NFC Rookies to Watch

Now for the NFC

NFC East

Dez Bryant - WR Oklahoma State - Personal problems have never deterred Jerry Jones in his approach. Bryant is no exception, but he possesses an amazing skill set. Because Roy Williams hasn't panned out for the Cowboys, Bryant will likely get a bit of touches in his rookie season. With defenses likely to double breakout Miles Austin, look for Bryant to get some big plays down field.

Jason Pierre-Paul - DE South Florida - An absolute athlete, Pierre-Paul was considered a reach to many analysts due to his lack of productivity at South Florida. He's what many consider "a workout warrior." He impressed a lot of people at he combine, and will likely be remembered if for nothing else, the thirteen or so backflips he did in succession at his pro day. He'll be fun to watch, and has the veteran leadership of Umenyiora, Tuck, and Kiwanuka in front of him to help his development.

Trent Williams - OT Oklahoma - With the retirement of Pro Bowl tackle Chris Samuels, Williams will be thrown into the fire immediately. But that shouldn't be a deterrent for the Oklahoma product. He'll likely be given the task of protecting McNabb's blindside. I don't expect him to be John Runyan out of the gate, but he should shore up that line.

NFC North

Ndamukong Suh - DT Nebraska - I'm not so sure what I can say about Suh that hasn't already been said. He's a monster, and was easily the best player in this year's draft. The Lions finally addressed their needs rather than their wants. Suh will be an immediate impact player, and will without a doubt improve their defensive line.

Bryan Bulaga - OT Iowa - The Iowa product will likely be a good pass protector for Aaron Rodgers. But it will be interesting to see if he can shake the image that Robert Gallery cast on offensive tackles from Iowa.

Jahvid Best - RB California - Another Lion? Kevin Smith seemed unable to carry the load all by his lonesome the last two years, and will finally get some much needed help with the explosive Best. Injuries have been an issue with Best, but if healthy, he'll be an exciting player to watch, and a productive one at that.

NFC West

Sam Bradford - QB Oklahoma - All eyes are going to be on the number one over all pick. Will the fifteen or so extra pounds of muscle he put on be enough to sustain the barrage he'll incur behind the Swiss cheese offensive line of the Rams? He has an accurate arm, and definitely has big play capability, but with a team that has a lot of needs, will he be able to make a big impact from the get-go? He'll benefit from being able to hand the ball to Steven Jackson though.

Earl Thomas - S Texas - A lot of buzz was created when Pete Carroll decided to go with the more versatile defensive back in Earl Thomas rather than his former stud Taylor Mays. I say defensive back, because he comes in as a safety, but has the potential to play either corner spot as well. Earl Thomas is one of the most NFL ready players to enter the draft, and is poised for immediate impact. He'll look to improve upon the 30th ranked pass defense from a year ago. He's a very talented player and will be a lot of fun to watch.

Mike Iupati - G Idaho - Like I mentioned before, I didn't know much about this kid before the draft, but man am I sold. He's an absolute monster guard. He'll help relieve some of the pressure that Frank Gore has had to take over the past few years. This help may keep the injury prone ore on the field a little more than usual. He'll help improve a run game that was already in the top fifteen a year ago.

NFC South

Jimmy Clausen - QB Notre Dame - Jake Delhomme is gone, and though John Fox has said Moore is their guy after ending the season well last year, Jimmy Clausen has found himself in a good spot. He will likely compete for the starting job in the preseason, and at the slightest slip up by Moore, he'll probably find himself on the field. He has a great run game behind him as well as Steve Smith and now Brandon LaFell to throw to. It'll be interesting to see if he lives up to the billing.

Gerald McCoy - DT Oklahoma - A lot has been made of McCoy, and he's constantly being compared to Suh. Being a defensive tackle, and being taken third alone is enough to watch and see if he lives up to the hype, but going to a team that just cut one of their starting defensive tackles almost guarantees him a spot in the starting eleven. Tampa Bay seems to have a gem, and with a defensive minded coach like Raheem Morris, he'll be sure to flourish, or at least be a bright spot for a very young upcoming team.

Sean Weatherspoon - LB Missouri - Living in Atlanta, it's hard to turn on the radio the past few days without hearing about Weatherspoon. He's a very athletic guy, and he's sure to bring a lot of excitement to the Falcons. Some experts thought he was a reach, but it seems as if Atlanta had been targeting him all along. He possesses the athleticism as well as the versatility to play both inside and outside linebacker, which bodes well for him as far as play time is concerned.

There you have it, 24 rookie players I'll be paying close attention to this season.

Who do you look forward to watching?

All links are to ESPN's draft profiles.