The 2021 NFL draft is in the books. It was dominated by the QBs in the first half of round one and overall, it featured much better offensive prospects than defensive ones. The first seven picks in 2021 were offensive players, that won’t be happening in 2022. There was a dearth of elite pass rushers in last year’s draft, this year offers a lot more at that position. There is no Trevor Lawrence or Justin Fields level QB prospect right now for the 2022 draft and if a QB is going to crack the top five picks (someone will) it’s going to take a breakout season. There are a ton of potential QB prospects but for one of them (or more) to rise to a #1 overall pick status they are going to need a breakout season on par with Joe Burrow two years ago or Zach Wilson last year. I’ll break down some of the possibilities for that, talk about the elite level defensive prospects and go over some areas with nice depth. I’m also going to talk about the Iowa Hawkeyes who are prospects for the draft.
Pass Rushers (Edge)
The line between DE and OLB has blurred and many of these guys can move between the positions depending on the defense they are drafted into. Some guys play better standing up while other play better with their hand on the ground, either way, the Edge position is in much better shape heading into the 2022 season than what the 2021 draft gave us.
Kayvon Thibodeaux DE Oregon
Thibodeaux is the odds-on favorite to be the #1 overall pick as of right now. He’s big, physical and a freak athlete. In general, most teams look at QBs, OTs and pass rushers as the most important positions to fill. Thibodeaux is the best pass rusher in the draft and right now, he’s a better prospect than any QB or OT that will be available. He’s basically the Khalil Mack starter kit right now, that’s pretty good.
Drake Jackson DE USC
The PAC-12 has some serious pass rushing juice and Jackson may only be half-step behind Thibodeaux. He was a flashy player as a freshman and then looked good in limited play last year. If he matures into his body, he’s going to be scary good.
Zach Harrison DE Ohio St
I know it’s weird to see an Ohio St DE as a top prospect but here it is. It’s like he’s an Alabama WR or an LSU CB (don’t worry, those guys are coming up). Harrison is more potential than production but after the weak edge rusher year in 2021, teams are looking for anyone that can get to the QB.
George Karlaftis DE Purdue
Karlaftis isn’t flashy and he may suffer the same fate former Iowa DE AJ Epenesa did and fall into the second round because of it. Karlaftis doesn’t win with speed, he wins with power and a non-stop mentality. He’s probably not a 15 sack NFL guy but he can play base end and get you 10 sacks in a good year.
Kingsley Enagbare DE South Carolina
Definitely not a household name, I only saw a bit of him because I was watching South Carolina to see Jaycee Horn. He flashes from time to time and he has all the physical tools to be a top prospect.
Aidan Hutchinson DE Michigan
He’s coming off an injury but he’s really filled out and he has a chance to be a really good DE prospect, hopefully playing at Michigan doesn’t hold him back.
Cornerbacks
This position might be even deeper than last season’s crop and that’s saying something. This draft has a higher rated prospect than even Jaycee Horn and Patrick Surtain with Derek Stingley Jr expected to come out. The next best prospect isn’t as clear but no one really saw Horn being up there with Surtain last year and he actually went ahead of him. No one is getting ahead of Stingley but the next spot is open to competition, and there’s some great competition.
Derek Stingley Jr. CB LSU
The NFL has been waiting to draft Stingley since he graduated high school. He’s been a starter at LSU since basically his first day on campus. He’s got size, 6’1 190 lbs., and he’s an athletic guy with incredible natural corner skills. Everything comes naturally to him when it comes to coverage and he backs down to no one. He spent his formative years at LSU covering guys like Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson and Terrace Marshall, the NFL won’t scare him. If a CB is ever going to go #1 overall in the NFL draft, this is the guy that will do it.
Kaiir Elam CB Florida
Elam has great size at 6’2 but he gets a bit handsy and he will need to cut down on that in the pros. However, you can’t teach a guy to be his size, have his athleticism, and have his ball skills. Florida has a pretty solid track record of sending CBs to the NFL but it’s been a while since one of them proved to be elite (Joe Haden from ’09 was the last one, CJ Henderson has only had one year in the league). Elam has a shot.
