The preseason is in the books which means actual football is almost here. We spend some eight months identifying the best college players and predicting how their games will translate to the NFL, but ultimately it's an educated guessing game. After six weeks of training camps, joint practices and preseason games, we have some real-world data about some of our favorites, as well as some under-the-radar guys who are poised for rookie seasons not many of us saw coming.
Here are 10 impressive rookie performances from the preseason that could portend big things in the coming months.
QB Daniel Jones, Giants
Except for general manager Dave Gettleman, who reportedly fell in love with Jones at the Senior Bowl and then, three months later, shocked the rest of us by drafting him with the No. 6 overall pick, the former Duke quarterback has been the biggest surprise of the preseason. We're on record as saying we liked -- but didn't love -- Jones' game and thought it made more sense for the Giants to target him in the middle or bottom part of Round 1. Part of that was because while he did many things well in college, nothing blew you away. Perhaps some of that was a function of playing at Duke, where the offensive line was suspect and Jones' receivers dropped too many passes.
Well, Jones has been the best quarterback on New York's roster even though the plan, as decreed by ownership, is that 38-year-old Eli Manning is firmly entrenched atop the depth chart. For how long? That's another matter. Jones entered the final week of preseason completing 83 percent of his throws with 2 touchdowns, 0 interceptions and a 140.1 passer rating. He's not perfect -- he did lose two fumbles -- but there's just so much to like about his game. Here are two throws from the preseason matchup against the Bengals that had Giants fans forgetting that time in late April where they were booing the Jones pick and shaking their fist at Gettleman's incompetence.
Yes, we know: several good throws isn't indicative of a Hall of Fame career. But it's something -- and better than the alternative: a rookie first-rounder struggling through his first preseason.
QB Ryan Finley, Bengals
That preseason Week 3 matchup between the Giants and Bengals featured two future starting NFL quarterbacks. And while we expect to see Jones at some point in '19, don't be surprised if Finley, the fourth-rounder out of N.C. State makes his way onto the field for regular snaps at some point this season too. In his final three years, Finley threw for 10,501 yards, 60 touchdowns and 25 interceptions and was the best anticipation thrower in college last fall. The issue is that he lacks elite arm strength to drive the ball downfield, especially to the sidelines. But Finley does everything else well, which not only explains why he's had success so soon into his NFL career but that he ended up getting drafted ahead of teammates Kelvin Harmon and Jakobi Meyers, big-play wide receivers who went in Round 6 and undrafted, respectively.
In his first three preseason games, Finley completed 73.4 percent of his throws with 3 touchdowns, 1 interception and a 99.3 passer rating. It's reasonable to think that if Andy Dalton struggles, first-year coach Zac Taylor would have no qualms about turning the offense over to Finley.
WR Jakobi Meyers, Patriots
The run on N.C. State players continues with Meyers, which also begins the run on Patriots rookies. Meyers had a solid-but-not-spectacular showing at the Senior Bowl, where Finley told us the slot receiver was his security blanket in college. Meyers, who ran just a 4.63 40-yard time at the combine, went undrafted but landed in New England where's he put up eye-popping numbers in his first three preseason games: 19 receptions, 225 yards and 2 touchdowns. By comparison, Pats first-rounder N'Keal Harry, who has been limited with an unspecified injury, had two grabs for 36 yards over that same span.
Meyers is a near certainty to make the 53-man roster, which means' the Pats' receivers corps could include, Julian Edelman, a just-reinstated Josh Gordon, Demaryius Thomas, Phillip Dorsett, Harry and Meyers.
QB Jarrett Stidham, Patriots
Stidham was one of our favorite players coming into the draft last spring. Unfortunately for him, his junior season at Auburn was marred by some pretty bad football. In Stidham's defense, he played behind a subpar offensive line and his receivers did little to help him. He entered last season with first-round buzz but lasted until Round 4 before the Pats called his name. Still, the athleticism and arm strength have always been there and we've seen glimpses of it this preseason. Through three games, Stidham's completed 69.4 percent of his throws with 2 touchdowns, 0 interceptions and a 104.6 passer rating. And while the Patriots have downplayed Stidham's performance, Pro Football Focus ranks him as the third-highest graded rookie quarterback this preseason behind Easton Stick and Kyler Murray -- and, notably, ahead of Daniel Jones.
EDGE Chase Winovich, Patriots
There was a chance last spring that three Michigan players -- all on defense -- could go in the first round. Rashan Gary and Devin Bush heard their names called, but Winovich somehow lasted until Round 3. Leave it to the Patriots to land him and immediately see him play like a first-round talent. Through three preseason games, Pro Football Focus gives him a pass-rush grade of 91.6, logged him with 12 total pressures, and has Winovich with a pass-rush win percentage of 36.7.
Winovich feels like a Patriots player, and he'll offer some much-needed depth at pass rusher.
LB Devin Bush, Steelers
Bush played with Winovich at Michigan and in Pittsburgh he has the daunting task of trying to replace Ryan Shazier. The Steelers thought so much of Bush that they traded up 10 spots to No. 10 overall to take him and the early results have exceeded expectations. Bush ran a 4.43 at the combine and his sideline-to-sideline speed makes him an asset in coverage, something the team has lacked since Shazier was injured late in the 2017 season. Bush had 10 tackles against the Bucs in Week 1 and was solid against the Titans in Week 3 (he didn't play in the Week 2 preseason game against the Chiefs).
A much-improved Steelers' defense will have everything to do with Bush's presence on the field -- and expect him to be the starter from Day 1.
Mack Wilson
Wilson entered last season with first-round expectation but a pedestrian season at Alabama saw his stock fall and he lasted until the fifth round. His best preseason performance came in Week 1 against the Redskins. Wilson had two passes defended, two interceptions -- including a pick-six against rookie first-rounder Dwayne Haskins. According to PFF, that works out to a 2.8 passer rating allowed.
Wilson earned the Maurice Bassett Award as the team's most outstanding rookie in training camp, beating out cornerback Greedy Williams (Round 2), linebacker Sione Takitaki (Round 3) and defensive back Sheldrick Redwine (Round 4).
EDGE Josh Allen, Jaguars
Allen wasn't supposed to be there when the Jaguars went on the clock. Jacksonville picked No. 7 and there was speculation that Allen, the pass-rushing menace out of Kentucky, could go as high as No. 2. But the 49ers took Nick Bosa, the Jets took Quinnen Williams, the Raiders followed with surprise pick Clelin Ferrell, the Bucs landed Devin White and the Giants, desperate for edge rushers, instead went with quarterback Daniel Jones. That left the Jags with the easiest pick of the first round and Allen has been better than advertised.
Sweet mercy. Added bonus: He's going to a defense that is already stacked so there will be no pressure for him to perform immediately, though if the preseason is any indication that will not be a problem.
"He's a hell of a talent," linebacker Myles Jack said, via Jaguars.com's John Oesher. "…He's a dog, and I'm excited to see him grow throughout the season and continue to get better. With him surrounded by guys like Yannick [Ngakoue] and Calais, it's going to be scary."
RB Darwin Thompson and WR Mecole Hardman, Chiefs
We know what you're thinking: The one thing the Chiefs' offense needs is more playmakers. Hardman, a second-rounder out of Georgia, was insurance against a Tyreek Hill suspension. But Hill won't miss time and in Hardman, who ran a 4.33 at the combine, Kansas City has another downfield weapon for Patrick Mahomes.
Thompson, a sixth-round pick out of Utah State, is explosive coming out of the backfield. Through three preseason games he's averaging 5.0 yards per rush (12 carries, 60 yards) and 12.7 yards per catch (3 receptions, 38 yards).