2022 Post-Draft Thoughts: Rounds 2 and 3
This is a continuation of my draft notes. These notes provide context for the 2022 NFL draft picks - who was a reach, who was a value, and the scenarios that various teams had when they were making these picks. Hopefully it will provide a handy reference point in future years. Here are the notes for Day 2:
33. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Logan Hall, DE, Houston
Hall had gotten some late first round love, but I never quite understood it, and this felt like a bit of a reach to me. Still, Hall projected as the best 5T in the draft, so if the Bucs are transitioning to that type of defense, this makes sense.
34. Green Bay Packers - Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State
Green Bay desperately needed a wideout after trading Davante Adams to the Raiders and having Allen Lazard atop their depth chart. Most pundits thought they’d address the position with one of their two first round picks, but they missed the big runs on the position. They wisely waited, as there were no wideouts taken between their original first rounder at 22 and this spot, which they traded up to get (with the division rival Vikings!). Watson is a traits-based prospect who lacked elite production in college. Those who like him say that he accounted for a huge chunk of the receiving in a run-first offense. His detractors focus on his relative lack of production in college, his lack of route running polish, and his inconsistent hands. I think I fall in the latter camp.
35. Tennessee Titans - Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn
McCreary was one of the best corners in college football this past year and was an All-American, but man, his arms are sooooo short. Arm length below 30” is usually a death knell for a cornerback’s NFL prospects; McCreary’s are below 29”. There are always outliers to any measurable, but McCreary carries an extremely risky profile, and it feels like he was overdrafted.
36. New York Jets - Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State
The Jets trade up to get their dude. Hall is everything you want in a running back: he can pass protect, he’s fast (sub 4.4 forty), he’s big (5’11, 217), and he had over a 10% target share in college. This was a great get for the Jets, and he should be a fantasy football stud for years to come. He’s the first legitimate fantasy threat they’ve had since Thomas Jones.
37. Houston Texans - Jalen Pitre, S, Baylor
This is about where Pitre was supposed to go. Kyle Hamilton was seen as the jewel of the safety class, followed by a second tier of Lewis Cine and Dax Hill, and that third tier was viewed as Pitre, Jaquan Brisker, and Bryan Cook, in some order. Pitre, an All American at Baylor, spent 3 seasons as a linebacker before making the switch to safety. He is a do-it-all maven who specializes in tackles for loss, sacks, and forced fumbles.
38. Atlanta Falcons - Arnold Ebiketie, DE, Penn State
One of my favorite players in this draft! Ebiketie often lined up as a wide 9 defensive end, so there is a bit of projecting here as he transitions to Atlanta’s scheme. But this dude is just so productive. He’s slightly undersized at 6’2, 250, but he’s just so explosive. Typically, you want to see your defensive ends broad jump at least 9’9 and run a 3-cone in under 7.2 seconds; any time below 6.9 for a defensive end is the elite of the elite. Ebiketie had a 10’8 broad jump (2nd-best among defensive ends) and 6.95 3-cone (4th-best). He’s the only end in the class with a broad jump above 10’4 and a 3 cone below seven seconds flat. This is a twitched up athlete who can get to the QB, as evidenced by his 9.5 sacks this past season for the Nittany Lions.
39. Chicago Bears - Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington
I am a fan of Gordon and had a late first round grade on him. That said, I find it interesting that the Bears did not go with a wide receiver with their first pick of this draft. They traded this year’s first round pick to go up and get Justin Fields last year, and then they lost WR Allen Robinson in free agency. The top three on their depth chart are currently Darnell Mooney, Byron Pringle, and Equanimeous St. Brown. They desperately needed to add to that room, but punted on the position while there were still a ton of quality wideouts on the board. Their decision to wait for a wideout could affect Justin Fields’ development in year two. This was not the GM or coaching staff who drafted Fields, so maybe they are not committed to him.
40. Seattle Seahawks - Boye Mafe, DE, Minnesota
Seattle seems to have been in a perennial search for defensive end help since Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett retired. Mafe is a decent pass-rushing prospect whose biggest knock is his age; he’ll be nearly 24 when he debuts as a rookie.