Sevyn Banks CB Ohio St
Banks also has great size (it’s theme at CB this year) he’s 6’1 200 lbs. and he took over as the #1 CB on the Buckeyes last season as Shaun Wade fell off a cliff. He’s smooth and talented and he’s only getting better with time. Ohio St has a case for being “DB-U” and Banks is upholding that tradition. If he keeps progressing, he has a shot at being a top 10 pick.
Derion Kendrick CB Clemson
This one comes with a caveat, he may not be in the 2022 draft, he may already be in the NFL. Kendrick decided to go back to Clemson but then he got into trouble and ended up entering the transfer portal. He’s in limbo right now because of some legal issues and hasn’t transferred schools yet. He could potentially enter the NFL supplemental draft that usually happens in July, if he can’t find a school. He would get drafted for sure and be on an NFL roster next season, assuming he stays out of jail.
Ahmad Gardner CB Cincinnati
He’s 6’2 and looks like a monster at CB because of his athleticism and competitiveness. He has to cut down on his penalties and learn to trust his skills a little more but that’s coachable. He may be the guy who comes out of nowhere to move way up the draft board.
Other Top Defensive Prospects
Kyle Hamilton S Notre Dame
Hamilton is 6’4 220 lbs. and is basically a cross between Isaiah Simmons and Derwin James. He’s the new breed of NFL defenders who are a little position-less and can be moved all over the field. He’s a top 10 pick for someone who just wants a playmaker and doesn’t really need it to come from any one specific position.
DeMarvin Leal DT Texas A&M
He’s a 290 lbs. tweener who might confound some NFL execs. He has agility a guy his size shouldn’t have but he’s not the type of DT most teams have. He’s an undersized DT that moves really well but he’s also 6’4 so he’s really long. He’s like a slimmer version of Fletcher Cox.
Christian Harris LB Alabama
There has to be an Alabama LB somewhere on this list, right? Harris is a tackling machine for the Tide but he has to work on his coverage skills. If he doesn’t prove he can play on all three downs, it’s going to hurt his stock.
Wide Receivers
This class of WR doesn’t possess the elite talent that the 2020 or 2021 class had at the top but there are some nice prospects none the less. The group took a hit with Georgia WR George Pickens tearing his ACL this spring. It’s possible he makes it back for some of the season but he may be better off if he holds off entering the draft until 2023 so he can get a full, healthy season in during the 2022 season.
Justyn Ross WR Clemson
Pickens is now in the same predicament Ross was in last year except for the type of injury that’s keeping him out. Ross missed the 2020 season with a neck injury that is going to have to completely check out for him to get drafted in the first round. He has all the physical tools you look for in a WR, he’s 6’4, and excellent athlete, and he’s a skilled player. His draft stock will be almost entirely tied to his neck issues.
Chris Olave WR Ohio St
It was a bit surprising that Olave returned to Ohio St but it may end up working in his favor. The 2021 class of WRs was extremely stacked and Olave may have had a hard time standing out. In the 2022 draft class he has a chance to be one of the best. Some of that will be determined by who replaces Justin Fields at QB for the Buckeyes, CJ Stroud is the favorite. Olave will make the game easier for the guy who replaces Fields regardless.
Garrett Wilson WR Ohio St
Olave isn’t alone at Ohio St. There are some who rate his teammate Wilson ahead of him as a prospect. He’s not as accomplished as Olave but Wilson was a playmaker last year. He has elite speed and is a dangerous deep threat. He could be the breakout WR of this season as there is not real dominant WR in this class.
John Metchie III WR Alabama
Here’s this year’s Alabama WR poised to go in round one, sorry there’s only one this season. After consecutive years of having two first round WRs from the Tide Metchie is likely alone this year. He was actually second in receiving at Alabama last year behind DeVonta Smith (Jaylen Waddle was injured for a large part of the season). Metchie has big play ability, evidenced by the fact he actually averaged more yards per catch than Heisman Trophy winner Smith. He’s not a lock to be a first-round pick like Ruggs, Jeudy, Smith and Waddle were but I’m not betting against him.
