Team-by-Team NFL Rookie Class Report Card Heading into Preseason Week 3

There's just too much NFL action to consume in August. While the regular season is about wins and losses, with narratives that fit each team, the preseason is largely about individuals.

At this point in the summer, each of the 32 NFL franchises has a 90-man roster, and tracking nearly 3,000 players is a tough task for anyone. So, to help save some time, we looked through preseason games, beat writer notes and depth charts to bring together a rookie-tracking list.

It's difficult to make up or down of play against reserve players, and top-100 selections are the rookies who are most likely to find themselves on the two-deep, so our rookie report card will reflect how those first-year players are performing, but we will include surprise late-round risers into our grading.

Come with us on a team-by-team journey as we sort through where these rookies are slated on the depth chart and how they have performed halfway through the preseason. Teams will name 53-man rosters in about two weeks, which means that prospect you were fond of in April could be on the chopping block or could help you win your fantasy league, if you're smart and fast enough to pick him up.

Day 1: Robert Nkemdiche (DL, Mississippi)

Day 2: Brandon Williams (CB, Texas A&M)

Day 3: Evan Boehm (IOL, Missouri), Marqui Christian (S, Midwestern State), Cole Toner (IOL, Harvard), Harlan Miller (CB, Southeastern Louisiana)

The Arizona Cardinals haven't had a top-90 rookie participate in training camp at all. The team used its first-round pick on Robert Nkemdiche, who just returned to practice on Monday, according to Bob Baum of the Associated Press, as a rookie camp ankle injury had held him out.

The Cardinals' second-round pick and guard Jonathan Cooper were sent to the New England Patriots for pass-rusher Chandler Jones. Therefore, the team's top rookie in two weeks of preseason play has been Brandon Williams, a cornerback from Texas A&M who started his college career as a running back at Oklahoma.

Early on in the preseason, Williams has looked like a player who has spent only a calendar year on the defensive side of the ball. Though Williams has taken over the starting cornerback job opposite of Patrick Peterson, he has lost several one-on-one matchups with veteran receivers such as Keenan Allen.

As for the Day 3 selections, the standouts at this point are the offensive linemen. Evan Boehm, the team's fourth-round pick from Missouri, was Pro Football Focus' top-graded rookie center in Week 1, while Cole Toner has kicked inside from tackle to guard, where he's seeing first-team reps when the veteran guards aren't on the field.

Grade: D

Day 1: Keanu Neal (S, Florida)

Day 2: Deion Jones (LB, LSU), Austin Hooper (TE, Stanford)

Day 3: De'Vondre Campbell (LB, Minnesota), Wes Schweitzer (IOL, San Jose State), Devin Fuller (WR, UCLA)

The team's first-round safety, Keanu Neal, is supposed to change up Dan Quinn's Cover 3 defense. For the team to run what the Seattle Seahawks have, it needs to have the secondary pieces: a great single-high safety, an enforcing safety and a shutdown cornerback.

Desmond Trufant, the team's 2013 first-round pick, looks to fill the shutdown cornerback role, while Atlanta brought in Neal as a true strong safety. He missed the first game of the preseason but suited up against the Cleveland Browns with the first-team defense.

Deion Jones, a safety-size middle linebacker, notched five tackles in the Falcons' first preseason game of the year, earning a start against the Browns. Unfortunately, though, he wasn't able to come down with a single tackle on the day, a problematic stat considering that "Mike" linebackers should be around the ball on any run play.

Austin Hooper, the team's third-round pick, an athletic pass-catching tight end, has only caught one pass in two games. Atlanta bases its ground game around the outside zone, a stretch play that requires athletic blockers on the play side. Right now, Hooper is more of a factor in the run game than the passing game, which no one would have guessed in July.

The Falcons' standout Day 3 pick is De'Vondre Campbell, who is competing for the starting "Will" linebacker job. Atlanta needed to revamp its entire defense, which is why it brought in Quinn in the first place. If the Falcons can get two starting linebackers in one class, on top of a starting box defending safety, this has to be considered a big win.

Grade: B

Day 1: Ronnie Stanley (OT, Notre Dame)

Day 2: Kamalei Correa (LB, Boise State), Bronson Kaufusi (DL, BYU)

Day 3: Tavon Young (CB, Temple), Chris Moore (WR, Cincinnati), Alex Lewis (OT, Nebraska), Willie Henry (DL, Michigan), Kenneth Dixon (RB, Louisiana Tech), Matt Judon (EDGE, Grand Valley State), Keenan Reynolds (WR, Navy), Maurice Canady (CB, Virginia)

Once Eugene Monroe was cut after the draft, it became apparent that Ronnie Stanley, the sixth overall pick, would become the Baltimore Ravens' starting left tackle as a rookie. That's a hard task to perform in your early 20s, but Pro Football Focus has graded Stanley as the top rookie tackle so far in the preseason.

Day 2 picks Kamalei Correa, a hybrid linebacker and pass-rusher, and Bronson Kaufusi, a hybrid base end and pass-rusher, have had different preseasons. Correa is a backup linebacker, while Kaufusi broke his ankle in rookie camp, which will likely end in a lost season for the rookie.

Of the team's eight Day 3 selections, Tavon Young has looked like the top player throughout the summer, though he was derailed early in the preseason. In Week 1, he suffered a hamstring issue, which kept him out of the Ravens' Week 2 battle with the Indianapolis Colts. Still, expect him to be the most impactful rookie drafted outside of the top 100 for this team.

Grade: C

Day 1: Shaq Lawson (EDGE, Clemson)

Day 2: Reggie Ragland (LB, Alabama), Adolphus Washington (DL, Ohio State)

Day 3: Cardale Jones (QB, Ohio State), Jonathan Williams (RB, Arkansas), Kolby Listenbee (WT, TCU), Kevon Seymour (CB, USC)

The Buffalo Bills' rookie class has been a disaster so far. The first-round pick, Shaq Lawson, will miss the start of the season to recover from shoulder surgery, stemming from an issue he had while as a pass-rusher for Clemson.

The second-round pick, Reggie Ragland, will miss the season due to a torn ACL. Luckily for the team, at least one top-100 pick, Adolphus Washington, is playing like an impact rookie.

