Former NFL player and scout Bucky Brooks knows the ins and outs of this league, providing keen insight in his notebook. Today's installment spotlights 10 second-year players with exceedingly bright futures ...
It is often said that NFL players make the biggest leap in between Years 1 and 2 -- and we are definitely seeing a rise out of certain individuals from the loaded 2024 draft class.
As executives and scouts are currently re-evaluating players from last year's draft to monitor their growth and development, I wanted to pop in some tape, take some notes and re-rank the top 10 guys from the 2024 prospect crop.
Here is my ranking, counting down from No. 10 to No. 1.
DRAFTED: Round 2, No. 45 overall
One of the league's best "see ball, get ball" defenders, Cooper fills the stat sheet as a dynamic linebacker with a knack for creating splash plays (sacks, tackles for loss and turnovers) all over the field in Jeff Hafley's scheme. On a defense loaded with blue-chippers, Cooper's presence in the middle creates problems for opponents ill-equipped to deal with Green Bay's cadre of playmakers on all three levels. A special athlete, Cooper does things that pop off the film each week. In this past Sunday's win over the Cardinals, the 'backer capably covered Pro Bowl TE Trey McBride up the seam and broke up a would-be touchdown.
DRAFTED: Round 1, No. 6 overall
Despite suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 4, Nabers has been as good as advertised as the Giants' WR1. On the heels of a prolific rookie campaign (170 targets, 109 catches, 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns), Nabers provided a transcendent performance (nine catches for 167 yards and two scores) against the rival Cowboys back in Week 2 of this season. The 6-foot, 200-pounder plays the game with a dog mentality. He is a polished pass catcher with outstanding hand-eye coordination and advanced route-running technique. Although the injury will prevent Nabers from building chemistry with the Giants' emerging offensive stars, QB Jaxson Dart and RB Cam Skattebo, the Big Apple is already buzzing about the trio's potential in 2026.
DRAFTED: Round 1, No. 16 overall
Murphy's rookie season was plagued by injuries and inconsistency, but he's been an absolute force on Seattle's ferocious front in Year 2. If you have not paid close attention to the DT's dominance between the tackles, you are missing out on one of the league's most disruptive players at the point of attack. The 6-foot, 306-pounder has 4.5 sacks through seven games, exhibiting excellent first-step quickness and heavy hands to destroy blockers on the way to the quarterback. With Murphy coming into his own as a designated playmaker up front, the Seahawks have a future Pro Bowler flourishing in the spine of Mike Macdonald's defense.
DRAFTED: Round 1, No. 1 overall
The former No. 1 overall pick is starting to fulfill his promise as a franchise quarterback in the Windy City. New head coach Ben Johnson has fostered growth from Williams by installing a balanced offense that features a mix of runs and passes to alleviate some of the pressure on the 23-year-old. As the 4-2 Bears continue to tweak the system and supporting cast around their QB1, the second-year pro could climb this list, with his blue-chip ability translating to potent production on the field. The natural arm talent and plus athleticism are evident every game, but Williams needs more play-to-play consistency in order to join the upper ranks of the game's most important position.
DRAFTED: Round 1, No. 22 overall
The Toledo product has quickly become one of the league's premier cover corners. Mitchell played a critical role in Philadelphia's run to the Lombardi Trophy as a rookie starter last season -- and he snagged a pair of picks in the playoffs -- but he has taken his game to the next level this fall. After locking down receivers exclusively as an outside corner in 2024, Mitchell has started to travel with elite WR1s as a shutdown specialist. The additional responsibilities and impressive performance on the perimeter have helped the second-year pro move into the VIP club at the position.
DRAFTED: Round 1, No. 5 overall
The Chargers might have selected a "two for one" in Alt, based on his ability to play right and left tackle at a high level. The 6-8, 322-pounder earned rave reviews for his work on the right side as a rookie, but Pro Bowl LT Rashawn Slater's season-ending injury in training camp forced Alt to hit the blind side, where he shined as an All-American at Notre Dame. While Alt missed three games this month with a high ankle sprain, he just returned to the lineup for the Chargers' 37-10 beatdown of the Vikings on Thursday Night Football. On the season, he's allowed one sack on 168 pass-blocking snaps, per Next Gen Stats, proving he's right at home at left tackle. Given his dominance as an edge blocker from Day 1 in the league, Alt remains a top-five selection in a re-do.
DRAFTED: Round 1, No. 19 overall
The 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year is a pass-rushing demon with a disruptive game that alters opponents' playbooks. Verse relentlessly attacks quarterbacks off the edges, displaying exceptional first-step quickness, snap-count anticipation, violent hands and closing burst. After ranking fourth in the entire league with 76 QB pressures during the 2024 regular season -- behind only Myles Garrett, Danielle Hunter and Trey Hendrickson, per NGS -- Verse was a menace in the playoffs, notching a 57-yard scoop-and-score in the Rams' win over the Vikings and a pair of sacks in the narrow loss to the Eagles. This season, Verse continues to make his mark despite consistently facing double teams and extra attention in pass protection. With four sacks opposite the NFL's co-leader in the category (Byron Young with nine), Verse creates disruptive plays for himself and others with his beastly presence on the defensive front.
DRAFTED: Round 1, No. 13 overall
It is extraordinarily rare for a player to become the gold standard at his position as a rookie, but Bowers rightfully earned first-team All-Pro honors last year. Despite subpar quarterback play in his debut campaign with the Raiders, the Georgia product shattered rookie tight end records for catches (112, which is actually the most receptions ever for a rookie at any position) and receiving yards (1,194). Bowers' unique ability to win against linebackers and defensive backs in space makes it easy to build a game plan around him, with or without a franchise quarterback in the fold. The 6-4, 235-pounder has been slowed by a knee injury in Year 2, with Geno Smith and the 2-5 Raiders clearly paying the consequences. But given what we've seen when Bowers is right, he'd be long gone by the 13th pick of a 2024 redraft.
DRAFTED: Round 1, No. 2 overall
In a "What have you done for me lately?" league, Daniels has lost his grip on the No. 1 spot in this class. Despite running away with the 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year award and guiding the Commanders to an improbable NFC Championship Game appearance, Washington's regression in 2025 and Daniels' injury-marred sophomore season make him the runner-up in this re-do. But don't get it twisted: I'm still extremely high on this polished dual threat. The electric running ability and deft touch with the football drop your jaw, but his preternatural calm might be the most striking quality. No moment is too big for the 24-year-old, which bodes quite well for a franchise that hasn't enjoyed much success in the past 30 years. Now the 3-4 Commanders just need that hamstring to heal.
DRAFTED: Round 1, No. 3 overall
Maye has captivated the football world with a spectacular start to his second season, spawning conversation that he could soon join the big four at quarterback (Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow). Obviously, the 23-year-old needs to keep this up in order to reach such rarefied air, but he has made a quantum leap under the direction of new head coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. Through the first seven weeks of the season, Maye leads the NFL with a 75.2 percent completion rate, while also posting sparkling figures in TD-to-INT ratio (12:2), yards per attempt (8.6) and passer rating (116.4). He's been staggeringly effective downfield, too, boasting a perfect 158.3 passer rating on throws of 20-plus air yards. (That's ridiculous.) With the 5-2 Patriots sitting alone atop the AFC East, Maye has entered the MVP discussion and surpassed his peers as the QB1 of a stacked 2024 crop at the position.