The Rookie Report highlights first-year players, focusing on how they might perform in their debut season and beyond.
Senquez Golson, CB, Pittsburgh Steelers
It didn't take long for Golson to realize he's not in the SEC anymore.
"Quarterbacks have a lot more accuracy so I've really been focused on my technique, coming out of my breaks faster, things like that," Golson told Mike Prisuta of Steelers.com.
Selecting Golson in second-round was part of the Steelers revamping process, as they lost several key pieces of their secondary this offseason, including longtime cornerback Ike Taylor.
Golson is a bit on the shorter side at 5-foot-9, but what he lacks in height he makes up for with his playmaking ability. He led the SEC with 10 interceptions last season, tying an Ole Miss single-season record set by Bobby Wilson in 1949. The Steelers' defense, by comparison, managed just 11 interceptions as a unit in 2014.
The Steelers have had Golson working at third-team cornerback and second- and third-team nickel back during OTAs. William Gay, Cortez Allen, and Antwon Blake are currently ahead of him on the depth chart, but he could challenge for a bigger role if one of them struggles.
Garrett Grayson, QB, New Orleans Saints
Barring an injury to Drew Brees, Grayson will likely spend most of his rookie season - and maybe longer - on the bench. But that won't make his transition to the NFL any easier.
Grayson, a third-round pick out of Colorado State, is battling Luke McCown and Ryan Griffin for the Saints' backup quarterback job. Head coach Sean Payton has avoided the term "redshirt" when discussing Grayson's role.
"We're not redshirting anyone right now so I wouldn't want to put a ceiling or a bottom on him," Payton said, via Katherine Terrell of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "He is competing right now to improve and then as we move into this, I think that we wouldn't be doing ourselves justice if we just said right now our vision in this first month being here is this."
Grayson started all 13 games during his senior season, completing 64.3 percent of passes for 4,006 yards with 32 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He's been relegated to third- and fourth-string duties since arriving in New Orleans, but it helps he has Brees around to show him the ropes.
"Anytime I can learn from a Hall of Famer I'm willing to do so," Grayson said.
Quick Hits
- The unexpected retirement of Anthony Davis has left the San Francisco 49ers with a vacancy at right tackle, and seventh-round pick Trent Brown hopes to be the one to replace him.
- Despite having to miss practice time to finish his studies, Baltimore Ravens fifth-round pick Nick Boyle said his transition to the NFL has been smooth so far.
- Based on these comments by Philadelphia Eagles inside linebackers coach Rick Minter, it sounds like the team views third-round pick Jordan Hicks as a potential replacement for DeMeco Ryans in the future.
- Oakland Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper is making a strong impression at OTAs. One team source described Cooper as the "real deal" to ESPN's Adam Caplan.
- Mark Kiszla and Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post debate whether the Denver Broncos are asking too much of offensive tackle Ty Sambrailo.