2022 Draft

[|High School Harry|]

1 minute ago, claptonrocks said:

You taking Muma?...😎

[Griever]

This is neither here nor there but posting it because I feel this way like every year. That and the typical cut to a commercial break when the Bengals are up, never fails lol

 

 

[Jamie_B]

Here is part 2 of that interview

 

 

[Jamie_B]

 

[spicoli]

NFL Draft 2022 superlatives: Prospect who'll instantly live up to the hype, QB who'll go too early and more

 

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/nfl-draft-2022-superlatives-prospect-wholl-instantly-live-up-to-the-hype-qb-wholl-go-too-early-and-more/

[Jungletiger]

Thursday's the day, hype train has almost reached it's destination.

[Kingspoint]

https://www.bengals.com/news/after-m...come-nfl-draft


"Sarkisian's individual visits with combine prospects started the night before at dinner with a scout, the coordinator and position coach. Then he would meet the prospect the next morning on the PBS plaza at 7 a.m. so he could get them into quick sit-downs with Taylor, Tobin, Potts and Bengals president Mike Brown before the 8 a.m. draft meeting.

Sarkisian would come up with a couple of bullet points for Brown to peruse and he knew the owner would do the rest. "Mr. Brown can make so many different connection points," Sarkisian says. "He's able to make those guys feel a lot more comfortable very quickly. He might have known a guy that went to his high school or nearby or some other connection. I don't know how many owners these guys meet, but he can put them at ease."

On Wednesday, the meets and greets were over."


Per walterfootball's insights, these connections were made between the Bengals and prospects:

Tony Adams, Cornerback, Illinois (PRI)
David Anenih^, Cornerback, Fresno State (PRI, VIR)
Joey Blount, Safety, Virginia (PRI)
Andrew Booth Jr., Cornerback, Clemson (PRI)
Treylon Burks, Wide Receiver, Arkansas (COM)
Micheal Clemons, Defensive End, Texas A&M (PRI)
Zyon Gilbert, Cornerback, Florida Atlantic (PRI)
Logan Hall, Defensive End, Houston (PRI)
Eric Johnson, Defensive Tackle, Missouri State (PRI)
Jack Jones, Cornerback, Arizona State (PRI)
George Karlaftis, Defensive End, Purdue (COM)
Isaiah Likely, Tight End, Coastal Carolina (COM)
Vederian Lowe, Offensive Tackle, Illinois (COM)
DeAngelo Malone, Defensive End, Western Kentucky (WOR)
Smoke Monday, Safety, Auburn (VIR)
Alec Pierce, Wide Receiver, Cincinnati (LOC)
Drew Plitt, Quarterback, Ball State (WOR)
Jaquari Roberson, Wide Receiver, Wake Forest (PRI)
Jamaree Salyer, Offensive Guard, Georgia (WOR)
Alontae Taylor, Cornerback, Tennessee (PRI)
Ja'Sir Taylor^, Cornerback, Wake Forest (PRI, WOR)
Cam Taylor-Britt, Cornerback, Nebraska (PRI)
Isaiah Thomas, Defensive End, Oklahoma (VIR)
Khalan Tolson, Inside Linebacker, Illinois (WOR)
Samori Toure, Wide Receiver, Nebraska (PRI)
Isaiah Weston, Wide Receiver, Northern Iowa (VIR)
Rachaad White, Running Back, Arizona State (VIR)
Malik Willis, Quarterback, Liberty (COM)
Perrion Winfrey, Defensive Tackle, Oklahoma (PRI)


The data was acquired via Charlie Campbell (@draftcampbell) and other media sources.

