It’s only the preseason, but a few rookies are already showing they belong in the NFL.
The spotlight was on Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza this Thursday night since his second preseason game was nationally televised on ESPN. Unfortunately for the No. 1 overall pick, he had an interception that was returned 80 yards for a touchdown.
While Mendoza is still trying to find his footing, there was another rookie who shined on Thursday night.
Kyle Terada-Imagn Images.
De’Zhaun Stribling is proving his critics wrong.
The 49ers received a ton of backlash for taking De’Zhaun Stribling with the 33rd overall pick, but no one is laughing now. The speedster from Ole Miss has been undeniably good this preseason.
After hauling in seven passes for 63 yards in his preseason debut, Stribling secured four of five targets for 46 yards in his second game with the 49ers. He got to work with Brock Purdy and the first-team offense during the first quarter.
With Ricky Pearsall sidelined for the season, Stribling should make an impact for the 49ers this fall.
Barry Reeger-Imagn Images.
Don’t sleep on Drew Allar.
It was only one game, but Pittsburgh Steelers rookie quarterback Drew Allar proved why he was considered a first-round prospect back in 2025.
Allar, the 76th overall pick from this year’s draft, completed 10 of 13 pass attempts for 153 yards with two touchdowns. The Penn State product also had a rushing touchdown for the Steelers.
“It’s a huge confidence boost, but I think I came into the game confident just because of the preparation and everything that has gone on in the last two weeks down in Latrobe,” Allar said, via ESPN. “Coach McCarthy and the whole offensive staff put together a really concise game plan … just calling stuff that they know I’m comfortable with and just allowing us to go out and play fast. I feel like they did a great job of putting me in a position to go out and be successful.”
While he won’t start this season for the Steelers, it’s possible Allar develops into their long-term answer at quarterback.
Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Image.
Ty Simpson is the real deal.
Some NFL fans genuinely questioned if Sean McVay was on board with the Los Angeles Rams drafting Ty Simpson from Alabama.
Well, we feel comfortable saying that notion is incredibly foolish. Simpson was nearly perfect in his preseason debut, completing 21 of 25 pass attempts for 190 yards with two touchdowns.
Simpson should be able to learn from Matthew Stafford while quietly developing his skills behind the scenes. And if he does just that, the Rams should feel pretty confident about their quarterback situation for 2027 and beyond.
