Blessuan Austin, cornerback
College: Rutgers
Round selected: Sixth

Analysis: Due to injuries at the position, the sixth-round pick wound up starting six games and playing 38% of the defensive snaps -- not bad, considering he sat out training camp and the first half of the season because of a second ACL surgery from college. He wound up getting benched for the final game because of a blown assignment, but he will compete for a starting job in 2020 because he showed enough promise during his run as a starter. His technique needs a lot of polish, but say this for Austin: He plays with a swagger, which is important at the cornerback position. If he stays healthy and listens to his coaches, he has a chance to be a good one.

Rating: Has a lot to prove. -- Rich Cimini

AFC North

Jaylon Ferguson, outside linebacker
College: Louisiana Tech
Round selected: Third

Analysis: The third-round pick was a pleasant surprise, stepping up to fill the void left by veteran Pernell McPhee, who suffered a season-ending triceps injury in Week 7. It initially looked like Ferguson would be a reserve as a rookie because of the learning curve going from Louisiana Tech to the NFL. But Ferguson, whose nickname is "Sack Daddy," started nine games, finishing with 31 tackles and 2.5 sacks. The Ravens are hoping to get even more quarterback pressures from Ferguson in his second season.

Rating: He's a starter. -- Jamison Hensley

Michael Jordan, guard
College: Ohio State
Round selected: Fourth

Analysis: Jordan stepped into a starting guard position in 2019. While he had his share of shaky moments as a rookie, the coaching staff liked what they saw and believe he has the potential to continue to solidify a starting role in 2020 and beyond. Aside from Jordan and fellow fourth-round pick Ryan Finley, the Bengals received little production from their late-round picks in 2019. If Jordan continues to develop, he could help solidify an offensive line that will likely be blocking for a rookie quarterback next season.

Rating: He's a starter. -- Ben Baby

Mack Wilson, linebacker
College: Alabama
Round selected: Fifth

Analysis: Wilson's emergence after Christian Kirksey's season-ending pectoral injury in Week 2 made it easier for the Browns to cut ties with Kirksey this offseason. Wilson had the usual ups and downs for a rookie defender. But he's already shown that he can develop into a quality starter in the NFL.

Rating: He's a starter. -- Jake Trotter

Benny Snell Jr., running back
College: Kentucky
Round selected: Fourth

Analysis: Snell benefited from injuries to James Conner and Jaylen Samuels to get a decent amount of playing time in his rookie season and finish with 426 yards and two touchdowns on 108 carries. In both of his starts -- coming against Cincinnati and Baltimore -- Snell had at least 90 rushing yards, and he scored a touchdown in the Week 17 finale against the Ravens. Most of the time, though, Snell was the team's closer, used in the fourth quarter to eat up clock after the Steelers secured a lead. Snell's ability as a bruising, downhill runner got him on the field late in games, but he needs to improve his pass protection to be an every-down back.

Rating: On his way. -- Brooke Pryor

AFC South

Charles Omenihu, defensive end
College: Texas
Round selected: Fifth

Analysis: Omenihu played 41% of the Texans defensive snaps last season, but his 27 pressures ranked fourth on the team. Late last season, Omenihu said most of his success had come as an inside rusher and that he wanted to "work on my outside game." The Texans' defense struggled because of a lack of pass rush in 2019, so coach Bill O'Brien and defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver are hoping Omenihu plays a bigger role next season.

Rating: On his way. -- Sarah Barshop

Bobby Okereke, linebacker
College: Stanford
Round selected: Third

Analysis: It was tough choosing between Okereke and safety Khari Willis, whom the Colts gave up two fourth-round picks to move up and draft. Okereke started half of the 16 games he played, giving the Colts another solid linebacker to go alongside Anthony Walker and Pro Bowler Darius Leonard. Okereke, who can play all three linebacker positions, was a stat machine as a rookie, with 65 tackles, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a sack. The addition of DeForest Buckner in the middle of the defensive line to go with defensive end Justin Houston should open up more lanes for Okereke to pursue the ball next season.

Rating: He's a starter. -- Mike Wells

Gardner Minshew, quarterback
College: Washington State
Round selected: Sixth

Analysis: Minshew struggled so much in the preseason that the Jags considered adding a veteran quarterback. But he turned it around in the regular season in place of an injured Nick Foles. Minshew had the best passer rating and fewest interceptions of any rookie last season. The Jags dumped Foles this offseason (traded to Chicago) and they're going with the sixth-round pick out of Washington State in 2020. Now the priority is getting Minshew some additional playmakers, which began with the addition of tight end Tyler Eifert in free agency, so the QB can (they hope) begin to flourish.

