Early season NFL All-Rookie Team features Mac Jones, Najee Harris, Ja'Marr Chase

By Rob Rang
FOX Sports NFL Draft Analyst

With the NFL expanding to a 17-game regular season, breaking down the year into four equal segments is now mathematically impossible.

But with the Los Angeles Rams defeating the Seattle Seahawks to kick off Week 5 and the first byes coming next week, we thought it was a good time to take stock of this year’s rookie class. Some rookies have exploded out of the gate while many of the favorites lag behind in the early going.

It is important to remember that many of last year’s top rookies started slowly before galloping past opponents down the stretch. Eventual AP Rookie of the Year Justin Herbert notably did not take a single snap in the Chargers’ regular-season opener a year ago. Similarly, his top competition for Offensive Rookie of the Year honors – Vikings’ wideout Justin Jefferson – caught just five passes for 70 yards over his first two NFL games.

With that in mind, the rookies listed below have earned their placement among our First Quarter All-Rookie team. They’ll need to keep up the pace to ensure being part of the winner’s circle come January. 

OFFENSE

Quarterback: Mac Jones, New England Patriots 

While No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence has accounted for more touchdowns (six total) and San Francisco’s Trey Lance has yet to throw an interception while scoring three times, the Patriots’ young signal-caller has demonstrated the most consistency of the six rookie quarterbacks to play so far this season. 

Jones has completed 70% of his passes with four touchdowns against four interceptions while helping New England to a 2-2 record. His play has justified the top-10 buzz that surrounded him prior to the draft. Jones’ command of the Patriots’ playbook and locker room pushed Cam Newton out the door and Tom Brady to a photo finish in Foxboro. 

Running back: Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers

With a tip of the cap to Denver’s Javonte Williams (who has one more rushing yard on nine fewer attempts than Harris), no rookie runner has carried the load quite like the Steelers’ 6-foot-1, 232-pound all-purpose back. Harris has toted the rock on 55 of the Steelers’ 58 rushing attempts from a RB this season and leads all NFL running backs with 26 receptions – more than Pro Bowl wideouts DK Metcalf (25), Mike Evans (23) and Amari Cooper (22). 

Wide receiver – Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals

While the celebrated rookie quarterback class has not yet lived up to its hype, a historic class of receivers certainly has, with Chase leading the pack with four touchdowns in as many games. No other rookie has more than a single score so far, which is why Chase ran away with the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Month award for September. And it isn’t just that Chase leads in scoring. He is averaging 17.5 yards per reception (fifth-best in the NFL) with 11 of his 17 grabs resulting in first downs or touchdowns. 

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Wide receiver: DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles

The reigning Heisman Trophy winner is coming off of the best performance of his young NFL career, hauling in seven passes (on 10 targets) for 122 yards in a shootout loss to Kansas City. Even with the breakout performance, Smith still trails former Alabama teammate Jaylen Waddle (Miami) for the most receptions by a rookie receiver (25 to 18). But Smith has done much more with the ball in his hands, generating 237 yards and a score, while Waddle is averaging just 8.0 yards per grab – dead last among NFL wideouts with at least 12 catches.

Tight end: Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons

Little has gone right in Atlanta this season, with Matt Ryan and the Falcons getting outscored by a league-worst 50 points during a 1-3 start. Getting Pitts on track would go a long way toward improving that record, but even without scoring a touchdown yet, the No. 4 overall pick of the draft has easily outclassed the rest of the rookies at the position. He currently ranking seventh in receiving yards (189) among all NFL tight ends. His talent is just so obvious. 

Left tackle: Rashawn Slater, Los Angeles Chargers

One of the few slam dunks as the top rookie at his position, Slater has stepped in as Herbert’s blindside pass protector and starred immediately, helping to keep the QB clean despite facing top edge rushers and inhospitable environments in road wins at Washington and Kansas City. Slater’s success is hardly a surprise – he was voted the best pass blocker in this class in a poll of scouts prior to the draft – but he has not only been best among rookies, Slater is earning legitimate Pro Bowl buzz for his stellar start. 

Left guard: Landon Dickerson, Philadelphia Eagles

The fourth member of Alabama’s latest national championship team to make this list, Dickerson gets the nod at left guard despite the fact that he began his NFL career playing on the right side and has started just two games thus far. While others (like the Jets’ Alijah Vera-Tucker and Falcons’ Jalen Mayfield, for example) have started more games, they have experienced the typical rookie struggles. Dickerson’s durability remains a concern, but his physicality and finishing mentality is more akin to a 10-year veteran. 

Center: Creed Humphrey, Kansas City Chiefs

Humphrey and Josh Myers of the Green Bay Packers, both second-round picks, have performed brilliantly at center. Humphrey has been especially impressive, giving up just one pressure on Patrick Mahomes, as well as showing great quickness, balance and power in the running game. Some of us at FOX anticipated his quick transition. 

Right guard: Trey Smith, Kansas City Chiefs

Packers starting right guard Royce Newman deserves mention, but it is hard not to gush over what the Chiefs are pulling off with Humphrey and Smith inside. Smith is proving to be one of the biggest steals of the 2021 draft as the 226th overall selection. His massive frame and power make him a bully in the running game, as the pancake below highlighted by former Chiefs standout blocker Mitchell Schwartz shows. 

Right tackle: Samuel Cosmi, Washington Football Team

As the 51st pick of the draft, Cosmi is proving to be quite the steal himself, starting and playing well in each of Washington’s first four games. The WFT’s entire front deserves some love, as the team has allowed just four sacks. And the rookie has proven to be one of Washington’s best O-linemen, albeit not always in textbook fashion. The clip below focuses on Taylor Heinicke’s go-ahead touchdown toss to Ricky Seals-Jones, but watch Cosmi win just long enough against Giants All-Pro Leonard Williams to give the duo enough time for one of the prettiest plays of the young season. 

