Did your team ace or botch its pick or picks in the first round of the2022 NFL Draft? Sporting News has youcovered in tracking all the selecting and handing out grades beginningin real time beginning Thursday night, also going through the second and third rounds on Friday night.
There might not be the same level of marquee names at the top, especially at quarterback in contrast to past drafts. But there will be plenty of intrigue for what happens in Las Vegas, given unprecedented unpredictability. The depth of talent in particular at edge rusher, wide receiver and cornerback will make many teams happy.
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Although it seems early to grade picks right after they go down, Sporting News' immediate analysis and evaluation is based on three key early criteria: how good the prospect is, whether he satisfies his NFL team's schematic needs and what kind of value he has in relation to his selection.
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From No. 1 through No. 105, this is your hub for in-depth live reaction for Round 1 and continuing into Rounds 2 and 3, gradingevery team and player fit:
The Jaguars go for a disruptive pass rusher, but it’s the more versatile Walker for their three-man front vs. Aidan Hutchinson. Trent Baalke and Jacksonville wanted Walker because he can be a force inside or out with some run-stopping pop, too. Although Waker has great athletic upside and a high ceiling, they did pass on some safer selections at other positions, including Hutchinson as a pure edge player.
Hutchinson doesn’t have to move far from Ann Arbor, going back home to the Detroit metro area. The Lions can be thrilled about the ferocious Wolverine slipping to be a cornerstone pass rusher for their 4-3 under Aaron Glenn, for which he’s an ideal fit. He is tough and relentless and straight-up productive. Hutchinson can remain dominant in the NFL and also is an asset against the run. He is the best player in this draft class.
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The Texans address a key need for a big playmaker on the back end of coach Lovie Smith’s defense, but it’s surprising they passed on the better values at offensive tackle and took Stingley ahead of better all-around corner prospect Sauce Gardner. Stingley has some durability concerns and had some time off, and the Texans are banking on him being a Jalen Ramsey-type player. It’s a true boom-or-bust selection for Nick Caserio.
Gardner is the best corner in the draft and the Jets didn’t want to take a chance on him still being there at No. 10, given the crosstown Giants had heavy interest behind them. He can be a Richard Sherman-type alpha in coach Robert Saleh’s defense, forming a new dynamic duo with former Seahawk D.J. Reed. It’s mildly surprising that the Jets didn’t land Kayvon Thibodeaux for the edge here, but Joe Douglas can tap into a strong class at that position later, believing Gardner stands out in a great group at his position.
The Giants had been tied to taking the best offensive tackle available for a while, either Evan Neal or Ickey Ekwonu, but they also had a critical need for someone to wreak absolute havoc on the edge. Joe Schoen could have waited and tapped into the position depth later, but Thibodeaux’s immense ceiling for a franchise that values freakish sack artists was difficult not to take after the Jets passed.
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The Panthers chose to pass on a quarterback and that decision was made easier by having their pick between Ekwonu and Evan Neal. Scott Fitterer circles back to address Carolina’s biggest need by looking right down the road to Raleigh for a strong, powerful but also very athletic force to form bookends with Taylor Moton. The Panthers’ QB course of action this year might be instead adding veteran competition for Sam Darnold.
The Giants should be pinching themselves in Schoen’s first draft after being able to get Thibodeaux and Neal. They now have their rock of a (likely) right tackle working opposite rising first-round star Andrew Thomas. His combination of size, athleticism and quickness is exceptional and Neal will be a massive boost to the protection of Daniel Jones and the running of Saquon Barkley. The Giants have tapped into their old-school strengths nicely with two tremendous picks that are perfect need fits, too.
The Falcons did address a desperate need for a wide receiver with Calvin Ridley suspended, Russell Gage gone and Julio Jones long gone. But they whiffed by not taking either Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave or Jameson Williams instead. Terry Fontenot and Arthur Smith go for London’s massive frame and intriguing speed, but he also comes with plenty of volatility. Perhaps they got addicted to the catch radius of 2021 first-round tight end Kyle Pitts and preferred London as the complementary pass-catcher. It’s a big-time head-scratcher.
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The Seahawks have liked Cross for a while as their replacement for left tackle Duane Brown so it came down to whether they were interested enough in a quarterback early to replace Russell Wilson. Although Ekownu and Neal separated from him as big-time blockers, Cross is a mighty force in his own right with the right combination of run push and pass protection for what Seattle wants offensively under John Schneider.
The Jets get their needed third big playmaker for Zach Wilson. Garrett Wilson is the ideal complement to Corey Davis and Elijah Moore with his big-play burst to go along with technical route-running and great hands. Look for Moore to slide into the slot while Davis acts like more of a big possession body and Wilson becomes the primary field-stretcher for his second-year QB. The Falcons jumping on London made this a no-brainer.
The Saints made an aggressive move up from No. 16 to land another Buckeyes wide receiver to complement Michael Thomas. New Orleans fills a big need but it’s a bit surprising Mickey Loomis didn’t go for a quarterback. This means there’s a commitment to making it work with Jameis Winston by giving him a dynamic big-play threat to match his big arm and play off Thomas’ strong intermediate possession skills.
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The Lions made an intradivision trade to make sure they got in on the run for the three best wide receivers in the draft from consecutive picks. Given the position was so deep, they get knocked a little for giving up a considerable haul of picks to the rival Vikings and also not thinking about the first crack at quarterback. But when breaking down the player, the Lions could afford to be patient with Williams, a flat-out big playmaker, while he recovers from his knee injury. He’s a terrific skill complement for Amon-Ra St. Brown, D’Andre Swift and T.J. Hockenson. Now they need a QB upgrade behind a top line to get the ball to Williams downfield.
The Eagles didn’t give up too much in later draft capital to move up a little and ensure the Ravens didn’t snipe them for Davis. Philadelphia was in the market for defensive line reinforcements with Howie Roseman and needed a powerful run stopper to complement Fletcher Cox, who’s also 31. Davis had a late boost up the board as he got more attention for his sometimes explosive interior pass rush.
The Ravens have been searching for that special playmaking safety since the glory days of Hall of Famer Ed Reed after Earl Thomas didn’t pan out for long. They get that answer here in a top-five overall talent in this draft. Hamilton is a thumper against the run and a ballhawk in pass coverage. He just has a nose for impact plays. He’s an immediate strong candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year working next to solid free-agent addition Marcus Williams.
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The Texans passed on offensive tackle earlier so it’s a bit odd they went for an interior blocker here, especially when players such as Tyler Linderbaum and Zion Johnson were on the board. They also could have doubled up on defense by going after many of the impactful edge rushers still available. Green will be a powerful force for the running game, but there were more pressing needs to address for an overall talent-poor team.
The Commanders took a circuitous route to getting their deep threat complement to Terry McLaurin, knowing Carson Wentz operates best when having that type of player outside. It might seem a little forced after choosing to stay put and take either Olave or Williams, but Dotson’s speed and quickness was definitely a missing offensive element for Scott Turner.
The Chargers’ offseason has been about trying to make a Super Bowl run with Justin Herbert. After they got their left tackle rock in Rashawn Slater in last year’s first round, they get the ideal player to upgrade the right side, either inside or outside. Johnson does a little bit of everything well with his all-around skill set, featuring his natural agility and power.
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The Titans gave up their already established top-flight young wide receiver A.J. Brown for this pick only to acquire a lesser, similar-style talent with some big question marks attached to his level of speed and quickness. They don’t have the
