This past week, the NFL's future stars were on full display as five first-round rookie quarterbacks made their preseason debuts. The performances offered a tantalizing glimpse into what lies ahead for these young talents and their respective teams.
Caleb Williams Shines for the Bears
Caleb Williams, starting for the Chicago Bears, wasted no time showing his potential. He converted a critical third-and-long by connecting with wide receiver D.J. Moore for a 12-yard gain. Williams followed this up with a spectacular 42-yard pass to running back D'Andre Swift. Although the drive ended with a red zone stop, Cairo Santos managed to salvage it with a 30-yard field goal. Williams completed his brief appearance by going 4 of 7 for 95 yards and displaying his mobility with a 13-yard scramble.
Jayden Daniels Makes His Mark
Jayden Daniels had a mixed debut, starting his night off with a pass that soared over Austin Ekeler's head. However, he quickly found his rhythm, connecting with wideout Dyami Brown for a 42-yard gain. Daniels capped off the drive impressively, running into the end zone from three yards out. He finished his night 2 of 3 for 45 yards along with one touchdown run.
Drake Maye Shows Composure
Drake Maye also exhibited a promising start to his NFL career. He completed two of his three attempts for 19 yards, with his first attempt being a third-and-12 conversion to Antonio Gipson. The limited snaps gave fans just a hint of his capability.
Michael Penix Jr. Leads Falcons
Michael Penix Jr. was given ample opportunity to shine, playing five possessions in the first half against Miami. He led the Falcons to two scoring drives, completing 9 of 16 passes for 104 yards. One of his standout moments was a 41-yard pass to Chris Blair, demonstrating his deep-ball accuracy.
J.J. McCarthy Displays Resilience
J.J. McCarthy's debut had its ups and downs. His first pass attempt was an 18-yard completion to Jalen Nailor, but his second throw was intercepted by Raiders cornerback Jack Jones. Despite this setback, McCarthy bounced back with a 45-yard touchdown pass to Jackson early in the second half. He concluded his day with 188 yards on 11 of 17 passing, showcasing his resilience and arm talent.
As Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell noted, “Clearly, everybody can see the arm talent. I loved seeing him come right back after the interception and still be aggressive.”
Bo Nix Flourishes for Broncos
Bo Nix led the Denver Broncos to four scoring drives out of five, displaying both his passing and running skills. He completed 15 of 21 passes for 125 yards and also had an 11-yard run. Nix's first touchdown pass went to Marvin Mims, adding another highlight to a strong debut.
Reflecting on the game, Nix said, “It was a good day. I thought we ran the ball efficiently. Made some good plays in the pass game. Converted some third downs. Got points when we needed to; it was a good job going into half with points and coming out with points, felt like that was a good point in the game. Overall, thought we did a good job, huge team win.”
Rookies Impress Veteran Teammates
Veteran players and coaches were quick to express their excitement about these newcomers. Sam Cosmi, after witnessing a decisive play, shared his enthusiasm: “He made a check mid-play. It turned out to be a big gain. We bunkered down and really went in there. He was calm and collected, which is what you want to see, and it was really impressive. We all sat on the sideline, and we were like, 'Dang, that was really fun.' So, I think everybody should be very excited just from that little sneak peek right there. I know I am. I know the guys are fired up. I think we got a dude back there.”
Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris praised the progression of his young quarterback: “He wants one of those throws back that he threw on the sideline, but he was able to go through some progression. He was able to progress. We get a little pass happy with him since he's a first-round quarterback. It was fun to see him go out there and execute some of the pass plays, and we were able to get some of the stuff done. ... Pretty much, a really good night for him and I was really pleased with what he was able to do.”
With such impressive performances across the board, it's clear that this rookie class of quarterbacks has the potential to make a significant impact in the NFL. Fans have every reason to be excited as these young stars continue to develop and lead their teams into the regular season.