Treylon Burks WR Arkansas
If you want the real dark horse breakout candidate who could go in the top 10 of the draft, it’s Burks. He’s 6’3 230 lbs. and while I’m not sure of his timed speed, he’s got plenty of field speed to get deep. He’s got big hands, a big catch radius, and he knows how to get open. Arkansas hasn’t been a hotbed of football prospects in the recent past but if they can find a QB to get him the ball, he’s an elite talent.
Offensive Line
Probably not a banner year for the offensive line but there are some prospects that can move themselves into position to be high draft picks, but there are no sure things. The OT spot has a number of guys moving out to that position from inside and they may need to move back inside in the NFL.
Zion Nelson OT Miami
Nelson has the size, 6’5 312 lbs., and the athleticism teams are looking for in an OT prospect. He is far from a finished product but he certainly looks the part. He would be my pick to be the first OT off the board if the draft were tomorrow.
Evan Neal OT Alabama
Neal is a giant at 6’7 320 lbs. and he is likely moving to LT this year after playing RT last season and playing inside previously. I’m not sure if he has the lateral quickness to play LT in the NFL although he clearly has the size and length.
Rasheed Walker OT Penn St
Walker is 6’6 313 lbs. and a pretty good athlete. He’s young and underdeveloped at the moment but his ceiling is pretty high when it puts it all together.
Kenyon Green OL Texas A&M
Green has played inside at LG and this season he is likely to move to LT for the Aggies. He was an All-American at LG and while he should be fine at LT, he may move back inside once he goes pro.
Cade Mays OG Tennessee
Mays might be more reputation than production at this point but he has the ability to be an absolute mauler at OG. He was a five-star recruit who transferred to Tennessee after a year at Georgia. He has all the tools and elite size, hopefully playing for Tennessee isn’t a hinderance.
Tyler Linderbaum C Iowa
I could include Linderbaum in the upcoming section on Iowa players but he deserves to be included with the group of top offensive linemen. Linderbaum is the top center prospect in the draft even if he is a bit undersized. At 6’3 290 lbs. he might be just a bit under the NFL’s preferred size but he makes up for it with his toughness, leadership, and athleticism.
Other Offensive Players
The RB position has some good talent but there doesn’t seem to be a Najee Harris or Travis Etienne, late round one guys, and there certainly isn’t anyone looking like a Saquon Barkley, top five type. At TE, there’s no Kyle Pitts for sure and it will take a break out year for someone to be a first rounder.
Running Backs
Breece Hall Iowa St
Isaiah Spiller Texas A&M
Kyren Williams Notre Dame
Zonovan Knight North Carolina St
Master Teague Ohio St
Kennedy Brooks Oklahoma
Anyone of these guys could end up being the top back in the 2022 draft. Hall and Spiller have been highly productive backs for several years. Williams looked great when he got more time last season. Knight is an explosive player who could easily break out next year. Teague has spent time behind a number of good players at Ohio St but he should be the main guy this season. Brooks is coming back to Oklahoma after opting out of the 2020 season. Teague and Brooks both have the talent to be lead backs.
Tight End
Jalen Wydermyer Texas A&M
Sam LaPorta Iowa
Will Mallory Miami
Charlie Kolar Iowa St
The four guys most likely to vie for being a first round pick. Wydermyer is another prospect from Texas A&M, Jimbo Fisher has excellent talent to work with. He’s big, physical and athletic, that’s a good combination. LaPorta could have a break out season if he gets more consistent QB play. He has the physical attributes you look for and he’s clearly well trained coming from Iowa. Mallory also comes from a TE factory down in Miami and with Brevin Jordan moving on to the pros, it’s Mallory’s time to shine. Kolar is a big dude at 6’6 259 lbs. and he could really make a move this season after a very productive year in 2020. He’s not a twitchy athlete but he’s plenty athletic and knows how to use his size advantage.
Quarterbacks
This is a doozy of a position this season. I mentioned there is no Trevor Lawrence or Justin Fields heading into the season, that’s for damn sure. However, there are about 15 guys that have at least some potential to pull off a Joe Burrow or Zach Wilson like season and I’m not exaggerating. Some have more potential than others but it’s a long list.
