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NFL rookies all come with different levels of expectations based on when and where they are selected in the NFL Draft each year. Their projected role, draft position, and their new team's outlook for the upcoming season all play factors in the rookie's expectations.
The 2022 NFL Draft was filled with twists and turns, as it often is each year. Teams made huge moves and bold selections as they built out their rosters for the upcoming season. Here are five rookies with the greatest expectations to immediately perform well in the 2022 NFL season.
#5 - Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers
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The Green Bay Packers lost their top-two wide receivers during the 2022 NFL offseason. Davante Adams was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders while Marquez Valdes-Scantling was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs during the free agency period.
Rather than look to the trade market for the 2022 free agent class, the Packers elected to use the draft to find replacements for their wide receivers.
They packaged together both of their second-round picks to move up in the second round to select Christian Watson, who is currently projected to be their number one wide receiver.
#4 - Travon Walker, Jacksonville Jaguars
Travon Walker was selected as the number one overall pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars. The first overall picks always come with a high level of expectations, but Walker's general ranking before the draft made his situation interesting.
In the weeks leading up to the 2022 NFL Draft, the vast majority of draft analysts had Aidan Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux as the two highest-rated edge players in the class. The Jagurs decided to go a different route by selecting Walker. The upside is putting additional pressure on him to perform.
#3 - Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh Steelers
Kenny Pickett is the only rookie quarterback to be selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He is also the only one who appears to have a shot at being the opening day starter for his new team. He will compete with Mitchell Trubisky for the starting quarterback job during training camp.
While Pickett comes with a high level of expectations of being the lone first-round quarterback this year, the situation helps lower them a bit. He may not even have to start right away, and the Steelers didn't trade up in the draft to take him, instead waiting for him at 20th overall.
#2 - Drake London, Atlanta Falcons
In an extremely deep wide receiver class, Drake London was the first one selected on draft day. He was chosen eighth overall by the Atlanta Falcons, who entered the draft with many potential positions to fill on their roster.
Six wide receivers were selected among the top 18 picks in the draft, raising the expectations for London, who was the first to go. He also has big shoes to fill for the Falcons after they were successful with their last two wide receivers chosen in the first round of the draft.
Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley each blossomed into stars, raising the bar even higher for London.
#1 - Treylon Burks, Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans released wide receiver Julio Jones at the start of the offseason after he has been unable to stay healthy recently. They then made a bold move by trading away young superstar wide receiver AJ Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles on draft day.
Shortly following the trade, the Titans selected Treylon Burks to take over as their primary wide receiver.
He is expected to fill the role left behind by Brown, who has recorded 185 receptions for 2,995 yards and 24 touchdowns in just 36 games so far. Burks has huge shoes to fill and is expected to produce a high output immediately.