Washington is going to take over Marcel Dareus' nose tackle role, since Dareus is facing a league suspension for a violation of the NFL's substance abuse policy. Dareus is headed to a rehabilitation facility, according to ESPN.com's Mike Rodak.

Quarterback Cardale Jones has had up-and-down efforts. He posted a 93.8 passer rating in Week 1, just to see that number drop to 37.8 against the New York Giants in Week 2. Jonathan Williams, the team's mid-round running back pick up, has posted a run of 12 or more yards in both games and should get more touches with the late release of Karlos Williams.

Grade: D

Day 1: Vernon Butler (DL, Louisiana Tech)

Day 2: James Bradberry (CB, Samford), Daryl Worley (CB, West Virginia)

Day 3: Zack Sanchez (CB, Oklahoma), Beau Sandland (TE, Montana State)

No one expects Vernon Butler to be a Week 1 starter, and no one has expected that since we found out where he was landing in the draft. Butler is going to back up Kawann Short and Star Lotulelei, who play both defensive tackle spots, as their expiring contracts come up.

Butler was more of a play against the salary cap than a play to add talent to a team that already went 15-1 last season and made a Super Bowl appearance. On the other hand, the Panthers' next three selections might see the field as every-down defenders.

As of right now, James Bradberry, who comes from the FCS school Samford, and Daryl Worley, who played in the pass-happy Big 12 with West Virginia, are the Panthers' listed starting cornerbacks on their depth chart. Zack Sanchez, a smaller cornerback from Oklahoma, is also listed on the two-deep. When Josh Norman was let go from his franchise tag, Carolina needed to improve at cornerback and improve quickly.

This 2016 draft is going to be key for the squad to tread water at the top of the NFC South. The Panthers need to replace holes as players leave or are at least expected to leave their talented defense. They are the new Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks defensively, and Carolina's players will be poached if they hit the open market.

Grade: C

Day 1: Leonard Floyd (EDGE, Georgia)

Day 2: Cody Whitehair (IOL, Kansas State), Jonathan Bullard (DL, Florida)

Day 3: Nick Kwiatkoski (LB, West Virginia), Deon Bush (S, Miami), Deiondre' Hall (CB, Northern Iowa), Jordan Howard (RB, Indiana), DeAndre Houston-Carson (S, William & Mary), Daniel Braverman (WR, Western Michigan)

A hamstring issue has popped up with first-round pick Leonard Floyd, but not before he and Jonathan Bullard, the squad's third-round pick, were able to come together on a sack of another rookie, New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett.

Floyd is a long, lanky edge defender, while Bullard is a hybrid defensive end-under tackle type of player, a role he played with the Florida Gators in the SEC. Both are a part of a complete revamp of the Chicago Bears' defense in Vic Fangio's second year leading the squad.

Cody Whitehair, who was an undersized (6'4", 301 lbs) tackle coming out of Kansas State, is also a nice surprise starter for the squad. Not only does that interior line also get back Kyle Long, who will return to his natural right guard spot with Bobby Massie taking over at right tackle, but Whitehair looks to be in contention to win the starting center job in Chicago.

Matt Slauson left the Bears in free agency, and Hroniss Grasu, a second-year center from Oregon, tore his ACL, which led to Whitehair's easy path to earning a starting gig as a rookie lineman. Jordan Howard was a trendy fantasy sleeper for a while, but Jeremy Langford, the team's second-year running back, looks to have the starting job locked down as the lead back with the first-team offense.

Grade: B

Day 1: William Jackson (CB, Houston)

Day 2: Tyler Boyd (WR, Pittsburgh), Nick Vigil (LB, Utah State)

Day 3: Andrew Billings (DL, Baylor), Christian Westerman (IOL, Arizona State), Cody Core (WR, Mississippi), Clayton Fejedelem (S, Illinois)

According to The MMQB's Albert Breer, William Jackson, the Cincinnati Bengals' first-round pick, will miss at least the start of the season due to pectoral surgery recovery. This news isn't big, as the Bengals have historically spent high draft choices on cornerbacks and offensive linemen a year before they need them, and Cincinnati already has three former first-round picks at the position in Dre Kirkpatrick, Adam "Pacman" Jones and Darqueze Dennard.

The Bengals lost the two highest-paid wideouts in free agency this past offseason in Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu, leading to an immediate need at receiver. Cincinnati is a draft-and-develop team at its core, and the squad elected to go after Tyler Boyd, who did everything for the University of Pittsburgh offense last season, as the target in the second round.

In his time with the first-teamers, Boyd has made diving catches and tracked the ball over his shoulder. He looks ready to make an immediate impact.

Cincinnati needs linebacker help, but Nick Vigil, along with 2015 third-round pick Paul Dawson, is finding himself on the bench, despite producing when he is going against backup and reserve offenses. The Bengals like to redshirt players for a year, and this appears to be the case with Vigil, barring an injury.

Speaking of injuries, Andrew Billings, who was mocked as high as a first-round pick on draft week, was a popular Day 3 selection but will likely miss the season due to a torn meniscus, which was reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter. The defensive tackle will have to wait a season to prove to NFL general managers that they made a mistake.

Grade: D

Day 1: Corey Coleman (WR, Baylor)

Day 2: Emmanuel Ogbah (DL, Oklahoma State), Carl Nassib (DL, Penn State), Shon Coleman (OT, Auburn), Cody Kessler (QB, USC)

Day 3: Joe Schobert (EDGE, Wisconsin), Ricardo Louis (WR, Auburn), Derrick Kindred (S, TCU), Seth DeValve (TE, Princeton), Jordan Payton (WR, UCLA), Spencer Drango (OT, Baylor), Rashard Higgins (WR, Colorado State), Trey Caldwell (CB, Louisiana-Monroe), Scooby Wright (LB, Arizona)

The Cleveland Browns were able to spin their draft into one first-round pick, four Day 2 picks and nine Day 3 picks, largely off multiple trade-backs in the first round. Their lone Day 1 selection, Corey Coleman, was expected to be Robert Griffin's top deep threat, but Terrelle Pryor seems to have taken over that role. He has caught two bombs in Cleveland's two preseason games.

Where is Coleman? Injured. He's been out with a hamstring issue, despite generating some hype earlier this summer. According to Mary Kay Cabot of the Plain Dealer, though, he should suit up for the Week 3 warm-up game to the regular season.