Rating: He's a starter. -- Michael DiRocco

Amani Hooker, defensive back
College: Iowa
Round selected: Fourth

Analysis: Hooker's ability to digest and understand the defense quickly earned the trust of the Titans coaching staff. He was working with the first-team nickel package in minicamp. Hooker is capable of matching up with move tight ends and bigger receivers in the slot. Even though he was stuck behind Kevin Byard and Kenny Vaccaro, Hooker played 30% of the Titans' defensive snaps. Hooker won't start in front of Vaccaro and Byard, but he will be a key part of the Titans' sub-packages, especially when they want to defend the run.

Rating: On his way. -- Turron Davenport

AFC West

Dre'Mont Jones, defensive end
College: Ohio State
Round selected: Third

Analysis: Jones had 2.5 sacks in the Broncos' Week 16 win over the Detroit Lions and started in the season finale a week later. He played 31% of the defensive snaps last season, but given his athleticism and consistent work in the pass rush, as well as the departure of Derek Wolfe in free agency, his snap count figures to rise. Playing alongside a five-time Pro Bowl selection in Jurrell Casey should allow him to flourish.

Rating: On his way. -- Jeff Legwold

Rashad Fenton, cornerback
College: South Carolina
Round selected: Sixth

Analysis: The sixth-round draft pick was getting playing time as the slot cornerback by midseason and held his own. He had a fourth-quarter interception against Philip Rivers that helped the Chiefs hold off the Chargers in Week 11 and had a sack in the divisional-round playoff win over the Texans. Fenton may never be more than a part-time and special-teams player but the Chiefs should be OK with that given where he was drafted.

Rating: Has a lot to prove. -- Adam Teicher

Drue Tranquill, linebacker
College: Notre Dame
Round selected: Fourth

Analysis: A fourth-round pick, Tranquill was a regular contributor on special teams and grew his role on the defense throughout the season. In 15 games, Tranquill had 75 tackles, including four for a loss. Next season, Tranquill has the opportunity to land a starting job as a middle or weakside linebacker. "One of the most impressive things about Drew, is coming in as a rookie, he gave us the versatility to play [middle] and [weakside] when different guys went down," Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said. "We plugged him in a lot of different places and he did a heck of a job."

Rating: He's a starter. -- Lindsey Thiry

Maxx Crosby, defensive end
College: Eastern Michigan
Round selected: Fourth

Analysis: Taken No. 106 overall, Crosby finished second in NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year voting after getting 10 sacks, 14 quarterback hits, 47 tackles, four forced fumbles, four passes defensed and 11 stuffs. The "Salt" to fellow rookie edge rusher Clelin Ferrell's "Pepa," Crosby had four sacks against the Bengals in Week 11, after becoming a full-time starter in Week 9. Crosby has already become a fan favorite as well as a regular on his home stadium DJ's playlist, "Push It" by Salt-N-Pepa spinning whenever he, or Ferrell, gets a sack. Expect more airtime, then, in Las Vegas. At least, that's the hope for the Raiders going forward for this third-day selection.

Rating: On his way. -- Paul Gutierrez

NFC East

Tony Pollard, running back
College: Memphis
Round selected: Fourth

Analysis: With Ezekiel Elliott on the roster, Pollard will not get a lot of work. But he could be a multifaceted player in coach Mike McCarthy's offense who could compare to Ty Montgomery. Montgomery was a receiver who moved to running back. Perhaps Pollard can do the reverse, as he played receiver at Memphis. As a fourth-round rookie, he had two 100-yard rushing games, finishing with 455 yards on 86 carries with two touchdowns. He caught 15 passes for 107 yards and a touchdown. He has a versatile skillset that could find him getting touches in different ways than as a rookie.

Rating: On his way. -- Todd Archer

Darius Slayton, wide receiver
College: Auburn
Round selected: Fifth

Analysis: Picked 171st overall, Slayton led the Giants in receiving yards and touchdowns. He looks like a late-round gem, something the Giants haven't had many of in recent years. His role should only expand this season as perhaps the Giants' best perimeter receiver. It's Slayton, Golden Tate and Sterling Shepard as their clear-cut top three receivers.

Rating: On his way. -- Jordan Raanan

Shareef Miller, defensive end
College: Penn State
Round selected: Fourth

Analysis: The Eagles only selected two players in the third round and beyond: Miller and quarterback Clayton Thorson, who was cut in August following a rocky preseason. Miller was a game-day inactive for most of the year and did not play any snaps on defense. The Eagles knew the Penn State product needed time to develop when they picked him, so his quiet rookie season wasn't a huge surprise. Now that he's in Year 2, he needs to show significant signs of improvement. Philadelphia could really use a boost to its pass-rush rotation.

