The 2022 NFL Draft is officially in the books. After a flurry of selections from Thursday to Saturday, 262 players were selected to join the NFL’s 32 franchises. With that, we give you our full draft recap, with analysis on each team’s day and every notable selection made during the weekend.
For more information on the players your favorite team drafted, it’s not too late to get the 2022 NFL Draft Guide, which includes expanded scouting reports, unique advanced data, PFF grades and much more.
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ARIZONA CARDINALS
R2 (55) — TE Trey McBride, Colorado State
R3 (87) — EDGE Cameron Thomas, San Diego State
R3 (100) — EDGE Myjai Sanders, Cincinnati
R6 (201) — RB Keaontay Ingram, USC
R6 (215) — G Lecitus Smith, Virginia Tech
R7 (244) — CB Christian Matthew, Valdosta State
R7 (256) — EDGE Jesse Luketa, Penn State
R7 (257) — G Marquis Hayes, Oklahoma
Day 1: The Cardinals flipped their first-round draft pick for Marquise Brown, reuniting him with former college teammate Kyler Murray. The price might have been steep, but it’s easy to see Brown taking a jump in the Cardinals’ offense in 2022. Murray has been PFF’s second-highest graded passer on throws 20-plus yards downfield since entering the league in 2019 — a good sign for Hollywood in the vertical slot threat role vacated by Christian Kirk.
Day 2: Despite re-signing veteran tight ends Maxx Williams and Zach Ertz this offseason, the Cardinals add another to the mix in Colorado State’s Trey McBride. At 6-foot-4, 246 pounds, McBride was PFF’s No. 60 overall player in the class with above-average run-blocking prowess and downfield pass-catching ability. He has great ball skills and is easily the best tight end in the 2022 class.
Thomas’ pre-draft process was thrown for a loop when he tweaked a hamstring at the Senior Bowl. Nonetheless, his collegiate output at SDSU was enough to make him a top-100 prospect. Thomas turned in three straight years of 80.0-plus PFF grades. And he did that while playing both along the interior and on the edge. The 6-foot-4, 267-pound edge defender doesn’t have ideal lower-body strength but is twitchy for his size.
The pre-draft process was not kind to Sanders. His weight jumped up and down, and he didn’t test anywhere near where his tape suggested despite showing up to the combine under 230 pounds. He recorded 10 total pressures in the College Football Playoff against Alabama. His weight needs to stay consistent if he’s going to see the field in Arizona, but if he clears that bar, he could be a value pick for the Cardinals.
Day 3: Ranked the eighth-best interior offensive lineman and the 147th-best player on the PFF big board, Lecitus Smith is a steal for Arizona. He is a former tight end and has the movement to prove it. He allowed only 40 pressures across his four college seasons.
Draft Grade: B-
ATLANTA FALCONS
R1 (8) — WR Drake London, USC
R2 (38) — EDGE Arnold Ebiketie, Penn State
R2 (58) — LB Troy Anderson, Montana State
R3 (74) — QB Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati
R3 (82)— EDGE Deangelo Malone, Western Kentucky
R5 (151) — RB Tyler Allgeier, BYU
R6 (190)— G Justin Shaffer, Georgia
R6 (213) — TE John FitzPatrick, Georgia
Day 1: The Falcons receiving corps badly needed an infusion of talent, and London should provide a nice boost. A lot has been made about his ability to separate because of how much of his production came in contested-catch situations (FBS-high 17 contested catches in 2021). But that’s not all he brings to the table — he can create separation underneath, and he was productive after the catch for the Trojans. His 22 missed tackles forced after the catch last year — in just eight games before injury — is a top-five mark in this class.
Day 2: The Falcons ranked dead last in team pressure rate last season (21%). They needed to give Grady Jarrett some help along the defensive front, specifically off the edge. Ebiketie earned 88.0-plus PFF pass-rushing grades in each of his final two seasons at Penn State to go along with 80th-plus percentile finishes in every athletic testing drill, save the bench press. It’s not hard to see why the Falcons would make the move up for him.
Andersen can be a special player for Atlanta. He was recruited to Montana State to play linebacker but was forced to start at running back and quarterback his first and second years in college because he was the best option they had at both positions. He didn’t play in 2020 because of COVID-19 and then finally got the opportunity to play off-ball linebacker full-time in 2021. He’s a freaky athlete who is still learning the position, but he has as high a ceiling as any of the off-ball linebackers in the 2022 class.
Ridder was seen as a fringe first-round quarterback, but the NFL evidently doesn’t like this class. He is a steal at No. 74 overall. He has the best processing of any of this year’s quarterbacks and boasts legitimate speed and athleticism with a solid arm. His accuracy is an issue (adjusted completion rate of just 72% for his career), but he has real starting potential on a team with no long-term starter in place.
A massively experienced player with five seasons of college production under his belt, Malone can rush the passer and bring power to the table despite being undersized. He was impressive at the Senior Bowl and has added some bulk during the pre-draft process. He had 180 total pressures across five years in college, never grading lower than 74.8 overall.
Day 3: Allgeier has a very NFL-translatable game with his size and decisive running style. He averaged 4.4 yards after contact per attempt for his career at BYU and will bring his tough rushing style to Arthur Smith’s downhill run scheme.
Draft Grade: A
BALTIMORE RAVENS
R1 (14 — S Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame
R1 (25) — C Tyler Linderbaum, Iowa
R2 (45) — EDGE David Ojabo, Michigan
R3 (76) — DI Travis Jones, Connecticut
R4 (110) — T Daniel Faalele, Minnesota
R4 (119) — CB Jalyn Armour-Davis, Alabama
R4 (128) — TE Charlie Kolar, Iowa State
R4 (130) — P Jordan Stout, Penn State
R4 (139) — TE Isaiah Likely, Coastal Carolina
R4 (141) — CB Damarion Williams, Houston
R6 (196) — Tyler Badie, Missouri
Day 1: The Ravens sat back and capitalized on value with Hamilton sliding to No. 14 overall. The Notre Dame product’s disappointing 40-yard dash time (4.59 seconds) doesn’t show up as a concern on his tape. He’s coming off three consecutive seasons with PFF grades above 75.0, and he has the size and length (6-foot-4, 220 pounds) to line up anywhere and affect the offense in coverage. Baltimore arguably now has one of the best secondaries in the NFL, with Marlon Humphrey, Marcus Peters, Marcus Williams and Hamilton.
Linderbaum is the best center prospect PFF has ever evaluated. He may be undersized, but he’s an ultra-athlete who plays bigger than that size suggests. Linderbaum was a top-five-graded center in all three of his years as a starter there, including in 2021 when he broke the single-season PFF grading record for a center. The Iowa product’s best landing spot was undoubtedly in a zone-heavy rushing offense, but that’s not here. That makes this pairing with Baltimore — which runs a system predicated on a gap scheme — very interesting.
Day 2: Ojabo reunites with close friend and high school teammate Odafe Oweh and Michigan defensive coordinator Mike McDonald. The pass-rusher was once seen as a possible top-20 pick, but after a ruptured Achilles at his pro day, he slid to the middle of Round 2, where he became a great value. Ojabo is an extraordinary athlete who flashed top-tier talent this past season, producing multiple elite pass-rush game grades above 90.0. At the same time, his production was somewhat inconsistent, and his run defense is a big issue. He played just 560 snaps in college and has been playing football for less than five years. Nonetheless, while he’s far from refined, he has a high ceiling with his tools.
Travis Jones has first-round talent and lasted to the middle of the third round of the draft. Unfairly labeled as just a run-stuffing nose tackle, Jones wins as a pass-rusher as well, racking up 25 pressures last season. He played inferior competition to other high-end prospects, but when he did play Power-5 competition, he was dominant. Baltimore has a long history of succeeding with players of this body type.
Day 3: There are legitimate injury concerns with Armour-Davis, whose only full season as a starter came last year. Despite that, Armour-Davis found his way into the top 100 on PFF’s Big Board as a speedy corner with good size who plays with patience on the outside. He earned an 81.5 PFF coverage grade in 2021 with Alabama, allowing a passer rating of just 52.3.
Draft Grade: A+
BUFFALO BILLS
R1 (23) — CB Kaiir Elam, Florida
R2 (63) — RB James Cook, Georgia
R3 (89) — LB Terrel Bernard, Baylor
R5 (148) — WR Khalil Shakir, Boise State
R6 (180) — P Matt Araiza, San Diego State
R6 (185) — CB Christian Benford, Villanova
R6 (209) — T Luke Tenuta, Virginia Tech
R7 (231) — LB Baylon Spector, Clemson
Day 1: The Bills had a need at cornerback, and they got one who excels at the line of scrimmage in Elam. The Florida Gator put up an 89.8 PFF coverage grade as a true freshman in 2019 and followed that up with an 81.0 grade as a sophomore in 2020, dominating so much that opposing offenses largely avoided him in 2021. Elam was targeted three or fewer times in over half of his games this past year. However, penalties dragged down his PFF grade, which speaks volumes about how overly physical he can get.
