Which rookies will have the biggest impact on the field in 2007? The Football Fanatics gives you the answers right here. Here’s our prediction for the top six (they’re all in the top five, so I wanted to be different), the defensive rookies who will have the biggest impact next season.
1. Patrick Willis, LB, San Francisco 49ers: Willis has a chance to become the fifth consecutive linebacker to win the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. The former Ole Miss standout is a team leader on and off the field. He can play inside or out and is very athletic and strong. He is solid against the run and the pass. He is a hard worker who will play hurt. Everything you want in a linebacker. Has potential for the Hall of Fame.
two. LeRon Landry, S, Washington Redskins: The entire package safe. He has size, speed, strength, and instincts to run and pass. He will make a difference for the Redskins. He had 315 tackles and 12 interceptions in college. A great confrontational safety that will form a solid 1-2 tandem with Sean Taylor.
3. Adam Carriker, DT / DE, St. Louis Rams: Strong athletic player who can handle both defensive tackle and wing duties. The Rams will move him to the interior where his toughness will be much needed. Carriker has increased his body from 6-6 to 315 pounds and looked great at the Rams’ minicamp last week. He has a strong work ethic and dominates in the Senior Bowl. You should be an excellent professional.
Four. Darrelle Revis, CB, New York Jets: The best coverage corner of the draft. Revis is an excellent athlete, a good playmaker, and has the skills to fit well into Eric Mangini’s Cover 2 scheme. Oversized, speedy combo who is also a deadly return man. It will prosper under Mangini.
5. Gaines Adams, DE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: He has the skills and lineage to be an effective NFL pass rusher for many, many years. He has all the makings of a dominant passing force, with tremendous speed and feline quickness off the ball. It will have an immediate impact on an aging Bucs defensive line.
6. Lawrence Timmons, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers: He will be counted on to replace the late Joey Porter. The Steeler defense has developed solid linebackers in the past and Timmons will be the last. He is an exceptional athlete. His considerable athleticism and versatility are what the Steelers need for a defense that, with new coach Mike Tomlin, will likely incorporate 4-3 and 3-4 schemes. The Steelers need to improve up front, and Timmons can help them do that regardless of the lineup.