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Draft picks represent hope for the future, and no one gets more attention from fans than the first-round picks. Now that teams have gotten a good look at their draft classes through rookie camp and OTAs, we can get an idea of how quickly first-rounders are adapting to the pro game. Who's getting first-team reps? Who's struggling? Our NFL Nation reporters share their first impressions of how first-rounders are doing, and whether they're ahead of the rookie curve, right on track, or whether it's too soon to tell.  No. 1: Cleveland BrownsQB Baker Mayfield. The Browns don't want Mayfield to start this season and are giving Tyrod Taylor the starter's reps. That's as it should be given the plan, and given Mayfield has a long way to go in learning the NFL game, speed and fundamentals. Status: Too soon to tell. -- Pat McManamon  No. 2: New York GiantsRB Saquon Barkley. He was the second overall pick and the consensus top player in the draft for a reason. There isn't much Barkley can't do. He's picking up the offense quickly and really making his presence felt as a receiver at OTAs. His ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and run crisp routes has been noticeable. Barkley is also handling the hype and attention with relative ease. It's impressive. Status: Right on track. -- Jordan Raanan  No. 3: New York JetsQB Sam Darnold. It's not a knock against Darnold, but it's difficult to gauge a quarterback in noncontact practices in the spring. This much we do know: He can make all the throws, his grasp of the offense is improving on a daily basis, and he's a good student in the classroom, according to teammates and coaches. Darnold's big test will be in the preseason, when he's expected to see significant action. Status: Too soon to tell. -- Rich Cimini No. 4: Cleveland BrownsCB Denzel Ward. He is penciled in as an immediate starter at corner. That's based on his man-coverage ability he displayed in college at Ohio State. Though Ward was slowed by a minor injury in rookie camp, he had a very strong practice in the second OTA session open to the media, with a couple of impressive red zone breakups. Status: Right on track. -- Pat McManamon  No. 5: Denver BroncosOLB Bradley Chubb. With his athleticism and work ethic, Chubb already has impressed the Broncos, who scuttled a planned draft-day trade to move down in the first round when Chubb was unexpectedly available to them at No. 5. As nose tackle Domata Peko, a 13-year veteran, put it: "He reminds me of Von [Miller] a lot. He's quick, he's strong and he can get to the passer. He's disruptive and he's willing to learn. He's always talking to Von and asking, 'Hey, what can I do?' That's good to see out of a rookie." Status: Right on track. -- Jeff Legwold  No. 6: Indianapolis ColtsG Quenton Nelson. It's easy to understand why the Colts selected Nelson so high in the draft. His skill set has been pretty evident, as left tackle Anthony Castonzo said Nelson takes up a lot of "much-needed space" at guard for them along an offensive line that has routinely struggled over the years. Nelson has been working with the first unit at left guard so far during OTAs, but a full evaluation can't be made of how well Nelson will protect Andrew Luck and Jacoby Brissett until the pads are put on. Status: Right on track. -- Mike Wells  No. 7: Buffalo BillsQB Josh Allen. Allen has practiced solely with the third-team offense through the first two weeks, so we're still a ways from seeing how he performs with top receiver Kelvin Benjamin and tight end Charles Clay among his targets. The eye-opening arm strength and ball velocity have been as advertised with Allen, but so has his questionable accuracy. In a two-minute drill to end Thursday's practice, Allen missed a receiver on first down and later telegraphed an interception on third down. He got a second chance and was much sharper, moving down the field for a touchdown. Status: Too soon to tell. -- Mike Rodak  No. 8: Chicago BearsLB Roquan Smith. The Bears are mixing in Smith with the first team at OTAs. Barring a major setback, the rookie linebacker will open the regular season in Chicago's starting lineup. It's hard to gauge a linebacker's true performance in noncontact drills, but Smith has flashed elite speed when asked to drop back into coverage in 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills. Status: Right on track. -- Jeff Dickerson  No. 9: San Francisco 49ersOT Mike McGlinchey. The 49ers wasted no time plugging McGlinchey into the starting lineup at right tackle. He was already working with the