5 NFL rookies who have taken fans by surprise ft. Breece Hall

Seven weeks of the NFL have passed, and many rookies selected in the 2022 draft have already left their mark on the season.

Defensive and offensive rookies have already significantly impacted their teams, and some have even become the lynchpin of their franchises.

We expected a lot of the early picks, but some have taken us by surprise. Meanwhile, some late draftees are also surprising fans across the NFL.

#5 - Sauce Gardner

New York Jets v Denver Broncos

The New York Jets selected cornerback Sauce Gardner with the fourth-overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, but he's still surprised fans with just how good he is.

Gardner has already established himself as a No. 1 lockdown corner with the Jets and is the main reason they sit 5-2 after seven weeks.

Gardner has locked down several top receivers, and it seems as though quarterbacks have already stopped throwing his way, which is extraordinary for a rookie.

#4 - Dameon Pierce

Houston Texans v Las Vegas Raiders

The Houston Texans' first-year running back Dameon Pierce has been one of the most surprising draftees from the 2022 class. Despite not being drafted until the fourth round, Pierce has already cemented himself as the Texans' starting back and has become a lynchpin of the offense.

So far this year, Pierce has run for 504 yards and three touchdowns in five starts. He's placed himself amongst the top rookie running backs in the NFL despite his low draft position.

#3 - Kenneth Walker

Seattle Seahawks v Los Angeles Chargers

Many NFL fans didn't expect to see much of Kenneth Walker in 2022 after the first-year back was placed behind Rashaad Penny on the Seattle Seahawks' depth chart. However, Penny went down with a season-ending injury, and Walker has more than filled the void left.

Despite only starting two full games, Walker has four touchdowns already to go along with 411 yards. His best game as a pro came in Week 7, as he had 16 rushing yards and two touchdowns in Seattle's 37-23 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

#2 - Breece Hall

New York Jets v Green Bay Packers

Breece Hall has been electrifying with the New York Jets so far in 2022, and it came as a massive disappointment that he tore his ACL in the Jets' Week 7 win over the Denver Broncos.

Hall usurped Michael Carter's position as the team's starting running back and put up 463 yards and four touchdowns through seven weeks. Thanks to his efforts, the Jets are an impressive 5-2.

Hall also averaged an excellent 5.8 yards per carry, ranking 10th among all running backs. He fell to the second round of the 2022 draft, and many will wonder how such a talent fell so far.

#1 - Tariq Woolen

Arizona Cardinals v Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks rookie cornerback Tariq Woolen has been the biggest rookie surprise this year. Woolen wasn't drafted until the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft but has four interceptions already, tied for the most in the entire league.

Woolen has already established himself as a ball-hawk cornerback, and any quarterback could do worse than avoid Woolen at all costs.