SR - Senior Bowl meeting.
EW - East-West Shrine meeting.
COM - Combine meeting.
INT - Interested.
VINT - Very Interested.
PRO - Pro Day or campus meeting/workout.
LOC - Local visit. Prospect making a local visit.
PRI - Private visit. Prospect making an official 30 visit.
WOR - Private Workout. Members of an organization working out a player in private.
STM - Some Type of Meeting.
VIR - Virtual Meeting.
% - indicates more than one meeting at an event.
^ - has met with team at more than one event.
# - indicates meeting set up outside of the 2022 Senior Bowl or the 2022 East-West Shrine Game

[|BlackJesus|]

8 hours ago, Kingspoint said:

Treylon Burks, Wide Receiver, Arkansas (COM)

 

I would be all for trading up to get Burks in the 20s if he slips, as I think he will be the BEST WR of the entire class. It would instantly give the Bengals the best offense in the NFL (with no debate). An almost unstoppable 4 WR set spread with Mixon in the backfield. 

[claptonrocks]

6 hours ago, BlackJesus said:

 

I would be all for trading up to get Burks in the 20s if he slips, as I think he will be the BEST WR of the entire class. It would instantly give the Bengals the best offense in the NFL (with no debate). An almost unstoppable 4 WR set spread with Mixon in the backfield. 

Im all for loading up more weapons for JB and Burks would be a hell of an addition but ..

Pass rushers and protectors are more important at this stage..

 

[|High School Harry|]

28 minutes ago, claptonrocks said:

Im all for loading up more weapons for JB and Burks would be a hell of an addition but ..

Pass rushers and protectors are more important at this stage..

 

Agree and it could foreshadow the loss of Tee Higgins and I do now want to see that happen at all.

[Cricket]

45 minutes ago, High School Harry said:

Agree and it could foreshadow the loss of Tee Higgins and I do now want to see that happen at all.

 

Yeah, but just think about the compensatory pick we’ll get.  🥷

 

 

[membengal]

Fact is it will be hard to re-sign both Higgins AND chase with what WRs are getting paid (and that's presuming Boyd done at end of his deal). Smart move would be to deal Tee a year early for premium picks, but I really don't want to think about that yet. 

[sparky151]

Depending on what other deals get done or not, the team could easily tag Tee for 2024.

[Kingspoint]

4 hours ago, Cricket said:

 

Yeah, but just think about the compensatory pick we’ll get.  🥷

 

 

I think, by rule, they can never be higher than the end of the 3rd Rd, basically a 4th, but they can be more than just one pick.

[membengal]

4 hours ago, sparky151 said:

Depending on what other deals get done or not, the team could easily tag Tee for 2024.

sure. but that's the tag. I said hard to re-sign both. I stand by that. 

[|BlackJesus|]

[sparky151]

21 hours ago, Kingspoint said:

I think, by rule, they can never be higher than the end of the 3rd Rd, basically a 4th, but they can be more than just one pick.

A team can't get more than 1 comp pick for the loss of a single player. Teams losing multiple players can get multiple comp picks if they don't add offsetting players.  So a late 3rd rounder would be the best we could get for losing anyone, including Tee. 

[claptonrocks]

On 4/23/2022 at 3:29 PM, sparky151 said:

Depending on what other deals get done or not, the team could easily tag Tee for 2024.

Tee Higgins would be the top target on many teams.. .

He brings height and great length to overmatch opponents..

 

He blocks as well as the rest of the unit...(Chase Boyd effect)..

He can  now run the route tree effectively..

 

He's just that...good...

[MichaelWeston]

Starting to roll through my draft crushes......We will start with QB. 

 

QB

D'Eriq King-Miami (7)

Dustin Crum-Kent St (U)

EJ Perry-Brown (U)

Brock Purdy-Iowa St (U)

Cole Kelley-SE Lou (U)

Zerrick Cooper-Jack St (U)

 

I have a rule....never draft a QB. I believe it's a wasted pick.  As a contender with a franchise QB you want someone who can start games and who has started games should an injury happen. When we are thinking about QB in this draft we are thinking about the practice squad. I also think in the long run we will never mimic what Burrow can do. His photographic memory and touch aren't replaceable. So what we need to back him up is a guy who can get first downs. 