Day 2: James Cook — Dalvin Cook’s brother — is a scat-back type with great play speed. He earned an 85.0 PFF grade and totaled 728 rushing yards with Georgia in 2021. He’s a great complementary piece to what the Bills already have in their backfield in Zack Moss and Devin Singletary.
Bernard is fast and plays fast. At the same time, he’s firmly undersized at 6-foot-1, 224 pounds and comes with serious tackling issues. Bernard owns a 14.8% missed tackle rate for his career and is teetering toward safety territory. He doesn’t let the lack of size get in the way of his mindset, and he does have quality instincts and athleticism. Still, Bernard should have been a Day 3 pick.
Day 3: Shakir was a human highlight reel for the Boise State Broncos. His body control and hands are the stuff of legend. He likely profiles best from the slot after putting up over 1,000 yards there in 2021. The 102nd-ranked player on the PFF big board, Shakir adds depth and a high upside to the Bills’ passing game.
Draft Grade: B+
CAROLINA PANTHERS
R1 (6) — G Ikem Ekwonu, NC State
R3 (94) — QB Matt Corral, Mississippi
R4 (120) — LB Brandon Smith, Penn State
R6 (189) — Edge Amare Barno, Virginia
R6 (199) — T Cade Mays, Tennessee
R7 (242) — CB Kalon Barnes, Baylor
Day 1: The board couldn’t have fallen much better for Carolina, with all three of the top offensive tackle prospects still on the board. The Panthers opted for the top run-blocker in the class in Ekwonu. The N.C. State tackle earned PFF run-blocking grades above 85.0 in all three of his college seasons, with grades above 90.0 in each of the last two years. It’s worth noting that the Panthers didn’t trade back to add another pick or two, given that they aren’t on the clock again until the fourth round.
Day 2: Corral wouldn’t have been a good pick in Round 1, but he provides value late on Day 2. Corral’s offense at Ole Miss made his projection to the NFL a little more difficult, as it was full of RPOs and simplistic reads. Despite the quarterback-friendly offense, Corral was consistently on time and delivered accurate throws while showing off an exceptional deep ball. Corral’s 2021 season took a nosedive midseason due to injury. His 91.1 PFF grade through Week 7 was the fourth-highest in the FBS, but that mark fell 20 grading points to 70.6 from Week 8 on.
Day 3: Smith is an athletic project, but he’s a project well worth taking at this stage of the draft. The production profile isn’t overly impressive. Smith earned PFF grades below 60.0 in each of the last two years at Penn State. But the NFL is always going to look for 6-foot-4, 250-pound linebackers who test above the 90th percentile in the 40-yard dash, broad jump and short shuttle. Now, the Panthers just need to figure out how to use him.
Draft Grade: A
CHICAGO BEARS
R2 (39) — CB Kyler Gordon, Washington
R2 (48) — S Jaquan Brisker, Penn State
R3 (71) — WR Velus Jones Jr., Tennessee
R5 (168) — T Braxton Jones, Southern Utah
R5 (174) — EDGE Dominique Robinson, Miami (OH)
R6 (186) — T Zachary Thomas, San Diego State
R6 (203) — RB Trestan Ebner, Baylor
R6 (207) — C Doug Kramer, Illinois
R7 (226) — T Ja'Tyre Carter, Southern University
R7 (254) — S Elijah Hicks, California
R7 (255) — P Trenton Gill, North Carolina State
Day 1: The Bears’ 2022 first-round pick was sent to the Giants as part of the Justin Fields trade last offseason.
Day 2: There were a couple of different ways the Bears could have gone with their first pick, but they again decided not to add an offensive lineman or wide receiver to support Justin Fields. Gordon does fill a need as a projected starter opposite Jaylon Johnson, though. His athletic testing was disappointing, but Gordon showcased impressive burst on tape at Washington. He earned a career-high 89.6 PFF coverage grade in 2021.
This is fantastic value for Brisker, and the Bears’ secondary looks promising after this pick along with Kyler Gordon at 39th overall. But again, this doesn’t help Justin Fields, making this a good but not very good or elite pick despite the value. Brisker earned three straight 80.0-plus PFF grades from 2019 to 2021. He recorded a couple of interceptions and four pass breakups en route to an 89.5 coverage grade this season. He is a smart player who has a high floor at the next level.
Velus Jones Jr. is one of the oldest prospects in the draft, and he didn’t break out until his sixth season in college. Still, he possesses elite speed and showed real playmaking ability for the Vols in 2021. Jones generated 2.67 yards per route and a 131.0 passer rating on passes thrown his way.
Day 3: Braxton Jones put up dominant tape at Southern Utah en route to a 93.9 overall grade. He combines an egregiously long wingspan with some legit explosiveness off the line.
Draft Grade: B-
CINCINNATI BENGALS
R1 (31) — S Daxton Hill, Michigan
R2 (60) — CB Cam Taylor-Britt, Nebraska
R3 (95) — DL Zachary Carter, Florida
R4 (136) — T Cordell Volson, North Dakota State
R5 (166) — S Tycen Anderson, Toledo
R7 (252) — EDGE Jeffrey Gunter, Coastal Carolina
Day 1: Hill brings athleticism, solid collegiate production and versatility to the table. While he didn’t wear many hats in Michigan’s defense and primarily covered the slot, he has the skill set to be versatile. And given Cincinnati’s current roster construct, he’s going to be playing a different role than he did as a Wolverine. Hill produced a top-10 coverage slot coverage grade among Power Five defensive backs from 2020 to 2021.
Day 2: Nebraska’s Cam Taylor-Britt has improved his PFF grade every year of his collegiate career and allowed a reception on just 53% of his targets in 2021. He’s got great closing speed and physicality with the versatility to play any position in the Bengals’ secondary.
Florida’s Zachary Carter didn’t even crack PFF’s top-200 on the final draft board. He earned 80.0-plus PFF grades in only two games in his Florida career and finished the 2021 season with just a 78.1 PFF grade. He also didn’t grade particularly well at the 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl.
Day 3: Volson is the 209th-ranked player on PFF’s big board. He’s not exactly a project with three straight seasons with a 79-plus PFF grade at North Dakota State, but Volson is an older prospect who has some physicality concerns. That’s not going to get any better in the NFL.
Draft Grade: B+
CLEVELAND BROWNS
R3 (68) — CB Martin Emerson, Mississippi State
R3 (78) — EDGE Alex Wright, UAB
R3 (99) — WR David Bell, Purdue
R4 (108) — DI Perrion Winfrey, Oklahoma
R4 (124) — K Cade York, LSU
R5 (156) — RB Jerome Ford, Cincinnati
R6 (202) — WR Michael Woods II, Oklahoma
R7 (223) — EDGE Isaiah Thomas, Oklahoma
R7 (246) — C Dawson Deaton, Texas Tech
Day 1: The Browns’ first-round pick went to the Texans as part of the Deshaun Watson trade.
Day 2: Martin Emerson may prove to be a better player in the NFL than in college, where he was miscast in a system that didn’t quite play to his strengths. He has elite length for the position and could make a real name for himself in press coverage, but he struggles in off coverage and in space. He snagged just one interception in his college career despite facing 130 targets.
Alex Wright was one of the best-graded edge rushers in the nation in 2021, earning a 90.4 PFF grade at UAB after two solid years and a consistently improving pass-rushing grade. He had 51 pressures and some of the most dominant reps of any prospect. He has real size and power and has flown under the radar throughout the process.
Bell is slow and fell down boards as a result, but he still was a super productive wideout in the B1G. He attacks the ball well and has great physicality at 6-foot-1, 212 pounds. He isn’t a dynamic player by any means, but he does enough of the little things well to come in and produce early in Cleveland.
Day 3: Winfrey started his college career at Iowa Western Community College for two years before transferring to Oklahoma. He made an impact as a penetrator with an elite first step to get upfield. However, he was often miscast in Oklahoma’s defense, playing 236 snaps at nose tackle despite being on the slimmer side. The former Sooner joins a team that has already selected an edge rusher and a cornerback in attempts to strengthen their defense.
