of a calf-muscle injury that occurred on the first day of OTAs (“I think he was on the banquet circuit,” coach Adam Gase cracked), but he has impressed teammates with his willingness to learn on the field and in the classroom. They hope to get him in team drills before the offseason ends. They envision Williams as a three-down player who can play multiple positions and should improve the interior pass rush. — Rich Cimini
DE Clelin Ferrell: Though Ferrell checks off all the boxes when it comes to being a foundation player off the field — leadership, discipline, strong character — it’s his on-field persona that will be tested. He does have a solid pedigree as an edge rusher, but some in the organization wonder if he is “mean enough” on the field. Yeah, it’s early, and he will have a chance to prove as much once the pads come on in training camp and games begin. He has been working behind Benson Mayowa and Arden Key at defensive end early in OTAs and looks physically impressive. And since the Raiders have a need there — they had a league-low 13 sacks last season — Ferrell will have his shot. “We think Ferrell has the credentials to be an every-down defensive end,” coach Jon Gruden said, “and also be a guy that we can build our defensive line around.” — Paul Gutierrez
ILB Devin White: White has been everything the Bucs hoped — an impact playmaker and a vocal leader for the defense. He has grasped Todd Bowles’ system very quickly and has been leading the defensive huddle since Day 1. “For a rookie to come in and be talking like that, it’s really amazing to see,” fellow inside linebacker Lavonte David said. “The sky is the limit for him most definitely.” On the second play of OTAs, White picked off quarterback Jameis Winston, his third interception in three practices. “Devin White, he’s been outstanding,” Winston said. It’s not far-fetched to think he could wind up becoming defensive rookie of the year. — Jenna Laine
QB Daniel Jones: He has looked like he belongs working with the second- and third-team offenses early in his Giants career. That is an accomplishment given the difficulty of playing quarterback as a rookie in the NFL. One area where Jones has really showed well is with his arm. He has thrown with surprising velocity given some pre-draft criticism which viewed that as a weakness. No wonder coach Pat Shurmur said recently that Jones’ arm was never a concern for the team. — Jordan Raanan
OLB Josh Allen: Allen suffered a bruised knee in the first OTA and hasn’t participated since. It’s hard not to be impressed with his size and athleticism, and the Jaguars are excited about figuring a way to work him into the lineup. He can play defensive end on the weak side and strong side, which means he might be dropping into coverage at times. He did that at Kentucky regularly and it gives the Jaguars some flexibility. — Michael DiRocco
TE T.J. Hockenson: It’s tough to get a true gauge on Hockenson — or any rookie — until training camp, but even more so at tight end because of the breadth of what they are asked to do. That said, he has looked good so far in the limited amount of time the media has been able to watch him. His coaches have been impressed with how he has picked up the offense, and they know he has the capability to do a lot. It’s just going to take some time, particularly in a new offense for every player, for that to truly be realized. — Michael Rothstein
DT Ed Oliver: Oliver is expected to be the Bills’ starting 3-technique defensive tackle by the start of the season, but they are making him earn his reps with the first-team defense. Most of those snaps in the OTAs open to reporters have gone to Jordan Phillips, whom Buffalo re-signed to a one-year, $4.5 million deal in March before drafting Oliver. When Oliver eventually takes over, the Bills believe his smaller frame (6-foot-2, 287 pounds) will not hold him back in the NFL. “We need a guy with great quickness, great get-off, that has strength and athleticism, and Ed has those qualities,” defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said. — Mike Rodak
ILB Devin Bush: The Steelers thrust Bush into the starting rotation right away, and his coverage skills have been on display. He has shown the ability to get into passing lanes with his quickness. The team wants to expedite his learning curve. Defensive end Cam Heyward said Bush needs more bass in his voice if he’s going to call plays. And he’ll need to improve his tackling angles in the running game at this level. But so far, he looks like he belongs among a linebacker group that includes veterans Vince Williams and Mark Barron. — Jeremy Fowler
OT Jonah Williams: It’s too early to tell how Williams will fare since the team won’t put pads on for a while, but the Bengals aren’t treating him with kid gloves. He’s already playing with the first string at left tackle, causing the Bengals to move Cordy Glenn, the left tackle they traded for just a year ago, to guard. If taking Williams in the first round didn’t show how how highly the Bengals think of him, then this move certainly does. — Katherine Terrell
DE Rashan Gary: Explosiveness and versatility. Gary has already displayed both. While playing on the edge, Gary looks quick off the ball. Yet the Packers also think he can move inside. In fact, in one defensive package, Gary lined up inside along with Za’Darius Smith, while Preston Smith and Kyler Fackrell played on the edge. “That’s why he’s here — because he’s a versatile player,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “He can be on the edge, we can kick him inside. He’s an incredible athlete, and we’ve just got to keep getting him familiarized with exactly what we’re asking him to do, and again, digging at those details so he can go out and execute at a high level.” — Rob Demovsky