41. Seattle Seahawks - Kenny Walker III, RB, Michigan State
Seahawks’ gonna Seahawk. This is a team that has built its identity by committing to the run, and they draft the guy who is generally regarded as the “best pure runner” in the class - albeit one with no receiving skills at all. He caught fewer than 6% of the passes in college, which is typically a bad sign for a prospect’s NFL chances. Teams try to feature their best players in college and find creative ways to get them the ball. Why didn’t Michigan State throw to this guy?
42. Minnesota Vikings - Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson
Another guy who was getting late first round love, Booth was likely hampered in the draft process by his inability to test as a result of injuries. Teams want to get 40 yard dash times and 3-cone times on cornerback prospects to see if they can meet minimum thresholds. I believe that Booth’s failure to test caused him to tumble down draft boards, and Minnesota, which had a huge need at corner, was ready to pounce.
43. New York Giants - Wan’Dale Robinson, WR, Kentucky
The second huge reach of the round. Robinson had only one year of big production at Kentucky after transferring from Nebraska, and he is tiny - a mere 5’8. He also has suboptimal arm length. It’s hard to see how he’s going to have an opportunity to make an impact for the G-Men this season unless they do make good on their commitment to move on from last year’s first rounder, Kadarius Toney. Most draftniks felt that this selection was at least a round too early, if not two.
44. Houston Texans - John Metchie III, WR, Alabama
Full confession: I was never a “Metchie guy.” I just didn’t see anything special about him. Sure, he had two years of more than 900 yards at Alabama; I guess that’s worth something. But he seems more like a high-end NFL #3 or low end #2 than future star.
45. Baltimore Ravens - David Ojabo, DE, Michigan
Ojabo was projected as a top-15 pick in this draft prior to tearing his Achilles at his pro day. I feel bad for the guy, but I would have taken him off my draft board. His game was built on explosiveness and raw athletic traits, and there’s no guarantee he gets that back after suffering such a debilitating injury. I think this pick was a result of the Ravens hiring former Michigan defensive coordinator Mike MacDonald for their vacant DC position, and no one knows Ojabo better than MacDonald.
46. Detroit Lions - Josh Paschal, DE, Kentucky
Hard not to root for this kid, who still went to practice every day while he was battling cancer. He profiles very similarly to George Karlaftis, who was taken 16 picks earlier. He’s another one of those “glass eaters” who just love football that Dan Campbell covets. Detroit has done a really nice job in the past two drafts of revamping its defensive line (additions of Levi Onwuzurike, Alim McNeill, Aidan Hutchinson, and Josh Pashal).
47. Washington Commanders - Phidarian Mathis, DT, Alabama
No idea what Washington was doing in this draft. They snagged Jahan Dotson a round too early in Round 1, and they did the same thing with Mathis in Round 2. And they already have Da’Ron Payne and Jonathan Allen under contract. Really strange pick.
48. Chicago Bears - Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State
Chicago again inexplicably passes on wide receivers to help their young quarterback and again targets the secondary. It’s mildly surprising only because Brisker projects to replace DeAndre Houston-Carson, who was not terrible last year. Still, he does likely represent an upgrade.
49. New Orleans Saints - Alontae Taylor, DB, Tennessee
I liked Taylor from a measurables standpoint, but I thought he was more ‘tweener than versatile - meaning I don’t know whether he’s a corner or safety in the NFL - and I felt this was about a round too early.
50. New England Patriots - Tyquan Thornton, WR, Baylor
Woof. Either Bill Belichick knows something the rest of us don’t, or this is yet another swing-and-miss at wide receiver in the draft for the Patriots. Thornton is super fast, to be sure, but he does not have a well-rounded all around game. This was a Day 3 talent that they took in Round 2.
51. Philadelphia Eagles - Cam Jurgens, C, Nebraska
Excellent pick. Jurgens rose up draft boards late in the process and was generally regarded as the best center in the class behind Tyler Linderbaum. This is an ideal situation for Philly, who can turn to Jurgens in 2023 after Jason Kelce retires.
52. Pittsburgh Steelers - George Pickens, WR, Georgia
Pittsburgh loves to load up on wideouts in Rounds 2-4 of the draft. No team has spent more top 100 picks on wideouts since 2010. Pickens was regarded by many as a first round talent, but injuries and character concerns pushed him slightly down the board. I wonder, in hindsight, if Chicago will wish they had grabbed Pickens rather than using their two second round picks on defensive backs.
