Ranking Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and other preseason QB debuts, plus additional rookie takeaways

Although the Houston Texans and Chicago Bears kicked off the preseason a week ago, the rest of the league joined the party over the past four days. It was the first time for fans to see several rookies, including the six quarterbacks drafted in the first round, donning their new team colors.

In reviewing the action, here are some rapid reactions to how the rookie quarterbacks performed, followed by additional takeaways:

The No. 1 overall selection did not make an appearance in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game but he did start this week against the Bills. Williams played 18 snaps on Saturday. Chicago did a good job of moving the pocket for him and allowing him to make throws in space. He showed good arm strength drilling a pass to D.J. Moore, who had sat down in tight coverage. In last week’s ‘Hard Knocks,’ Williams worked on sliding and put those drills to the test against the Bills. 

He completed 4 of 7 pass attempts for 95 yards, as well as 13 yards rushing. 

Although Jarrett Stidham started the game, Nix was quick off the bench. Efficient is the best way to describe his professional debut. He completed 15 of 21 pass attempts for 125 yards and 1 touchdown to go along with 17 rushing yards. Nix has played a lot of football and that likely contributed to his comfort on the field Sunday. The Oregon product averaged 5.4 yards per pass attempt, according to TruMedia, but that was not uncharacteristic of rookie quarterbacks this weekend.

McCarthy did a nice job sensing pressure and maneuvering in the pocket. He showed an ability to throw from different arm slots as the situation necessitated. The No. 10 overall selection also did a good job of waiting for the second window to throw in some cases as his targets crossed the field. 

McCarthy had a few errant throws but did not play with the erratic nature of a rookie. He finished completing 11-of-17 pass attempts for 188 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception. The interception was late in the game and the ball was a bit behind so Jack Jones was able to undercut it. 

Penix completed 9 of 16 pass attempts for 104 yards. He did a really nice job of manipulating the defense with his eyes and working through his progressions. The ex-Husky had shown similar mental acumen at Washington and so far it is translating to the next level. There were reasons for optimism. Veteran Kirk Cousins is sidelined due to injury, so this is a golden opportunity for Penix to get live repetitions. 

The LSU product got his first NFL start. Washington set up a screen on Daniels’ first NFL play and he sailed it over the intended receiver’s head. He responded with two completions, including a 42-yarder to Dyami Brown, before scampering into the end zone for a 3-yard touchdown. Daniels completed 2 of 3 pass attempts for 45 yards. It was not an extensive look but the Commanders are taking it slow with their rookie quarterback. 

Jacoby Brissett started the game and Maye came off the bench. Maye completed 2 of 3 pass attempts for 19 yards. One of those completions was a screen and the other was a dump off into the flat. It was a relatively uneventful debut for the No. 3 overall selection. 

Other notable rookie performances

49ers third-round selection Dominick Puni got the start at right guard. He looked totally in control and played with excellent balance. As San Francisco looks to identify its starting offensive line unit, Puni, a former left tackle at Kansas, has made a strong case for inclusion. 

Only three rookie running backs were responsible for a touchdown in preseason Week 1: Buccaneers‘ Bucky Irving (Oregon), Broncos’ Audric Estime (Notre Dame) and Dolphins‘ Jaylen Wright (Tennessee). Philadelphia’s Will Shipley (Clemson) and Cincinnati’s Jermaine Burton (Alabama) were the only two rookies to catch a touchdown.

Rookies accounted for eight sacks in the preseason thus far; Austin Booker of the Bears is responsible for 2.5 sacks. Dallas Turner of the Vikings registered his first professional sack. Cincinnati’s Josh Newton recorded the only interception by a rookie.