Week 1 of the preseason is in the books, and several young prospects showcased why they could be a key piece for their respective teams in the future.
Preseason is a time for experienced players to get caught up to game speed and for young players to get their feet wet and show their coaches that they deserve to make the final 53-man roster cut.
Quarterback battles in Minnesota, Cleveland, Las Vegas, and more have taken over storylines throughout training camp, and while these battles are mostly said and done (outside of Deshaun Watson vs. Shedeur Sanders in Cleveland), young QBs like Fernando Mendoza, Carson Beck, and JJ McCarthy can still force tighter leashes on their older predecessors in preseason.
Let's get into some of the top performances from Week 1 of the preseason:
1. Drew Allar (PIT)
A third-round pick out of Penn State, quarterback Drew Allar has been making lots of noise in training camp and backed that talk up with a marvelous performance against the Green Bay Packers.
Head coach Mike McCarthy said postgame that they feel Allar is a "first-round talent," and his game on Thursday showed why they feel that way.
Allar is 6'5 and 228 pounds with a big arm, but inconsistencies throughout his career at Penn State had him fall to the third round. He completed 10 of 13 passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions, albeit against a basic defensive coverage.
He showed off his strong arm and mobility, but what really stood out was his processing. He did an excellent job moving off of one read to another and quickly identified man vs. zone coverages. Allar is hoping to prove to McCarthy that he should be the primary backup to Aaron Rodgers, and his first game was a big step in the right direction.
2. De'Zhaun Stribling (SF)
Many fans and pundits were confused when the San Francisco 49ers selected De'Zhaun Stribling with the 33rd overall pick, but his performance against the Tennessee Titans on Thursday showed that perhaps San Francisco was smarter than the rest of us with their analysis.
Stribling caught seven balls for 63 yards in, obviously, limited playing time, and had several highlight reel receptions that will make Niners fans excited about their young receiver.
The 6'2 target made a big-time leaping catch near the sidelines that looked Mike Evans-esque. For a team that will be without Ricky Pearsall, and features aging weapons, Stribling will play a big role in the Niners' offense this season.
3. Jeremiyah Love (ARI)
Jeremiyah Love touched the ball 14 times, and is now in risk of missing Week 1 of the regular season with a high ankle sprain, but the No. 3 overall pick showed why he deserved to be selected that high in his game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Love finished with 72 total yards (58 rushing on 11 attempts and 14 yards receiving on three catches) and had a couple of runs with broken tackles that showed why he's already one of the best backs in the league.
Love had a spin move that made a defender look silly, and a hurdle in traffic to gain a few extra yards.
As preseason progresses into Week 2, look for more young players to show what they can do in hopes of earning a spot on the roster.
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