Draft Grade: B
DALLAS COWBOYS
R1 (24) — T Tyler Smith, Tulsa
R2 (56) — EDGE Sam Williams, Mississippi
R3 (88) — WR Jalen Tolbert, South Alabama
R4 (129) — TE Jake Ferguson, Wisconsin
R5 (155) — T Matt Waletzko, North Dakota
R5 (167) — CB DaRon Bland, Fresno State
R5 (176) — LB Damone Clark, LSU
R5 (178) — DI John Ridgeway, Arkansas
R6 (193) — LB Devin Harper, Oklahoma State
Day 1: Smith has been on a meteoric rise in recent months. Arguably the most violent offensive lineman at the Group of Five level, he led the nation in big-time run-blocks a season ago. His grip strength and power are a sight to see — once his hands get locked into the defender’s pads, it’s game over. The Tulsa product earned a 92.1 PFF grade that ranked fourth among FBS tackles in 2021. He was even better from Week 6 on, too, as he graded out at 94.2 over the back half of the season. Smith is going to have a steep learning curve to start, but he is young at just 21 years old.
Day 2: Ole Miss’ Sam Williams has an insane get-off for an edge product who stands at 6-foot-4, 261 pounds. His 4.46-second 40-yard dash ranked 98th percentile among players at his position, but his play strength is massively lacking. He earned a career-high 78.1 PFF grade this past season but needs to develop counters in the NFL if he’s going to consistently create pressure on the quarterback.
While there are concerns with the competition level and being a one-trick pony, Tolbert is very good value late on Day 2. The 6-foot-2, 194-pound wide receiver was one of the top deep threats of 2021. He was responsible for 646 deep receiving yards this season, the fifth-most in the FBS. Tolbert was the go-to guy in South Alabama’s offense, and he made the most of those opportunities by generating 3.16 yards per route run. His deep speed and ball skills will be a good addition to the Cowboys’ receiving room.
Day 3: Waletzko’s developmental traits are as good as you’ll see in this tackle class. With a 7-foot-1 wingspan and nimble feet, he’s the project NFL teams want and has the tape of an offensive lineman with solid upside. Waletzko graded above 70.0 in five of his nine games this past season.
Draft Grade: B+
DENVER BRONCOS
R2 (64) — EDGE Nik Bonitto, Oklahoma
R3 (80) — TE Greg Dulcich, UCLA
R4 (115) — CB Damarri Mathis, Pittsburgh
R4 (116) — EDGE Eyioma Uwazurike, Iowa State
R5 (152) — S Delarrin Turner-Yell, Oklahoma
R5 (162) — WR Montrell Washington, Samford
R5 (171) — C Luke Wattenberg, Washington
R6 (206) — DI Matt Henningsen, Wisconsin
R7 (232) — CB Faion Hicks, Wisconsin
Day 1: The Broncos’ first-round pick was sent to the Seattle Seahawks as part of the Russell Wilson trade.
Day 2: Nik Bonitto is a phenomenal value for the Broncos. He was PFF’s 38th-ranked player on the draft board and one of the most productive pass-rushers in the country. He earned a 92.5 PFF pass-rushing grade and a 27.3% pass-rushing win rate in 2021. He’s a pure speed rusher that should immediately come to Denver as a designated pass-rusher on obvious passing downs. This is one of the best picks of Day 2.
The Broncos traded away Noah Fant and needed to add a body to the tight end corps and Dulcich can fit that bill. He has excellent ball skills and shows real wide receiver chops in a tight end’s body. He has excellent athleticism and a really good feel for finding space and getting open. He will contribute to this offense.
Day 3: Mathis, a top-100 player and the 13th-best corner in this class, was a big part of the Pitt Panthers' success last year. He snagged two interceptions, recorded four pass breakups and only allowed a 50.0% completion percentage on the way to a 68.0 defensive grade.
Draft Grade: B+
DETROIT LIONS
R1 (2) — EDGE Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan
R1 (12) — WR Jameson Williams, Alabama
R2 (46) — EDGE Josh Pachal, Kentucky
R3 (97) — S Kerby Joseph, Illinois
R5 (177) — TE James Mitchell, Virginia Tech
R6 (188) — LB Malcolm Rodriguez, Oklahoma State
R6 (217) — EDGE James Houston IV, Jackson State
R7 (237) — CB Chase Lucas, Arizona State
Day 1: The Lions gladly take the hometown Hutchinson falling into their laps. The Michigan product has been labeled as the “high floor, lower ceiling” prospect of the top group of edge defenders, but that may be underselling his upside. The only edge rushers drafted in the first round over the last five drafts with a higher overall PFF grade in college than Hutchinson are Chase Young, Nick Bosa and Myles Garrett. The high-end production and athleticism are both there in a versatile 6-foot-7, 268-pound frame.
Detroit also made a massive move up the board for Williams, who is a game-changing talent when healthy. No one else in this class sniffs Williams’ speed or movement skills. You don’t need to look much further than what he was able to do to Georgia’s defense to see the kind of impact that he can have. In 2021, Williams tied Ja’Marr Chase’s 2019 record for the most 50-plus-yard receiving touchdowns since 2014. Williams teams up with second-year wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown to give the Lions two building blocks to work with at receiver.
Day 2: Detroit is beefing up the defensive front with Aidan Hutchinson in Round 1 and now Paschal in Round 2. The Kentucky Wildcat was quietly one of the highest-graded edge defenders in the country this past season with a 90.0 overall mark. Paschal is a strong, explosive player who can play on the interior and the edge. He may be a tad stiff and can get out of control from time to time, but this is good value for an all-around solid player.
Joseph is still very much learning the safety position, but he has uncoachable ball skills and length. He’s also such an easy mover and should get looks at split-field safety and in the box in Detroit. He just needs more experience at the position to really develop into a legitimate starter in the league.
Day 3: Mitchell was a hit as a sophomore in 2019 when he proved to be one of the best big-play tight ends in the country. He averaged 17.2 yards per reception that season. With Dalton Keene out of the picture in 2020, Mitchell started to be featured more while still maintaining a high 17.3 yards per reception average. With high hopes for his draft potential in 2021, Mitchell unfortunately went down with a torn ACL in Week 2 against Middle Tennessee State.
Draft Grade: A+
GREEN BAY PACKERS
R1 (22) — LB Quay Walker, Georgia
R1 (28) — DI Devonte Wyatt, Georgia
R2 (34) — WR Christian Watson, North Dakota State
R3 (92) — T Sean Rhyan, UCLA
R4 (132) — WR Romeo Doubs, Nevada
R4 (140) — T Zach Tom, Wake Forest
R6 (179) — EDGE Kingsley Enagbare, South Carolina
R7 (228) — S Tariq Carpenter, Georgia Tech
R7 (234) — DI Jonathan Ford, Miami (FL.)
R7 (249) — T Rasheed Walker, Penn State
R7 (258) — WR Samori Toure, Nebraska
Day 1: Walker slots in as the 45th-ranked overall player on PFF’s big board and the LB4. The Georgia off-ball linebacker isn’t a downhill player in the run game, and he was still more of a reactor than a playmaker. On the bright side, he does have an elite physical profile. Walker is so good at wrapping defenders up with his near 80-inch wingspan. He missed just seven tackles on 138 attempts in his college career.
Many expected Green Bay to break its streak of not selecting a wide receiver in Round 1, but the team opted not to do so by grabbing PFF’s top-ranked interior defensive lineman, Devonte Wyatt. No Power Five interior defensive lineman earned a higher PFF grade in 2021. Wyatt also earned a grade above 80.0 both as a run defender and a pass-rusher — something no other player at the position in the Power Five accomplished. The former Georgia Bulldog continued to dominate through the Senior Bowl, where he led the position in win rate during one-on-ones.
Day 2: The Packers made a big move up to add their wide receiver of choice at the top of the second round. Watson has all the physical tools of a No. 1 wide receiver at 6-foot-4 with 4.36-second speed in the 40-yard dash. However, there are concerns about Watson’s play strength and lack of polish translating to the NFL on a team that needs an immediate contributor, especially with George Pickens and Skyy Moore both still on the board.
Rhyan showed steady growth throughout his collegiate career, going from a 57.6 PFF grade in 2019 to 73.9 in 2020 before posting a 83.9 mark in 2021. Still, Rhyan is going to be a project at the next level. He is far from refined technically, but his natural athleticism, build and progression at UCLA make him a good bet late in Round 3.
Day 3: Wake Forest offensive lineman Zach Tom has a chance to end up being one of the best values. Many have projected Tom to kick inside in the NFL, but his mirroring ability and athleticism should allow him to stick at tackle if that’s how Green Bay plans to use him. He’s coming off a career-best 92.1 pass-blocking grade last season at Wake Forest.
