Five NFL Rookies With The Most To Prove in 2024 Season

As the common wisdom goes, the average length of an NFL career is 3.3 years. Being drafted highly lengthens the average career considerably, but there are still no guarantees for the rookies entering the league this year that they’ll stick around for long.

But some rookies have even more to prove than simply why they deserve their roster spot. Here are the five under the most scrutiny.

Caleb Williams, QB, Chicago Bears

Being the first overall draft pick promises you nothing but pressure. Will your career path turn out like Peyton Manning’s or JaMarcus Russell’s?

Williams may have been one of the highest-graded quarterback prospects in recent history, but now his job is to translate his talent to the big leagues—for a team that chased Justin Fields out of town after 38 starts to make room for him.

Chicago has never had a true star quarterback, and it feels like an uphill climb for Williams to make himself the first. He’s already had to deal with the ridiculous firestorm some fans kicked up over getting his nails painted pink. If the Bears don’t get off to a great start, hold on for dear life.

Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Arizona Cardinals

This April’s draft was chock full of second-generation talent (or nepo babies, if you’re cynical). You remember Kris Jenkins and Jeremiah Trotter, don’t you? Welcome to the NFL, Kris Jenkins Jr., and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. Heck, Brenden Rice, the son of Jerry, was a seventh-round pick by the Chargers, basically an afterthought.

None of them have more to prove than Marvin Harrison Jr., whose famous name combined with his undeniable talent made him the fourth overall pick by Arizona. As we wrote Sunday, Harrison also carries the responsibility of elevating Kyler Murray’s play as the Cardinals’ immediate WR1.

Bo Nix , QB, Denver Broncos

Be honest, did anyone have Nix—the sixth-best QB in this draft class—coming off the board in the top 12? Then again, this is what you get with Denver, a team that’s swung and missed on Drew Lock, Paxton Lynch, and, to a different extent, Tim Tebow. After the Russell Wilson disaster, the Broncos reached for a 24-year-old college vet with the 12th pick.

Nix’s “competition” is Zach Wilson and Jarrett Stidham, so he’s more likely to start Week 1 than fellow rookies like Michael Penix Jr. in Atlanta or J.J. McCarthy in Minnesota. He had better show that he’s the right fit for coach Sean Payton’s system.

Tyler Guyton, OL, Dallas Cowboys

You’ve made it to the pros; now would you mind changing positions for us? Part of what Guyton must prove in the NFL is his ability to switch from right to left tackle for the Cowboys. He played right tackle at Oklahoma, protecting the blind side of lefty quarterback Dillon Gabriel, but the 29th overall pick is projected to start on the left side of Dallas’ usually vaunted O-line, keeping Dak Prescott upright.

Besides that, it’s the Dallas freaking Cowboys. You can’t escape the spotlight there, even if you wear a jersey number in the 60s.

Adonai Mitchell, WR, Indianapolis Colts

A first-round talent at wide receiver, Mitchell took one of the biggest slides in the draft before being selected 52nd overall by the Colts. The report that Mitchell interviewed poorly and had attitude concerns related to how he manages his Type 1 diabetes—and the way Colts GM Chris Ballard chose to respond after drafting him, calling the reports “bull****"—will  have Mitchell under a microscope as a rookie.

The bright side for Mitchell? All that will be forgotten if he flashes the same talent he showed at Georgia and Texas. Playing opposite Michael Pittman Jr., he figures to get a bunch of targets as a rookie and could quickly become a star.