*Seven most likely guys to pull a Burrow/Wilson*
JT Daniels Georgia
This is my pick for the guy that emerges this season. Daniels got Wally Pipp-ed at USC when he got hurt and Kedon Slovis took his job, now he’s at Georgia. He didn’t start right away last season but the Bulldogs went to him late and he had a good four game stretch to end the season. He has good size at 6’3 210 lbs. but he could fill out a bit more. He has plenty of arm strength to go deep and when he throws shorter routes, he’s accurate and he gets the ball out quickly. His production might take a bit of a hit this season if George Pickens is out but Daniels can make Georgia’s other skill guys look good.
Spencer Rattler Oklahoma
This is guy getting plenty of hype in the early mock drafts, I guess being Lincoln Riley’s QB at Oklahoma will do that for you. Rattler had a very good year in 2020, he’s a good athlete but maybe not on the level of Kyler Murray. He’s a little shorter than most NFL teams like, he’s about 6’1, but both Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray overcame their height concerns to become #1 overall picks so it’s doable. Rattler has some promise, I just like Daniels a little better.
Kedon Slovis USC
Speaking of the guy who replaced Daniels at USC, Slovis is a pretty good prospect himself. One of his best traits is his ability to move within the pocket and outside of it and keep his eyes downfield and look for the open man. He has good size at 6’3 215 lbs. and while he’s not a “runner” he can pick up yards when he needs to do it. He can put the ball on a dime and he has plenty of arm strength. He does have to wind up a little bit on really deep throws but I don’t think that’s overly concerning.
Sam Howell North Carolina
This guy has been killing it at UNC since he started as a freshman. He has enough arm strength even if it’s not elite. He is only about 6’1 but he’s a stout 225 lbs. so he should hold up well. What he doesn’t lack is confidence, even if he shouldn’t make a throw, he thinks he can make the throw. He was highly accurate this last season and that looks like a solid trend. Howell doesn’t jump off the page but he’s got the “it” factor and I wouldn’t want to bet against him. I do think his production might drop this season because he lost two NFL draft pick WRs Dyami Brown and Dazz Newsome, they may not have been the Alabama WRs but they were extremely productive. We will see how he adjusts.
Desmond Ridder Cincinnati
Ridder is 6’5 215 lbs. and runs like a gazelle. He’s long and lean and dynamic with the football in his hands. He has plenty of arm strength and while he could shorten his throwing motion a little to make it come out faster, he’s so athletic he buys himself more than enough time to get rid of the ball. He might have the highest ceiling of all of the QB prospects because of his combination of his arm and his legs. There’s a little Justin Herbert in his game because of his overall size, although he needs to fill out his frame a bit. I could see him going all the way up to a top five spot in the draft or dropping to a third-round guy depending on his development.
Tyler Shough Texas Tech
This is a very interesting case. Shough got benched at Oregon last season and lost his job, now he’s transferring to Texas Tech and it could set him up well. Shough is 6’5 220 lbs. so he has NFL size. He’s surprisingly agile as a runner with good speed and he fits the RPO style offense many teams are using. He’s pretty good on intermediate and short throws but there weren’t many deep passes for him at Oregon, he struggles with those. Right now, I’m not sure if this guy is a potential first rounder or if he’s a seventh-round guy, his stock could go either way.
Malik Willis Liberty
Willis is on the smaller side like Rattler and Howell but he’s a different level of athlete. You have to take some of his film with a grain of salt because he’s playing for Liberty and their competition isn’t the elite but he stands out against everyone. He has a strong arm but he’s not necessarily tested when it comes to having to put the ball in tight spots, coverage isn’t as good as others have to face. His athletic ability separates him from everyone as he’s a threat to score when he takes off running. Once he decides to go, he’s basically a running back because while he’s only 6’1, he’s every bit of 215 lbs. so he’s built. Dynamic player who teams are going to have to project based on his level of competition, the good news for him, he dominates that competition.
