• San Francisco 49ers safety Ji’Ayir Brown jumps to No. 1: Brown has put up an 86.4 overall grade since Week 11, fifth among 88 qualifying safeties.
• WR Puka Nacua stays at No. 2: The Rams pass-catcher has produced 28 receptions of 15 or more yards and averaged 2.49 yards per route run while being targeted on over 27% of his routes — all leading first-year receivers.
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Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Members of the 2023 draft class are primed and ready to face down the bright lights of the NFL stage. Whether they were drafted first or 259th, the best will rise to the top when the games are played.
Here are the 15 highest-graded rookies after NFL Week 14.
1. S Ji’Ayir Brown, San Francisco 49ers: 86.9
In a surprising development, Brown has catapulted himself to the top of this list. He earned his highest overall grade as a pro (88.3) in Week 14 and brought in his second interception of the season.
Brown has put up an 86.4 overall grade since Week 11, fifth among 88 qualifying safeties.
2. WR Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams: 86.6
Nacua is the pace car for the receiver position in this class, with his 84.7 receiving grade leading his peers.
The Rams pass-catcher has produced 28 receptions of 15 or more yards and averaged 2.49 yards per route run while being targeted on over 27% of his routes — all leading first-year receivers.
3. WR Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs: 84.0
While he may have lost a fumble this week, Rice has been exceptional with the ball in his hands. The Chiefs receiver has averaged 8.0 yards after the catch per reception, the highest mark among qualifying first-year receivers. That ability after the catch has amounted to an impressive 2.35 yards per route run and a 125.4 passer rating when targeted, both of which rank second in the class.
4. DI Jalen Carter, Philadelphia Eagles: 83.8
Carter had difficulty gaining traction this past week, both as a pass-rusher and against the run, leading to a drop in his overall grading.
While he may have been held without a pressure for the first time in his young career in Week 14, Carter still maintains an impressive 17.1% pass-rush win rate, the fourth-highest among qualifying interior defenders.
5. WR Tank Dell, Houston Texans: 83.4
Dell suffered a season-ending leg injury in Week 13, but he maintains his spot on this list due to his incredible playmaking ability over the first three-quarters of the season.
The Texans' 2023 third-rounder averaged 2.22 yards per route run and hauled in 21 receptions of 15 or more yards, both of which ranked top-20 at the position through Week 13.
6. CB Devon Witherspoon, Seattle Seahawks: 83.3
Witherspoon (ribs) went down with an injury early in Week 14, which dealt a significant blow to this defense. Still, he was able to notch his 12th forced incompletion, the most among first-year defenders.
His ability to stop the run and rush the passer has been equally as impressive, facilitating the 83.3 overall grade that ranks seventh out of 130 qualifying corners.
7. QB C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans: 81.5
Stroud (concussion) could not finish his Week 14 game after taking a hit late in the fourth quarter. Before leaving the game, he had struggled to find his rhythm and recorded four turnover-worthy plays.
While he had a tough outing, the Texans will live with that variance, given how effective Stroud has been throwing downfield. Through Week 14, 60% of his production has come through the air, the fourth-highest rate in the league.
8. CB Christian Gonzalez, New England Patriots: 80.8
In his limited time on the field, Gonzalez proved to be one of the most promising defenders to come out of this class. He earned a 71.0-plus grade in all three major grading facets, highlighted by a 79.3 coverage grade. Gonzalez also allowed the third-lowest passer rating at the position (67.5).
9. EDGE Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans: 80.5
Anderson may not have incredible sack numbers, having recorded just five through Week 14, but he’s getting to the passer at an incredibly high clip. His 14 quarterback hits ranks third among all defenders, behind just Nick Bosa and Micah Parsons.
10. CB Mekhi Blackmon, Minnesota Vikings: 80.4
Akayleb Evans returned to the lineup this week, reducing Blackmon's workload. The third-round pick has excelled when on the field this season, allowing just 0.74 yards per coverage snap. Blackmon also has a nose for the ball, having forced an incompletion on 21.4% of targets into his coverage, tied for the seventh-best rate among qualifying corners.
11. LB Ivan Pace Jr., Minnesota Vikings: 80.2
Pace climbed back into the top 15 this week thanks to an incredible performance in coverage. The undrafted rookie pulled in his first interception of the season, showing off some impressive range and securing a diving pick. But he didn’t stop there, also tacking on five coverage stops. Those marks led to a 93.3 coverage grade, the highest by any defender in Week 14.
12. WR Demario Douglas, New England Patriots: 78.8
Douglas (concussion) was absent from the lineup for the second straight week. The first-year pro is the only Pats receiver to surpass a 70.0-plus grade this season (78.3). His production after the catch is among the league’s best, as his 7.4 yards after the catch per reception ranks fourth at the position.
13. S Jordan Battle, Cincinnati Bengals: 76.7
The calling card to Battle’s game continues to be his ability to stop the run. This past week, he produced his eighth run stop of the season to go with a tackle for loss, helping push his run-defense grade to 81.9, the fourth-highest among first-year defenders.
14. DI Kobie Turner, Los Angeles Rams: 75.7
Turner is amid a fantastic stretch of pass-rush performances, having earned the best marks of his career over the last three weeks. Over that span, he’s piled up 14 total pressures, including a league-best four sacks. His 88.7 pass-rush grade since Week 12 ranks fourth at his position over that span.
15. DI Keeanu Benton, Pittsburgh Steelers: 74.9
Benton reaggravated an oblique injury in Week 14, so he managed just 17 snaps. While he didn’t affect the game, he has been one of the league's most effective run defenders over his last four games. Since Week 11, Benton has earned a positive grade on 23.5% of his run snaps. That’s contributed to his 79.3 run-defense grade, the seventh-highest among all defenders.
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