There are a lot of ways for players to “arrive” in the NFL. But most of the time, good players show out in their 2nd year.
While some players like Patrick Surtain II can show up big and be a starting force as rookies, the game is typically too fast for them to really show what they can do. We hear the phrase, “the game is slowing down” said about players’ development.
I hold that that’s an apt description of the difference between playing the college football game and lining up in the NFL as a pro.