Rookie Grades From NFL Preseason Week 2

How did the rookies perform in week two of the NFL preseason?

Transcript

00:00Week two of the NFL preseason is officially in the books and joining me now with some grades

00:05for rookies are our Fan Nation publishers Noah Strachlein and Skylar Callahan. I'm caught at

00:10Montana Paterson with SI right now and guys which rookies performed the best and the worst this past

00:16weekend? So for the Steelers I don't know if anybody performed bad but two guys definitely

00:23stood out. That would be first round pick Kenny Pickett who has had a phenomenal preseason. He's

00:28definitely put himself in the running to start at quarterback in week one. A competition that

00:34I don't think was real at the beginning of the summer. He's fought his way in there. He finished

00:38six for seven for 76 yards and a touchdown. He's done exactly what the Steelers have asked him to

00:43do and that is execute in the red zone, win two minute drives. He's done both of those twice now

00:49so he has certainly impressed the coaching staff. The other one is sixth or seventh round pick

00:54inside linebacker Mark Robinson who had five tackles. Earned himself first team reps at

01:00practice this week while Devin Bush is dealing with an ankle injury. Somebody that you certainly

01:05have to keep your eye on moving forward who might be a sneaky name to watch for the Pittsburgh

01:09Steelers. Yeah and for the Panthers I think the good news is that Ikki Aquan is really starting

01:14to settle in at that left tackle position alongside Brady Christensen at left guard.

01:18He's had some ups and downs as expected for a rookie offensive tackle but he's really starting

01:22to come into his own especially as a pass protector. We always knew what he could do in

01:26the run game but and then on the defensive side I think the one guy that stood out was Brandon

01:30Smith. Linebacker, had a sack, has been active, really freakishly athletic. He's been all over

01:35the field and I'd say another guy that's kind of stood out too is undrafted free agent Tay Hayes.

01:40He just continues to make plays in practice and in the game. He had a pick six off of Bailey Zappi

01:45last week so he's a guy that's going to be challenging for that final quarterback spot.

01:49As for the bad news, well it really wasn't a performance but Mack Rau being out for the

01:52season most likely with a lisp frank injury that's a devastating news for him but hopefully

01:57he'll be able to come back and be ready to be in that competition again next season.