Four second-year NFL breakout candidates

Whether it's injuries or opportunities, uncontrollable circumstances can often hold back young NFL athletes from dominating in their rookie seasons. As situations develop over the offseason and players continue to progress and get healthy, the second year of a players' career provides new opportunities for players to emerge as contributors in the NFL.

Here are four players taken in the 2022 NFL Draft that have the chance to emerge as budding stars in the 2023 NFL season.

Jelani Woods, TE, Indianapolis Colts: The Colts brought in two key pieces that could unlock Woods' potential in 2023—quarterback Anthony Richardson and head coach Shane Steichen. With a new offensive-oriented coach at the helm, Woods is expected to see a more significant role than just the 33% of the team's offensive snaps he saw in 2022.

Woods brings elite physical metrics, standing at 6-foot-7, running a 4.61-second 40-yard dash and boasting 34.5-inch arms. His frame makes him a large target and a threat in both the seams and the middle of the field. With a big-armed QB like Richardson at the helm, Woods can provide a safety blanket for the inexperienced signal-caller in his rookie season. Woods' eight-catch game in Week 12 showed a glimmer of what the former Virginia standout is capable of doing if given a bigger role.

David Ojabo, EDGE, Baltimore Ravens: Ojabo's rookie season was largely taken away from him when he tore his Achilles during a drill in the pre-draft process, but he did manage to make an appearance in two games down the stretch—albeit, only playing one snap in Week 15.

In his 20-snap performance in Week 18, though, Ojabo managed to get a strip sack on Joe Burrow and a run stop, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). His 90.0 pass-rushing grade in 2021 at Michigan indicates that Ojabo has production left on the table, and he was largely considered a first-round talent before his injury. A year later, Ojabo says he is fully healthy and has put on more muscle. Ojabo didn't start playing football until he moved to the United States at the age of 17, but with his athletic ability and a year of training and development under his belt, he could have the opportunity to shine.

Sam Howell, QB, Washington Commanders: With Carson Wentz and Taylor Heinicke out of town, Howell seems to be in line to be the team's starter in 2023, though no disrespect should be directed toward the veteran offseason acquisition of Jacoby Brissett who had a great 2022 season as a passer. Howell only played in one game in 2022 where he completed 57.9% of his passes and had a touchdown, an interception and 204 total yards.

With a clear path to play in 2023, Howell showed some promise in his lone 2022 start, and a year of development was exactly what was needed for the North Carolina product. As a Tar Heel, Howell was not asked to run a pro-style offense. With a year of learning the Commanders' system, Howell is in a better situation to be a starter now than as a rookie. The Commanders also prioritized upgrading the offensive line over the offseason. Combine that with the fact that wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson are tailor-made threats on the outside for Howell's big-armed skill set, and the Commanders could have a trio of sophomore stars when including running back Brian Robinson Jr.

Jalen Pitre, S, Houston Texans: It can be argued that Pitre broke out in his rookie season, but he had some clear deficiencies to his game that held him back. This isn't a knock on Pitre's great rookie year, but rather it's a projection of even higher potential as a sophomore.

Pitre played the fourth-most snaps of any defensive rookie in the NFL in 2022 and totaled 147 tackles, eight passes defended, five interceptions and five tackles for loss, but he had a missed tackle rate of 20.3%, missing 36 tackles according to PFF. With a new head coach in DeMeco Ryans, the former defensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers, Pitre can have the opportunity to hone his skills and refine his play. As well, Pitre largely played in the box at Baylor but played over 57% of his snaps at free safety as a rookie. With more time to learn his new position, Pitre can become a threat every offense must account for in their game plans.