The NFL is a league mostly dominated by veterans who've learned how to consistently dominate and outsmart their often younger, inexperienced opponents. That isn't always the case, however, because there will always inevitably be students of the new school who become teachers right out of the gate, with others needing just De'Andre Hunter Jersey a year or two before snatching the pebble from the hand of the more seasoned senseis. The AFC West has its fair share of such talent, and in a division headlined by and his stable of young horses, it's all the other three clubs can do to keep pace with the .That said, don't go counting them out, especially if health isn't a major i sue in 2021 -- as it was for many in 2020. Pencil in some competition for the division crown this coming season, but only if the four players listed below do what their respective teams expect: take the field and make their opposition beg for mercy. Each of them might still be on a rookie deal, but that doesn't mean they're playing like it or will continue to.Player experience: Second seasonHow acquired: 2020 draft (No. 6 overall)There are other names you could go with here -- e.g., in his return from injury -- but none would equate to the value of Herbert to the win column in Los Angeles. Questions on if he could live up to the hype coming out of Oregon were answered tenfold, with Herbert throwing for 4,336 yards and 31 touchdowns to only 10 interceptions in 15 starts as a rookie. His pa ser rating of 98.3 was luxurious and he achieved these numbers despite adversity, such as being sacked 32 times (enter rookie first-round pick ) and not having around for all of his starts (having mi sed games due to injury). Herbert is the poster boy for why a quarterback's win-lo s record can be mostly a throwaway stat, seeing as it was his defense that tied his phenomenal rookie year to a 7-9 Trae Young Jersey finish. If the defense can even remotely match serve to what Herbert does, the Chargers will be a migraine to their division rivals in 2021.Player experience: Second seasonHow acquired: 2020 draft (No. 138 overall) With out of Kansas City and into a uniform for 2021, it's time for Sneed to shine. Expect him to see much more than the six starts he logged in 2020, especially considering he's earned it. The former fourth-round pick delivered three interceptions, seven pa s breakups and two sacks (plus 42 combined tackles) last season -- besting Breeland in multiple categories with five fewer starts. It's safe to a sume the emergence of Sneed was a key factor in not bending over backward to re-sign Breeland, and rightfully so. A season that sees Sneed promoted to full-time starter will presumably see his numbers jump to even more impre sive levels, and especially with the likes of and patrolling behind him. That will make for a short field defensively, and plenty of opportunities for good eating by Sneed in 2021. Pick Six Newsletter Crafted By The Best NFL Experts Get the day's big stories + fun stuff you love like mock drafts, picks and power rankings. I agree to receive the "Pick Six Newsletter" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies. By pre sing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to Skylar Mays Jersey the and acknowledge Paramount's . Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. Thanks for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox. Sorry! There was an error proce sing your subscription. Player experience: Third seasonHow acquired: 2019 draft (No. 71 overall)Everyone knows about the defensive dynamic duo in Denver -- namely and . There's another very talented defensive lineman lurking in the shadows, though, and it's Jones, a player who stepped up and showed the Broncos something in 2020 that they might be able to hang their hat on this coming season. In the absence of Miller and Chubb (later in the season) due to injury, Jones' second season in the NFL was a career-best. He'd play in 13 games and start in Spud Webb Jersey eight of them, nearly doubling the sack tally from his rookie season (3.5) with 6.5 sacks on the year -- good enough for third-most on the team -- and 41 combined tackles. In addition to that, Jones had 11 hits on the opposing quarterback overall, and he's proven he can potentially turn the two-headed monster in Denver into Cam Reddish Jersey a three-headed hydra, and that's something that has defensive coordinator Ed Donatell drooling noticeably.Player experience: Second seasonHow acquired: 2020 draft (No. 12 overall) Ruggs isn't naive to the disappointment that was his rookie year, and if he was, general manager Mike Mayock made sure to remedy that when labeling the . That's a shot heard around the world at the WR corps, but especially Ruggs, whom the Raiders used their first-round pick on only months prior. Having pa sed on , and to select the turbo-boosted Ruggs puts a ton of pre sure on him to break out sooner than later, and the good news is quarterback is already offering high praise for him in OTAs and minicamp -- saying "something has clicked" in Ruggs this year. The Raiders hope that holds true, because tight end has been the sole game-breaking threat in the receiving game (kudos to for a resurgent season, as well) and Ruggs finished his first year with a pedestrian 452 receiving yards and only two touchdowns, along with having battled availability i sues. Mayock expects more from Ruggs, and he expects it yesterday.