Top 50 Big Board (2022 NFL Draft)

Ed Hunt March 24, 2022 in Big Board, Features - 11 Minutes

By: Ed Hunt

Aiden Hutchinson- Edge- Michigan

-Freak of nature athleticism off the edge paired with his 6’6”, 270 lbs frame have made Hutchinson the top prospect. His high motor and relentless style make him far and away the best edge rusher this draft. Expect him to be the first or second pick.

2. Evan Neal – Tackle- Alabama

-Awarded most physically gifted player in the nation on Bruce Feldman’s “Freak List”. A dominant downhill run blocker. Understands how to use freakish size to advantage. Looks much more comfortable after transitioning to RT. Top 3 pick in the draft.

3. Kyle Hamilton- Safety Notre Dame

-Most versatile safety of the last few years. Unreal range, and you can afford to leave him as a single high. Doesn’t hesitate to come and play up in the box. Does every single last thing you want out of a safety at a high level.

Icky Ekwonu- Tackle- NC State

-Prototypical tackle at NC State, he has a dog-like ferociousness in his run blocking. Defenders do not have an opportunity to escape if he gets his hands on you. Has great physical traits to be a high level pass blocker, and plays with great authority. Could be first lineman taken on draft too.

Kayvon Thibodeaux- Edge- Oregon

-Thrives on his explosiveness and ability to bend. At one point was regarded as the best player in college football. Plays every snap like it’s his last and uses his motor as a weapon. Has a deeper bag of pass rush tricks than most in class

Garrett Wilson- Receiver- Ohio State

-Very fluid receiver that has elite route running and explosiveness. His hands are some of the most reliable in the class.

Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner- Cornerback- Cincinnati

-Long lanky physical corner. Did not give up a touchdown in his college career. Has very disciplined technique, reminds me of Richard Sherman.

Derek Stingley- Cornerback – LSU

-Best man coverage corner in this class. Injury has kept him out for a majority of the last year. His snappy fiery plastyle allows him to contest larger wide outs.

Nakobe Dean- Linebacker – Georgia

-Leader on the field and in the locker room. Next level quickness that allows him to play everywhere and do everything. Lighter than most at his position, but his elite talent doesn’t let that knock him down.

Trent McDuffie – Cornerback- Washington

-Best feet for any corner in class, has incredible speed and fluidity in man coverage. Has experience at receiver and hands have shown it.

Treylon Burks – Receiver- Arkansas

-Prototypical X receiver. Has the versatile skill set to line up anywhere on the field. Fast and physical after the catch, reminds me of AJ Brown mixed with Deebo Samuel

George Karlaftis – Edge- Purdue

-Best sheer power rusher in the draft. Bag of moves may be smaller, but he still finds a way to overpower most lineman with his explosive pass rush.

Devin Lloyd- Linebacker- Utah

-Perfect frame for position at 6’3” 235. Very disciplined yet aggressive when defending the run. Arguably the most complete skill set for linebacker

Drake London – Receiver- USC

-Defeats the lies that he cannot gain separation. Just doesn’t get separation on vertical routes. Mike Evans build with top tier catch in traffic ability. Speed could be a concern on next level

Jordan Davis- Defensive Tackle- Georgia

-Super-human athleticism. One of the best interior run stuffers in the class, and plays with violence that shows no regard for his opponent’s life. He will plug any hole you ask, and can even force some pressures. Every down effort could be a concern, but at his best, he’s the best.

Tyler Linderbaum- IOL- Iowa

-Far and away best center prospect in class. His ability to be dominant in the run and pass game is due to his great lateral movement and how technically sound he is. Loses leverage a little more often than you’d like, but his upside is out of this world.

Travon Walker- Edge- Georgia

-One of the more raw players on this list, but the upside of his athleticism is too intriguing to leave him off. He posses a dominate frame at 6’5” 275, and he uses every pound of it to bully lineman much bigger than him. He lacks technique in a lot of his game and never has put up numbers that match his skill.

Trevor Penning- Tackle- Northern Iowa

-Nasty angry run blocker. The biggest bully offensive lineman in the draft. Does not finish until the defender is laying in the dirt. Does not sacrifice technique with his aggressiveness. I see him succeeding in downhill running schemes with a quick pass offense.

David Ojabo- Edge- Michigan (Rank given before Achilles tear)

-Top speed rusher in this draft class. First step is reminiscent of Von Miller. His ability to stay disciplined and move latterly makes him a top run defender as well. Has enough explosiveness to throw lineman around every so often. Has one of the highest ceilings for any defensive lineman in this draft, he just needs to become more disciplined in his technique and get more time under his belt.

Jermaine Johnson- Edge- Florida State

-Ideal size for edge rusher. One of the most athletic men in the trenches in this class. Has a decent bag of pass rush moves. Very effective run stuffer.

Charles Cross- Tackle- Mississippi State

-Understands leverage better than most tackles in this class. Good quickness in feet with a strong angry play style make him one of the best pass blockers in class. Would argue he is the most NFL ready tackle prospect right now.

Chris Olave- Receiver- Ohio State

-Very refined route runner that uses his balance and concentration to his advantage. Those qualities paired with elite speed and a large catch radius make him a highlight machine.

Jahan Dotson- Receiver- Penn State

-Very slippery route runner with top tier speed that allows him to consistently sneak behind a defense. His track background is intriguing to NFL coaches. His size may be underwhelming, but he does everything right.

Kenyon Green- IOL- Texas A&M

-Has the versatility to play anywhere on line, although thrives at left guard. One of the strongest players in the draft. Wins with a nasty, physical, high motor. Run blocking ability is out of this world, but pass blocking has some left to be desired. Is a high effort player, should see a jump in his pass blocking after a year in the league.

