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Elaine Thompson / Associated Press
Patrick Mahomes broke in the 2018 season. Mitchell Trubisky was supposed to do so in 2019.
In other words, it’s hard to predict breakouts in the NFL, even when you interview coaches, coaches (private and team employees), and other players. We all read the same tea leaves.
Sometimes, like with Mahomes, it’s seeing glimpses of talent in training and / or an end-of-season load that leads you to believe the player will produce more reps once. With Trubisky last summer, it was hoped that after Mahomes and Deshaun Watson broke up – the two quarterbacks selected immediately after him in the 2017 NFL Draft – he was next.
To pick the best escape candidates in 2020, I spoke with scouts and coaches, but also took into account my own ratings after spending a long summer in quarantine exhausting my NFL Game Pass membership. So what you’ll see here are my picks for breakout players, with either favorable or conflicting comments from NFL sources.
1 of 7
Mark Zaleski / Associated Press
2019 stats: 52 catches, 1051 yards, 8 TD
Quote from the scout: “They’re always going to be a strong defense and ball control team, but there’s no reason Brown shouldn’t have 1,200 yards and 10 TDs in his sophomore year.”
You could tell that AJ Brown broke out as a rookie last year, but the 2019 second round has even more ability to wait to be released. And with Ryan Tannehill firmly entrenched as the team’s jump starting quarterback this year, the Titans’ passing game will be much more productive and explosive.
Brown has the most to gain.
The Titans tried to throw early picks (Corey Davis) and silver (Adam Humphries) to the wide receiver position, only to find their WR1 in Round 2. Davis fell short of expectations and is likely on the way out, while Humphries never got there early last year as the Titans’ passing game struggled before Tannehill took over. Brown, however, showed his talent early on with a 100-yard outing in his first game in the NFL.
More is expected, but Brown looks like one of the best young receivers in the NFL.
2 of 7
Rick Scuteri / Associated Press
2019 stats: 59 catches, 680 yards, 5 TD
Quote from the scout: “All you need to know is Ben (Roethlisberger) is back and deep shooting is back in Pittsburgh. Diontae is going to thrive.”
Diontae Johnson’s rookie season has been a good one, but it could have been better. And it’s not about him, but about the lack of consistency in the quarterback once Ben Roethlisberger suffered a late season injury. Substitutes Devlin Hodges and Mason Rudolph weren’t suited for the kind of attack Johnson was drafted into – a vertical, aggressive set that would stretch the pitch with its sparkle and elusiveness.
With Big Ben back, Johnson should have no trouble beating his rookie season stats. The big-game ability he displayed in Toledo – with no breakout speed, mind you – bodes well for his chances of becoming a legitimate target in Pittsburgh.
Johnson showed his talent and tenacity by winning 59 catches as a rookie, but wait until he improves his catching yards with the strong-armed Roethlisberger leading him down the field and giving him more running opportunities after the catch. .
JuJu Smith-Schuster and James Washington will hit their targets, and rookie Chase Claypool shows promise, but don’t be surprised if Johnson leads the Steelers in catches this season.
3 out of 7
Ted S. Warren / Associated Press
2019 statistics: 32 tackles, two forced fumbles
Quote from the scout: “He was one of our favorite guys in this [2019] Draft, then you see him go to Seattle and you’re just like, ‘Yeah, he’s going to dominate there.’ “
Marquise Blair is a hitter and playmaker who could perhaps lead the next iteration of Boom’s Legion. Seattle Boy Scouts and Coaches think he’s ready to break out.
As a rookie, Blair forced a fumble with a big blow to San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel in a crucial Week 17 red zone game. As he entered his second season, he was ready to become more than just a great player and subset of special teams.
In a defensive backfield with Quandre Diggs and Shaquill Griffin, Blair’s ability to play either safety position and work in a three-safety set makes him incredibly valuable. Coaches believe the game started to slow down for him at the end of last season, which should propel him to an even bigger role in 2020.