The team's next two picks, Emmanuel Ogbah and Carl Nassib, are playing unfamiliar roles. Both were edge defenders in college but are playing 3-4 defensive end with the Browns. This was expected of Nassib, but Ogbah didn't move over until an injury to starter Desmond Bryant forced the switch.

Shon Coleman, who is an easy rookie to root for considering his tough road to the NFL, which featured a diagnosis of cancer, is working with the third-team offense. That means he's at least the fifth offensive tackle on the roster, which can be an issue in a league that has many teams rostering only eight offensive linemen in total, with three being backups.

If Coleman is the fifth tackle, the team needs to hold nine offensive linemen just to keep the third-round pick around for September, and that's if Cleveland keeps just a single interior offensive lineman who can swing to all three positions inside. The team's third-round quarterback, Cody Kessler, is hardly seeing playing time, too, as he's thrown five passes in two games.

Grade: D

Day 1: Ezekiel Elliott (RB, Ohio State)

Day 2: Jaylon Smith (LB, Notre Dame), Maliek Collins (DL, Nebraska)

Day 3: Charles Tapper (EDGE, Oklahoma), Dak Prescott (QB, Mississippi State), Anthony Brown (CB, Purdue), Kavon Frazier (S, Central Michigan), Darius Jackson (RB, Eastern Michigan), Rico Gathers (TE, Baylor)

The tale of the Dallas Cowboys' offseason has been injuries and suspension. Pass-rushers Demarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory are suspended to start the year, as is linebacker Ronaldo McClain.

Ezekiel Elliott, the team's first-round pick, has been battling a hamstring injury all preseason, though the running back is on track to return for the team's third preseason game, as he's returned to practice. The second-round pick, Jaylon Smith, a linebacker, suffered a knee injury in his final game in college and is a stretch to play as a rookie.

Maliek Collins, the team's third-round pick, broke his foot in June and just returned to practice last week. The defensive tackle has still yet to record a tackle in the preseason. Charles Tapper, who could be getting reps with two suspended edge defenders on the two-deep, has missed both preseason games with a back issue.

This all leads up to the hype around Dak Prescott, who as a No. 2 quarterback has posted a perfect passer rating of 158.3 in two preseason games. The fourth-rounder from Mississippi State has completed 22 of 27 passes with four touchdowns while working against first- and second-team defenders.

Grade: F

Day 1: Paxton Lynch (QB, Memphis)

Day 2: Adam Gotsis (DL, Georgia Tech), Justin Simmons (S, Boston College)

Day 3: Devontae Booker (RB, Utah), Connor McGovern (IOL, Missouri), Andy Janovich (FB, Nebraska), Will Parks (S, Arizona), Riley Dixon (P, Syracuse)

As of now, the Denver Broncos show no interest in starting quarterback Paxton Lynch, despite losing their top two passers from last season and trading up in the first round for the former Memphis Tiger. Mark Sanchez and Trevor Siemian traded starts to begin the preseason, and Siemian was named the starter again for Week 3, which is when rookies like Russell Wilson typically took over for the season.

Adam Gotsis, a bit of a surprise second-round choice, is still working with the deeper roster. The Australian-born defensive lineman is well behind veterans Sylvester Williams, Derek Wolfe and Jared Crick on the depth chart.

Justin Simmons, the team's third-round pick, is having a hard time cracking the first-team defense, which shouldn't be a surprise, given the depth of that side of the ball is why the Broncos won a Super Bowl. He will likely play in three-safety looks and special teams as a rookie.

In all honesty, the rookies who may be seeing the most time this regular season are Andy Janovich, who is the top fullback on the roster; Riley Dixon, who is fighting for the starting punting job; and Devontae Booker, a running back who is playing himself into a committee.

Grade: D

Day 1: Taylor Decker (OT, Ohio State)

Day 2: A'Shawn Robinson (DL, Alabama), Graham Glasgow (IOL, Michigan)

Day 3: Miles Killebrew (S, Southern Utah), Joe Dahl (IOL, Washington State), Antwoine Williams (LB, Georgia Southern), Jake Rudock (QB, Michigan), Anthony Zettel (DL, Penn State), Jimmy Landes (LS, Baylor), Dewayne Washington (RB, Washington)

The Detroit Lions' first-round pick, Taylor Decker, who some projected as a right tackle coming out of Ohio State, looks to be Matthew Stafford's starting left tackle as the offense transitions to life after Calvin Johnson. Any rookie offensive tackle should come with expectations of raw play, but Decker's contributions in the ground game should help the offense immediately.

A'Shawn Robinson is an odd fit in the Detroit Lions' 4-3 defense. He was a two-gap player for Nick Saban's Alabama team, and many thought he couldn't play in a one-gap scheme, since he never posted explosive play numbers with the Crimson Tide and tested poorly at the combine.

The Lions don't have an above-average defensive tackle after Haloti Ngata. However, the combination of veteran Tyrunn Walker, explosive, young tackles in Caraun Reid and Gabe Wright, former third-round pick Khyri Thornton, and Stefan Charles, who is as raw as he is talented, will make it hard for Robinson to see the field consistently as a rookie.

In 2014, the Lions drafted Travis Swanson to be their center of the future, and Graham Glasgow, this year's third-round pick, looks to back him up, at least early on in his career. Outside of Decker, no other rookie is pushing for a starting job on the team, other than long snapper Jimmy Landes, and only one (Glasgow) may be on the team's two-deep entering the regular season.

Grade: C

Day 1: Kenny Clark (DL, UCLA)

Day 2: Jason Spriggs (OT, Indiana), Kyler Fackrell (EDGE, Utah State)

Day 3: Blake Martinez (LB, Stanford), Dean Lowry (DL, Northwestern), Trevor Davis (WR, California), Kyle Murphy (OT, Stanford)

Kenny Clark may not be the starting nose tackle for the Green Bay Packers in 2016, but it's clear that the first-round pick is one of the team's three most talented defensive linemen already. Letroy Guion split time with B.J. Raji at the position last year and figures to be the Day 1 starter this season, though the position is rotated so often that Clark will see the field.