Draft Grade: B+
HOUSTON TEXANS
R1 (3) — CB Derek Stingley Jr., LSU
R1 (15) — G Kenyon Green, Texas A&M
R2 (37) — S Jalen Pitre, Baylor
R2 (44) — WR John Metchie III, Alabama
R3 (75) — LB Christian Harris, Alabama
R4 (107) — RB Dameon Pierce, Florida
R5 (150) — DI Thomas Booker, Stanford
R5 (170) —TE Teagan Quitoriano, Oregon State
R6 (205) — T Austin Deculus, LSU
Day 1: Stingley’s draft stock ended up coming full circle, with him coming off the board as a top-five pick and CB1 here for Houston. He was never able to build on a dominant true freshman season with LSU in 2019 when he allowed a 51.4 passer rating into his coverage with 21 combined pass breakups and interceptions. But that talent didn’t go anywhere. Stingley brings rare movement skills and athleticism and can play in any scheme. He’ll be a building block in Houston as Nick Caserio & Co. overhaul the roster.
Green was a little bit of a reach based on the PFF big board (39th overall), but it’s not difficult to see why the Texans would value him here. Green played every position except center for Texas A&M in 2021 and will probably slot in early at guard for Houston. Despite all that moving around, Green still earned PFF grades north of 75.0 in each of the last two seasons, and he should only continue to improve.
Day 2: Pitre doesn’t have the cleanest positional projection to the NFL as a safety who played primarily in the slot at Baylor, but he’s going to make Houston’s defense better. Pitre can play some nickel, safety and dime linebacker for a defense that has needs across the board, and he’s going to consistently find himself around the football in coverage and in the run game. Pitre’s 92.7 PFF run-defense grade ranked first among all defensive backs in the FBS last season.
Considering the Texans traded up for Metchie, who is coming off an ACL injury and has a questionable ceiling, this is a below-average pick for Houston. An injury of this magnitude is a concern for a player with questions about his full potential and physical profile. On a more positive note, the 5-foot-11, 187-pounder is a technician. He’s a sound route-runner who consistently got open against stiff competition in the SEC. In fact, Metchie led the conference in targets against single coverage with a step or more of separation over the past two seasons.
Christian Harris is a player with a lot of starting experience in college who never quite developed and improved the way he was expected to. Harris is an outstanding athlete but has never had a PFF coverage grade above 52.0 in a defense with NFL concepts and NFL-caliber coaching. He may have a limited role, but he can be useful in that role.
Day 3: The story for the Houston Texans in this draft was building the team from the ground up at every position. They continued to do so by adding Florida running back Dameon Pierce. Last season, the Gator earned a 92.0 PFF grade after amassing 574 yards on 100 attempts. Pierce will likely back up veteran Rex Burkhead and eventually take over the team’s backfield.
Draft Grade: B+
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
R2 (53) — WR Alec Pierce, Cincinnati
R3 (73) — TE Jelani Woods, Virginia
R3 (77) — T Bernhard Raimann, Central Michigan
R3 (96) — S Nick Cross, Maryland
R5 (159) — DI Eric Johnson, Missouri State
R6 (192) — TE Andrew Ogletree, Youngstown State
R6 (216) — DI Curtis Brooks, Cincinnati
R7 (239) — S Rodney Thomas II, Yale
Day 1: The Colts traded away their first-round pick as part of the Carson Wentz trade last offseason.
Day 2: A wide receiver like Skyy Moore, who was still on the board at Pick No. 53, might have been a better fit here, but Alec Pierce does still address a glaring hole at wide receiver. Pierce has some serious juice, but he may just be a vertical threat at the next level, at best. He’s stiff, and his route tree at Cincinnati was very much limited. Over 66% of his yards coming from vertical routes in 2021.
The NFL may have never seen an athlete at the tight end position like Jelani Woods, who was buried on an offense as a blocker for years before finally getting a chance to show what he could do in the passing game. His hands were suspect, dropping 10.7% of catchable targets in his college career, but he has a rare athletic profile.
A clear first-round talent on PFF’s Big Board, Bernhard Raimann slipped in the draft due to injury concerns, but he has outstanding athleticism and immediate starting ability. He began his career as a tight end but developed into an excellent tackle at Central Michigan. He allowed just one sack as a starting tackle and gives the Colts a starting tackle in the third round.
Cross is a phenomenal value for the Colts at No. 96. He’s a former four-star recruit with some of the best range of any safety prospect in this class. He isn’t as instinctual as you’d like him to be, but he can fly sideline to sideline in the deep safety role. He’s a project player, but the Colts’ coaching staff will get an impact starter if they can effectively develop him early on.
Day 3: Eric Johnson’s production profile is a bit concerning knowing that he played against FCS competition at Missouri State and never earned a single-season grade above 80.0. However, he is a legit run defender at 6-foot-5, 298 pounds and posted PFF run-defense grades and run-stop rates above the 75th percentile in 2021.
Draft Grade: B+
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
R1 (1) — EDGE Travon Walker, Georgia
R1 (27) — LB Devin Lloyd, Utah
R3 (65) — C Luke Fortner, Kentucky
R3 (70) — LB Chad Muma, Wyoming
R5 (154) — RB Snoop Conner, Mississippi
R6 (197) — CB Gregory Junior, Ouachita Baptist
R7 (222) — CB Montaric Brown, Arkansas
Day 1: Trent Baalke gets his guy. The Jaguars are banking on Travon Walker’s elite traits in a class without a clear-cut No. 1 talent at the top of the board. There are schematic reasons why Walker didn’t post gaudy numbers at Georgia, but there are still plenty of risks involved with taking a player at No. 1 overall who never cleared a 75.0 PFF grade or 10% pressure rate in three seasons with the Bulldogs.
Jacksonville takes advantage of a big prospect slide by trading up to No. 27 for Devin Lloyd, who slotted in at No. 15 overall on PFF’s big board and was the favorite to be the first off-ball linebacker drafted. There are few bones to pick with Lloyd’s game as a prospect. He’s explosive and intuitive and boasts the frame and physicality the NFL is looking for. Lloyd was one of only four college players at the position who earned a 90.0-plus PFF grade in 2021. He graded above 80.0 against the run, in coverage and as a blitzer.
Day 2: A powerful offensive lineman, Luke Fortner improved upon his PFF grades each season of his career but still topped out at No. 105 on the PFF big board. He isn’t great at getting to the second level, either in locating linebackers or disengaging from combination blocks at the defensive line. He fits a real area of need for Jacksonville.
This pick is questionable in terms of need, but Chad Muma is good value at this point in the draft, and there’s real merit in that approach. Muma is a prototypical weakside linebacker who can run and chase to the football. He is coming off a 90.0-plus PFF grade in 2021 and gave up only one touchdown into his coverage in his time at Wyoming.
Day 3: The 242nd-ranked prospect on PFF’s big board, Connor earned a 73.0-plus rushing grade in three of his college seasons, earning a career-high 76.4 grade in his junior season.
Draft Grade: C+
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
R1 (21) — CB Trent McDuffie, Washington
R1 (30) — EDGE George Karlaftis, Purdue
R2 (54) — WR Skyy Moore, Western Michigan
R2 (62) — S Bryan Cook, Cincinnati
R3 (103) — LB Leo Chenal, Wisconsin
R4 (135) — CB Joshua Williams, Fayetteville State
R5 (145) — T Darian Kinnard, Kentucky
R7 (243) — CB Jaylen Watson, Washington State
R7 (251) — RB Isaih Pacheco, Rutgers
R7 (259) — S Nazeeh Johnson, Marshall
Day 1: While it required a trade-up, Trent McDuffie is a great addition for the Chiefs at No. 21 overall. McDuffie was the 11th-ranked player overall on PFF’s big board and had one of the best careers PFF College has ever seen. He turned in an 80.0-plus grade as a true freshman, sophomore and junior, something just one other Power Five corner has accomplished in the PFF College era. He may be small, but he possesses elite awareness and top-notch athleticism and is a physical tackler. McDuffie has all the traits to be a versatile chess piece for Kansas City.
Karlaftis’ slide ends with the Chiefs at 30th overall, making him the biggest steal of Round 1. He turned in a 90.6 pass-rush grade as one of the few game-wreckers in college football last season. Also known as the college football Greek Freak, the 6-foot-4, 266-pounder boasts some of the best hand usage in the class and plays with big-time power and an impressive get-off. Karlaftis posted the fourth-best win rate in the Power Five on true pass rushes this past season despite being consistently chipped, doubled and cut.