53. Indianapolis Colts - Alec Pierce, WR, Cincinnati
Pierce is tall and fast, but he did not post elite production at Cincinnati while being the primary pass catcher on a very good team. He also did not have an elite breakout age. I have my doubts as to whether he’ll emerge in the NFL, but at least the landing spot is good, as he should be locked in as a starting wideout opposite Michael Pittman from Day 1.
54. Kansas City Chiefs - Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan
I was not as high on Moore as many others heading into the draft (my WR9), but this is certainly a nice landing spot. Catching passes from Patrick Mahomes tends to boost a player’s stock, and a huge chunk of the offense is up for grabs now that Tyreek Hill has been shipped off to South Beach.
55. Arizona Cardinals - Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State
The Cardinals sent off their first round pick for Hollywood Brown, and they spend their second round pick on Trey McBride despite re-signing Zach Ertz. It’s hard to see what their plan is, since they very rarely run 2 TE sets.
56. Dallas Cowboys - Sam Williams, DE, Ole Miss
Outstanding pick. Williams has ideal size (6’4, 268) for the position and posted 13 sacks in the SEC despite playing defensive end in a 3-4 alignment. Playing a more traditional base end in a 4-3 should only increase his sack production.
57. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Luke Goedeke, OL, Central Michigan
This seems like the Ali Marpet replacement pick. Marpet retired, Tom Brady retired and unretired, and the Bucs need to protect Tom. I had a couple other guards rated ahead of Goedeke, but it was close, so I won’t quibble much here.
58. Atlanta Falcons - Troy Andersen, LB, Montana State
The Falcons spend this round continuing to rebuild their defense. Opinions were split on Andersen, with some scouts having him as a top 5 linebacker in this draft, and others having him outside their top 10.
59. Minnesota Vikings - Ed Ingram, G, LSU
Ingram is a mauler, but he had a 4th round grade for me due to off-field concerns.
60. Cincinnati Bengals - Cam Taylor-Britt, CB, Nebraska
CTB was mocked to Cincinnati in Round 2 throughout the predraft process, in part because of Zac Taylor’s familiarity with the Nebraska program. This feels like the best they could have done at corner at this point in the draft, and gives Lou Anarumo another versatile player for his defense.
61. San Francisco 49ers - Drake Jackson, DE, USC
The Niners’ selection card listed Jackson as a linebacker, so it will be interesting to see if that’s where they deploy him. Jackson is one of the youngest edge rushers in this class (21.04 years old) and had fairly explosive testing numbers at the combine. He then put on nearly 20 pounds between the combine and his pro day, bulking up to over 270 lbs. He’s a raw player whose arrow is pointing up. He could be the long-term replacement for Dee Ford.
62. Kansas City Chiefs - Bryan Cook, S, Cincinnati
Kansas City has very admirably attacked the defensive side of the ball in this draft, spending 3 of its 4 top-65 picks on defenders. The Kansas City secondary had a hole at safety after allowing Tyrann Mathieu to walk in free agency, so this pick makes a ton of sense.
63. Buffalo Bills - James Cook, RB, Georgia
No sir, I don’t like it. Cook is a timeshare back who isn’t nearly as talented as his brother Dalvin, who also was a second round pick. The Bills may just ask James to be a timeshare back like he was at Georgia, staying in for the third down and passing down work, but this seems like a reach for a player of that sort of skill set.
64. Denver Broncos - Nik Bonitto, LB, Oklahoma
This is such a good replacement for Von Miller. Bonitto, a defensive end in college, probably projects best as a pass-rush outside linebacker. His pass-rush win rate was the best in FBS last year, but he was rarely challenged by Big 12 linemen and often got a running head start. He’ll get the same running head start in the Broncos’ scheme.
65. Jacksonville Jaguars - Luke Fortner, C, Kentucky
I like the concept more than the player. Get Trevor Lawrence a young signal-caller whom he can grow with. I thought Fortner was probably a late 3rd/early 4th rounder, but hey, whatever, it feels a need.