DT Christian Wilkins: The pads haven’t been put on yet, so we haven’t got a great glimpse of what Wilkins can do for the Dolphins on the field, but he’s already made his presence known in the locker room and off the field. “Christian brings a lot of energy into the building. He’s a fun-loving guy,” coach Brian Flores said. “For me, someone who is straight-edged, he brings good energy in a good way. That’s something that I like; but at the same time, he works extremely hard.” Flores is making the rookies earn their roles, so Wilkins hasn’t had much time with the first-team defense yet, but the expectation is that he will lock down a starting spot this summer. — Cameron Wolfe
G Chris Lindstrom: It’s too early to truly make a judgment on offensive linemen Chris Lindstrom and Kaleb McGary, the Falcons’ first-round draft picks. They are slowly getting worked in at right guard and right tackle, respectively. The real test will come when they put on the pads. Asked about his first impressions of his two new linemen, quarterback Matt Ryan said, “It’s tough to tell when they’re not in pads, but you can see by the way that they set, the way that they move off the ball, they’re both athletic guys for as big as they are. They’re into it. I really love how much that they like football.” — Vaughn McClure
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QB Dwayne Haskins: He throws a nice ball and at times makes throws others just can’t. Haskins clearly looks like someone who will win the job at some point, but there are many things he still must learn — getting all the terminology of a play correct, for example. He’s more mobile than people realize. But there also are times when his passes are a little off — sometimes to the wrong shoulder or just a misfire. It has led to some issues in practices and shows the development that must be made. — John Keim
OLB Brian Burns: His quickness and explosiveness off the line was evident from the get-go. Having veteran free-agent signee Bruce Irvin to groom Burns has been a huge benefit in that Irvin has played outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme and end in a 4-3 as the Panthers transition to more 3-4 fronts. The Panthers like to go with a four-man rotation with their edge rushers, so Irvin and Mario Addison likely will be first up. But Burns definitely shows the potential to disrupt the quarterback. — David Newton
DT Dexter Lawrence: You can see why the Giants liked Lawrence out of Clemson. He’s a massive human who moves exceptionally well for his size. He’s already working as the nose tackle and anchor in the middle of the Giants’ first-team defense. — Jordan Raanan
C Garrett Bradbury: One position battle appears to already be solved in Minnesota with Bradbury in line to become the Day 1 starter at center. He’s the right fit for the position with his athleticism, power and feel for an offense that runs an outside zone scheme. Plus, plugging Bradbury in at center allows the Vikings to move Pat Elflein to left guard, which seems like it will be a better fit. Bradbury has a lot on his plate, and it’s not always easy for a rookie center to shoulder the responsibility of calling an entire game. But he can lean on Elflein, and quarterback Kirk Cousins is eager to perfect their communication from the jump given how many centers he worked with last year. “I just tried to set that vision for him to say, ‘You be the guy here for the next 10 years, and let’s not have to worry about having anybody else snap for the quarterback,'” Cousins said. “He’s got a long ways to go to do that, but he’s got all the right stuff and we’ll just keep stacking days on top of one another to get him where he needs to be.” — Courtney Cronin
DT Jeffery Simmons: Simmons hasn’t been available to the media or taken the field while he works to recover from a torn ACL in February. That’s typically what happens with an injured draft pick, so there’s nothing to be concerned about. There isn’t a timetable for his return, so it’s a wait-and-see approach for the Titans’ 2019 first-round pick. — Turron Davenport
TE Noah Fant: Certainly it’s early in the process with plenty of developmental road to travel before the regular season, but it’s easy to see Fant is going to have a chance to contribute immediately in the passing game. He’s getting quality snaps with the first-teamers at times, and Broncos coach Vic Fangio has consistently served up some slices of humble pie, talking about how good the team’s other players look at the position during the practices — especially Troy Fumagalli, a 2018 draft pick. But Fant’s speed is rare, and he has already shown sound route-running ability, especially in the red zone. Things change when the pads go on, sure, and he’s got some work to do as a blocker — he sets with too narrow a base at times — but blocking will be a nice bonus for a player who should provide some pop in the middle of the field. — Jeff Legwold
S Darnell Savage Jr.: Savage was the only rookie to work with the starters from the get-go in OTAs. Paired with free-agent addition Adrian Amos, Savage is part of the revamped safety position. Although it appears Amos is better suited to play near the line of scrimmage and Savage in the back end, defensive coordinator Mike Pettine has called them interchangeable. “We’ve all seen Darnell’s college tape with the speed and the range, he can certainly play deep,” Pettine said. “But this is a guy, he was a good blitzer. It was not an issue for him playing down inside as well.” — Rob Demovsky