Day 2: Skyy Moore was a first-round prospect in PFF’s eyes, once again giving the Chiefs one of the biggest steals of the NFL draft. The highest-graded wide receiver of the 2021 college football season wasn’t any of the Power Five top prospects — it was Western Michigan’s Skyy Moore. The 5-foot-10, 195-pound receiver’s 26 broken tackles after the catch tied for the most among wide receivers in 2021, and he ranked in the 95th percentile in separation percentage. Despite his smaller stature, Moore had no issue handling press coverage on the outside, ranking top-five in yards per route run on those reps last season at 3.58. The cherry on top is his strong hands — the Western Michigan pass-catcher checked in with the largest hands of anyone at the Combine (10.25 inches) and dropped just three of his 125 targets in 2021 while catching eight of his 13 contested opportunities.
Bryan Cook is a physical tackler who could be an impact player in the NFL if he can stay healthy. Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell said he ran a 4.45-second 40-yard dash in the winter, but injuries that he played through during the season kept him from testing in the pre-draft process. His best role in Kansas City will be around the line of scrimmage at box safety.
Kansas City gets an absolute steal here with Leo Chenal in the third round. Chenal packs a punch as a downhill player, as he can light up offensive linemen with ease. His 94.1 run-defense grade wasn’t too far behind Micah Parsons‘ (94.8) PFF college record. He finished the pre-draft process as PFF’s No. 36 overall player.
Day 3: Darian Kinnard is one of the most accomplished run-blockers at the tackle position in college football. Even though he may end up at guard, he earned 89.0-plus run-blocking grades over the past three seasons.
Draft Grade: A+
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
R3 (90) — G Dylan Parham, Memphis
R4 (122) — RB Zamir White, Georgia
R4 (126) — DI Neil Farrell Jr., LSU
R5 (175) — DI Matthew Butler, Tennessee
R7 (238) — G Thayer Munford, Ohio State
R7 (250) — RB Brittain Brown, UCLA
Day 1: The Raiders had no first-round pick after trading for Davante Adams earlier in the offseason.
Day 2: The team’s first selection came in the third round at No. 90 overall. Dylan Parham has been working on adding more to his frame, which was his biggest criticism in the pre-draft process. That’s still going to be something to monitor as he makes the jump to the NFL, but his athleticism and footwork help make up for it. Parham earned a 90.6 PFF grade in 2020 at tackle before kicking inside in 2021 and posting a 78.8 mark. The latter is where he will be pigeonholed in the NFL.
Day 3: Matthew Butler was a bit of a late bloomer in his five seasons with the Volunteers. It took until his redshirt sophomore year to lock down a rotational role, his redshirt junior year to lock down a starting role and his redshirt senior year before he started to really make an impact. While averaging 55.8 snaps per game, Butler still managed to grade out well above average as both a run-defender and pass-rusher last fall. He was a havoc-creating 3-technique in Tennessee’s defense and was often deployed on postsnap slants to try to take advantage of his athleticism.
Draft Grade: B+
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
R1 (17) — G Zion Johnson, Boston College
R3 (79) — S JT Woods, Baylor
R4 (123) — RB Isaiah Spiller, Texas A&M
R5 (160) — DI Otito Ogbonnia, UCLA
R6 (195) — T Jamaree Salyer, Georgia
R6 (214) — CB Ja'Sir Taylor, Wake Forest
R7 (236) — CB Deane Leonard, Mississippi
R7 (260) — FB Zander Horvath, Purdue
Day 1: Zion Johnson is a quality pick for the Chargers, and should slot in at right guard and move 2021 starter Matt Feiler to right tackle (where he ranked fifth in pass-block grade in 2019). As PFF lead draft analyst Mike Renner highlighted in the 2022 PFF Draft Guide, there are a few cons to his game, but he’s a polished and stout performer with standout production. Johnson earned an 80.0-plus grade as both a pass-blocker and a run-blocker last season, recording just one penalty en route to an honorable mention PFF All-American nod. He then lit up the Senior Bowl, not losing a single pass-blocking rep during that week.
Day 2: In four seasons at Baylor, JT Woods never earned a PFF grade above 67.0. This past year was his best season and played to his strengths more, allowing him to showcase his speed and playmaking ability. He had six picks and three pass breakups but finished his college career with a missed tackle rate over 20%.
Day 3: Otito Ogbonnia was a promising rotational defensive tackle for three seasons before finally becoming a starter as a senior this past fall. It was in 2021 that Ogbonnia finally started to make a difference as a pass-rusher. That continued at the Senior Bowl, where his length played routinely in the one-on-ones. Still, he was regularly too high in the run game and had a rough week of practices in that regard.
Draft Grade: B
LOS ANGELES RAMS
R3 (104) — T Logan Bruss, Wisconsin
R4 (142) — CB Decobie Durant, South Carolina State
R5 (164) — RB Kyren Williams, Notre Dame
R6 (211) — S Quentin Lake, UCLA
R6 (212) — CB Derion Kendrick, Georgia
R6 (235) — EDGE Daniel Hardy, Montana State
R7 (253) — S Russ Yeast, Kansas State
R7 (261) — T AJ Arcuri, Michigan State
Day 1: *crickets*
Day 2: Logan Bruss has played over 1,400 career snaps at right tackle and 352 career snaps at right guard, but he projects best as a guard in the NFL. His PFF grade has improved every year of his career and earned an impressive 82.8 PFF run-blocking grade in 2021.
Day 3: After barely playing as a true freshman in 2019, Kyren Williams has been the focal point of the offense the past two seasons. Not only in the running game but as a receiver, as well. Williams’ 77 receptions the past two years were the second-most among Notre Dame receivers. He did all that despite checking in under 200 pounds. The one red flag on his production profile is his eight fumbles over that span.
Draft Grade: C+
MIAMI DOLPHINS
R3 (102) — LB Channing Tindall, Georgia
R4 (125) — WR Erik Ezukanma, Texas Tech
R7 (224) — EDGE Cameron Goode, Cal
R7 (247) — QB Skylar Thompson, Kansas State
Day 1: Miami had no first-round pick after trading with Kansas City for receiver Tyreek Hill.
Day 2: Miami’s first pick in the draft came in the third round at No. 102 where they drafted linebacker Channing Tindall. He isn’t nearly as instinctual as his teammate Nakobe Dean, but man can the kid fly sideline to sideline. Blitz him consistently and never ask him to turn his back to the line of scrimmage, and Tindall is going to produce. This is a great fit in Miami.
Day 3: Erik Ezukanma brings some size (6-foot-2, 209 pounds) to the outside, which Miami needed after dealing DeVante Parker. He put up over 600 receiving yards in each of the past three seasons at Texas A&M and averaged over 15.0 yards per reception over the course of his college career. Miami continues to add talent for Tua Tagovailoa to work with on offense.
Draft Grade: B-
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
R1 (32) — S Lewis Cine, Georgia
R2 (42) — CB Andrew Booth Jr., Clemson
R2 (59) — G Ed Ingram, LSU
R3 (66) — LB Brian Asamoah, Oklahoma
R4 (118) — CB Akayleb Evans, Missouri
R5 (165) — EDGE Esezi Otomewo, Minnesota
R5 (169) — RB Ty Chandler, North Carolina
R6 (184) — T Vederian Lowe, Illinois
R6 (191) — WR Jalen Nailor, Michigan State
R7 (227) — TE Nick Muse, South Carolina
Day 1: The Minnesota Vikings traded all the way back from No. 12 to No. 32 in the first round, picking up No. 34 (2nd) and No. 66 (3rd) in the process and sending No. 46 (2nd) the other way.
After trading back, the Vikings land PFF’s No. 2 safety and 26th-best prospect overall, Lewis Cine, at No. 32. The Georgia Bulldog — like most players on the team — is an elite athlete. He posted a 4.37-second 40-yard dash and an 11-foot-1 broad jump at the NFL Scouting Combine. He was one of the best safeties in college football last year, turning in an 82.4 PFF grade that ranked eighth in the Power Five. Cine was also one of the best tacklers in the country at Georgia, with just 11 misses on 159 career attempts. He was primarily a deep safety in college, but he can fill a more versatile role in Minnesota.
Day 2: The Vikings were trading back in the second round as well, first trading back from No. 34 before trading up to No. 42 to select Andrew Booth Jr., the cornerback from Clemson. Booth projects as a scheme-versatile starter on the outside with some of the best feet in the class. Medical concerns pushed him into Day 2, but he’s a first-round talent. Patrick Peterson, who is playing on another one-year deal, is a short-term solution for the Vikings, who need to continue to add competition at the position.
Ed Ingram started as a true freshman in 2017 as a four-star recruit coming out of DeSoto, Texas, but he missed all of 2018 after he was charged with two counts of aggravated sexual assault. The charges were eventually dropped, and he went on to play over 400 offensive snaps in all three seasons following (2019-21). He never earned a PFF grade above 75.0 in his career due in large part to lackluster pass protection, but he’s a people-mover in the run game. He’s a project in the passing game but a Day 1 impact player as a run-blocker.