66. Minnesota Vikings - Brian Asomoah, LB, Oklahoma
This one was a head-scratcher. I did not have Asomoah as a Day 2 pick.
67. New York Giants - Joshua Ezeudu, G, North Carolina
Good-but-not-great guard who should help solidify the interior of the Giants’ offensive line. He has really long arms and can play RT in a pinch but is better run blocker than pass blocker.
68. Cleveland Browns - Martin Emerson, DB, Miss. St.
Predraft prognostications were all over the board on Emerson, with some scouts having him as a third round pick and others having him as a late round guy.
69. Tennessee Titans - Nicholas Petit-Frere, OT, Ohio State
It was somewhat of a surprise to see Petit-Frere go this high, as he’s viewed as more of a finesse guy.
70. Jacksonville Jaguars - Chad Muma, LB, Wyoming
Muma is another guy who divided opinions pre-draft. What I like is that he went to the same school as Logan Wilson - a baller in his own right - and established himself as a captain while Wilson was still on the team even though he was only a true freshman.
71. Chicago Bears - Velus Jones, WR, Tennessee
What in the world, Chicago? They wait until Round 3 to get Justin Fields any help and then get that “help” by drafting a 25 year old whose best ability is on kick returns? Really puzzling. Maybe they think they’ve found Devin Hester 2.0.
72. Seattle Seahawks - Abraham Lucas, RT, Washington State
Very quietly, Seattle has grabbed their bookend tackles in this draft, Lucas and Charles Cross. What’s interesting is that both played in Air Raid offenses, which are typically heralded for their pass blocking but skewered for their run blocking. Seattle has long been a run-blocking team.
73. Indianapolis Colts - Jelani Woods, TE, Virginia
Traits-based prospect who was probably selected two rounds too early. The Colts are clearly focusing on traits in this draft. Woods could form an imposing set of twin towers with current Colts TE Mo Alie-Cox.
74. Atlanta Falcons - Desmond Ridder, QB, UC
Great value pick for the Falcons. They get some competition for Marcus Mariota without putting too much pressure on the kid, as he was their fourth pick of the draft. If he doesn’t show any promise, it doesn’t preclude them from taking a quarterback next year. This was a smart move. For what it’s worth, I had Ridder as my QB1 in this class, and the only QB I would have been willing to pick in the first round. I think he has low-end-to-average starter upside.
75. Houston Texans - Christian Harris, LB, Alabama
The Texans double down with the Crimson Tide on Day 2, but this feels like their first pick of the draft where they got appropriate value. Harris should be a Day 1 starter for them.
76. Baltimore Ravens - Travis Jones, DT, UConn
Jones absolutely dominated the Senior Bowl - look up the Twitter clip of him destroying Patriots’ first round pick Cole Strange - and it’s baffling to me that he fell this far. But then again, I guess it shouldn’t be. Nose tackles frequently fall on draft day. This was another good pick by the Ravens, who had a dominant draft.
77. Indianapolis Colts - Bernhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan
I was not a fan of Raimann coming into the draft - he’s old (25) and has sub-33” arms, which is typically bad news if you want to make it as an offensive tackle - but he is athletically gifted and is a reasonable value at this point in the draft. He has a chance to immediately contend for the left tackle job, which is wide open for the Colts right now.
78. Cleveland Browns - Alex Wright, DE, UAB
This was another player where opinions were mixed heading into the draft. I saw him as more of an early-day-three guy, but the Browns grab him here in the middle of round 2.
79. Los Angeles Chargers - JT Woods, S, Baylor
Fair value for a speedy, lanky safety prospect. He was often overshadowed by Jalen Pitre at Baylor but is a good player in his own right.
80. Denver Broncos - Greg Dulcich, TE, UCLA
He projects as a flex tight end and gives new QB Russell Wilson yet another weapon to go along with Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Tim Patrick, and KJ Hamler. He’s probably the direct replacement for Noah Fant, who was dealt to Seattle in the Wilson deal.
81. New York Giants - Cordale Flott, CB, LSU
This was a reach in my book. I gave Flott a Day 3 grade. He’s young (under 21), but he doesn’t have great speed and he’s got short arms.