In the second round, the Packers surprised some by drafting Jason Spriggs, trading up for the pick no less. The offensive tackle is a second-string player as it stands, as David Bakhtiari is still on his rookie deal as a fourth-year left tackle and Bryan Bulaga is cemented at right tackle.

You have to think that Spriggs' addition was as a bargaining chip to come to the table with for the Packers' contract-year starting offensive linemen, which include Bakhtiari and guards Josh Sitton and T.J. Lang. Kyler Fackrell, the team's third-round pick, is probably a third-string edge defender in 2016, as recently converted Clay Matthews, Julius Peppers, Nick Perry, recently converted Datone Jones and Jayrone Elliott are ahead of him on the depth chart.

As for the Day 3 picks, inside linebacker Blake Martinez is battling with Jake Ryan for a starting role next to Sam Barrington, while Dean Lowry looks to be a starting strong-side base defensive end, which sounds incredible for a rookie but is just a situational role for Dom Capers' scheme.

Grade: C

Day 1: Will Fuller (WR, Notre Dame)

Day 2: Nick Martin (IOL, Notre Dame), Braxton Miller (WR, Ohio State)

Day 3: Tyler Ervin (RB, San Jose State), K.J. Dillon (S, West Virginia), D.J. Reader (DL, Clemson)

You can get into the semantics of Will Fuller not being listed as a first-team wide receiver early on with the Houston Texans, but they clearly needed a vertical receiver to stretch the field, and that's what they drafted him for. Right now, he's making plays with the first-team offense in the first quarter of preseason games.

The Texans double-dipped with Notre Dame players at the top of the draft, as the squad drafted Nick Martin, brother of Dallas Cowboys Pro Bowl guard Zack Martin, in the second round to play center. He was on track to be the team's top player at the position, before an ankle injury set him back, which could lead to missed regular-season games, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.

Braxton Miller, a former quarterback, was the team's third pick, as Houston attempted to shore up the wideout unit. He's battling the likes of Jaelen Strong and Cecil Shorts to get on the field between Fuller and DeAndre Hopkins.

On Day 3, the Texans somehow added only three players in four rounds, and Tyler Ervin, the running back cut from the same cloth as Darren Sproles, is probably the rookie who will see the field the most on paper. Ervin is a pass-catching back, but so is starter Lamar Miller. Tracking how the Texans treat third downs will be interesting.

Grade: C

Day 1: Ryan Kelly (IOL, Alabama)

Day 2: T.J. Green (S, Clemson), Le'Raven Clark (OT, Texas Tech)

Day 3: Hassan Ridgeway (DL, Texas), Antonio Morrison (LB, Florida), Joe Haeg (OT, North Dakota State), Trevor Bates (EDGE, Maine), Austin Blythe (IOL, Iowa)

The Indianapolis Colts needed immediate help on the offensive line and drafted it with Ryan Kelly. The former Alabama Crimson Tide center is one of the best to come out in years, and he's taken over the position for the team.

If you would have asked someone who the best defensive back on Clemson's roster was at the time of the national title, T.J. Green may have come in last place. After Green ran a 4.34-second 40-yard dash, though, his stock began to rise, and now the free safety has started back-to-back games in the Colts secondary.

Le'Raven Clark, the team's third-round pick, was a projection coming into the NFL, despite possessing the size and anchor to be a starting offensive tackle in the league. He played in an Air Raid offense with the Texas Tech Raiders, which kept him as far away from pro-style pass protections as you can imagine, and it's showing in the preseason. He likely won't contribute unless injuries occur.

The Day 3 standout on the team well might be Antonio Morrison, a violent linebacker from Florida who has posted 12 tackles in two preseason games. Don't be surprised if he slowly plays himself into a starting job.

Grade: B

Day 1: Jalen Ramsey (CB, Florida State)

Day 2: Myles Jack (LB, UCLA), Yannick Ngakoue (EDGE, Maryland)

Day 3: Sheldon Day (DL, Notre Dame), Tyrone Holmes (EDGE, Montana), Brandon Allen (QB, Arkansas), Jonathan Woodard (EDGE, Central Arkansas)

When the Dallas Cowboys and San Diego Chargers passed up on Jalen Ramsey, the Jacksonville Jaguars must have been excited on draft day. Ramsey started the Jaguars' Week 2 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was as loud as he was talented.

While Ramsey looks like an immediate starter, Myles Jack, the former UCLA linebacker, is a nickel linebacker. The Jaguars' second-round pick, who lost the majority of his last college season due to a knee injury, may have a countdown on his health, and the team isn't working him into the starting lineup. Jack is getting both linebacker and safety looks, though.

You won't hear much about Yannick Ngakoue, as he played the same pass-rushing role as 2015 first-round pick Dante Fowler, who is playing in his first preseason. While Fowler is outshining Ngakoue, the rookie is right behind him on the depth chart, securing a spot on the roster and the defensive rotation.

There's not much talk about the Day 3 picks, but keep an eye on Tyrone Holmes. The FCS prospect out of Montana didn't get media hype until he posted an incredible pro day. Last week, he was able to notch a sack against reserve players.

Grade: B

Day 1: None

Day 2: Chris Jones (DL, Mississippi State), KeiVarae Russell (CB, Notre Dame) 

Day 3: Parker Ehinger (IOL, Cincinnati), Eric Murray (CB, Minnesota), Demarcus Robinson (WR, Florida), Kevin Hogan (QB, Stanford), Tyreek Hill (WR, West Alabama), D.J. White (CB, Georgia Tech), Dadi Nicolas (EDGE, Virginia Tech)

The Kansas City Chiefs didn't have a first-round pick, as they traded out of the selection into the start of the second round, but they did make a splash addition. Chris Jones, a 6'6" defensive lineman from Mississippi State, was the team's first pick.

Jones, who has been working with the first-team defense, has been one of the breakout players of this preseason. If you watched Kansas City vs. Seattle, it was easy to notice how Jones single-handedly destroyed the Seahawks' offensive linemen one by one.

The Chiefs' rookie cornerback battle is interesting. On one hand, you have KeiVarae Russell, who missed the 2014 season at Notre Dame due to a suspension and fractured his tibia in 2015. On the other hand, D.J. White, a sixth-round pick, is now the team's starting cornerback opposite of 2015 Defensive Rookie of the Year Marcus Peters.