Few linebackers have the same range and potential in coverage as Brian Asamoah. At the Senior Bowl in drills set up for losses on the defensive side, Asamoah was able to cover backs and tight ends well. The Vikings have a need alongside Eric Kendricks, and Asamoah has the capacity to complement him very well.
Day 3: Ty Chandler spent his first four seasons at Tennessee in a timeshare role every single year. Despite seeing the bulk of the carries his last few years there, Chandler grad-transferred to North Carolina this past fall to see an expanded role. He set career highs in every category imaginable for the Tar Heels. Known for his speed, Chandler more than doubled his previous career-high for explosive runs.
Draft Grade: B
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
R1 (29) — G Cole Strange, Chattanooga
R2 (50) — WR Tyquan Thornton, Baylor
R3 (85) — CB Marcus Jones, Houston
R4 (121) — CB Jack Jones, Arizona State
R4 (127) — RB Pierre Strong Jr., South Dakota State
R4 (137) — QB Bailey Zappe, Western Kentucky
R6 (183) — RB Kevin Harris, South Carolina
R6 (200) — Edge Sam Roberts, Northwest Missouri State
R6 (210) — G Chasen Hines, LSU
R7 (245) — T Andrew Stueber, Michigan
Day 1: Cole Strange is the biggest reach of Round 1, as the Chattanooga Moc was 86th on PFF’s big board. His anchor and footwork are suspect, making it highly unlikely he slots in as a major contributor early on. On a positive note, Strange is a versatile and elite athlete who excels in space. The 6-foot-5, 307-pounder ranked above the 89th percentile at the position historically at the combine in the 40-yard dash (5.03 second), broad jump (120-inches), three-cone drill (7.44 seconds) and pro agility (4.5 seconds). Before blowing up the event in Indianapolis, Strange impressed many across the league by spending almost all of the Senior Bowl at center despite not playing a single down at the position for Chattanooga.
Day 2: After the Saints reached for their pick at 49th overall, the Patriots topped them by taking Tyquan Thornton — the 192nd ranked player on the PFF big board. Everyone knows that he brings deep speed to the table after clocking a 4.28-second 40-yard at the NFL scouting combine. While those wheels are a huge plus, his play strength at the next level is cause for concern. Thornton isn’t much of an after-the-catch threat, as evidenced by averaging 3.9 yards after the catch and breaking just 11 tackles on 143 career receptions.
Marcus Jones has extremely concerning size at 5-foot-8, 177-pounds, and that pushed him down this far in the draft, but at No. 85 overall for New England, Jones provides immense value. He is a fluid athlete who is, at a minimum, going to be a quality return specialist, as he was the highest-graded kick returner in the country last season. He’s not going to be playing outside corner as he has for Houston the last three years, but he can contribute in the slot due to his physical mindset and quickness, and maybe even play snaps on offense.
Day 3: It’s interesting that Bailey Zappe comes off the board here before Sam Howell, but it’s still good value for a quarterback who put up gaudy numbers last season at Western Kentucky. Zappe projects as an ideal backup for Mac Jones in New England after earning a 95.8 PFF grade in 2021.
Draft Grade: D
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
R1 (11) — WR Chris Olave, Ohio State
R1 (19) — OT Trevor Penning, Northern Iowa
R2 (49) — CB Alontae Taylor, Tennessee
R5 (161) — LB D'Marco Jackson, Appalachian State
R6 (194) — DI Jordan Jackson, Air Force
Day 1: After trading to get a second first-round pick this season, the Saints jumped up just a little more to make sure they got their guy. The fit here is seamless, with Chris Olave stepping into the vertical-threat role in New Orleans’ offense as the WR2 opposite Michael Thomas. Olave recorded 12 touchdowns on passes thrown 20-plus yards downfield over the last two seasons at Ohio State, fourth in the FBS. It’s just a lot easier to get behind the value here at one of the Saints’ original pick selections rather than by executing a trade that they lose 61% of the time, per PFF data scientist Timo Riske.
Going from Terron Armstead, an absolute technician at left tackle, to Trevor Penning, who is very much raw, is a major downgrade for New Orleans. The Northern Iowa product is a high-level athlete at 6-foot-7 and 325 pounds, and he plays with a killer mindset — so much so that he might need to tone it down a bit. While he did rack up 33 big-time blocks against lesser competition in 2021, he also drew 16 penalties. Along with that, Penning’s pass protection needs to be completely reworked, and he has to do better at playing low. Those significant issues may have him facing a steeper-than-expected learning curve in the NFL.
Day 2: This is going to be in the conversation for the biggest reach in the 2022 NFL Draft, according to the PFF big board. Alontae Taylor is fresh off a breakout campaign for the Volunteers in 2021, earning an 83.1 PFF grade after producing a sub-65.0 mark for three straight seasons. While fast and physical, the lack of instincts, playmaking and quality change-of-direction ability are major concerns when projecting him to the NFL level.
Day 3: Jackson first saw real playing time as a redshirt sophomore in 2019, making a name for himself as a run defender for the Mountaineers. He didn’t earn his full-time role, however, until 2020 when he showed out as an all-around linebacker with two picks and six pass breakups. The coaching staff must have liked what they saw from him as a blitzer that season because he got deployed in that role more times in 2021 than he had in his entire collegiate career and racked up five sacks, 11 hits and 11 hurries.
Draft Grade: C+
NEW YORK GIANTS
R1 (5) — EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon
R1 (7) — OT Evan Neal, Alabama
R2 (43) — WR Wan'Dale Robinson, Kentucky
R3 (67) — G Joshua Ezeudu, North Carolina
R3 (81) — CB Cordale Flott, LSU
R4 (112) — TE Daniel Bellinger, San Diego State
R4 (114) — S Dane Belton, Iowa
R4 (146) — LB Micah McFadden, Indiana
R5 (147) — DI D.J. Davidson, Arizona State
R5 (173) — G Marcus McKethan, North Carolina
R6 (182) — LB Darrian Beavers, Cincinnati
Day 1: It was always going to be a surprise if Kayvon Thibodeaux fell much further than this, even with “concerns” about his fit and reports that different teams had pushed him down their boards over recent months. There was just too much talent there. The Oregon product recorded over 30 pressures as a true freshman in 2019, and he’s coming off a career-high 91.5 PFF pass-rushing grade last season. He fits the mold of the impact pass-rusher New York desperately needed off the edge.
The Giants’ decision to draft Thibodeaux at No. 5 signals that they were comfortable with multiple tackles at this spot. Evan Neal is the cleanest fit as the player who spent time at right tackle in 2020 with Alabama. The 6-foot-8, 337-pound tackle is one of the best pound-for-pound athletes in this class and is coming off back-to-back seasons with PFF grades north of 83.0. There’s a lot to be excited about with the Andrew Thomas-Neal tandem at tackle.
Day 2: This is the biggest reach of the draft so far per the PFF Big Board, which had Wan’Dale Robinson at 125th overall. It’s tough to see Robinson being much more than a gadget player who will need to be schemed touches given his 5-foot-8, 179-pound frame with sub-28-inch arms. Robinson wasn’t an elite athletic tester at that size, either. His skill set overlaps with Kadarius Toney’s, which could indicate that the Toney trade rumors last week weren’t entirely smoke.
It may be a reach according to the PFF big board, but Joshua Ezeudu has the potential and traits to become a starting NFL offensive lineman. And the Giants still need to find some of those types of players despite limited opportunities to get it done. 2021 was his best season and his first truly above-average year despite three years of starting.
Cordale Flott has an unusual size profile for a player who might need to find his role at the next level, but he has the traits to be an outside corner and contribute to this defense if he can take on that sort of responsibility. Flott had his best season in 2021, earning a PFF coverage grade of 84.8 and allowing 51.1% of passes thrown his way to be caught.
Day 3: McFadden played 121 snaps as a true freshman before taking over as a full-time starting linebacker as a sophomore in 2019. He earned an 81.9 pass-rushing grade that season and has only seen it go up in the two subsequent years. In 2021, his 92.0 pass-rushing grade led the entire country in the off-ball linebacker position.
Draft Grade: B-
NEW YORK JETS
R1 (4) — CB Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, Cincinnati
R1 (10) — WR Garrett Wilson, Ohio State
R1 (26) — EDGE Jermaine Johnson II, Florida State
R2 (36) — RB Breece Hall, Iowa State
R3 (101) — TE Jeremy Ruckert, Ohio State
R4 (111) — T Max Mitchell, Louisiana
R4 (117) — EDGE Michael Clemons, Texas A&M
Day 1: A lot of the talk in the pre-draft process was that the Jets would target an edge defender or offensive tackle in this spot. Instead, they opted for the cornerback who didn’t allow a single touchdown in his college career. Ahmad ‘Sauce’ Gardner is a strong fit in Robert Saleh’s defense, and it’s hard to poke holes in his profile from size to athleticism to college production. Gardner allowed just 43% of the passes thrown into his coverage to be completed across his three seasons with the Bearcats.