first unit in the opening days of OTAs and it's unlikely that will change anytime soon. McGlinchey held his own in the practice sessions open to media. While it can be particularly hard to judge offensive linemen without pads on, McGlinchey doesn't look overwhelmed by the task, and he's making it a point to learn from veteran Joe Staley. Barring injury, it would be a major surprise if McGlinchey isn't starting in Week 1. Status: Right on track. -- Nick Wagoner  No. 10: Arizona CardinalsQB Josh Rosen. He may not play this season, but Rosen has impressed his teammates in the huddle with a maturity and command they weren't expecting this early in the quarterback's career. He has been impressing coaches with his intelligence. When Rosen joined the veterans after the draft, some of his teammates weren't concerned that he would fall behind learning the offense because of his football IQ. However, with Sam Bradford penciled in as the starter (for as long as he's healthy), Rosen will be waiting in the wings until he's called upon. Status: Ahead of the curve. -- Josh Weinfuss  No. 11: Miami DolphinsS Minkah Fitzpatrick. He has made multiple interceptions in 11-on-11 work, according to reports, and Dolphins coaches have been impressed by his ability to align the defense, a trait that's important for a safety and rare for a rookie in OTAs. "He's already identifying the big picture," assistant DBs coach Renaldo Hill told the Palm Beach Post. "Those are things some guys search for their entire career." Status: Ahead of the curve. -- ESPN.com  No. 12: Tampa Bay BuccaneersDL Vita Vea. It's too soon to tell on Vea, which has nothing to do with his performance and is merely a function of his being a defensive lineman and not being able to put pads on until camp. Based on what head coach Dirk Koetter has seen, he thinks Vea is right on track. "His [347-pound] weight has definitely not affected him. He's got an excellent motor and he's a very strong human being. You can ask those guards that are playing against him. He's got a [hump] move with that inside arm. I've seen him lift 300-pound men off the ground with one arm. It's impressive, his strength." Status: Too soon to tell. -- Jenna Laine  No. 13: Washington RedskinsDL Da'Ron Payne. He looks to be in good shape and has been working as the No. 1 nose tackle, next to former college teammate Jonathan Allen. Safety D.J. Swearinger said he already has seen an impact from Payne, who has been difficult to move. That's what the Redskins need along the front. Payne weighs around 310 pounds, but that weight is spread evenly as he looks thick all over. He hasn't been noticeable rushing the passer, but his job most likely will be to push the pocket and not necessarily to record sacks. That part of his game remains to be seen. But there's nothing at this point to suggest he's not on the path the team had envisioned. Status: Right on track. -- John Keim  No. 14: New Orleans SaintsDE Marcus Davenport. Linemen are hard to judge this time of year, when players aren't in pads and there is no live contact yet. Plus, it will be tough to gauge Davenport's progress for a while since he is making the big leap from small-school Texas-San Antonio (including a switch from a two-point stance to a three-point stance). But Davenport is getting some great opportunities with the first-string defense, while veterans Cameron Jordan and Alex Okafor have been recovering from injuries. And the rookie certainly looks the part at 6-foot-6 and 265 pounds. "Man, he's big and he's long," said Saints coach Sean Payton, who also called Davenport a "tremendous worker" who is "coming along really well." Status: Right on track. -- Mike Triplett  No. 15: Oakland RaidersOT Kolton Miller. No doubt the Raiders selected Miller to be the heir apparent to Pro Bowler Donald Penn, who is rehabbing from Lisfranc surgery to his right foot. Miller has been sharing first-team reps protecting Derek Carr's blind side with David Sharpe in team drills during OTAs. But until pads come on in training camp, it's all a glorified scrimmage in pajamas, right? Still, coach Jon Gruden is impressed, even if he wants to see Miller get stronger, without losing any of his athleticism. "He's one of the most athletic tackles that I've ever seen," Gruden said. "I mean, ever seen ... but remember, he's an underclassman. All these draft picks have been on this tour, this rock 'n' roll tour. Get to go to all these facilities and eat all of these meals. So, we just want to get him in great shape. Get him stronger but maintain his flexibility and his athleticism." Status: Too soon to