Rating: Has a lot to prove. -- Tim McManus

Terry McLaurin, wide receiver
College: Ohio State
Round selected: Third

Analysis: McLaurin surprised even the Redskins, who figured his role would be mostly on special teams. Instead, he became a standout receiver and, with better quarterback play, would have easily topped 1,000 yards. McLaurin's speed and desire to master the nuances of playing receiver in the NFL should help him build on his success. He finished with 919 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in 14 games. No one else had more than 378 receiving yards. McLaurin showed he could win multiple ways and faced a variety of top corners, such as Darius Slay and Byron Jones, with success.

Rating: On his way. -- John Keim

NFC North

David Montgomery, running back
College: Iowa State
Round selected: Third

Analysis: Montgomery led the team with 889 rushing yards and six touchdowns. However, Chicago never truly committed to running the football. Montgomery had 20-plus carries in four games as the Bears ranked near the bottom of the league in rushing offense. The onus is on Bears coach Matt Nagy to better utilize Montgomery in 2020 because Chicago cannot be one-dimensional on offense and expect to reach the playoffs.

Rating: He's a starter. -- Jeff Dickerson

Amani Oruwariye, cornerback
College: Penn State
Round selected: Fifth

Analysis: The fifth round pick began the season as an afterthought and by the end of it was pushing Rashaan Melvin for his starting position. Oruwariye has good length, speed and instincts and intercepted two passes as a rookie in limited snaps (19% of defensive reps). With Darius Slay traded to Philadelphia and Rashaan Melvin moving on in free agency, there is a clear path to a starting spot for Oruwariye opposite now-No. 1 corner Desmond Trufant. He may get competition in the draft, especially if Detroit selects Ohio State's Jeff Okudah in the first round, but Oruwariye's putting himself in a position to compete for a starting job or to be the first corner off the bench. This Lions staff likes him, but he has a ways to go.

Rating: On his way. -- Michael Rothstein

Jace Sternberger, tight end
College: Texas A&M
Round selected: Third

Analysis: He's going to get a chance to prove he's worthy of the third-round pick (No. 75 overall) that GM Brian Gutekunst spent on him. Injuries ruined the early portion of his season and hindered his development after playing only one year of major college football. But by the end of the season, he found a role in coach Matt LaFleur's offense both as an H-back type of blocker and a receiving threat. "Jace in time has a chance to be the kind of guy that can be a mismatch for us," Gutekunst said this offseason. "He has some dynamic ability in the passing game." He caught his first NFL touchdown pass in the NFC Championship Game and with Jimmy Graham gone, Sternberger will get his shot to be the No. 1 tight end.

Rating: Has a lot to prove. -- Rob Demovsky

Bisi Johnson, wide receiver
College: Colorado State
Round selected: Seventh

Analysis: The Vikings had been searching for a No. 3 receiver for years by the time they drafted Johnson out of Colorado State in the seventh round. Minnesota had nine wideouts in training camp not named Stefon Diggs or Adam Thielen. By the end of the preseason, Johnson was the only rookie left standing. In the two months Thielen missed due to injury, Johnson assumed a starter's role and finished the season third in receiving among his position group. "He didn't need much teaching, he did everything he was asked and he prepared the right way," Diggs said. "I always have respect for guys who come in late [in the draft], but being a professional, he does his job. You can appreciate that more as a man than a player."

Rating: On his way. -- Courtney Cronin

NFC South

Kendall Sheffield, cornerback
College: Ohio State
Round selected: Fourth

Analysis: Sheffield, who had some injury issues at the combine, impressed the Falcons during their private meetings before the draft. The fourth-rounder proclaimed himself a first-round talent upon joining the team. Then he went out and used his blazing speed and playmaking ability in a starting role, as the team saw vet Desmond Trufant go down to injury. With Trufant out, Sheffield, who can play inside in nickel or outside in base, is destined to take that next step.

Rating: On his way.-- Vaughn McClure

Dennis Daley, offensive tackle
College: South Carolina
Round selected: Sixth

Analysis: Injuries thrust the sixth-round pick into the starting lineup mostly at left tackle. He allowed seven sacks, but had only four penalties and was a decent run-blocker. Daley's best effort came in his second start, when he held then-NFL sack leader Shaquil Barrett (Tampa Bay) to one hit and received the highest rating for left tackles by Pro Football Focus that week. He earned a final grade of 58.3 from PFF. That was average but second among Carolina's four tackles. He needs refining but has plenty of upside. He won't be forced to start this year, as the Panthers brought in veteran Russell Okung to anchor the left side. Daley should be a future starter and could get a shot at guard.