The Jets continue to add talent around second-year quarterback Zach Wilson with a 6-foot, 184-pound wide receiver who wins in space before and after the catch. Garrett Wilson averaged over 3.0 yards per route run in each of the last two seasons at Ohio State. He rounds out a receiving corps that has added Corey Davis, Elijah Moore, C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Conklin in the last two offseasons.
There were murmurs that the Jets were thinking of selecting Jermaine Johnson with their No. 4 overall pick, yet they managed to land him at No. 26 after moving up in a trade with Tennessee. The Florida State product, who also played at Georgia and the JUCO level, was one of the biggest winners at the Senior Bowl, impressing scouts so much that he opted out of the final day of practice and the game itself. The 6-foot-4, 259-pounder has over 34-inch arms and the tools to put them into action. He produced multiple pressures in every game he played for Florida State last season and ended the campaign with an 81.0 PFF grade.
Day 2: The Jets were clearly worried that Houston had its sights set on a running back at Pick No. 37, jumping the Texans to land their RB1. Breece Hall has outstanding contact balance, can produce as a receiver and tested extremely well athletically at the combine. This is a bit early to take a running back, particularly following a trade-up, but there’s not much to dislike about Hall’s profile as a prospect. The Jets now have a 1-2 punch at running back with Hall and Michael Carter.
Jeremy Ruckert is arguably the best blocking tight end in the draft class and has uber-reliable ball skills. He dropped only two passes on 56 catchable targets in his college career. He complements what the Jets already have in C.J.Uzomah and Tyler Conklin really well.
Day 3: After drafting several skill players earlier this draft, the Jets finally decided to help out quarterback Zach Wilson from a protection standpoint. Max Mitchell entered the draft as the 88th overall player on PFF’s big board and the 13th best tackle. Last season, he earned a very impressive 94.8 PFF grade.
Draft Grade: A-
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
R1 (13) — DI Jordan Davis, Georgia
R2 (51) — C Cam Jurgens, Nebraska
R3 (83) — LB Nakobe Dean, Georgia
R6 (181) — Edge Kyron Johnson, Kansas
R6 (198) — TE Grant Calcaterra, SMU
Day 1: The Eagles came into the draft with multiple first-round picks and used one of them on a veteran player, trading with Tennessee for superstar wide receiver A.J. Brown and giving him the contract extension the Titans wouldn’t.
Their other pick was spent on monster defensive tackle Jordan Davis. There have been concerns about Davis’ ability to play a high volume of snaps, but there are so many things to love about what the 341-pounder can bring to Philadelphia’s defense. He can single-handedly change the way a defense operates against the run, allowing the Eagles to devote more resources to coverage and creating more third-and-long situations. And Davis’ rare athleticism at his size points to the idea that he’s not just an early-down run-stuffer. He represents the future at the position, with Fletcher Cox trending in the wrong direction the past few years.
Day 2: Cam Jurgens is a prospect that PFF is lower on than the consensus, as he was barely a top-100 player on the big board. The Nebraska Cornhusker is an uber-athlete, but he has to do a much better job playing with better balance. Jurgens was a poor performer during his first two years at the position in 2019 and 2020 with 44.1 and 42.7 PFF grades, but he showed some modest growth in 2021 with a 71.4 overall mark. Still, there’s a long road ahead to refinement for the center, but the Eagles are in a position to get him there.
Nakobe Dean was the best player on the best defense college football has ever seen. He slid in the draft largely because of injuries, but even if he has to redshirt an entire season, Dean will be a steal at this spot in the draft. Few linebackers have ever had the kind of play recognition that Dean possesses, and his tape is full of elite playmaking. This is one of the steals of the draft.
Day 3: An above-average athlete, Kryon Johnson will likely make his mark on special teams as he fights for a roster spot in Philadelphia. A four-year starter with the Kansas Jayhawks, Johnson produced at a number of different positions and should provide some depth and versatility for the Eagles.
Draft Grade: A
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
R1 (20) — QB Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh
R2 (52) — WR George Pickens, Georgia
R3 (84) — Edge DeMarvin Leal, Texas A&M
R4 (138) — WR Calvin Austin III, Memphis
R6 (208) — TE Connor Heyward, Michigan State
R7 (225) — LB Mark Robinson, Mississippi
R7 (241) — QB Chris Oladokun, South Dakota State
Day 1: Landing a quarterback without having to trade up is a big win for Pittsburgh, but taking Kenny Pickett is not. He was the No. 4-ranked quarterback on PFF’s 2022 big board. There’s some serious concern with how his game translates to the NFL. The Pittsburgh product averaged 3.19 seconds per throw in 2021, tying for the third-lowest mark in the FBS. In fact, it would have been the slowest among NFL quarterbacks this past season. While Pickett is a quality athlete, he’s nowhere near dynamic enough to make hay on the ground in the professional ranks. Holding onto the ball often welcomes pressure, and Pickett was charged with 34 pressures this past season, tying for the second-most in the FBS. He has to be quicker and more decisive with his decision-making. And speeding up a quarterback’s processing is easier said than done — it’s a significant issue.
Day 2: George Pickens carries some risk given his medical history and unknowns off the field, but there’s no denying he possesses true “X” receiver potential. He’s physical with a massive catch radius, elite ball skills and good acceleration. Pickens earned an incredible 88.0 receiving grade as a true freshman before injuries derailed the last couple of years.
Before his final season, DeMarvin Leal was seen as a high first-round prospect. He regressed in his final season and is a little bit stuck between positions, but there is real talent there — and at this point in the draft the risk is well worth taking. Leal had an 88.3 PFF grade in 2020 and goes to a team with the right environment to find his best play.
Day 3: Calvin Austin’s size is going to be a limiting factor in the NFL — there’s no way around that. Nonetheless, this still looks like good value for a dynamic playmaker like Austin. He’s an explosive athlete who can be used in a movable gadget role in Matt Canada’s offense. Kenny Pickett, George Pickens and Austin all add some much-needed talent on offense for the Steelers in this draft.
Draft Grade: B+
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
R2 (61) — EDGE Drake Jackson, USC
R3 (93) — HB Tyrion Davis-Price, LSU
R3 (105) — WR Danny Gray, SMU
R4 (134) — T Spencer Burford, UTSA
R5 (172) — CB Samuel Womack, Toledo
R6 (187) — T Nick Zakelj, Fordham
R6 (220) — DI Kalia Davis, UCF
R6 (221) — CB Tariq Castro-Fields, Penn State
R7 (262) — QB Brock Purdy, Iowa State
Day 1: The 49ers didn’t have a Day 1 pick after trading up for quarterback Trey Lance a year ago.
Day 2: Drake Jackson is a phenomenal value at No. 61 overall for San Francisco. He uses his hands really well and has great bend for the position. Even though he’s 6-foot-3, 273 pounds, Jackson is much more of a finesse rusher who lacks any sort of power move. If he develops some counters to his speed rushes, he can be a fantastic pass-rusher for the 49ers.
Tyrion Davis-Price is average, and that’s reflected in just how few of PFF’s users like this pick for San Francisco. He rushed for over 1,000 yards across 500-plus offensive snaps with LSU in 2021, but he averaged fewer than three yards per carry after contact and broke just 37 tackles on 211 carries. He’s not overly elusive or explosive. His 30-inch vertical ranked in the seventh percentile among running backs. We are not fans of this pick for the 49ers.
Danny Gray’s hands are awful, but everything else about him is pretty fantastic. He’s a legit separator with deep speed (4.33-second 40-yard dash). San Francisco knows what they’re doing when evaluating the wide receiver position. This is one of the best picks of Round 3.
Day 3: Spencer Burford is a bit undersized at 6-foot-4 and 304 pounds, but his nearly 35-inch arms help in that regard. Burford started the first two seasons of his college career at left guard before kicking out to left tackle. His grading profile at UTSA leaves something to be desired, but Burford is coming off a career-high 76.8 PFF grade in 2021. He fills a need for the 49ers, who needed to add some depth upfront.
