NFL: 8 Rookies That Are Sure To Make An Impact In 2015.

 With teams having started their camps for rookies and veterans, I have been looking to see which players are more likely to make an immediate impact on their team in year one. I have gone over the draft boards to see which players are more likely than not to do so.

Here are eight rookies that I believe are sure to make a name for themselves, day one.

1. Jameis Winston: It's no secret, nor should it be a surprise that I put him on this list. Winston is a very good football player and his competitive nature is what I believe puts him head and should above the other quarterbacks from this draft class. During his time at Florida State he played from behind in some games, had some bad games (throwing more touchdowns than interceptions), received harsh criticism from the media because of off-the-field issues, but those things never seemed to effect his on-the-field performance. In his two years as a starter at Florida State, he [Winston] won the Heisman Trophy, a National Championship and only had one loss on his record. I don't see Winston letting up in the NFL, he wants to be great and I believe that he can be. Let's be honest, 2014 was a terrible year for the Tampa Bay offense, they finished near the bottom in almost every offensive category, the only way to go is up. Now that the "Josh McCown project" is over, the Winston era is ready to begin. In 2015, I'm sure we'll be hearing a lot of "Winston to Evans" [Mike Evans].

2. Kevin White: He has very big shoes to fill in Chicago. Do I believe that he can do it so soon? Yes. Here's a receiver that I believe can go in and change an organization. White is big in stature and might have the best combination of physicality and speed of any receiver in this years' draft. I really believe that pairing him with an elite receiver like Alshon Jeffery is going to work wonders for him. Honestly, it'll be like when they paired Jeffery with Marshall. White has all of the tools to become an elite receiver in the NFL and I see him being a very similar player to Julio Jones. I know it could be too early to tell, but the 109 receptions in 2014 at West Virginia, to go along with his 10 touchdown receptions, should kind of help to speak about the kind of player he is. He won't be the best receiver on the field, no. However, the best receiver on the field will likely be double covered, allowing for more one-on-one match-ups for White.

3. Melvin Gordon: Gordon should have been the first running back drafted, in my opinion. But I know the Chargers are glad that he wasn't. He [Gordon] could already be the second best running back in the division (AFC West), behind Jamaal Charles. One thing that the Chargers have been missing over the past several years is a great running back. Gordon is that back. In recent years, a lot of backs from Wisconsin get into the NFL and become average, Gordon is different. He isn't a power-back or a down-hill runner who takes a lot of hits; he is going to find a hole in the line and make cuts to get open and run towards the outside, away from the contact. Gordon will be a very good addition to the Chargers offense, led by Phillip Rivers. It's safe to say that Gordon is an upgrade from former back, Ryan Mathews, who struggled to stay healthy during his time in San Diego, only playing 16 games one season (2013) in his five years with the team and rushing for 1,000 or more yards two times (2011, 2013). Stats via ESPN.

4. Randy Gregory: If there is one thing to be said about Gregory being drafted no.60 overall... STEAL... Dallas was given the "golden ticket" to the Wonka factory with this pick. Gregory was a sure top-10 draft pick until running into some off-the-field issues, right after the draft combine. The Cowboys' pass rushers weren't near the best last season, this is a major upgrade. Adding a player like Gregory can change the entire way you play defense. When thinking about a player with his freakish athletic ability, it should put fear into opposing quarterbacks. He can play linebacker, defensive end, he can cover in the flat or they can have him in "spy" situations on dual-threat quarterbacks. Gregory will be the best player on this defensive line, until the debut of Greg Hardy - who has some off-the-field issues of his own. Gregory would've been a steal at the no.15 pick, being drafted no.60 is sure to have put some fuel in his fire and I'm positive that he's ready to show every other team that passed him up that they made a mistake. The biggest question during his draft process for teams must have been, risk verse reward: Is he worth taking the chance on? The answer should have been "yes" for 32/32 teams. Dallas made the correct decision with this pick.

5. Tyler Lockett: Wow! Is all that I can say. Tyler Lockett was easily my favorite receiver to watch in college football in 2014. He isn't big in stature, he doesn't have "blazing" speed, but he is one of the best pure route runners that I have seen a few years, he has crazy hand-eye coordination, his ability to adjust during receptions is second to none and he broke nearly all of the receiving records at Kansas State (which were held by his father). I know that college ball and the NFL are two  very different games. However, I also know talent, Lockett is pure talent. Only being around 5-feet-10-inches in height, Lockett is very impressive to watch because he can play, both, the slot and outside receiver. Putting him an offense that now has Jimmy Graham, Marshawn Lynch and Russell Wilson leading it, Lockett is sure to help contribute on the offensive side of the ball, as well as special teams.

6. Ronald Darby: This name may surprise a lot of people. He wasn't the best defensive back in the draft, no. But, being drafted to the already stout defense of the Buffalo Bills was a very good move for Darby. This pick for me was based on what he'll be asked to do on the team, not about the amount of playing time. In a league where receivers are being moved around and a lot of slot receivers are asked to do more, that means that teams now need a very strong nickel back to cover those slot receivers and pass-catching tight ends. Darby, more than likely, will be that nickel back, and one thing about him, he can press coverage very well and he has the recovery speed that you need to play in a Rex Ryan defense. He won't get a ton of turnovers and he isn't an elite corner (yet), but, he's a very good defensive back, going on a top 10 defense and he'll just be another piece added to the already dangerous secondary unit in a division that looks like it could be the best in the 2015 season.

7. Duke Johnson: In 2014, Johnson rushed for over 1,600 yards and 10 touchdowns. Impressed? You should be. On a Miami (Hurricanes) team that was pretty young, Johnson helped to lead the team to a pretty decent season. A lot of games didn't go their way but they kept a lot of games close and he even performed well on the road. Sure to be a big help to a Browns' backfield that struggled in 2014, Johnson, will be a big piece to what they try to do in Cleveland. More than likely he'll share carries with Terrance West, but I think Duke should be a good, reliable no.2 option in the backfield if he wins the position in camp. Talent wise, he was one of the best backs in the 2015 draft, but I know that some teams weren't sure if he would have the work ethic to be great at the NFL level. I don't see Johnson being a 2,000 yard back; he does have the potential to be a star at the next level. In an offense that looks very poor on paper, outside of the offensive live, Johnson has a very good chance to separate himself from the rest of the backs on the roster.

8. Amari Cooper: He was the first receiver drafted, don't act surprised. If 124 receptions in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) doesn't have you sold, nothing will. Cooper dominated in college football last season, over 1,700 yards and 16 receiving touchdowns, I think it's safe to assume he'll be the Raiders' no.1 receiver at the beginning of the season. With the Raiders really struggling to find a TRUE no.1 receiver in the past 3-4 years, Cooper was an excellent pick. The James Jones experiment failed,Darrius Heyward-Bey wasn't worth keeping,Denarius Moore couldn't seem to stay healthy and Streater just isn't a receiver that strikes fear into defensive coordinators when making up a game plan. Carr-to-Cooper sounds like a winning combination going forward, in my opinion. With a new head coach in Jack Del Rio, the Oakland Raiders started off the new era with a great selection in Amari Cooper for their first pick. However, with Cooper being the biggest offensive threat, he will be asked to do a lot more than some other rookie receivers. And yes, there will be some growing pains. But, with a quarterback like Derrick Carr, Cooper could mature very fast and become a star, day one.