 

When it comes to this draft the only guy I am really in love with is D'Eriq King. He has terrible size 5-8 196 and you wouldn't draft him as a pure QB but he isn't that. He has played slot WR (58 catches, 492 yards and 4tds in 16 and 17), he has returned kicks (TD in 17), and he is special with the ball in his hands (over 2K rushing yards and 32 tds in his career). Team captain for 3 years....his personality would fit our group to a T. He isn't even a terrible QB with 76 career TDs and just 19 ints.  I would draft him as early as Rd 7....lol.....and throw him in the mix at QB. 75% snaps at QB 25% at slot WR.......If he eventually was in the mix to replace Boyd at WR I wouldn't be at all surprised. 

 

 

[|BlackJesus|]

[|BlackJesus|]

 

[|BlackJesus|]

To keep in mind for trades

 

[|BlackJesus|]

SportingNews top 50 ...

 

NFL Draft prospects 2022: Updated big board of top 50 players

 

Vinnie Iyer

Sporting News

2 hours ago

 

(SN illustration)

NFL Draft prospects 2022: Big board of top 50 players

1. Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Michigan (6-6, 260 pounds)

He's a technically sound and exceptionally strong prospect built to play 4-3 end and would benefit from improving his agility and expanding his pass-rush moves.

2. Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame (6-4, 220 pounds)

Hamilton is smart and physical. He has the instincts and athleticism to diagnose plays and react quickly to make plays all over the field vs. run and pass. He's one of the most complete, intimidating safety prospects ever.

3. Ickey Ekwonu, OT, NC State (6-4, 310 pounds)

Ekwonu has shot up boards showing his strong and powerful run blocking with the required nasty streak to push around and strike fear into his defensive line assignments. He also has proved he can be a rock left tackle.

4. Evan Neal, OT, Alabama (6-7, 337 pounds)

Neal will be a dominant blocking force in the NFL. He's ultra-athletic for such a large frame, agile enough to handle the best pass rushers and powerful enough to move defenders out of the way in the running game.

5. Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon (6-4, 254 pounds)

Thibodeaux is off the charts athletically in every aspect, an explosive pass rusher and agile pursuit man who covers a ton of ground. He also brings underrated power with the speed.

6. Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU (6-1, 195 pounds)

Stingley is one of the most dynamic cornerback prospects ever with his pedigree and playmaking resume. He's got great size and speed and can often win his battles with his length and quickness. There are few holes in his coverage game and he's also the ultimate ballhawk.

7. Travon Walker, EDGE, Georgia (6-5, 272 pounds)

Walker is an explosive, versatile playmaker who can line up at multiple spots up front and can with with both athleticism and power.

8. Sauce Gardner, CB, Cincinnati (6-2, 190 pounds)

Gardner has great agility given his length and can move around wherever need to handle vertical or horizontal coverage.

 

9. Jermaine Johnson II, EDGE, Florida State (6-5, 254 pounds)

Johnson has some freakish qualities that can equate to more than just a flashy pass rusher.

10. Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State (6-5, 307 pounds)

Cross has a powerful upper body, strong hands and a mean and nasty aspect to his blocking. He could still develop his agility and footwork to raise his game.

11. Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson (6-0, 194 pounds)

Booth has fine size, strength and aggressiveness to boost himself in coverage. He also has great ball skills with a nose for big plays.

12. Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State (6-0, 187 pounds)

Olave has great speed, quickness and burst to stand out with those attributes in a strong wide receiver class.

13. Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State (5-11, 183 pounds)

Wilson is a great complement to Chris Olave with his smarts, quickness, route-running and hands. He is dangerous in making plays after the catch.

14. Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama (6-1, 179 pounds)

Williams also profiles a bit like many of the recent top Crimson Tide picks showing technical skills but standing out and rising boards for his flat-out big-play ability.

15. Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa (6-2, 296 pounds)

Linderbaum is a strong, athletic and relentless interior blocker. He has the intelligence and natural run blocking skills to be a decade-long fixture in the NFL.

16. Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa (6-7, 325 pounds)

Penning has a high floor because of his strong, powerful frame that overpowered the competition but is also growing the athletic traits to start in the NFL.

17. Kenyon Green, G, Texas A&M (6-4, 323 pounds)

Green is a well-rounded interior blocker with solid size, strength and technique to thrive in the running game for a long time.

18. Devonte Wyatt, DT/DE, Georgia (6-3, 304 pounds)

Wyatt is versatile and flexible for his size to contribute well in multiple positions and multiple schemes, a hybrid of teammates Davis and Walker.

19. Drake London, WR, USC (6-4, 219 pounds)

London matches his nice catch radius with great hands and quickness, which makes him a big-play and red zone threat in the Mike Evans vein.

20. Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia (5-11, 229 pounds)

Dean has gotten first-round consideration by honing his pass rush skills inside on top of his rangy athleticism that allow him fly sideline-to-sideline to make plays. That helps him more than compensate for his lack of prototypical size.

21. Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah (6-3, 237 pounds)

Lloyd is a strong rangy athlete who stands out making plays, covering plenty of ground vs. the run but has special skills to defend the passing, from his knowledge of coverage to his blitzing pop.

22. David Ojabo, EDGE, Michigan (6-4, 250 pounds)

Ojabo has flashed devastating pass-rush skills with his unique combination of speed and power, boosted by his relentless energy.

23. George Karlaftis, EDGE, Purdue (6-4, 266 pounds)

Here's another version of a Greek freak as Karlaftis possesses elite athleticism for his size and is still tapping into his immense pass-rush potential.

24. Malik Willis, QB, Liberty (6-0, 219 pounds)

Willis is a new mashup of Zach Wilson and Trey Lance, a fast riser who's gotten more attention for an amazing skill set. He has top-flight athleticism and the strong arm to make every throw. He's also physically and mentally tough.

25. Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia (6-6, 341 pounds)

Davis is getting more attention for the athleticism he possesses to disrupt plays on top of his massive frame.

26. Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington (5-10, 193 pounds)

McDuffie offers great explosiveness and quickness to stay with his coverage assignments. He also plays bigger than his size.

27. Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh (6-3, 217 pounds)

Pickett delivered with his leadership to get Pitt playing for the ACC championship. He's the top traditional pocket-passing prospect in the class with his deep ball-accuracy, smarts and maturity.

28. Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State (5-10, 178 pounds)

Dotson is a speedy vertical threat with the quickness to also make big plays after making strong catches in open field.

29. Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati (6-3, 211 pounds)

Ridder is an aspiring dynamic NFL dual threat with his combination of strong arm and natural running ability. He also has the welcome intangibles, including leadership skills and toughness.

30. Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas (6-2, 225 pounds)

Burks is a huge target with reliable big hands to match. He can dominate smaller, less physical corners and has deceptive speed.

31. Boye Mafe, EDGE, Minnesota (6-3, 261 pounds)

Mafe showed off his high-level athleticism and pass-rush explosiveness at the Senior Bowl and how it can quickly translate into production.

32. Lewis Cine, S, Georgia (6-1, 200 pounds)

Cine is a hard-hitting safety who can blow up runners and receivers and is underrated for his pass coverage work.

33. Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida (6-2, 191 pounds)

Elam's physical strength and length stand out as a bigger corner. He is very efficient in coverage with his athleticism, which at times is explosive.

34. Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State (6-1, 199 pounds)

Brisker is adept at making plays all over the field with his great speed and range plus smarts to read quarterbacks well in coverage.

35. Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington (5-11, 194 pounds)

Gordon is a nice-sized cover man who gets physical and aggressive to make plays on the ball.

36. Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn (5-11, 190 pounds)

McCreary has risen up boards because of his size, physicality, fluidity and ability to play well in any downfield coverage scheme.

37. Kenneth Walker III, RB, Michigan State (5-9, 212 pounds)

Walker's amazing breakout season with the Spartans has shown he is the most complete back in this class with his speed, balance and elite block-reading skills.

38. Daxton Hill, S, Michigan (6-0, 191 pounds)

Hill offers an interesting mix of speed, quickness, smarts and instincts to give him sleeper starting potential in the NFL.

39. Zion Johnson, G/OT, Boston College (6-3, 312 pounds)

Johnson's calling card for the Eagles has been strong and powerful run blocking. He is a road grader with the hands and enough agility to play either inside or at right tackle.

40. Jalen Pitre, S/CB, Baylor (5-11, 198 pounds)

Pitre is a hybrid slot defensive back with sure tackling and good on-ball coverage skills. He is smart enough to diagnose well in the NFL in both man-to-man and zone.

41. John Metchie III, WR, Alabama (5-11, 187 pounds)

Metchie is the latest Crimson Tide speed merchant, combining some of the on-field qualities of Henry Ruggs III and Jaylen Waddle. He also can be a smooth technician like Jerry Jeudy and DeVonta Smith.

42. Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State (6-4, 246 pounds)

McBride has emerged as the top prospect at his position with his sturdy frame, toughness, good hands and ability to stretch the seam and his use his body well when running routes.

43. Christian Harris, LB, Alabama (6-0, 226 pounds)

Harris is the typical Crimson Tide top second-level defender with his speed and quickness that translate to sideline-to-sideline playmaking range.

44. Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State (6-4, 208 pounds)

Watson showed he was an incredible athlete at the Combine. Even if he's considered raw, he should have greater appeal because of the size-speed upside and strong work ethic.

45. Bernhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan (6-6, 303 pounds)

The Austrian import has great developmental upside because he solidly blends his strength and athleticism.

46. Nicholas Petit-Frere, OT, Ohio State (6-5, 316 pounds)

Petit-Frere has proved to be a well-rounded blocker for the Buckeyes having played on both sides with a nice blend of strength, agility and footwork.

47. Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State (5-11, 217 pounds)

Hall stands out with his ability to elude tacklers and explode for big plays in the open field. He can go from home-run hitter to more complete back.

48. Darian Kinnard, OT/G, Kentucky (6-5, 345 pounds)

Kinnard is a powerful run blocker who could use some refinement with his technique and how to best use his athleticism in pass protection. That points to him playing inside well in the NFL.

49. Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss (6-0, 200 pounds)

Corral is a dynamic athlete and confident runner who also shows aggressiveness with a big arm. His raw skills give him a lot of intrigue and upside.

50. Perrion Winfrey, DT, Oklahoma (6-4, 292 pounds)

Winfrey offers good length and powerful moves. He needs to refine his technique and improve his effective speed to keep up the playmaking in the NFL.

 

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/nfl-draft-prospects-2022-top-players-rankings/yb5ihimvfxdk662s3ufacogd

[|BlackJesus|]

PFF's top 50 list ... (which is different than most others) 

Final 2022 NFL Draft Big Board: PFF's Top 50 Prospects

By Michael Renner
Apr 25, 2022

With the Senior Bowl, 2022 NFL Scouting Combine and college pro days in the books, almost all pre-draft evaluation has concluded.

 

The 2022 NFL Draft is nearly here, meaning it's time to unveil PFF’s final big board of 50 players.

 

1. EDGE AIDAN HUTCHINSON, MICHIGAN

The highest-graded edge defender in college football, Hutchinson has multiple ways to win with his blend of quicks and power. He’s a complete edge defender who excels against both the run and the pass.