82. Atlanta Falcons - DeAngelo Malone, LB, WKU
Malone was wildly productive at Western Kentucky, with 32.5 sacks over his college career. The uptick in competition to the NFL will be steep, but this was a reasonable risk for the Falcons to take after snagging Arnold Ebiketie earlier in the day.
83. Philadelphia Eagles - Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia
Perhaps the biggest faller in the draft, Dean was an absolute steal for the Eagles. They had a huge need at linebacker, but GM Howie Roseman hates spending premium draft capital on the position. He lucks out, snagging the guy that many projected as the best linebacker in the draft, and the heart and soul of the Bulldogs’ championship-winning defense. He’s a bit undersized, and there are concerns that he needs surgery on his pec, which could have caused his fall.
84. Pittsburgh Steelers - DeMarvin Leal, DT, TAMU
This is a curious selection. Leal is an undersized 3-technique defensive tackle in a 4-3 defense, and Pittsburgh runs a 3-4. Maybe the Steelers want to give more multiple looks? Or maybe they project Leal as a defensive end in their base defense. If that’s a case, it’s a huge projection for the former five-star recruit.
85. New England Patriots - Marcus Jones, CB, Houston
Such a Patriots pick. But in a good way. Jones was widely viewed as the best punt returner in the class, and there is probably no coach who places more of an emphasis on special teams than Belichick.
86. Tennessee Titans - Malik Willis, QB, Liberty
Wow. All those draftniks who projected Willis as a top 10 pick sure look foolish now. Clearly the NFL did not think as highly of Willis as all of the internet “experts.” Williams goes to a good situation in Tennessee where he can sit for at least a year - which is what most scouts generally believed he needed - while being groomed as a high-upside option to take over for Ryan Tannehill down the line. Although he’s surely disappointed over not being a first round pick, this pick and landing spot is probably best for both the player and the team.
87. Arizona Cardinals - Cameron Thomas, DE, San Diego State
Thomas was one of my favorite sleepers in this draft in a very deep defensive end class. His 6.91 second three cone drill is borderline elite, and his college production matched that testing. His 20.5 tackles for loss led all FBS defensive linemen. He also has the ability to play every position across the line, and that sort of versatility is going to endear him to NFL coaches.
88. Dallas Cowboys - Jalen Tolbert, WR, South Alabama
Love me some Jalen Tolbert. I had him as one of my top-7 receivers in this draft, and graded him as a second round pick. He was wildly productive at South Alabama, garnering nearly a one-third (!) target share. He also showed well when he faced FBS-level competition. His landing spot is good, as he should have an opportunity to earn playing time in three-wide sets from the outset due to Amari Cooper being traded, Cedrick Wilson signing elsewhere in free agency, and Michael Gallup rehabbing a torn ACL. Tolbert might be able to endear himself to Dak Prescott rather quickly.
89. Buffalo Bills - Terrel Bernard, LB, Baylor
Bernard is a tad undersized, and I had a fifth round grade on him. This wasn’t a great value for the Bills, for the second round in a row.
90. Las Vegas Raiders - Dylan Parham, G, Memphis
Parham has played left guard and right guard, but most analysts projected him as a guard. This is right about where he was slotted to go and feels like fair value. It will be interesting to see whether the Raiders keep him at guard or move him to center, where he might be a better fit.
91. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Rachaad White, RB, ASU
MY BOY! I love the player and I love the landing spot. White is old for a RB prospect (23), but he had really good production at Arizona State and was a huge part of their passing game (almost a 20% target share!). At 6’0 and 214 pounds with sub-4.5 speed, he looks every bit the part of a starting running back in the NFL. He likely only plays on third down while Lombardi Lenny Fournette is in town, but could easily seize the job in the event of an injury or if the Bucs want to move on from Fournette in 2024.
92. Green Bay Packers - Sean Rhyan, G, UCLA
No qualms with the pick. He projected as a third-round guard, and that’s exactly where he wound up.
93. San Francisco 49ers - Tyrion Davis-Price, RB, LSU
Yeesh. This is a huge reach, but you always have to pay attention when San Francisco grabs a running back. The Shanahans have proved over the last 20 years that they can plop anyone into their system and the guy can turn into a 1,000-yard rusher. This pick probably says more about how the Niners feel about Eli Mitchell and Trey Sermon than anything else.
