NFL Rookie Minicamps: 4 Groups That Have to Really feel Nice by Sunday

We’re simply 119 days from the NFL’s “Thursday Evening Soccer” season opener between the Baltimore Ravens and the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs. Whereas that seems like loads of time for the league’s rookies to be able to shine in Week 1, you may guess the league’s coaches are considering the subsequent 17 weeks are nowhere close to sufficient.

Which brings us to the significance of this weekend. Whereas “rookie minicamp” sounds comparatively benign — what with the most effective gamers on the planet not concerned — the subsequent three days set the tone for all the brand new guys.

Every workforce will get to work 30 hours (10 per day Friday by means of Sunday) with their newcomers. Notably for groups which have invested a lot of their franchise’s future on a rookie or two, these three days supply an enormous trace as as to if their franchise may change into the subsequent Chiefs — or the subsequent laughingstock.

Listed here are 4 groups that basically want to return away feeling good about their draft:

Tennessee Titans

Final month, Cam Ward grew to become the nineteenth quarterback within the final 25 drafts to be the No. 1 total choose. Guess what number of of these 19 have received a Tremendous Bowl? Yep, simply two: Matthew Stafford and Eli Manning.

We point out this for 2 causes: First, it’s statistically incorrect to count on Ward to steer the Titans to a Tremendous Bowl. Second, nobody’s going to care in regards to the first cause. The stress to be particular begins now.

Head coach Brian Callahan and offensive coordinator Nick Holz had months to resolve that Ward was the most effective match for the No. 1 choose. They imagine they perceive how he thinks, how he works and the way he reacts to success and failure — however this weekend is the equal of the top of the honeymoon. Will Ward and the Titans stay fortunately ever after? The primary indicators — good and dangerous — will come out this weekend.

Jacksonville Jaguars

One of many most enjoyable storylines that can play out over the course of the 2025 season is what number of snaps Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter can deal with every week.

Is he a receiver first? Is he a nook first? Does he have the mental bandwidth together with the athletic potential to arrange to play each side of the ball?

Contemplating Hunter was a two-time Tutorial All-America — he reportedly posted a 3.79 GPA whereas incomes his diploma in anthropology — his meeting-room preparation sounds prefer it received’t be an issue. However with Hunter obtainable to the Jaguars 10 hours per day this weekend, they’ll begin studying precisely how a lot they will pile on his plate earlier than he begins to buckle.

Las Vegas Raiders

Ashton Jeanty wasn’t drafted sixth total to take a bit warmth off new Raiders quarterback Geno Smith. He’s going to be the franchise. Jeanty is simply the sixth operating again drafted within the prime 10 over the past 10 years. Three have been Corridor of Fame-worthy: Saquon Barkley (No. 2 in 2018), Christian McCaffrey (No. 8 in 2017) and Ezekiel Elliott (No. 4 in 2016).

Bijan Robinson, who racked up 1,456 speeding yards and 14 touchdowns final yr after a so-so rookie season, may be on his method to Corridor of Fame standing. Even Leonard Fournette (No. 4 in 2017), who’s the “bust” of the group, earned a Tremendous Bowl ring in 2021.

Of all these guys, Elliott loved the most effective rookie yr. He piled up 1,631 yards and 15 touchdowns on the bottom and completed third within the NFL’s MVP voting. He touched the ball a mean of 23.6 occasions per recreation. Count on Jeanty to the touch it no less than that usually — although he may catch thrice as many passes as Elliott did (32) in his rookie yr.

This weekend, the Raiders begin to uncover how superhuman and versatile Jeanty may be.

Atlanta Falcons

Bear in mind when the Falcons drafted quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in final yr’s first spherical regardless of signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal only one month earlier than? The Falcons and GM Terry Fontenot caught some severe flak.

Now fast-forward to this draft: The Falcons acquired extra ridicule once they gave up their 2026 first-round choose to maneuver up 20 spots to get move rusher James Pearce Jr. with the No. 26 choose — despite the fact that that they had simply used the fifteenth total choose on edge rusher Jalon Walker.

The one approach this is sensible is that if Pearce is significantly better than nearly all of the NFL believes him to be. The Falcons will breathe so much simpler if Pearce, who handled pre-draft whispers that he has a stiff physique and he’s “tough,” proves to be tough to dam.