2. CB DEREK STINGLEY JR., LSU

This ranking is banking a lot on what Stingley put on tape a long time ago, but it's not as if that talent went anywhere. He has allowed only a 41.1% completion percentage for his career and has been starting since his freshman year.

3. T CHARLES CROSS, MISSISSIPPI STATE

After flashing traits in his first year as a starter in 2020, Cross became a dominant pass-protector in 2021. He allowed 44 pressures on 574 pass-blocking snaps in 2020 before giving up only 16 pressures on 719 pass-blocking snaps in 2021.

4. CB AHMAD GARDNER, CINCINNATI

Gardner never allowed a touchdown in his career despite starting since he was a true freshman. In 2021, he took his game to another level, surrendering only 131 yards in 14 games.

5. T IKEM EKWONU, N.C. STATE

Ekwonu is the single most dominant run-blocking tackle in the country. His 18 big-time blocks in the run game this past season were seven more than the next-closest Power Five offensive lineman.

6. T EVAN NEAL, ALABAMA

The mammoth 6-foot-7, 350-pounder is one of the most imposing specimens ever to grace this planet, and he moves like a man 50 pounds lighter. He allowed only 24 pressures over the past two years between left and right tackle.

7. EDGE KAYVON THIBODEAUX, OREGON

Thibodeaux has an elite first step combined with an ideal frame for the position. While he lacks refinement, that combination still led to a 91.5 PFF pass-rushing grade in 2021.

8. S KYLE HAMILTON, NOTRE DAME

At 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, Hamilton is a modern hybrid defender who can do whatever is asked of him. While he missed Notre Dame's final five games in 2021 with a minor knee injury, he came down with three picks and three pass breakups in his first seven outings.

9. WR JAMESON WILLIAMS, ALABAMA

It’s a shame Williams tore his ACL in the national championship game, as his tape put him firmly in the mix for WR1. He’s still the best deep threat in the class.

10. EDGE GEORGE KARLAFTIS, PURDUE

Karlaftis is a versatile iron man who can do almost anything a team could ask of him. He played at least 49 snaps in all but one game this past season and finished with a 90.6 PFF pass-rushing grade.

11. CB TRENT MCDUFFIE, WASHINGTON

Outside of length, McDuffie has everything you could want from a high-end cornerback. At only 5-foot-11, he plays consistently bigger than his listed size. He allowed only 16 catches from 36 targets for 111 yards with no scores and five pass breakups in 2021.

12. EDGE TRAVON WALKER, GEORGIA

Walker is an elite physical specimen for a 6-foot-5, 275-pounder who even dropped into coverage this past season and managed a pass breakup. He's still figuring out how to rush the passer, but you can't teach what he has.

13. WR DRAKE LONDON, USC

It's a shame London's 2021 season ended with a broken ankle after only eight games because he was on an unmatched statistical tear, racking up 88 catches for 1,084 yards and seven scores over that span. He's a massive 6-foot-5, 210-pounder who still led college football with 19 contested catches.

14. WR GARRETT WILSON, OHIO STATE

Wilson's ability to generate separation is the best in the class. He’s also produced at a high level from both the slot (73.4% of his snaps in 2020) and outside (82.9% of his snaps in 2021).

15. LB DEVIN LLOYD, UTAH

There may be no better all-around linebacker in the class. Lloyd can take on blocks, blitz and cover tight ends at a high level, which is why he earned a 90.2 grade this past year with above-average grades in every facet.

16. C TYLER LINDERBAUM, IOWA

Linderbaum is the best center prospect we've seen in the PFF College era. He was already the highest-graded center in the country in 2020, but he took his game to new heights in 2021, earning a 95.4 overall grade.

17. DI DEVONTE WYATT, GEORGIA

Between the two Georgia defensive tackles, Wyatt is the far more explosive athlete, and it showed as a pass-rusher, where he finished with an 84.0 grade. He was dominant at the Senior Bowl.