94. Carolina Panthers - Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss
Carolina traded up to get a guy who was invited to the draft, and who many thought had an outside shot to go in Round 1. He’s got a lightning quick release and could give them an option if they feel they need an alternative to Sam Darnold. However, given the draft capital, he doesn’t preclude them from taking a quarterback in Round 1 next year, if needed. This was a smart move for a desperate organization.
95. Cincinnati Bengals - Zachary Carter, DT, Florida
A bit of a reach, but Cincinnati needed someone with the ability to play 3T and 5T, and Carter can do both. Another versatile piece for Lou Anarumo’s defense.
96. Indianapolis Colts - Nick Cross, S, Maryland
Sticking with the theme of grabbing elite athletes in this draft, the Colts nab Cross, who some analysts thought could go early in Round 2. He’s a bit of a projection, but has the tools to be a good safety in the NFL.
97. Detroit Lions - Kerby Joseph, S, Illinois
Joseph was another guy who grabbed headlines during Senior Bowl week. He’s another guy with that “glass eater” mentality that Dan Campbell covets.
98. Washington Commanders - Brian Robinson, Jr.., RB, Alabama
YUCK. Is Dan Snyder still ignoring scouts and making all the draft picks? This is at least a round too early for Robinson, if not two. That seems to be the general theme of the Commanders’ draft this year. They draft whatever guys they want without regard to value.
99. Cleveland Browns - David Bell, WR, Purdue
LOVE THIS GUY. I don’t care about the 40 time. Watch the dude play. He’s a football player, plain and simple. And his stats are outstanding. Since his true freshman year in 2019, he has led the FBS in contested catches with 41 and forced missed tackles with 48, according to Pro Football Focus. His 64 catches of 15-plus yards were the most among Power 5 receivers. HIs 232 catches are the most among FBS receivers, as are his 135 catches for first downs. No Big Ten receiver has caught more passes than Bell since 2018. He has more receptions over three years than any other receiver has in the last four. His 33 red-zone catches are 14 more than any other Big Ten receiver since 2019. Last year, his 25 forced missed tackles after the catch led the country (h/t to The Athletic for these stats). He broke out in college when he was a true freshman at age 18, and he’ll be only 21 years old this season. You can knock a guy all you want for a slow 40. I’ll rely on all the other great stats that tell me this guy is a great football player.
100. Arizona Cardinals - Myjai Sanders, DE, CIncinnati
Too skinny. If he can put on weight he’s got a shot, but at 228 lbs - his combine weight, where reports were he was battling an illness - he ain’t gonna hold up against 300-lb offensive tackles. He’ll get absolutely destroyed in the run game.
101. New York Jets - Jeremy Ruckert, TE, Ohio State
This felt like an odd pick for a team that just spent big dollars on two tight ends in free agency. For the long term, though, Ruckert is a nice piece.
102. Miami Dolphins - Channing Tindall, LB, Georgia
Tindall was one of the less-heralded members of the Bulldogs defense, but he’s still a very good player in his own right, and may well end up being the best pro. One of the biggest difference-making measurables for linebackers in the pro game is arm length, as it assists in coverage, and Tindall has nearly 33” arms - one of the best numbers in the class.
103. Kansas City Chiefs - Leo Chenal, LB, Wisconsin
Chenal is an athletic freak. I can’t believe he was still available at this point in the draft. I thought for sure he’d be taken before the end of Round 2. Great get here for the Chiefs, who continue to bolster their defense in this draft.
104. Los Angeles Rams - Logan Bruss, OG, Wisconsin
Outstanding selection for the reigning champs. Bruss hasn’t allowed a sack either the past two seasons, and you will usually come out ahead betting on offensive linemen from Wisconsin.
105. San Francisco 49ers - Danny Gray, WR, SMU
With Deebo Samuel demanding a trade, San Francisco had a need for a wideout. It just surprised me that Gray was the guy. I would have preferred someone like Boise State’s Khalil Shakir, or Rutgers’ Bo Melton (who went severely underdrafted). I’m excited to see how the 49ers will use him, as they clearly thought highly of him to use this kind of draft capital on him.