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OT Andre Dillard: With Jason Peters absent from OTAs, Dillard has been manning the starting left tackle spot. Smooth and athletic, he looks like he belongs to this point. Several offensive linemen are cross-training at this stage, but the Eagles are working Dillard exclusively at left tackle. “Andre is different,” coach Doug Pederson said. “We’re just trying to get his feet wet with the playbook and get him moving around.” — Tim McManus
OT Tytus Howard: Howard certainly has the opportunity to earn a starting spot at either tackle or guard position before the start of the season. He’ll spend the offseason and training camp at all four positions, as he has so far during OTAs. Howard said he can’t wait to protect Deshaun Watson, who said he loves hearing that from the rookie offensive lineman. “I love hearing the idea and the confidence in what he’s saying,” Watson said. “Ever since he got here, he’s been quiet and just going to work. We all love seeing that.” — Sarah Barshop
RB Josh Jacobs: Jacobs, who did not have a particularly heavy workload at Alabama, has started to take to the mentorship of veteran running back Doug Martin. Even if it has been at a slower pace than hoped for at this point. A minor injury has Jacobs on a slow, but steady, pace early in OTAs. “Well, it’s good to have him out there, for one,” Raiders offensive coordinator Greg Olson said. “We had a glimpse of him and then he kind of tweaked his hamstring early. But it’s good to see him out there and have him practice with the rest of that rookie class. Good to have him out there on the field.” — Paul Gutierrez
WR Marquise Brown: Brown won’t be able to practice until the start of training camp in late July after having foot surgery in January, which has been the plan since the Ravens made him the first wide receiver drafted this year. He has been spending his time in the training room where he has been rehabbing, and in the meeting room where he’s learning the offensive system. “We haven’t seen much, but he has a great attitude,” coach John Harbaugh said. “He’s always in good spirits, just a good dude.” Brown is expected to add that explosive element that has been lacking in the Ravens’ offense. — Jamison Hensley
DE Montez Sweat: Man, does Sweat look the part: long arms, well-cut body. It’ll be hard to gauge where he’s truly at until they begin padded practices in training camp, but he has stood out against backup offensive linemen (the Redskins’ starting tackles, Morgan Moses and Trent Williams aren’t participating). But you do see Sweat’s ability to rush inside and create issues. And you can see his speed, which should allow him to chase plays down on the backside. He’ll make an impact. — John Keim
S Johnathan Abram: Abram certainly looks the part on the field, that of a heat-seeking missile. But again, pads are not on yet. OTAs are all about learning schemes and learning at the knee of veterans. And for Abram, he could do worse than having a veteran safety mentor like Lamarcus Joyner, who has already taken to the rookie. “He’s an alpha,” Joyner said of Abram. “He just has to slow it down. He’s ready to go. He’s been an alpha all of his life, and I told him that you just have to think, keep your feet on the ground and let things come to him.” — Paul Gutierrez
DT Jerry Tillery: Because of surgery he had in March to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder, Tillery has been limited to watching from the sidelines during offseason work. However, Tillery has been focused on getting mental reps and learning the playbook through film study with veterans like nose tackle Brandon Mebane. The hope is Tillery will be healthy for the start of training camp. “It’s tough,” Chargers defensive line coach Giff Smith said. “Let’s face it, he’s played football his whole life and now to be a first-round pick and you can’t do anything, it’s difficult. But he’s stayed mentally engaged so far, and I expect that to continue.” — Eric D. Williams
DE L.J. Collier: Linemen are the hardest players to evaluate in noncontact practices, but there’s been no reason to waver on the belief that Collier can be a contributor right away — at least in a rotational role as an early-down edge-setter and/or an inside rusher on passing downs. He’s taken some reps with the starters and has caught the eye of Pro Bowl left tackle Duane Brown. “I think as a rookie coming in, he definitely has some savviness, some craft in his moves that you normally wouldn’t see from a younger guy,” Brown said. “He’s strong, he’s got long arms, strong player. I think right now with no pads on, it’s hard to assess someone, but I think he’s definitely going to make some plays this year just based on what I’ve seen so far.” — Brady Henderson
CB Deandre Baker: The Georgia cornerback has jumped into the mix and battled. He might not be the biggest or fastest, but he can cover. That has been apparent during practices, where Baker has shown he’s a physical cover cornerback who can help the Giants immediately. He’s battling last year’s third-round supplemental pick Sam Beal for a starting spot on the outside opposite Janoris Jenkins. — Jordan Raanan
OT Kaleb McGary: As quarterback Matt Ryan said, McGary looks like he moves well for being a big guy. He’s quite a personality when it comes to addressing the media. But let’s see how McGary does when he goes up against a speed rush. That’s a question mark that needs to be addressed. There’s no doubt he’s a tough guy. — Vaughn McClure
WR N’Keal Harry: Reporters have seen one practice to this point, and Harry was active as a pass-catcher. On one play, he was split to the right opposite of second-round cornerback Joejuan Williams, and made a decisive step to the inside to catch a 5-yard slant for a touchdown. At 6-foot-2 and 228 pounds, he is “big and strong,” as noted by quarterback Brian Hoyer. Bill Belichick also referred to Harry as smart in terms of learning the Patriots’ offense. — Mike Reiss