18. T BERNHARD RAIMANN, CENTRAL MICHIGAN

Two years ago, Raimann was playing tight end. Now, he's got a legitimate shot to be a first-round pick. He earned the second-highest grade of any offensive lineman this past season and allowed only 10 pressures.

19. LB NAKOBE DEAN, GEORGIA

Dean's range at the linebacker position is unparalleled in this draft class. He’s not only straight-line fast, but he also processes and reacts with elite quickness.

20. DI JORDAN DAVIS, GEORGIA

Davis is a one-trick pony, but it’s one impressive trick. The 6-foot-6, 360-pound defensive tackle will not be moved in the run game.

21. WR CHRIS OLAVE, OHIO STATE

One of the best route-runners in college football, Olave is one of the most consistent downfield threats in the class. In total, 13 of his 65 catches ended in scores last season.

22. WR SKYY MOORE, WESTERN MICHIGAN

Moore has the elite shiftiness that plays so well at the receiver position. Whether it's shaking press coverage or breaking an FBS-high 26 tackles last year, he will make defenders miss with ease.

23. CB ANDREW BOOTH JR., CLEMSON

Booth has some of the best feet in the draft class, but he got exposed a tad too often for our liking. He gave up 29 catches from 46 targets for 312 yards in his first full year as a starter.

24. G ZION JOHNSON, BOSTON COLLEGE

Johnson started his career at Davidson before transferring and starting the past three years at guard for Boston College. His physicality took a noticeable leap in 2021, and he allowed only six pressures.

25. T TYLER SMITH, TULSA

Smith's run-blocking tape is a sight to behold. Neither Neal nor Ekwonu led the FBS in big-time blocks last season; it was Smith. He likely ends up at guard and is a work in progress as a pass protector, but you can't teach his power.

26. S LEWIS CINE, GEORGIA

Cine was the biggest riser down the stretch for the Georgia defense, and he’s one heck of a tackler — for his career, he missed only 11 tackles on 159 attempts.

27. DI TRAVIS JONES, UCONN

Jones was the lone bright spot on Connecticut's roster this season. At 6-foot-5 and 333 pounds, he's a monstrous, space-eating nose tackle, but he can be a little more than that. He racked up 25 pressures and 21 run stops on the season and played well at the Senior Bowl.

28. WR GEORGE PICKENS, GEORGIA

Pickens tore his ACL last spring and only came back for Georgia in the last game of the regular season. He was a potential WR1 after a massive freshman year but never built upon it.

29. CB KAIIR ELAM, FLORIDA

Elam is a long, physical corner who shut down some of the SEC's best talent. Despite seven penalties, he still allowed only 19 catches from 36 targets for 191 yards last season.

30. QB MALIK WILLIS, LIBERTY

Willis is an electric playmaker. However, the Liberty quarterback is still far too much of a roller coaster from game to game. He did, however, have the second-highest big-time throw rate we've ever charted (11.0%).

31. CB JALEN PITRE, BAYLOR

Pitre was a massive reason for the Bears' defensive success in 2021. He led all defensive backs with 47 stops on the season while playing slot corner in Dave Aranda's defense.

32. EDGE JERMAINE JOHNSON II, FLORIDA STATE

Due to how well Johnson performed at the Senior Bowl, he's unlikely to be a non-factor in the NFL. Moreover, he's one of the best edge-setters in the class, with 23 run stops and 14 sacks in 2021.

33. EDGE ARNOLD EBIKETIE, PENN STATE

Ebiketie transferred from Temple to Penn State and proved his 2020 production was no fluke. He beat up on quality tackles en route to a 90.5 pass-rushing grade and 52 pressures.

34. QB SAM HOWELL, NORTH CAROLINA

Howell may have taken a step back as a passer, but he proved to be a legitimate threat as a runner in 2021. He broke an absurd 63 tackles and ran for 1,072 yards this past season.