DEFENSE

Defensive end: Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

While the QBs understandably held the spotlight in Brady’s return to Foxboro, it was the Bucs’ rookie edge rusher who stole some scenes. Tryon-Shoyinka generated two sacks, two tackles for loss and four QB hits on Mac Jones in Tampa Bay’s win. The 6-foot-5, 260-pounder is used off both edges, alternately rushing out of two- and three-point stances. Considered raw out of the University of Washington, Tryon-Shoyinka is already proving a standout on a defense filled with veterans. He’d have the rookie lead for sacks if the NFL had not incorrectly ruled one of his most impressive plays a penalty, as the clip below shows. 

Defensive tackle: Osa Odighizuwa, Dallas Cowboys

Odighizuwa was among the 10 players I highlighted in a preseason piece on the must-see non-first-round rookies, and he has already earned that praise, tying with teammate Micah Parsons to lead all first-year players with seven quarterback hits. Drafted 75th overall, Odighizuwa has started all four games for the first-place Cowboys and has 10 tackles, including two tackles for loss, and two sacks. His motor is always running. 

Nose guard: Alim McNeill, Detroit Lions

There are plenty of dark clouds over the 0-4 Lions so far, but the play of the burly McNeill offers a silver lining. Drafted three picks ahead of Odighizuwa, McNeill has provided Detroit with plenty of beef inside. The 6-foot-2, 330-pounder has collected 11 tackles and a tackle for loss despite playing fewer than half of his team’s defensive snaps. 

Defensive end: Gregory Rousseau, Buffalo Bills

Another edge rusher who slipped to the late portion of the first round amid concerns that he was too raw, Rousseau has started all four games for the first-place Bills, collecting 13 tackles (11 solo), including two tackles for loss and two sacks. Rousseau’s better numbers earn him the nod over his former Miami teammate, Jaelan Phillips, who is coming on fast for the Dolphins. 

Outside linebacker/edge rusher: Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys

Line him up wherever you’d like, Parsons has been every bit the dominant defender I expected when, shortly after the draft, I named him the favorite to win Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. Though his awareness and speed make him best suited to play off-ball linebacker, Parsons has taken over as an edge rusher due to injuries up front for Dallas. And has starred there, recording 17 tackles (11 solos), three tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and a pass defended. 

Inside linebacker: Nick Bolton, Kansas City Chiefs

How does a team bounce back after losing a Super Bowl? By drafting well. Bolton is one of three Chiefs to make our All-Rookie team for the first quarter of the season, joining offensive linemen Humphrey and Smith. The Chiefs’ defense has struggled at times this season, but Bolton has proven one of the bright spots, leading all rookies (and ranking third for Kansas City) with 25 tackles, including two for loss. Teams hoping to run the ball to keep it out of Mahomes’ hands will find Bolton up to the task. 

Off-ball linebacker: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Cleveland Browns

While twitchy edge rushers like Baltimore’s Odafe Oweh and the New York Giants’ Azeez Ojulari deserve a shoutout, let’s shift some of the attention past the line of scrimmage, where JOK is proving no joke in space for the Browns. Instinctive and cat-quick, Owusu-Koramoah is proving to be a do-it-all standout in Cleveland, just like he was at Notre Dame. Starting three of four games and coming off his best outing yet, JOK has filled the stat sheet with 17 overall tackles, including one for loss, a quarterback hit and three pass breakups. 

Cornerback: Asante Samuel Jr., Los Angeles Chargers

With all due respect to the Cowboys’ dynamic duo of Parsons and Odighizuwa, the best overall rookie defender this season has been Samuel, an NFL legacy. His father was a four-time Pro Bowl corner after being drafted in the fourth round by the Patriots. The younger Samuel is also proving a steal as the 47th overall pick, with "steal" being the operative word given that he leads all NFL rookies with two interceptions. He is also just one behind Green Bay’s Eric Stokes with five pass breakups to go along with 13 tackles, including one for loss. 

Cornerback: Jaycee Horn, Carolina Panthers

As good as Samuel has been for the Chargers, Horn (another NFL legacy) was even better for the Panthers before breaking three bones in his foot in Carolina’s Week 3 victory over Houston. Horn's five combined tackles and one interception are not as impressive as stats put up by Denver’s Patrick Surtain, Las Vegas’ Nate Hobbs, Cleveland’s Greg Newsome, Stokes and others. 

The tape, however, shows that Horn’s twitchy change of direction was a perfect match for Carolina’s highly aggressive rushes. His stellar play over those first three weeks deserves acknowledgment. The Panthers are hopeful that Horn can return this season. Meanwhile, his loss certainly contributed to the Panthers’ subsequent bold trades for C.J. Henderson and Stephon Gilmore. 

Safety: Trevon Moehrig, Las Vegas Raiders

While the cornerback crop is loaded, the same cannot be said at safety, where only a few rookie defenders have logged starts thus far in 2021. As such, Moehrig – a four-game starter and the reigning Thorpe Award winner – almost wins this spot by default. The rookie has struggled at times, surrendering a touchdown in coverage and also missing three tackles, but he’s a heady player with good range and excellent ball skills who will only get better fighting through the flashy passing games throughout the AFC West. 

One of the most recognized names in the industry, Rob Rang has been covering the NFL Draft for more than 20 years, with work at FOX, Sports Illustrated, CBSSports.com, USA Today, Yahoo, NFL.com and NFLDraftScout.com, among others.