Highest-graded NFL rookies after Week 1 of the 2026 preseason

Kamari Ramsey leads all rookies: The Texans safety earned a 94.8 PFF grade and recorded an interception and pass breakup in his preseason debut.

Matthew Hibner tops the offensive rookies: The Ravens tight end earned a 92.6 PFF grade after catching five passes for 61 yards on 12 routes.

Carson Beck leads the quarterbacks: The Cardinals rookie posted a 91.7 PFF grade after recording three big-time throws and no turnover-worthy plays.

With the first full slate of NFL preseason games in the books, it’s time to take stock of the rookies who made the strongest first impressions. We’ll update these rankings each week throughout the preseason, raising the snap threshold as the sample grows. For Week 1, players must have logged at least 15 snaps to qualify.

Here are the NFL’s highest-graded rookies after Week 1 of the preseason.

1. S Kamari Ramsey, Houston Texans: 94.8

A fifth-round pick in April, Ramsey was the NFL’s highest-graded rookie in the opening week of the preseason, driven by a 94.7 PFF coverage grade. Across 14 coverage snaps, he didn’t allow a reception as the primary coverage defender and recorded both a pass breakup and an interception.

2. TE Matthew Hibner, Baltimore Ravens: 92.6

The 133rd overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft was the league’s highest-graded offensive rookie in the opening week of the preseason. Hibner ran just 12 routes but caught five passes for 61 yards, averaging an impressive 5.08 yards per route run.

3. LB Jacob Roberts, Minnesota Vikings: 92.6

Roberts was the highest-graded undrafted free agent in the opening week of the preseason, earning a 75.8 PFF run-defense grade and a 91.4 PFF coverage grade. He didn’t miss a tackle, recorded two defensive stops and added an interception in coverage.

4. S Jacob Thomas, Minnesota Vikings: 92.5

Like fellow Vikings undrafted free agent Roberts, Thomas made a strong first impression in his NFL debut. He didn’t miss a tackle and recorded an interception, helping him earn a 91.6 PFF coverage grade.

5. CB Ayden Garnes, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 91.8

Garnes allowed a 26-yard reception against the New York Jets, but it was the only catch he surrendered across 17 coverage snaps. He more than made up for it by returning an interception for a touchdown. Garnes did miss two tackles, however, so his strong overall grade was driven largely by the pick-six.

6. QB Carson Beck, Arizona Cardinals: 91.7

Beck missed the Cardinals’ second preseason game, but his performance in the Hall of Fame Game still has him as the NFL’s highest-graded quarterback this preseason. Against the Panthers, he went 15-of-19 for 188 yards and a touchdown, recording three big-time throws and no turnover-worthy plays.

7. WR Camden Brown, Dallas Cowboys: 91.5

Brown made an immediate impact in his debut after signing as an undrafted free agent out of Georgia Southern. He ran 15 routes and caught three passes for 62 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 4.13 yards per route run.

8. TE Jack Endries, Cincinnati Bengals: 91.4

Endries averaged just 8.3 yards per reception on three catches against the Detroit Lions, but his average depth of target was only 1.0 yard. He did most of his damage after the catch, forcing three missed tackles on a 17-yard catch-and-run.

9. G Anez Cooper, New York Jets: 90.9

Cooper was the highest-graded rookie offensive lineman in the opening week of the preseason. The sixth-round pick out of Miami earned PFF grades above 85.0 both as a run blocker and in pass protection, allowing no sacks, hits or hurries across 20 pass-blocking snaps at right guard.

10. DI Christen Miller, New Orleans Saints: 90.5

The Saints’ second-round pick made an immediate impact in his preseason debut, earning the highest grade among rookie defensive linemen. He did his best work against the run, recording three defensive stops on just eight run-defense snaps, while also adding a hurry on nine pass-rushing snaps.

11. WR Malachi Fields, New York Giants: 90.3

Fields made an impact on just 10 receiving snaps against the Minnesota Vikings, catching three passes for 34 yards and a touchdown while averaging 3.40 yards per route run. He also showcased one of his best traits coming out of the draft, with two of his three receptions coming on contested catches.

12. CB Michael Coats Jr., Cleveland Browns: 90.0

An undrafted free agent out of West Virginia, Coats was targeted five times across just 14 coverage snaps but held his own. He allowed two receptions for 13 yards while recording both a pass breakup and an interception.

13. EDGE Caden Curry, Indianapolis Colts: 89.5

The former Ohio State standout was the highest-graded rookie edge defender in the opening week of the preseason, driven by a 92.1 PFF pass-rush grade against the New England Patriots. Across 17 pass-rushing snaps, he generated four pressures, including a sack and two quarterback hits.

14. WR Kaden Wetjen, Pittsburgh Steelers: 88.0

Wetjen made the most of his 13 receiving snaps in his NFL debut, averaging 6.08 yards per route run thanks largely to a 74-yard catch-and-run that nearly went for a touchdown. He also contributed as a returner, which likely represents his clearest path to the field early in his NFL career.

15. CB Kenneth Harris, New England Patriots: 86.1

Harris was targeted three times across 16 coverage snaps, allowing just one reception for six yards. He also recorded a pass breakup, finishing with an 87.9 PFF coverage grade and allowing a 42.4 passer rating on throws into his coverage.