We'll have to see how the three rookie cornerbacks shake out, but White has the lead at the moment.

Grade: B

Day 1: Jared Goff (QB, California)

Day 2: None

Day 3: Tyler Higbee (TE, Western Kentucky), Pharoh Cooper (WR, South Carolina), Temarrick Hemingway (TE, South Carolina State), Josh Forrest (LB, Kentucky), Mike Thomas (WR, Southern Mississippi)

The tale of the Los Angeles Rams' 2016 draft will be the story of one player and one player only: Jared Goff. The Rams moved a plethora of draft picks to acquire the first overall pick, which they then turned into Goff, a former California quarterback.

This preseason, Goff has been getting the No. 2 snaps behind Case Keenum, last year's starting quarterback who earned a first-round tender as a restricted free agent this past offseason. Goff, just a 21-year-old, hasn't had the best preseason, as he's posted just a 69.5 passer rating.

The only Day 3 draft pick in position to earn playing time is Tyler Higbee, a tight end who may fill in the vacancy left by Jared Cook. In his first preseason game, he pulled in five receptions for 49 yards against the Dallas Cowboys.

Higbee, who is listed at 6'4" and 243 pounds, may be one of the better pass-catching hybrids in his rookie year, should he see the field. His transition from Western Kentucky's spread offense to the NFL made for a hard projection for early impact, but when he's on the field, he's producing.

Grade: D

Day 1: Laremy Tunsil (IOL, Mississippi)

Day 2: Xavien Howard (CB, Baylor), Kenyan Drake (RB, Alabama), Leonte Carroo (WR, Rutgers)

Day 3: Jakeem Grant (WR, Texas Tech), Jordan Lucas (DB, Penn State), Brandon Doughty (QB, Western Kentucky), Thomas Duarte (TE, UCLA)

The Miami Dolphins picked up Laremy Tunsil with the 13th overall pick after his surprise draft-day drop. The former All-American offensive tackle from Mississippi is taking a slow transition to becoming an NFL bookend.

While he has worked with the second-string offense as a tackle, he has seen most of his preseason reps as a guard, where he's fighting with Dallas Thomas for the starting left guard gig. If a Dolphins bookend goes down, you can expect Tunsil to move outside, with Thomas coming in off the bench, if Tunsil is a starter by then.

Xavien Howard was the team's second-round pick out of Baylor, but his summer knee surgery has kept him out of the first two preseason games. The team is weak at cornerback, which is why it traded for Byron Maxwell this offseason, and Howard has to make up a lot of ground now that he's returning to practice.

Third-round rookie running back Kenyan Drake has missed significant time with a hamstring injury, but Adam Beasley of the Miami Harold stated that Drake returned to practice this Tuesday. Drake's injury may have been one reason why Miami signed Arian Foster.

Leonte Carroo will likely see little to no time with the first-team offense once the regular season comes around, since Jarvis Landry, DeVante Parker and Kenny Stills are ahead of him on the depth chart.

Grade: C

Day 1: Laquon Treadwell (WR, Mississippi)

Day 2: Mackensie Alexander (CB, Clemson)

Day 3: Willie Beavers (IOL, Western Michigan), Kentrell Brothers (LB, Missouri), Mortiz Boehringer (WR, Germany), David Morgan (TE, UTSA), Stephen Weatherly (LB, Vanderbilt), Jayron Kearse (S, Clemson)

The Minnesota Vikings badly needed to add a quality pass-catcher to their offense. Last year, Day 3 rookie wideout Stefon Diggs was the team's top receiver.

This team isn't a favorite to win the NFC North, despite winning last year with the league's top running back, and the reason is the passing game. Laquon Treadwell, the team's first-round receiver, hopes to change the perception of the squad's offense.

Unfortunately, though, Treadwell hasn't been great this preseason. In Week 2, he struggled to separate on multiple occasions with the Seattle Seahawks, resulting in a no-catch game.

The team's only Day 2 selection, Mackensie Alexander, was a bit of a surprise. The entire league seems to be getting longer and longer at the cornerback position every year, as teams value players who can get their hands on the ball, and Alexander was a 5'10" corner with no college interceptions coming out of Clemson.

Despite that fact, Alexander was able to pick up an interception in Week 1 of the preseason with the backup defense, his first since high school. It's within reason to question if any of the Day 3 selections on this squad will even crack the final two-deep, as Treadwell and Alexander are well above the rest of the pack.

Grade: D

Day 1: None

Day 2: Cyrus Jones (CB, Alabama), Joe Thuney (IOL, North Carolina State), Jacoby Brissett (QB

Day 3: Malcolm Mitchell (WR, Georgia), Kamu Grugier-Hill (LB, Eastern Illinois), Elandon Roberts (LB, Houston), Ted Karras (IOL, Illinois), Devin Lucien (WR, Arizona State)

Cyrus Jones was the New England Patriots' top pick in the 60th overall slot of this past draft. The reason for this was Deflategate, which has also resulted in a four-game suspension for starting quarterback Tom Brady.

The team maximized value in Day 2 by trading away Chandler Jones, a contract year pass-rusher. Jones, a Nick Saban cornerback, is competing for playing time as a potential nickel cornerback between Logan Ryan and Malcom Butler right now.

It would be surprising if Jones took over a starting role in 2016. With that being said, he did have a nice interception against the Chicago Bears, where he showed some potential to make plays with the ball in his hand, which isn't surprising for the return man.

After Jones, the Patriots went back-to-back North Carolina State selections in guard Joe Thuney and quarterback Jacoby Brissett. Thuney is going to start at left guard, while Brissett is battling for the No. 2 quarterback spot with Jimmy Garoppolo, a role which will have huge impact in the Patriots' early-season games.

Garoppolo is cementing himself as the quarterback behind Brady this offseason based on the rotation head coach Bill Belichick is sending the passers in, which will make it hard for Brissett to see the field in 2016. Defensive tackle Vincent Valentine, a compensatory third-round pick, is likely to hover between the second- and third-team defensive line, making him a low-end lineman.

Malcolm Mitchell, a talented receiver from Georgia, was a fan and media favorite in rookie camp, but an elbow injury derailed his summer progress.

