3 Second Year Breakout Candidates for 2015
By: Jonathan Janas, KCOU Sports
2014 saw one of the better rookie classes we’ve ever seen. Stars emerged like Odell Beckham, Jr., Teddy Bridgewater, and CJ Mosely; players that without a doubt came to the NFL ready to perform at a top level. However, with every rookie wonder comes one who just wasn’t quite ready for the big stage yet. With a year under their belt, some of these guys are bound to improve upon their poor rookie campaigns. Here is my list of second year players who are ready to explode this upcoming season.
Eric Ebron TE Detroit Lions
The former 10th overall pick tallied a mere 25 catches and a single touchdown in 2014 which is not what we expected from such an athletic tight end in a pass heavy offense. In the preseason, Ebron shined and had football fans excited with his athleticism and versatility, running routes from the end, as a wide out, and even out of the backfield. Ebron struggled to corral the ball in his first year, but that shouldn’t continue to be a problem for a player like him. If the Lions are able to target him as much as they should, expect to see more of that talent in his sophomore year.
Davante Adams WR Green Bay Packers
You may remember Davante Adams as the guy who went off against the Cowboys in the divisional round of the playoffs, but during the regular season, the Fresno State alum had many glimpses of serious playmaking ability. I can attribute Adams’ lack of production to the two EXTREMELY talented veteran wide receivers he has above him on the depth chart. In his second year, look for the athletic playmaker to take some of the load off Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb and haul in a boat load of passes from the league’s Most Valuable Player.
Jadeveon Clowney DE Houston Texans
The number one overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft did not perform on the field, mostly because he was never on it. Clowney only suited up for four games in his rookie campaign due to several injuries. We know the kind of beast Clowney is. He’s a brute force that can knock lineman over one play, and then use a swim move and pure speed to zip past them the next. A healthy Clowney is a scary Clowney and hopefully we can see that a lot more in his second year.