Bears' rookie report card from opening preseason tie against Dolphins

Sunday's 24-24 draw against the Miami Dolphins brought a lot of firsts for the Chicago Bears: it was the first outing under new head coach Ben Johnson, the team's first tie in the 21st century, and, perhaps most importantly, the first chance for the team and fans alike to watch live reps of the much-anticipated rookie class.

Highlighted by key offensive weapons like tight end Colston Loveland and receiver Luther Burden III, as well as trench reinforcements in offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo and defensive tackle Shemar Turner, this year's group of first-year pros hopes to leave a strong impression with the coaching staff and front office before the end of training camp. Below is a recap of how almost every rookie fared in their first impressions of live game action.

TE Colston Loveland

Loveland, the 10th overall pick, who is listed as one of two starting tight ends alongside veteran Cole Kmet, has seemingly already made a strong impression on Johnson and company, resulting in a short outing that consisted of just two drives. Both ended in three-and-outs, but Loveland did pick up eight yards on third-and-16, flashing the abnormally fluid movement he possesses for a player his size. His other lone target came just a couple of plays earlier on the first snap of the game, where tight coverage prevented the Michigan product from catching a pass over the middle of the field. The tight end is clearly going to be a mismatch piece for this offense moving forward. As the unit adds layers of complexity throughout the year, Loveland's role should similarly continue to grow.

WR Luther Burden III

Burden, the 39th overall selection, played the entirety of the first half, and despite logging just two receptions on 26 total plays, was able to contribute in a meaningful way. On third-and-15, Burden caught his second target at the sticks and reached across the line to gain like a seasoned veteran. His second catch came on the final drive of the first half, where he picked up 13 yards and wisely trotted out of bounds with one second remaining to set up Cairo Santos' 57-yard field goal. Burden possesses the athleticism necessary to add to this offense early, and his nuanced understanding of the position seems to be ahead of that of the average rookie.

OT Ozzy Trapilo

Trapilo, the 56th overall pick, is competing with incumbent veteran Braxton Jones for the starting left tackle position. After Jones took much of the first half, the Boston College product played the last two drives of the half and the first two series of the second half before rejoining the team for the final offensive drive of the game. The lanky rookie flashed his athleticism on the edge that should give speed rushers fits, but still needs to improve his base and lower body strength to fend off stronger and more powerful edge rushers. Trapilo let some pressure leak through, but did not allow a sack throughout the game.

LB Ruben Hyppolite II

Fourth-round pick Ruben Hyppolite II earned the start at linebacker and consistently showed the speed and aggressiveness that he was billed with out of Maryland. Finishing with five solo tackles, his best play came near the end of the first quarter, when he dropped running back Jaylen Wright behind the line of scrimmage on first down. Alongside Noah Sewell, Hyppolite is making a case to become the first linebacker off the bench.

IOL Luke Newman

Fifth-round pick Luke Newman started the game at left guard before moving to the other side of the center. The Michigan State product showed good awareness in pass protection, keeping his head on a swivel for apparent defensive line stunts and games when something seemed afoot. Neither of the two sacks on Tyson Bagent were on Newman, and he proved to be a willing run blocker, getting up field as much as possible and consistently working with his center on interior double teams. Unfortunately, he is being evaluated for a concussion, so hopefully that was not the end of his pre-season play.

RB Kyle Monangai

Rounding out the drafted players, seventh-round pick Kyle Monangai played throughout the first half, totaling 30 yards on six carries, including a 13-yard carry at the beginning of the second quarter, which was, at the time, the biggest chunk that the offense had picked up. The compact rusher showcased impressive physicality and patience with the ball in his hands, but still has to develop as a pass-blocker to earn a higher standing in the offense. Still, despite his draft status, Monangai seems to be on the brink of breaking through the offensive rotation, which may be crucial considering the injury concern around Roschon Johnson.

Undrafted Standouts

It was not just drafted rookies who left an impression on Sunday. Undrafted kicker Jonathan Kim put through two extra point attempts, and may end up as an emergency option for the Bears -- or other teams.

Fellow undrafted rookie Deion Hankins ended the game tied for the most carries with seven, which he turned into 23 yards. He added one reception, a four-yard touchdown from Case Keenum that was the team's final score to put them up 24-21.

Linebacker Power Echols had a relatively quiet day, finishing with one total tackle on the goal line, but was able to pick up a fumble at Miami's three-yard line following an Austin Booker strip sack. Defensive back Tysheem Johnson also finished the day with two solo tackles.

No rookie, drafted or undrafted, had a more substantial showing than receiver Jahdae Walker. On just three receptions, the rookie led the team with 41 receiving yards and was the recipient of a 14-yard touchdown in the back corner of the end zone on a pearl from Keenum. His "slickback slide" dance down the sideline to return to the bench and his hyped-up teammates was a highlight in and of itself.

Unfortunately, not every rookie was able to make the ever-important first impression on Sunday afternoon. Turner, the 62nd overall pick, remains sidelined with an ankle injury, and cornerback Zah Frazier, a fifth-round selection, is still out for personal reasons.

Read more: It took Bears one preseason game to realize one of their rookies should start

Looking forward to the preseason, more and more starters will be infused into the lineup, perhaps making it even more difficult for the rookies to leave their mark, but it was an overall solid showing from the NFL newcomers in the Bears' first outing of the year.