Preseason football can be a scattered, chaotic and often sloppy mess. It's hard to sort through everything and find the signal in all the noise.
That process is especially difficult with rookies who are seeing their first NFL action. Even the most talented prospects who lit up college fields need time to adjust both physically and mentally. They're doing that while still fine-tuning their technique and mastering a brand-new playbook.
For some NFL rookies, preseason struggles carry more weight because their teams are set to lean on them more. Roster spots may already be at risk, too, which could be the case for Philadelphia Eagles running back Donnel Pumphrey.