35. T TREVOR PENNING, NORTHERN IOWA

Penning is yet another uber-physical run-blocker at the position. The 6-foot-7, 321-pounder moves people with ease. His 99.9 run-blocking grade — albeit against mainly FCS competition — is the highest we've ever charted.

36. LB LEO CHENAL, WISCONSIN

Chenal is going to thrive in man blitz-heavy schemes. He 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.

37. CB DAXTON HILL, MICHIGAN

Hill showed off his versatility by playing mainly slot for the Wolverines' defense. Still, he’ll be a deep safety in the NFL, and he possesses some of the class' best speed at the position.

38. EDGE NIK BONITTO, OKLAHOMA

Bonitto may be a designated pass-rusher at the NFL level, but he'll be a weapon in that regard from Day 1. He was college football's most productive pass-rusher on a per-snap basis over the past two seasons, earning a 93.6 pass-rushing grade in 2020 and a 92.5 pass-rushing grade in 2021.

39. G KENYON GREEN, TEXAS A&M

Green will not only be coveted for his absurd movement skills for a 325-pounder but also because he started at every single offensive line position except center in 2021. He can get the job done at either tackle or guard.

40. S JAQUAN BRISKER, PENN STATE

Brisker is an incredibly sound safety who will be coveted by teams with specific box roles. He earned an 89.5 coverage grade in a career year this past fall.

41. QB DESMOND RIDDER, CINCINNATI

Ridder's four years at the helm of the Bearcats' offense make him one of the most experienced passers in the class. He improved every year en route to a career-high 90.7 grade in 2021.

42. QB KENNY PICKETT, PITTSBURGH

The biggest riser at the quarterback position, Pickett didn't earn a single sub-70.0 game grade all year. After managing only 10 big-time throws in 2020, Pickett totaled 29 in 2021. In his fourth year as a starter, Pickett looked decidedly different.

43. EDGE DRAKE JACKSON, USC

Before his late-season injury, Jackson proved that he had taken a significant next step in his development. He improved his 66.6 pass-rushing grade as a sophomore to 87.7 in 2021.

44. EDGE JOSH PASCHAL, KENTUCKY

Paschal has a unique body type for the edge at 6-foot-3 and 278 pounds. He's a leverage demon who lived in opponents' backfields last year en route to a Power Five-leading 12.4% run-stop rate.

45. LB QUAY WALKER, GEORGIA

Walker is one of the best run-and-hit linebackers in the class. Give him the freedom to play fast, and he'll excel. That's because he's both a speedy 240 pounds and one of the best tacklers in the class, having missed only seven times on 138 career attempts.

46. WR TREYLON BURKS, ARKANSAS

Burks' combination of size (6-foot-3, 225 pounds) and speed is unrivaled in the class. He racked up 1,100 yards and 11 scores last season. The true junior should be a vertical weapon in the NFL.

47. EDGE BOYE MAFE, MINNESOTA

Mafe was a massive riser after he earned the highest pass-rushing grade among edge defenders during the Senior Bowl practices. He's an ascending player who possesses one of the best get-offs in the class.

48. LB BRIAN ASAMOAH, OKLAHOMA

Asamoah is undersized at 6-foot-1 and 228 pounds, but he possesses sideline-to-sideline range. His processing skills took massive steps forward in 2021, causing his grade to jump from 57.1 to 76.3.

49. T ABRAHAM LUCAS, WASHINGTON STATE

Lucas still needs some refinement in pass protection, but he saw it all with the pass-heavy Cougars in his career. He played 2,195 pass-blocking snaps across four years at Washington State.

50. EDGE DAVID OJABO, MICHIGAN

Ojabo had played only 26 career snaps before 2021, but he made his presence felt in a big way this season, earning an 86.9 pass-rushing grade on 300 pass-rushing snaps. Given his physical tools, the Michigan product is still only scratching the surface of his potential.

 

https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2022-nfl-draft-board-big-board

[Griever]