Grade: C

Day 1: Sheldon Rankins (DL, Louisville)

Day 2: Michael Thomas (WR, Ohio State), Vonn Bell (S, Ohio State)

Day 3: David Onyemata (DL, Canada), Daniel Lasco (RB, California)

The New Orleans Saints needed to add as much talent as possible to their defense this offseason, and they took steps to do so early on in the draft by selecting first-round defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins and second-round safety Vonn Bell.

Rankins broke his fibula in the summer, which will hurt the team early on, but according to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com, head coach Sean Payton expects Rankins to return midway through the regular season. When he does come back to the field, he should take some of the heat off star defensive end Cameron Jordan.

Bell, the team's second selection from the Ohio State Buckeyes, will likely work as a backup safety with Kenny Vaccaro, Jairus Byrd and Roman Harper still on the team. Vaccaro and Byrd may be let go soon, as they haven't reached expectations in New Orleans, while Harper will turn 34 years old this year.

While Bell is a great safety net, the Saints need Michael Thomas, their second-round receiver, to have an early impact. Thomas is consistently making plays, and opposite of Brandin Cooks, with Drew Brees loving the deep ball, Thomas could be one of those fantasy sleepers in 2016.

Grade: C

Day 1: Eli Apple (CB, Ohio State)

Day 2: Sterling Shepard (WR, Oklahoma), Darian Thompson (S, Boise State)

Day 3: B.J. Goodson (LB, Clemson), Paul Perkins (RB, UCLA), Jerell Adams (South Carolina)

Eli Apple was a surprise selection with the 10th overall pick. With Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Janoris Jenkins already on the team, the consensus was that the Giants were investing in three cornerbacks in an attempt to emulate the Denver Broncos' success.

With the late addition of Leon Hall to the team, though, there are questions if Apple can even win that job outright. We'll see how this situation plays out, but the Giants new head coach, Ben McAdoo, doesn't seem to mind having to wait on young players developing.

Sterling Shepard, the team's second-round pick, might finish behind only Odell Beckham in receptions and yards in the receiving unit in 2016. Shepard fell into the perfect landing spot with New York, Eli Manning and McAdoo.

The short-yardage receiver will contribute immediately, as will Darian Thompson, the team's third-round safety, who is already starting next to last year's second-round pick Landon Collins. If the Giants can add three rookie starters to their team with their top three picks, they should win more games in 2016 than in 2015.

B.J. Goodson is competing for a spot in a dry linebacker unit, while Paul Perkins is looking to get touches out of the backfield as a third-down back. If one of them is a starter by midseason, don't be surprised.

Grade: B

Day 1: Darron Lee (LB, Ohio State)

Day 2: Christian Hackenberg (QB, Penn State), Jordan Jenkins (EDGE, Georgia)

Day 3: Justin Burris (CB, North Carolina State), Brandon Shell (OT, South Carolina), Lachlan Edwards (P, Sam Houston State), Charone Peake (WR, Clemson)

Darron Lee is seeing time with the New York Jets' first-team defense, but he doesn't have a defined role, which should have been expected. At Ohio State, he was a "Will" linebacker who walked into a slot role in nickel, while the majority of NFL teams take their "Sam" linebacker off the field in nickel, putting a slotback in for nickel looks.

Lee is somewhat of a hybrid safety-linebacker who has never been a true box defender in a league that demands that Will linebackers play in the box in three- and four-wide looks. The creative defensive staff of the Jets will have some things cooked up for Lee, but they are saving those looks for the regular season.

On the other hand, Christian Hackenberg, the team's second-round pick, has yet to even throw a single preseason pass in two games. He's the fourth quarterback on the roster, and no NFL team will keep four quarterbacks on the 53-man roster. Something has to give.

Jordan Jenkins, the team's third-round edge defender from Georgia, is the surprise. He's started the first two games in the preseason, as the team typically devalues the edge position, since it sends so many inside linebacker blitzes.

It's not a Day 3 pick who has been the sleeper of camp, but Jalin Marshall, an undrafted rookie receiver. Marshall was Lee's teammate at Ohio State, and he just turned 21 years old this summer. He's earned a spot on the team as a returner and wideout.

Grade: C

Day 1: Karl Joseph (S, West Virginia)

Day 2: Jihad Ward (DL, Illinois), Shilique Calhoun (EDGE, Michigan State)

Day 3: Connor Cook (QB, Michigan State), DeAndre Washington (RB, Texas Tech), Cory James (LB, Colorado State), Vadal Alexander (IOL, LSU)

Karl Joseph was a late-riser in the draft process, possibly because he was overcoming a college knee injury. Despite missing some time this summer to recovery, the first-round safety is still making an impact on the team.

In two preseason games, Joseph has started back-to-back games. He seems to have the Kam Chancellor-like enforcing safety role locked up.

Second-round pick Jihad Ward, who started his draft rise at the Senior Bowl, has cemented himself in the 5-technique rotation for the Oakland Raiders. While it's not being discussed much in public, if you look at the formations the team is lining up in and where the personnel is headed, Oakland is likely to be more of a true 3-4 team this year than a true 4-3 team, which should help large, long ends such as Ward see the field.

Ward's job will be to eat up offensive tackles so Khalil Mack is free to rush the passer, which is important considering Mack is still producing on a rookie contract. With Mack and the recently signed Bruce Irvin lining up at outside linebacker, there's going to be few quality reps left for third-round pick Shilique Calhoun to see on the first-team defense, and that has been reflected in the first two preseason games.

DeAndre Washington, the fifth-round pick, could remind Jack Del Rio of Maurice Jones-Drew. Washington, a 5'8" running back, broke a 25-yarder against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1. He's not going to win the Week 1 job, but that Oakland backfield could be a week-to-week positional battle once we get into the regular season.

Grade: B

Day 1: Carson Wentz (QB, North Dakota State)

Day 2: Isaac Seumalo (IOL, Oregon State)

Day 3: Wendell Smallwood (RB, West Virginia), Halapoulivaati Vaitai (OT, TCU), Blake Countess (CB, Auburn), Jalen Mills (DB, LSU), Alex McCalister (EDGE, Florida), Joe Walker (LB, Oregon)

Like the Los Angeles Rams, the Philadelphia Eagles basically traded all of their significant draft picks to move up for a quarterback. The Eagles' hopeful franchise savior is Carson Wentz, who at this time last year was considered to be a dark horse to be drafted at all out of the FCS' North Dakota State.