tell. -- Paul Gutierrez No. 16: Buffalo BillsLB Tremaine Edmunds. Unlike Allen, whom the Bills are taking along slowly, Buffalo has thrown Edmunds into the fire. He has taken first-team reps in OTAs at middle linebacker and is expected to lead defensive playcalling this season as a rookie. "Up to this point, he's handled it extremely well, so [I] don't really see any indication that that won't continue," defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said Thursday. Status: Ahead of the curve. -- Mike Rodak  No. 17: Los Angeles ChargersS Derwin James. Chargers defensive coordinator Gus Bradley is taking things slow with James. The Florida State product has been working with the second unit at strong safety, giving him time to learn the defense. Bradley said the Chargers will take the rest of this offseason and training camp to figure out how best to use the talented defensive back. "For us, one of the top objectives in seeing these young guys is to see them play fast. See what they can do," Bradley said. "Sometimes, you put them in different situations, and it slows them down. Right now, we just want to see, 'Can they play fast? Can they understand the base principles of our defense?' And then build from there." Status: Right on track. -- Eric D. Williams  No. 18: Green Bay PackersCB Jaire Alexander. The Packers might not need him to start immediately on the outside -- Kevin King, Tramon Williams and Davon House could occupy those two spots. But the slot position might be a perfect place for Alexander to start. He already has picked off Aaron Rodgers once -- on a sideline pass intended for Geronimo Allison near the goal line in this past week's OTA session. Said cornerbacks coach Jason Simmons: "I mean, it's huge for that guy, let's be honest. A guy coming from college, all those guys look up to Aaron. They have a great deal of respect for Aaron. We have a great deal of respect for Aaron in our room just trying to prepare them for him and all of the things that he can do and the way he's able to manipulate a defense. Is it a confidence booster for him? Yes." Status: Right on track. -- Rob Demovsky  No. 19: Dallas CowboysLB Leighton Vander Esch. He is serving as the middle linebacker with the second-team defense at the moment behind Jaylon Smith, but that has nothing to do with how he has looked in OTAs. He has displayed the range necessary to cover, and he also has done a nice job dissecting the running game. The Cowboys view Vander Esch as a multilevel player with the ability to drop in coverage and attack the line of scrimmage. The Cowboys know they will need him to play a ton of snaps as a rookie and have liked what they have seen so far. Status: Right on track. -- Todd Archer  No. 20: Detroit LionsOL Frank Ragnow. The Lions have had just one open practice at this point, and Ragnow was right where it seemed like he would be -- in the lineup. His position, though, was the surprise as the former Arkansas center has lined up at left guard. For offensive linemen in particular, it's way too early to know how this might play out in 2018, but he's getting the same treatment Detroit's last two first-rounders did: Thrust him into the lineup from the start and see how he does. Status: Too soon to tell. -- Michael Rothstein  No. 21: Cincinnati BengalsC Billy Price. He is still limited due to offseason surgery for a torn pectoral muscle, so it's difficult to assess his progress so far. However, Price has been able to get work in during OTAs by doing individual drills and half-speed and walk-through sessions. It looks like he's progressing physically exactly as the Bengals hoped, with a targeted return to full speed at training camp. Status: Too soon to tell. -- Katherine Terrell  No. 22: Tennessee TitansLB Rashaan Evans. He has received a lot of special attention from head coach Mike Vrabel in position drills as the Titans try to integrate him into becoming a Year 1 impact player. Vrabel and defensive coordinator Dean Pees said they are pleased with the progress that Evans is making during his first month with the team. There has been more learning than splash plays early on, but Evans has showed off his versatility on several occasions. He's being groomed to be a day one starter, and the team wants him to emerge as a leader even as a rookie. Status: Right on track. -- Cameron Wolfe  No. 23: New England PatriotsOT Isaiah Wynn. He is not yet cleared to participate in practice following offseason shoulder surgery, so he worked on a separate field with other players coming back from injuries. Offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia previously said that he expects Wynn to be ready for the start of training camp in late July and is excited to work with him. Status: Too soon to tell. -- Mike Reiss  No. 24: Carolina PanthersWR D.J. Moore. He showed the versatility the Panthers were looking for in a rookie minicamp, lining up in every receiver position and even running a few jet sweeps, which surprised him. But exactly where he will fit in with this rebuilt receiving corps and how his timing is with quarterback Cam Newton remains to be seen. Status: Too soon to tell. -- David Newton  No. 25: Baltimore RavensTE Hayden Hurst. Hurst has been the Ravens' best pass-catching tight end in offseason practices. He has great hands and consistently gets separation with his speed. If Hurst keeps up this pace, he'll make an immediate impact in Baltimore's passing game. Status: Ahead of the curve. -- Jamison Hensley  No. 26: Atlanta FalconsWR Calvin Ridley. He impressed immediately with his natural ability, then showed his willingness to work hard and perfect his craft once the rookies joined the veterans for OTAs. Said QB Matt Ryan of Ridley, "What I've seen is excellent transition in and out of breaks, as good as anybody I've been around. He's got very good hands. He's smart. ... You can tell he's been well-coached." Status: Right on track. -- Vaughn McClure  No. 27: Seattle SeahawksRB Rashaad Penny. Maybe the biggest hurdle Penny faces as he tries to pry the starting job from Chris Carson is getting up to speed in pass protection. The Seahawks have made no secret of the fact that Penny has a ways to go in that part of his game, and there's only so much that can be gleaned about his progress right now since contact isn't allowed during OTAs. Training camp will provide a better setting to gauge how ready Penny is to save Russell Wilson from blitzing defenders. For now, he's working behind Carson, who's still the most physically impressive of Seattle's running backs. Status: Too soon to tell. -- Brady Henderson  No. 28: Pittsburgh SteelersS Terrell Edmunds. He looks athletic and hasn't made many glaring mistakes, but the reps are fairly limited, with Morgan Burnett and Sean Davis entrenched as likely starters. The team likes that Edmunds is an active communicator on the back end and is willing to play multiple positions -- safety or dime linebacker -- when needed. Status: Right on track. -- Jeremy Fowler  No. 29: Jacksonville JaguarsDT Taven Bryan. It's hard to truly evaluate offensive or defensive linemen without being in full pads and having full contact. That being said, Bryan's quickness is evident and he asks a ton of questions in meeting rooms and of his teammates. Several times over the past two weeks he has spent some time off to the side during a drill with a veteran player. The Jaguars couldn't ask for him to have a better attitude, but the real evaluation will come when pads go on in training camp. Status: Too soon to tell. -- Mike DiRocco  No. 30: Minnesota VikingsCB Mike Hughes. He has impressed Vikings coaches with his acceleration and quickness, two traits that will serve him well wherever he plays during his rookie season, particularly in the return game. The former UCF standout is working to get as comfortable returning punts as he is on kickoffs and should be able to contribute early on as a returner. Hughes also has been playing a lot of nickel corner with the second-team unit during OTAs. It's too early to tell whether he'll truly push Mackensie Alexander for the job in training camp, but Hughes' work in the slot and at outside corner gives Minnesota versatility in its secondary and the benefit of having its top backup being a No. 1 pick. Status: Right on track. -- Courtney Cronin No. 31: New England PatriotsRB Sony Michel. Wearing No. 51, a temporary jersey until Bill Belichick gives clearance for all rookies to have permanent numbers, Michel took reps behind veterans James White, Rex Burkhead and Mike Gillislee in the OTA that was open to reporters, and his work seemed to be solid. In particular, his footwork while working on a cone drill stood out as a bit unusual for a 215-pound rusher, as he is light on his feet. Status: Right on track. -- Mike Reiss No. 32: Baltimore RavensQB Lamar Jackson. The Ravens knew it was going to take time for Jackson to develop. Remember, Jackson is learning to play from under center and call plays with much more verbiage than his college days. His throws have been inconsistent, but he has been explosive when he scrambles in the open field. Status: Too soon to tell.-- Jamison Hensley
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