Progress of NFL's 1st Round Draft Picks

Filed in archive NFL on October 15, 2007

With the 2007 NFL season now past the 1/3 point, it seems like a good time to look back and see how some of the NFL's first-round draft picks are faring. Obviously, it takes some rookies longer than others to get a grip on the NFL, and their respective performances thus far aren't necessarily an indicator of future success or failure. Still, some rookies are having an enormous impact while others have yet to see the field.

QB JaMarcus Russell - The first overall draft pick of the Oakland Raiders was engaged in a lengthy hold-out and has yet to see the field. If the Raiders stay competitive throughout the course of the year, it's likely he won't play at all, since he is currently the 4th-string QB.

DE Gaines Adams - Adams was taken with the 4th pick in the first round by Tampa Bay to replace future Hall-of-Famer Simeon Rice. He was slow to start the season but played his best game of the campaign thus far in week 6, compiling 5 tackles and his first career sack.

S LaRon Landry - The Redskins used their first-round pick on the safety from LSU. Landry has been a starter from week one and has contributed 26 tackles and half a sack. He has yet to get an interception but has 2 pass break-ups.

RB Adrian Peterson - Peterson is easily the front runner for offensive rookie of the year, and he looks like a beast. The 7th overall pick of the Vikings, Peterson racked up 224 rushing yards and 3 rushing touchdowns against the once vaunted Chicago Bears defense in week 6. He looks like one of the 5 best running backs in the NFL right now.

WR Ted Ginn, Jr. - After the fans booed and hissed Dolphins head coach Cam Cameron for bypassing QB Brady Quinn and selecting the speedy wideout with the 9th selection, he isn't utilizing him much. Ginn has all of 3 catches for 83 yards. He is being used in the return game, however, and is averaging over 25 yards on kickoffs and over 7 yards on punt returns.

LB Patrick Willis - Willis was the 11th overall pick of the 49ers, and he has proven to be the leader in the defensive rookie of the year category. Through 5 games he has 50 tackles, including a team-high 4.5 for a loss, 2 passes defended and 1 forced fumble.

DT Adam Carriker - The St. Louis Rams snatched him with the 13th selection, with the idea of moving him from defensive end to defensive tackle. It hasn't gone wonderfully so far, as Carriker has 9 tackles and blocked 1 field goal. He is also being outplayed at DT by fellow rookie Clifton Ryan, a fifth-round pick who has 19 tackles, 2 sacks and 3 forced fumbles.

CB Leon Hall - The former Wolverine was brought in by the Bengals with the 18th pick, and he has held up, making 15 tackles, breaking up 4 passes, forcing a fumble and leading the team with 2 interceptions.

S Reggie Nelson - Nelson was known as a do-it-all kind of guy coming out of Florida, and that's just what the jaguars were expecting when they took him with the 21st pick. Nelson has lived up to his end of the bargain thus far, with 15 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble and 1 interception.

WR Dwayne Bowe - Kansas City hadn't had a reliable receiver to complement Tony Gonzalez for some time, but it looks like they found a gem in Bowe. The 23rd overall pick is second behind Gonzalez with 26 receptions and 415 yards. He is averaging a team-best 16.0 yards per catch and has snared 3 touchdowns.

WR Robert Meachem - On the other end of the spectrum from Bowe is Saints wideout Meachem. The 27th pick out of Tennessee, Meachem has yet to touch the ball in his NFL career because he has yet to play. He was injured in training camp after coming in out of shape and he still hasn't seen the field.

(Photo: Photo: Jeff Wheeler, Minneapolis Star-Tribune