Wentz is the team's third quarterback behind Sam Bradford and Chase Daniel, and after suffering an injury to his ribs in his Week 1 preseason game, he hasn't returned to the field. According to CSN Philadelphia's Dave Zangaro, Wentz has recently returned to practice, but his status in preseason games is still questionable moving on, which means Eagles fans may have seen the first and last of Wentz in 2016 with that Week 1 game.

The team's only other top-150 selection was Isaac Seumalo, a former college center who started the summer as a reserve lineman with Jason Kelce holding the center spot down. Seumalo did start at left guard in Week 2, and it could be tough for him to lose a starting job he's won so early on.

Other than Seumalo, the team may not have another 16-game contributor on the team. Injury and suspension may force Halapoulivaati Vaitai into the lineup early on, and if that's the case, the Eagles will have the most interesting name fielded in Week 1 of the season.

Grade: D

Day 1: Artie Burns (CB, Miami)

Day 2: Sean Davis (S, Maryland), Javon Hargrave (DL, South Carolina State)

Day 3: Jerald Hawkins (OT, LSU), Travis Feeney (EDGE, Washington State), Demarcus Ayers (WR, Houston), Tyler Matakevich (LB, Temple)

Artie Burns has been battling a quad injury for the better part of August, which is why he hasn't yet played in a preseason game. The Pittsburgh Steelers have needed secondary help for years, and they finally spent high draft picks on the unit, just to have their first-rounder miss a summer's worth of reps.

Sean Davis, the team's second-round pick, is a hybrid cornerback-safety from Maryland. With Burns out, Davis has started the first two games of the preseason and looks like he'll secure at least the fifth defensive back role by September. There, he can flex as either a nickelback or give the Steelers defense a three-safety look.

At nose tackle, the Pittsburgh Steelers are thin. After Daniel McCullers, Javon Hargrave, a rookie third-round pick who played undertackle at the FCS' South Carolina State, may be the only other rosterable body at the position. Hargrave hasn't started a single preseason game, but he looks explosive, like a 3-technique tackle, while his ability to hold up against double-teams is concerning.

After those three, the rest of the rookies on the roster are likely to be reserve players. There is no guarantee they make it through cuts or see the field outside of special teams in 2016.

Grade: C

Day 1: Joey Bosa (DL, Ohio State)

Day 2: Hunter Henry (TE, Arkansas), Max Tuerk (IOL, USC)

Day 3: Joshua Perry (LB, Ohio State), Jatavis Brown (LB, Akron), Drew Kaser (P, Texas), Derek Watt (FB, Wisconsin), Donavon Clark (IOL, Michigan State)

The San Diego Chargers may have the most boring rookie class of 2016, if Joey Bosa doesn't return to the field. Bosa, the third overall pick of the draft, still hasn't signed a rookie contract and is holding out.

He was supposed to flex from 3-4 defensive end, 3-4 outside linebacker, 4-3 defensive tackle and 4-3 defensive end in a Michael Bennett-like role, but with little to no time left in the summer, it's hard to imagine how he learns enough of the playbook to get into the feel of a multiple defense as an NFL rookie.

The team's second-round pick, Hunter Henry, is playing second fiddle to Antonio Gates, who is ending his Hall of Fame career. Henry has made some nice catches, but it's hard to expect the Chargers to use Henry more than they did Ladarius Green in his time in San Diego. Hunter is waiting for Gates to retire before he becomes a full-time guy.

In the third round, the Chargers took Max Tuerk of USC, who is currently a backup center behind 2016 free-agent signing Matt Slauson, who previously played with the Chicago Bears. Fourth- and fifth-round off-the-ball linebackers Joshua Perry and Jatavis Brown find themselves buried in the depth chart behind Manti Te'o, a 2013 second-rounder, and Denzel Perryman, last year's second-rounder.

You can make the case that late-round selections Drew Kaser, a punter, and Derek Watt, a fullback, will be the Chargers' most impactful rookies in 2016. 

Grade: F

Day 1: DeForest Buckner (DL, Oregon), Joshua Garnett (IOL, Stanford)

Day 2: Will Redmond (CB, Mississippi State)

Day 3: Rashard Robinson (CB, LSU), Ronald Blair (DL, Appalachian State), John Theus (OT, Georgia), Fahn Cooper (OT, Mississippi), Jeff Driskel (QB, Louisiana Tech), Kelvin Taylor (RB, Florida), Aaron Burbridge (WR, Michigan State), Prince Charles Iworah (CB, Western Kentucky)

The future of the San Francisco's 3-4 defensive ends are set. Last year, the 49ers spent a first-round pick on Arik Armstead of Oregon, just to turn around and use a first-round pick on DeForest Buckner, his former Oregon teammate. Buckner is already the starting defensive end for the 49ers.

San Francisco traded back into the first round for guard Joshua Garnett, which was odd for a Chip Kelly-led offense. While Kelly has been fond of Pac-12 players in his time in the NFL, Garnett played in a gap scheme at Stanford, while Kelly typically runs zone runs.

Garnett isn't a starter, which might be in part to his late signing, but Pro Football Focus did call him perfect for his first week's work against the Houston Texans. Another non-starting top-100 pick is Will Redmond, a cornerback from Mississippi State who may have been a first-round talent but is still recovering from a knee injury that ended his college career, per Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Blaine Gabbert isn't a franchise quarterback. Colin Kaepernick is in a rut. Despite the fact that the team already signed street free agent Christian Ponder this preseason to add veteran competition to the third quarterback role, we might see Jeff Driskel on the field starting a regular-season game this year.

The late-round pick played at Florida before transferring his last year to Louisiana Tech. He went 4-of-12 in Week 1 and a 6-of-7 in Week 2, leading most to question his consistency, which was an issue in college. However, the 49ers have to exhaust every option at the most important position in football in 2016.

