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2022 Draft Preview

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After a miracle Packers Super Bowl victory, we are headed into the 2022 NFL Offseason. Everyone is excited about the draft and I handpicked 30 prospects to highlight in an article before the draft kicks off. 

Note that an entry in this has no regard on overall, any stat, or dev trait. I tried to select at least one high-talent  (first-second round) player from each position group.


QBs:

Rodney Rosemond: 6'5, 227, Auburn

Rodney Rosemond is a pure pocket passer. Not a lot of these guys coming out of college or in the league in general anymore, but Rodney struggles to run like quarterbacks of old. He has a rocket arm, however, and teamed up with another highly valued prospect, Jeffrey Barton, to carve up opposing SEC defenses. 


Jahlil Hopkins: 6'5, 229, Alabama

On the other side of the Iron Bowl was the first of a duo of Alabama QBs - Jahlil Hopkins. This guy was their pocket passer - another statue in the pocket, with a big arm and no mobility. Hopkins took over for another player in this class, another 1st round projected guy in Jared Hensley, and lit up the field. The true junior wrapped up his year climbing up the board to the projected number one player in the class and declared to go in the draft along with the other Bama QB.


Jared Hensley: 6'5, 229, Alabama

A midseason injury prevented Hensley from possibly being the best QB here and the performance from Jahlil Hopkins pushed the backup over Hensley on the board. Jared is less of a pocket passer but still is no Lamar Jackson type runner. He zips the ball out quick and can use his legs to extend a play, similar to reigning Super Bowl champion and new Denver Bronco Aaron Rodgers.


Curt Kincade: 6'5, 228, Notre Dame

Perhaps the outsider of the QB group is Curt Kincade, who is another statue in the pocket. As the third guy down the board with little to no mobility and fourth overall QB, Kincade doesn't seem to do anything special, but will still find himself getting picked around the mid-first round as there are many QB needy teams.


Brad Byrne: 6'2, 210, USF

Maybe the most interesting first-round QB is Brad Byrne, who is the first true athlete in the QB class. He loves to extend plays with his legs and break structure. Byrne is a freak athlete, who excels in all physical tests given to him. Byrne might be the most fun Quarterback in the class, and will certainly be the flashiest pick.


RB:


Marquise Brown: 5'8, 205, USC

Brown is a pure elusive and receiving back, with good route running and catching ability out of the backfield. The Back is undersized, and might not be an every-down bell-cow player, but is a shifty little playmaker who made noise after declaring for the draft the same day he heard news Lincoln Riley was coming to USC.


Earnest Medlock: 5'8, 195, Washington

Another guy similar to Marquise Brown, Medlock is going to be someone to watch out of the backfield. At an even lighter size, it would be hard to expect a team to play this guy every down, but he will be a good receiving back that can flex to the slot if necessary.


Rayshon Adams: 6'0, 211, Alabama

Rayshon Adams is the most well-rounded back in the class but does not specifically excel at any one thing like the receiving backs being valued over him. He can catch out of the backfield but is also a monster ball carrier, so don't count him out of being the top back in the class.


WR:


Keelan Spriggs: 6'3, 231, UCF

Keelan Spriggs is an aggressive, red-zone threat-type receiver. He high points the ball well and has the body to play the role. He wants to go up and get it every play and excels in one-on-one coverage. Spriggs also moves very fluidly for his size. 


Larry Kidd: 5'11, 210, Tennessee

Larry Kidd is a fully well-rounded receiver but does not exceed in any one area. Kidd will not be the flashiest pick but seems to be a solid player. However, he might end up falling down the board as the players with better speed are reached for down the board. 


Sammy Webster: 5'11, 188, Ohio State

Sammy Webster is a guy who could go earlier than projected because of his elite speed. Webster played in the slot and on the outside for the Buckeyes, and in both spots his speed was elite. He will be elite in the league on short and deep routes if he ends up with the right coach. 


Reynaldo Baker: 6'4, 223, Florida State

Reynaldo Baker is perhaps the best pass catcher in the class. He is a big strong receiver who wants to embarrass the defender every time he gets a target. He will put his body on the line to go up and get the ball, and he excels at high pointing the ball. 


TE:


Jeffrey Barton: 6'3, 239, Auburn

Jeffrey Barton is the only intriguing player in a class where TE is far and away the weakest position. He is on the lighter end for a TE and is very fast. Questions are raised by if he is really worth a first-round pick, or if he is only this highly valued because he is in a weak class and had a star quarterback. 


