Several rookies making impact

Each team will start two rookies on Sunday.
HOUSTON (AP) -- Rookies don't sit and watch in the NFL. Not anymore.
Four of them will start Sunday in the Super Bowl -- safety Eugene Wilson and center Dan Koppen for New England, offensive tackle Jordan Gross and cornerback Ricky Manning Jr. for Carolina.
Six more should see plenty of action, including Bethel Johnson, the Patriots' kick returner and backup wide receiver.
Manning already has made a big impact, with three interceptions in the Panthers' victory at Philadelphia in the NFC championship game.
"It hasn't sunk in yet," Manning said Thursday, the last day players were available for pre-game interviews.
"I have one more game to go. I can't get overwhelmed. I have to relax, chill out and go out and have some fun."
The NFL's salary cap has opened the door for rookies to play right away, and that makes judging college talent more important than ever.
"Choosing wisely is very, very critical, whether it be free agency or the draft," Carolina coach John Fox said, "because when you make a mistake, you are going to pay for it in a lot of different areas."
Filling a need
The Patriots had openings at safety when four-time Pro Bowler Lawyer Milloy was cut and Tebucky Jones was dealt to New Orleans. Wilson, a cornerback at Illinois, was New England's second-round draft pick, the 36th choice overall.
"By necessity, we had to move Eugene to safety," Patriots' defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel said. "When we moved him, we didn't know how that was going to turn out, but it turned out really good."
Wilson is relishing the prospect of a defensive showdown on Sunday.
"I think the game will be really physical," he said. "We have two really good defenses squaring off and the offenses are pretty much going to have their hands full."
Koppen, who played at Boston College, wasn't selected until the fifth round -- the 164th choice overall.
"I didn't expect to play this much this soon," he said, "but it was by necessity."
Damien Woody started the season at center, but moved to guard after Mike Compton was injured. Koppen started the second game and has been there since.
New England uses four first-year players as backups on defense -- linemen Ty Warren and Dan Klecko, cornerback Asante Samuel and safety Shawn Mayer.
"Our rookies overall have come in and done a really good job for us," Crennel said.
"When you put a rookie in the game, you really don't know what you're going to get. Our rookies being able to come in and play says a lot about our personnel department and choosing good football players."
Stepping in
In today's NFL, first-round draft picks -- with the possible exception of quarterbacks -- are expected to play immediately.
Gross, a standout at Utah, did just that.
The first offensive lineman selected -- the eighth pick overall -- he moved quickly into an otherwise veteran offensive line that clears the way for running backs Stephen Davis and DeShaun Foster.
Manning was an All Pac-10 player at UCLA, but he stands just 5-feet-9 and, as a result, slid into the third round as the 84th pick overall.
His steadily improved play eventually moved him into the starting lineup, and his outgoing personality has made him a hit during Super Bowl week.
"One of the older players was kind of complaining about the media," Manning said.
"I was like, man, I'm enjoying it. I enjoy letting you know what's going on. I love the attention. My priorities are straight. I know the game comes first. I'm focused."