*The next seven*
Matt Corral Ole Miss
Brock Purdy Iowa St
Tanner Morgan Minnesota
Phil Jurkovec Boston College
Grayson McCall Coastal Carolina
Kenny Pickett Pittsburgh
Carson Strong Nevada
This group has a little bit of everything. There are the guys with years of experience as starters; Brock Purdy, Tanner Morgan, Carson Strong, and guys just getting going; Grayson McCall. There are big guys like Phil Jurkovec, he’s 6’5 and Strong, he’s 6’4. The smaller, scrappy guys like Purdy, Morgan, Corral and Pickett, who seem to will their teams to wins with sheer passion. McCall is still a pretty young guy and at 6’3 200 lbs. he has ideal size. I’m not sure he comes out in 2022 so he may be a top guy in 2023 instead. Purdy and Morgan are guys who may have too much film, it’s easy to dissect a guy’s flaws when you have years of film to look at. The point with all seven of these guys is while they may be long shots to be top ten picks or even first round picks, they all could turn in a Burrow like season and shoot up the board. If I’m a betting man and this is my pool to pick from, I’m taking McCall.
The 15th QB possibility
Spencer Petras Iowa
Calm down, stay with me this isn’t as crazy as it sounds. I know, he struggled last year, especially early in the year. However, he started to put it together at the end of the year and that’s what you want to see, progress. Petras is 6’5 230 lbs. and he has a rocket for an arm. Yes, he struggled with touch throws for most of the season but he got better, especially in the last two games. He started all eight games for Iowa as a first-year starter. He didn’t have a spring practice or summer workouts to get ready and training camp was unusual with the pandemic. He needs to improve his touch in order to improve his completion percentage. He left far too many easy completions out there because he was throwing the ball 100 mph. Petras does have a number of things the pros are looking for; he has prototypical size, elite arm strength, he comes from a pro style offense and while he’s not a runner, he can move around well enough. Going into last season Zach Wilson wasn’t guaranteed to remain the starter at BYU because he was inconsistent the year before, then the light switch flipped on and he was fantastic. Petras took some time after spring practice to work with a QB coach that previously worked with Nate Stanley when he was training for the draft. If Petras finds some consistency and puts it all together, he will have the whole package.
Iowa Guys
I already mentioned Tyler Linderbaum, who I expect to be Iowa’s first draftee next year assuming Petras doesn’t break out, and Sam LaPorta who could really emerge too. Those aren’t the only other guys Iowa has on the NFL radar this season.
Tyler Goodson RB
Goodson is a stud. He was first-team All-Big Ten last year and he was only a sophomore. He has good size, great balance and plenty of speed. He catches the ball well and he doesn’t waste a lot of steps. He’s quick and smooth and while he may not have one particular elite skill, he’s a tremendous RB.
Tyrone Tracy WR
This is the dark horse of Iowa’s offense. Everyone knows how good Goodson is and everyone is expecting LaPorta to be a weapon. What teams should watch out for is the guy replacing Ihmir Smith-Marsette and Brandon Smith as Iowa’s go-to receiver. Tracy is cross trained to play every WR position inside and out. His versatility will make him tough to cover because he can line up anywhere. He has great speed and while he isn’t the typical big outside receiver, teams are using guys like Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle on the outside as well as the inside. Tracy has a chance to be the break out star of Iowa’s offense.
Nico Ragaini WR
Ragaini isn’t the prospect Tracy can be but he’s a solid slot receiver prospect. He’s not going to be a high draft pick or a draft pick at all necessarily but he can get a shot in the NFL. If guys like Hunter Renfrow and Dax Milne can get a shot in the NFL, Ragaini can.
Zach VanValkenburg DE
As happy as I am to have VanValkenburg back for the Hawkeyes, he’s not a major prospect by any means. He’s staying in college for his sixth season meaning he’ll be considerably older than his draft class. He’s a good football player who will get a shot at a rookie camp but he’s not NFL draft caliber.
Matt Hankins CB
This is the guy that needs to have his breakthrough season. He’s returning for his fifth year and he’s started for three of those but I’m not sure he’s gotten better over those three years. He’s a solid college corner but that’s all. I really think Hankins could become more but he’s literally running out of time.
Riley Moss CB
If you would have told me three years ago that Moss would be a better pro prospect than Hankins, I would have told you you’re crazy, but it’s not crazy. Moss stepped up last season and looked really good. He can keep progressing and he’ll be a solid late round possibility. There’s a chance and NFL team moves him to safety but for now I do think he has a chance to make a team as a CB.
The Hott Read 