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Redshirt Rookies: 2018 NFL Draft Prospects Who Need Time to Develop

You can't rush the future. That's true in the deep philosophical sense and especially true in the NFL draft.

In 2018, there will be plenty of high-end prospects selected early who are capable of contributing immediately, just like every year. Scattered throughout the draft will be others with promising talent who need time to mature.

That process requires patience, knowing the time and effort logged in the early going will bear fruit later. And a prospect like quarterback Lamar Jackson also requires a team to have an imagination.

The wise general manager treats the developmental prospect like a rough first draft.