Grade: C

Day 1: Germain Ifedi (IOL, Texas A&M)

Day 2: Jarran Reed (DL, Alabama), C.J. Prosise (RB, Notre Dame), Nick Vannett (TE, Ohio State), Rees Odhiambo (IOL, Boise State)

Day 3: Quinton Jefferson (DL, Maryland), Alex Collins (RB, Arkansas), Joey Hunt (IOL, CU), Kenny Lawler (WR, California), Zac Brooks (RB, Clemson)

The Seattle Seahawks needed offensive tackle help this offseason, with Justin Britt kicking inside to guard in his second year in the league and Russell Okung signing with the Denver Broncos, so many assumed that the drafting of first-round college tackle Germain Ifedi meant the end to the Seahawks' left tackle problems.

Those people were wrong.

Ifedi is instead playing guard, as Britt has moved on to his third position in three years as the team's starting center. Ifedi projects long-term as a tackle, but his growing pains will hopefully be hidden inside rather than on the edge.

Jarran Reed of Alabama was invited to the NFL draft in Chicago, as the league believed there was a chance for him to go in the first round, but he kept falling, which led to the Seahawks making a steal of a pick in the second round. Reed breaks the Seahawks' recent trend of going with athletic defensive linemen, but as a run-first nose tackle with Seattle's second-team defense, he has made some great plays this preseason.

C.J. Prosise, who some thought could win the starting job in Seattle with second-year Thomas Rawls injured, has yet to play in the preseason due to a hamstring issue, while Christine Michael has flashed. No one knows if Prosise will end up as RB1 or RB4 in September.

The team's other top-100 picks, Nick Vannett and Rees Odhiambo, are at least two injuries away from cracking the starting lineup at this point. Keep an eye on Alex Collins of Arkansas in the last two games of the preseason, just due to the instability of the running back position as a whole.

Grade: C

Day 1: Vernon Hargreaves (CB, Florida)

Day 2: Noah Spence (EDGE, Eastern Kentucky), Roberto Aguayo (K, Florida State)

Day 3: Ryan Smith (DB, North Carolina Central), Caleb Benenoch (IOL, UCLA), Devante Bond (LB, Oklahoma), Dan Vitale (TE, Northwestern)

Vernon Hargreaves was one of the better college football players in the country last season, but the fact that he wasn't able to crack the 5'11" mark at the combine was always going to hurt his draft stock. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, whose top three cornerbacks would all be considered to be short by NFL standards, don't seem to mind that much, though.

Hargreaves quickly went from being named the starting nickel cornerback to taking over as an outside starter. According to Pro Football Focus, he's had the best preseason of anyone at the position.

Noah Spence, a former Ohio State Buckeye, was drafted in the second round as Robert Ayers' pass-rushing sidekick. Instead of staring opposite of each other, though, Spence will likely come off the bench when Ayers kicks inside to defensive tackle in pass-rushing situations, as the team slow-plays Spence's transition from the FCS to the NFL.

The Buccaneers traded up in the second round to get Roberto Aguayo, who was considered the top kicker in college football starting with his freshman season. The three-time All-American declared early but has missed an extra point and two field goals in his first two preseason games.

Some may point to the rotation of holders that Tampa Bay has fielded with him, but bringing in a "mental coach" and having your kicker booed at practice are not the headlines that Buccaneers fans thought they were going to see at the time of the selection.

Grade: B

Day 1: Jack Conklin (OT, Michigan State)

Day 2: Kevin Dodd (EDGE, Clemson), Austin Johnson (DL, Penn State), Derrick Henry (RB, Alabama), Kevin Byard (S, Middle Tennessee State)

Day 3: Tajae Sharpe (WR, Massachusetts), LeShaun Sims (CB, Southern Utah), Sebastian Tretola (IOL, Arkansas), Aaron Wallace (EDGE, UCLA), Kalan Reed (CB, Southern Mississippi)

Jack Conklin, the team's first-round pick, has taken over the right tackle position, securing the offensive line. With five functional pieces up front, the Titans figure to run the ball better in 2016, while also protecting Marcus Mariota, their second-year quarterback who has sack-fumble problems.

Conklin's impact has been felt by second-round running back Derrick Henry, who is third in the league in rushing yards, just behind teammate DeMarco Murray. The Titans could be one of the best teams in the league on the ground this year, as their quarterback can run the option, their line has no glaring holes, and they have a healthy stable in the backfield.

Kevin Dodd started the preseason on the PUP list due to a foot surgery but has since been taken off. We're still waiting on the second-round edge defender to play in a preseason game, though.

Like Dodd, Austin Johnson, another front-seven defender, had surgery, keeping him off the field for part of the summer. Despite his meniscus cleanup, he's been on the field as a backup nose tackle in both preseason games.

The breakout receiver of the preseason might be Tajae Sharpe, who could be this year's Stefon Diggs, a productive Day 3 wideout. Sharpe, a 21-year-old, has started both preseason games and could go down as the Titans' No. 1 receiver starting in September.

Grade: B

Day 1: Josh Doctson (WR, TCU)

Day 2: Su'a Cravens (LB, USC), Kendall Fuller (CB, Virginia Tech)

Day 3: Matt Ioannidis (DL, Temple), Nate Sudfield (QB, Indiana), Steven Daniels (LB, Boston College), Keith Marshall (RB, Georgia)

The Washington Redskins didn't need another pass-catcher when they were up to bat in the first round, but that didn't stop them from drafting Josh Doctson from TCU with their top selection. Doctson, who compares favorably to DeAndre Hopkins, joins DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon and Jordan Reed in a loaded unit.

Doctson has been struggling through an Achilles injury for months, but head coach Jay Gruden said he wants Doctson ready to play Week 1 of the regular season, even if he has missed the entire preseason up until this point.

Second-round pick Su'a Cravens played both safety and linebacker at USC, and he figured to play a hybrid role in the NFL. You can look at guys like start Deone Bucannon, second-year player Shaq Thompson or established veteran Thomas Davis if you're wondering how Washington might use Cravens at the NFL level.

Cravens is still working with backup defenders, but you have to figure he's going to be more of a specialized role player once the regular season kicks off. Kendall Fuller, the team's second-round pick, is coming off a season that ended in injury and has had some up-and-down efforts in his two games back.

Watch out for Keith Marshall, the Redskins running back. He may have been a seventh-round flier, but he's athletic, even if his 1.7 yards-per-carry total in the preseason doesn't tell that story. There is no standout in that backfield, which means it's up for grabs.

Grade: D