OL:


T Frank Clements: 6'6, 320, Oregon

Frank Clements is a freak athlete, plain and simple. He is strong, fast, and giant. He dominated every single edge rusher in CFB over the course of his historic season for the Ducks.  Frank Clements is the best OL in the class, and one of the best prospects at the position in a long time.


T Russell Atkinson: 6'4, 309, Oregon

Russel Atkinson is a little further down the board than some of the next players, but I am putting him here since he played across from Frank Clements at Oregon. Atkinson looked fantastic in college, but analysts question whether he will excel in the league since he only ever blocked #2 edge rushers, as Clements dominated the top guy on the opposite side every game. 


T Conner White: 6'8, 359, Alabama

Conner White is a behemoth on the end of the offensive line. He bulked up in college after playing high school basketball, which still shows in his speed. Conner George is less well-rounded as a blocker than Frank Clements but was less penalty-prone over his college career. 


G Roy Anthony: 6'5, 331, USC

Roy Anthony is the best Interior Lineman in the class and was a quicker guard for the Trojans. He is an excellent lead blocker and will be great for power and trap plays where he pulls across the line. 


IDL:


Gregory Pippen: 6'4, 320, Stanford

Gregory Pippen is a defensive end who played in a 3-4 system in college and was a monster in the pass rush from the inside. He had a fantastic swim move and could very well be taken inside the top 10. 


David Weaver: 6'4, 319, Michigan State

David Weaver played DT in a 4-3 defense for the Spartans. He played well, but as most of the league seems to be comfortable in the 3-4 coaches are rumored to be skeptical about how he will make the transition if he has to. 


Geoff Forbes: 6'3, 313, Clemson

Geoff Forbes was another 3-4 end, and he was another versatile defender. He was great in the run and the pass but struggled to shed against the more talented college guards. 


EDGE:


Ken Clinton: 6'3, 259, Oregon State

Ken Clinton was a monster off the edge for the Beavers. He mastered nearly every pass-rush technique in college and broke the Oregon State record for single-season sacks. He played OLB in a 3-4 system and is expected to excel against weaker tackles early in his career. 


Mike Williams: 6'1, 257, South Carolina

Mike Williams is another quick pass rusher from the SEC, but worries have once again arisen from the fact that he played in a 4-3 system in college, and often lined up in a 3 point stance. If he can get the same jump off the ball from a standing rush, he is expected to transition well. 


Brandon Bowens: 6'4, 255, Pitt

Brandon Bowens is an EDGE rusher who lacked a large arsenal of pass-rush moves, so some analysts say he will putter out early in his career. However, an elite spin move could prove them wrong.


ILB:


Rashaun McDaniels: 6'0, 234, Oregon

Rashaun McDaniels is a player who did it all for the ducks. He has good enough block shedding moves to play well in the run game and filled his lanes like a pro all season. In the pass, he was a headhunter over the middle and is going to be an exciting player to watch on the right team. 


CB:


Danny Bartel: 6'0, 201, Virginia

Danny Bartel was a solid corner for Virginia, but he played best in a cover 2 system. He does not test well in physical stats, and coaches are worried he will get beat often in man coverage. 


Jon Canady: 6'0, 183, RH

Jon Canady is another player who was never truly tested in man-to-man but played well in the slot for Bama. It's a big worry whether or not he will be able to keep up with the quicker slot players if tasked with 1-on-1 coverage. 


Matthew Wilbon: 5'11, 183, FAU

Matthew Wilbon is the best testing player in the class and has the best speed and agility to keep up in man coverage. He played on the boundary for the Owls, but analysts expect he can kick inside to the slot with a seamless transition. 


Devon Stewart: 5'11, 193, Notre Dame

Devon Stewart was another zone corner for the Fighting Irish, and once again concerns are rising over his ability to keep up in man-to-man. 


S:


Cassius Daniels: 5'10, 218, Miami

Cassius Daniels was fantastic in run support for the Hurricanes. It seems like he forced a fumble a game in college, but also concerns have risen over his ability to take away deeper routes in pass coverage. 


Demario Washington: 5'11, 201, Stanford

Demario Washington is a giant hitter in the run and the pass. He absolutely clocked every receiver who crossed his path, and is expected to be the most exciting first-round defensive back. 



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