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Chris O’Meara / Associated Press
2019 statistics: 2.5 sacks, 12 QB wins, 35 tackles
Quote from the scout: “He’s not as flashy as the D tackles who are known for sacks, but I would say he is one of the most important players for the success of his team. table for everything they do. “
We all tend to focus on stats when evaluating players. But when you peel back the layers of Vita Vea’s play and assess his performance, it’s easy to see he’s one of the best young defensive tackles in the NFL.
Now that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are one of the hottest teams in the league, Vea is set to erupt and become a household name in 2020.
A huge runner-up, Vea showed his ability to collapse the pocket and make life difficult for opposing quarterbacks last season. This developed into more away passing opportunities for teammates like Shaquil Barrett as Vea regularly flushed the pocket with his penetration.
The numbers don’t show up on his stats sheet, but Vea’s assists (a stat we need to start keeping) appear to be one of the best in the NFL from an inward rush perspective.
5 out of 7
Alex Gallardo / Associated press
2019 statistics: 69 catches, 734 yards, 3 TD
Quote from the scout: “The fifth year is a late time to break out, but it really looks like he’ll get into that second level behind [Travis] Kelce and [George] Kittle this year. “
Tyler Higbee is a good tight end, but he’s not considered among the best in his position.
That will change after the 2020 season with new offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell in Los Angeles with a renewed interest in a timing-based passing game.
With the passing game that will expand and the departure of Brandin Cooks (72 targets) and Todd Gurley (49 targets) this offseason, Higbee has the talent and the tools to set up TE1 numbers with the Rams.
He showed his potential with four straight 100-yard games last season, and he broke his previous career records in catches and yards. In 2020, they are expected to become widely known as one of the top five tight groups.
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Phelan M. Ebenhack / Associated Press
2019 stats: Six sacks, three forced fumbles, 16 QB hits, 31 tackles
Quote from the scout: “Flashes have been there – in games and practices – it’s just about getting them in games consistently. But it seems like a defining year for him. Is he a starter, or will he be- is he still a spinning guy? “
Two years after he traded in the first round to select Marcus Davenport, the New Orleans Saints are poised for him to become one of the league’s top assistants. He showed flashes of it in 2019, but the team want those 16 quarterback hits to become sacks.
With Cameron Jordan on one side and Davenport on the other, the Saints’ defense could be prolific in 2020 with a good secondary behind the front line. Against Carolina and Atlanta in Weeks 12 and 13 last year, Davenport released the kind of movie that should excite fans and coaches if they can generate more consistency from the former high school kid.
Staying on the pitch is key – he’s missed six games in two seasons – but Davenport has what it takes to become a household name as a sack artist. As the third year dawns, it’s the expectation of a player the Saints ditched to a future first-round pick to progress and acquire.
7 out of 7
Jack Dempsey / Associated Press
2019 stats: five starts, a 4-1 record, seven touchdowns, three interceptions, 1,020 yards
Quote from the scout: “He lives in the massive shadows of [John] Elway and Mahomes, which is unfortunate because I think he’s made a giant leap this year and is the best quarterback in Year 2. “
Predicting a breakout from a quarterback can be risky, as his success largely depends on the situation around him. You need good coaches, a competent offensive line, and enough weapons that the young flagger doesn’t do it on his own.
Drew Lock has it now. There is no excuse for the quarterback who crafted a 4-1 end to the season not to take the next step after team president John Elway gets over the offseason in him giving a list of Christmas gifts in attack.
Adding to a roster that already included Courtland Sutton, Phillip Lindsay and Noah Fant, the Broncos signed running back Melvin Gordon and drafted wide receivers Jerry Jeudy (round 1) and KJ Hamler (round 2). They also selected Lock’s tight former club Albert Okwuegbunam in Round 4.
The Broncos’ offensive line is a question mark, especially at tackle points, but Lock has the weapons and the talent to lead that attack. at new heights since the early 2010s.
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