Rating: On his way. -- David Newton

C.J. Gardner-Johnson, safety
College: Florida
Round selected: Fourth

Analysis: The Saints traded up to snag Gardner-Johnson and he didn't disappoint. He will be part of a three-man rotation at safety with starters Malcolm Jenkins and Marcus Williams this year. Gardner-Johnson played about 70% of the Saints' defensive snaps from Week 7 on last year in a similar role. The 5-foot-11, 210-pounder spent a lot of time playing inside the box, but he lined up in a variety of positions, including deep safety and the slot. He started eight of the Saints' final 11 games, including the playoffs. And during that 11-game span he tallied 46 tackles, one interception, nine pass defenses and a game-changing forced fumble in a Week 16 win at Tennessee.

Rating: On his way. -- Mike Triplett

Jamel Dean, cornerback
College: Auburn
Round selected: Third

Analysis: After surrendering three touchdowns in an overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 9, Dean redeemed himself by making a game-winning interception the following week against the Arizona Cardinals. He finished the season with 10 pass breakups -- the most among all NFL rookies. "I feel like it was more about learning how to be a pro, understanding like how to actually watch film and what it takes to prepare week in and week out," said Dean, who, along with the Bucs' other rookie defensive backs, started coming into the facility at 5:30 a.m. for extra film work with defensive coordinator Todd Bowles. The Bucs believe Dean's combination of 4.3 speed and size (6-foot-1 and 212 pounds) is rare and are excited about the future as he learns to put it all together.

Rating: He's a starter. -- Jenna Laine

NFC West

KeeSean Johnson, wide receiver
College: Fresno State
Round selected: Sixth

Analysis: Johnson finished the season with five straight inactives -- but he was still the best late-round pick by the Cardinals in 2019. Johnson had a great preseason but didn't shine as much during the regular season. He finished with 21 catches for 187 yards and a touchdown. The expectation is he takes that proverbial second-year leap after figuring out how to adjust to playing in the NFL. He has one of the best mentors in the league in Larry Fitzgerald and the experience of an entire season. But with the addition of DeAndre Hopkins to the receivers' room, Johnson's snaps could see a decline in 2020 regardless of how much progress he makes.

Rating: Has a lot to prove. -- Josh Weinfuss

Darrell Henderson, running back
College: Memphis
Round selected: Third

Analysis: Henderson played sparingly last season. He rushed for 147 yards on 39 carries and caught four passes for 37 yards, and finished the season on injured reserve after suffering a high ankle sprain in Week 16. Henderson did demonstrate flashes of his potential in Week 6, as he broke away for explosive 22- and 14-yard runs on consecutive carries; however, he also suffered a rookie woe in that 20-7 loss, when he botched a pitch from Jared Goff to start the second half. This season, Henderson will have a chance to become a breakout star following the Rams' decision to cut Todd Gurley.

Rating: He's a starter. -- Lindsey Thiry

Dre Greenlaw, linebacker
College: Arkansas
Round selected: Fifth

Analysis: The fifth-round pick proved to the coaching staff he could contribute after a strong offseason program and that momentum carried into training camp. Greenlaw became the starting strong side linebacker and was a solid special-teams contributor before moving to the weak side in place of injured starter Kwon Alexander. Greenlaw would go on to make one of the biggest plays of the season, stopping tight end Jacob Hollister inches short of the goal line in the final seconds of a huge Week 17 win against Seattle. Greenlaw will have to continue to develop in a lesser role with Alexander expected to return. Still, Greenlaw has the athleticism and instincts to be an impact player.

Rating: On his way. -- Nick Wagoner

Cody Barton, linebacker
College: Utah
Round selected: Third

Analysis: Barton impressed Seattle's coaches and veteran linebackers with how quickly he picked up the playbook. He led the Seahawks in special-teams snaps and made four starts at strong-side linebacker for Mychal Kendricks. As promising of a player as Barton appears to be, his path to a full-time starting role in 2020 isn't clear. At 237 pounds, he's better suited to play on the weak side, where K.J. Wright is in line to start for at least another year after Seattle paid him a $1 million roster bonus in March. The Seahawks see free-agent pickup Bruce Irvin as a strong-side linebacker on early downs and they're set in the middle with All-Pro Bobby Wagner.

Rating; Has a lot to prove. -- Brady Henderson