Devonte Wyatt- Defensive Tackle- Georgia

-One of the highest effort players I have watched. Consistently beats one on one blocks. Gets legitimate penetration that leads to pressures. Can line up anywhere on the defensive line. His speed for a defensive tackle is otherworldly. He only had one good year at Georgia, but boy was it really good.

Andrew Booth- Cornerback- Clemson

-Another player that is just too good of an athlete to leave off this list. His coverage technique is still very raw for a cornerback, but has shown he can dominate top receivers. He is the definition of an aggressive corner.

Tyler Smith- Tackle- Tulsa

-Ideal size for an offensive tackle. Plays a very technical game with a low center of gravity and wide base. His strength is not in question, but his balance is at times. His upside is some of the best for an offensive tackle.

Jameson Williams- Receiver- Alabama

-One of the nations best deep threats who relies on blazing speed and fluid route running ability. At one point was regarded at the best receiver in college football prior to an ACL tear. Is simply a game changer.

Malik Willis- Quarterback- Liberty

-Dual threat QB. Confident and accurate passer with a big arm. Very slippery deceptive runner with the football. Oftentimes tried to play hero ball and just let the ball up there for anyone to grab. Most physically gifted QB in this class. Questions if game will translate to the NFL.

Kenny Pickett- Quarterback- Pitt

-Can make all the throws, and has looked incredible at all camps and pro day. Has the most pro style game for any QB in draft paired with the most efficient film. There are big questions surrounding his hand size, but that has not shown to be an issue yet. There are still worries if his last season at Pitt was a fluke.

Travis Jones- Defensive Tackle- UConn

-Top three interior run stuffing lineman in this class. Incredibly sure tackler. Was a Senior Bowl star. Not a very good pass rusher, does not create many pressures. Not an every down player.

Kenneth Walker- Running back- Michigan State

-Best pure rusher in the class. Strong vision, is a patient runner and will wait for the lane to open. Strong enough to break most arm tackles. Decent receiving back at best, but not bad.

Jalen Pitre- Safety- Baylor

-Phenomenal reaction speed and short area quickness. Is a good enough athlete to play down in the box. Does not have great size, but has not been an issue for him yet. Not a very good block shedder. Could possibly be asked to play cornerback.

Breece Hall- Running back- Iowa State

– Very explosive one cut runner. Solid receiver out of the backfield. Not a strong blocker in pass protection. Not the quickest guy, but has very good straight line speed. If he improves his blocking he could turn out to be the best running back in the draft.

Zion Johnson- IOL- Boston College

-Very good run blocker, leaves some to be desired in pass blocking. Has quick powerful feet that help him regain balance if knocked off. Has experience at guard and tackle. Not great with his hands, but his power and balance are his best assets. Can get caught with a high pad level. Could flourish as one of the best run blockers of this class.

Christian Harris- Linebacker- Alabama

-Very balanced skillset. Great pursuit speed and is a disciplined tackler. Has great feet, does not get juked out, and can make arm tackles if needed. Effective blitzer due to his speed and explosiveness.

Daniel Faalele- Tackle- Minnesota

– Beast of a man at 6’ 9” 380 lbs. Overwhelmed defenders with sheer strength and size. Not great at dealing with faster edge rushers. Has decent technique, but is still a very raw prospect with not a ton of experience.

Trey McBride- Tight End- Colorado State

– Best tight end prospect of the draft. Is a very reliable pass catcher with an ability to make consistent contested catches. Has great body control for a tight end. Is a strong and willing blocker. Does not have the ability to get great separation.

Roger McCreary -Cornerback- Auburn

-Very strong in man coverage, but does not understand zone very well. Not great against bigger stronger receivers. Has a very good top speed and quickness. Solid tacker and has been helpful in run defense.

Daxton Hill- Safety- Michigan

-Strong in zone coverage and can make a play in man. Very athletic with some of the best speed in this safety class. Is a pretty sure tackler. Needs to put on muscle. Has a very high ceiling.

Lewis Cine- Safety- Georgia

-Very explosive and hard hitting safety. Very consistent tackler. Very fluid in coverage. Can play in the box or up high

Kaiir Elam- Cornerback- Florida

-Former wide receiver, understands his competition. Strong in aggressive press coverage. High School track star. Has been known to give up a few deep balls and is inconsistent with technique.

Perrion Winfrey- Defensive Tackle- Oklahoma

-Limited pass rush moves, but has still gotten pressure with pure strength and size. Effective run stuffer, good short area quickness. Not a great tackler for size

David Bell- Receiver- Purdue

-One of the best in this class at getting separation. Fast and quick. Has been effective wherever he lines up on the field. Great body control. Not a great blocker and does not run the best routes.

Arnold Ebiketie- Edge- Penn State

-Very strong and agile off the edge. Very relentless playstyle, lacks some discipline in technique at times. Has good chasedown speed and a high motor. Will give you 110% effort every play.

Dylan Parham- Interior O-line- Memphis

-Very powerful base and balance. Has the ability to manhandle defenders if he gets both hands on them. Has a very active lower half

Isaiah Spiller-Running back- Texas A&M

-Very powerful aggressive runner. Does not go down on first contact. Is a solid receiver out of the backfield. Will win in space nearly every single time. Not a good blocker. Top three back in class.

Skyy Moore- Receiver- Western Michigan

-One of the fastest receivers in class. Has incredible quickness and suddenness. Fluid and squirmy runner. Can take a hit and hold onto the ball. Did not face high level competition. Not a good blocker.

Brian Asamoah- Linebacker- Oklahoma

-Very strong disciplined tackeler. Takes great angles.Not that fast, but has strong short area quickness. Decent in man coverage. Effective blitzer due to his aggressive playstyle.