Draft Grade: B
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
R1 (9) — OT Charles Cross, Mississippi State
R2 (40) — EDGE Boye Mafe, Minnesota
R2 (41) — RB Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State
R3 (72) — T Abraham Lucas, Washington State
R4 (109) — CB Coby Bryant, Cincinnati
R5 (153) — CB Tariq Woolen, UTSA
R5 (158) — EDGE Tyreke Smith, Ohio State
R7 (229) — WR Bo Melton, Rutgers
R7 (233) — TE Dareke Young, Lenoir-Rhyne
Day 1: Seattle snags PFF’s OT1 and the last of the top tier of offensive tackles available without trading up. Charles Cross has been billed as the top pass-protector in the class, and his 84.7 PFF pass-blocking grade in a pass-happy Mississippi State offense last year backs that up. He’s no slouch in the run game, either. Cross earned positive grades in the run game at a top-four rate and played in several different offensive schemes during his career at Mississippi State. He fills a clear area of need for the Seahawks with Duane Brown and Brandon Shell both hitting free agency.
Day 2: From a measurables standpoint, Boye Mafe is near the top of a loaded edge defender class. The 6-foot-4, 261-pound edge rusher out of Minnesota ran a 4.53-second 40-yard dash (96th percentile) and a 42-inch vertical jump (99th percentile). He’s an explosive athlete who can have success getting after the quarterback from wide alignments. That shows up in PFF pass-rushing grades above 80.0 in three of his four college seasons.
Kenneth Walker is one of the best pure runners to come out of college football in the past five years. Last season, Walker was one of two FBS running backs since 2017 to average over 4.0 rushing yards after contact per attempt and 0.3 missed tackles forced per carry on 250-plus carries; the other was his new teammate Rashaad Penny in 2017. The biggest hole to pick in his game is a lack of production as a receiver, but a lot of that can be pinned on how Michigan State’s offense operated. This is still an interesting fit on a roster that just re-signed Penny to play alongside Chris Carson.
There is still some work to do with Abraham Lucas, given the offense he played in at Washington State, but he is one of the most athletic tackles in the draft and has some real pass-blocking traits to fall in love with. He posted a 91.0 PFF pass-blocking grade in 2021, and even after adjusting for true pass sets, it falls only to 86.0. This is a classic pick with upside.
Day 3: There aren’t many 6-foot-4, 205-pound cornerbacks in the first place, and there are precisely zero others with a 4.26-second 40-yard dash time. Tariq Woolen has been playing cornerback for only two years and already made massive strides. He’s a high-upside cornerback prospect who earned a 65.3 coverage grade last season.
Draft Grade: A-
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
R2 (33) — DI Logan Hall, Houston
R2 (57) — T Luke Goedeke, Central Michigan
R3 (91) — RB Rachaad White, Arizona State
R4 (106) — TE Cade Otton, Washington
R4 (133) — K Jake Camarda, Georgia
R5 (157) — CB Zyon McCollum, Sam Houston State
R6 (218) — TE Ko Kieft, Minnesota
R7 (248) — EDGE Andre Anthony, LSU
Day 1: Tampa Bay traded out of the first round, moving back from No. 27 to No. 33 and adding No. 106 (4th) and No. 180 (6th) to do so.
Day 2: The 72nd-ranked player on PFF’s Big Board, Logan Hall is a bit of a reach in our eyes for a player who projects as a pass-rushing project. The fit in Tampa Bay makes a lot of sense, though. Hall can line up as a 3-5 technique in Todd Bowles’ defense and use his length to create problems for interior offensive linemen as another piece to put in place alongside Vita Vea.
A former tight end who ate 7,000 calories per day to add enough weight to play tackle at Central Michigan, Luke Goedeke is wholesale trending in the right direction as a prospect. He earned a 92.2 PFF grade playing right tackle for the Chips in 2021 and allowed zero sacks. He’s a plug-and-play starter at guard for a Bucs team that lost Ali Marpet to retirement this offseason.
It’s luxury pick time for the well-rounded Buccaneers, and they pick an excellent receiving back in Rachaad White, who turned in the third-best receiving grade among FBS backs in 2021. White’s rushing ability is a work in progress, though. Heck, he could even be a wide receiver convert at the next level, just get White the ball in space and watch him go to work.
Day 3: Zyon McCollum is one of the handful of five-year starters in this draft class. He was Sam Houston State’s best cornerback since his true freshman year in 2017. Unfortunately, we only have his past two seasons graded, but in those he was stingy as the Bearcats’ boundary corner. The worry is, given the competition level, he wasn’t that stingy. He allowed 661 yards on 60 catches from 108 targets the past two seasons. In his opportunity to go against top competition at the Senior Bowl, McCollum earned the third-lowest grade of any cornerback in attendance.
Draft Grade: B
TENNESSEE TITANS
R1 (18) — WR Treylon Burks, Arkansas
R2 (35) — CB Roger McCreary, Auburn
R3 (69) — T Nicholas Petit-Frere, Ohio State
R3 (86) — QB Malik Willis, Liberty
R4 (131) — RB Hassan Haskins, Michigan
R4 (143) — TE Chigoziem Okonkwo, Maryland
R5 (163) — WR Kyle Philips, UCLA
R6 (204) — CB Theo Jackson, Tennessee
R6 (219) — LB Chance Campbell, Mississippi
Day 1: Tennessee executed the blockbuster of the night by trading wide receiver A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles for the No. 18 and No. 101 picks. And to replace the star pass-catcher, Tennessee drafts Arkansas’ Treylon Burks. The 6-foot-2, 225-pound wide receiver will offer value vertically and with schemed touches underneath because of his size-speed combo. Burks averaged 8.6 yards after the catch per reception and broke 24 tackles on 115 receptions across the past two seasons. Still, his overall route-running leaves a lot to be desired. He projects as a big slot and has a major hill to climb to get to the level Brown was at for Tennessee.
Day 2: Roger McCreary has an interesting profile as a player with impressive press-man coverage tape but 29.5-inch arms — a 6th percentile mark at the position. McCreary had 15 combined pass breakups and interceptions this past season at Auburn. The production has been there each of the past three years. Now, it’s just a question of whether he can stick on the outside given his lack of length.
A player that’s lower on PFF’s big board than the consensus draft board, Nicholas Petit-Frere has NFL-caliber traits, but he was lit up when he played against elite competition, such as No. 2 overall pick Aidan Hutchinson. The Titans have needs along the offensive line, and this is a gamble that they can coach Petit-Frere to reach his full potential.
Malik Willis may have his fair share of concerns, but late in Round 3, he provides insane value. His physical tools are off the charts, and they helped him to an FBS-leading big-time throw rate and rushing grade in 2021. The Liberty quarterback was never going to be an immediate contributor considering how raw of a passer he is — the mechanics, pocket presence and decision making are all major concerns. Landing in Tennessee will give him a chance to sit and develop.
Day 3: Chigoziem Okonwko checks all the athletic boxes with a 4.52-second 40-yard dash and 36-inch vertical jump. He broke 14 tackles on 76 catches in his college career.
Draft Grade: B+
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
R1 (16) — WR Jahan Dotson, Penn State
R2 (47) — DI Phidarian Mathis, Alabama
R3 (98) — RB Brian Robinson Jr., Alabama
R4 (113) — S Percy Butler, Louisiana
R5 (144) — QB Sam Howell, North Carolina
R5 (149) — TE Cole Turner, Nevada
R7 (230) — T Chris Paul, Tulsa
R7 (240) — CB Christian Holmes, Oklahoma State
Day 1: Washington selected Jahan Dotson as the fifth wide receiver taken in the first round, representing one of the biggest reaches on Day 1. Dotson was No. 56 on PFF’s Big Board but he did have his fans. He has some of the best hands in the draft, dropping just 5.2% of catchable targets in his college career. The success of this pick will be determined by how successful he can be on the outside and not just the slot at the next level.
Day 2: Few people like anything as much as Washington seems to like Alabama defensive linemen, and they added another one in the second round with Phidarian Mathis. It was their second straight major reach according to PFF’s Big Board, selecting Mathis around 50 spots higher than his ranking. As you would expect coming from Alabama, Mathis is long, strong and violent in his play but he isn’t tremendously explosive which calls his ceiling into question. He does have a high floor considering his NFL-ready technique but just don’t expect game-wrecking ability, as evidenced by his solid 78.5 PFF grade in 2021.
Brian Robinson was the 146th-ranked player on PFF’s draft board but still offers a skill set Washington doesn’t have a whole lot of in their backfield: physicality. He can be an immediate impact player as a short-yardage back behind starter Antonio Gibson.
Day 3: Sam Howell’s slide finally ends at Pick 144. He may have taken a step back as a passer in 2021, but he proved to be a legitimate threat as a runner, breaking an absurd 63 tackles and running for 1,072 yards. The 34th-ranked player on PFF’s big board, Howell will push Carson Wentz in the nation’s capital and will likely get starting reps.
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