My Top 300 prospect rankings for the 2022 NFL have landed. This is the culmination of hundreds of hours of film sessions over the past half-year, watching and evaluating hundreds of prospects in preparation for the draft.
For a quick primer on my grading system, it's constructed as follows -- grades in five categories I deem most important to each position, weighed from most important to least important. That combination of grades equates to a prospect's "raw grade." But we're not done. After that, I add "position addition" at each spot -- and this is another subjective part of the process -- based on how valuable I view each position. For full transparency, here's how I rank the importance (and supply/demand) of each position on the field in today's NFL.
- Quarterback
- Offensive tackle
- Edge rusher
- Wide receiver
- Cornerback
- Interior offensive line
- Interior defensive line
- Safety
- Tight end
- Linebacker
- Running back
Keep that in mind when you're noticing loads of receivers, edge rushers, offensive tackles, and corners in this list and not nearly as many tight ends, linebackers and running backs (the latter receive no position addition at all!). If you have any questions on any prospect listed below (or maybe one that isn't), reach out to me on Twitter, TikTok or Instagram @ChrisTrapasso. We'll talk. Let's get to it!
1. Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame
2. Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU
3. Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Michigan
4. Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon
5. Evan Neal, OT, Alabama
6. Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State
7. Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati
8. Malik Willis, QB, Liberty
9. Drake London, WR, USC
10. Arnold Ebiketie, EDGE, Penn State
I'll write to the surprises. Hamilton's "slower" 40 time doesn't bother me because he does not lack speed on the field. And at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, he's sudden and explosive after changing directions. Smart, too. A healthy Stingley is an All-Pro at the NFL level. The traits and advanced cornerbacking skills are through the roof. Willis is the only quarterback in this class with potential superstar capabilities, and London has enough wiggle to get open at the NFL level decent regularity. He's not just a rebounder either. He plays with seismic YAC talent. Ebiketie checked all the boxes for what I want in an edge rusher in today's NFL. He's got it all.
11. Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson
12. Ikem Ekwonu, OT, NC State
13. Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama
14. Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh
15. Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State
16. Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn
17. Daxton Hill, CB, Michigan
18. Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan
19. Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas
20. Tyler Linderbaum, IOL, Iowa
21. Jalen Pitre, CB, Baylor
22. Zion Johnson, IOL, Boston College
23. Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State
24. George Pickens, WR, Georgia
25. Lewis Cine, S, Georgia
26. Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia
27. George Karlaftis, EDGE, Purdue
28. Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati
29. Bernhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan
30. Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa
31. Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State
32. Boye Mafe, EDGE, Minnesota
Booth has nickel cornerback twitch and explosion at quality perimeter cornerback size, and his pass-disruption radius is the size of a World Cup-caliber goaltender. Moore has been a draft crush for me from the jump. Complete wideout. McCreary would be in the running for CB1 status if he were a tick faster with slightly longer arms, and Hill is a slot defender -- very valuable today! -- not strictly a safety. He provides a touch more length and natural coverage skills than Pitre, although they're very similar.
I have Olave lower than most because his minimal YAC ability lowers his ceiling, and he's super skinny. Pickens has No. 1-wideout traits in a large, decently well-proportioned body, and I love his nasty demeanor on the perimeter. Cine's coverage skills are stellar for a big-hitting safety, and the same is true for Brisker, another freaky athlete out of Penn State.
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Round 2
33. Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida
34. Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State
35. Logan Hall, DL, Houston
36. Devonte Wyatt, DL, Georgia
37. Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington
38. Kerby Joseph, S, Illinois
49. Chad Muma, LB, Wyoming
40. Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota
41. Zyon McCollum, CB, Sam Houston State
42. Jermaine Johnson, EDGE, Florida State
43. Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss
44. David Ojabo, EDGE, Michigan
45. Travon Walker, EDGE, Georgia
46. Myjai Sanders, EDGE, Cincinnati
47. Marquis Hayes, IOL, Oklahoma
48. Jordan Davis, DL, Georgia
49. Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington
50. Sam Williams, EDGE, Ole Miss
51. Cam Taylor-Britt, CB, Nebraska
52. Kellen Diesch, OT, Arizona State
53. Tariq Castro-Fields, CB, Penn State
54. Damarri Mathis, CB, Pittsburgh
55. Dylan Parham, IOL, Memphis
56. Tyler Smith, OT, Tulsa
57. Max Mitchell, OL, Louisiana
58. Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina
59. Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah
60. Tyreke Smith, EDGE, Ohio State
61. Nik Bonitto, EDGE, Oklahoma
62. Kenyon Green, IOL, Texas A&M
63. Cam Jurgens, OL, Nebraska
64. Cam Thomas, EDGE, San Diego State
In this prospect collection are a litany of prospects who'll be picked in the first round, and I'll give my reasoning why I'm slightly lower on them than the consensus. Johnson's hype got out of control after one Senior Bowl practice. He has good, not great always-on pass-rushing moves, and he rushes high without much bend around the corner. Everything else about his game is quality, which graded early in the second round in my system.
Walker is simply a project. A very large and athletic one at that, but a project. He doesn't have any discernible pass-rushing moves around the corner and is not flexible when trying to flatten to the quarterback. He's incredibly boom or bust. Davis isn't quite as dynamic as a pass-rusher as I'd want in a first-round nose tackle but is a tremendous run defender and does move exceptionally well for his size. Lloyd is rangy and aggressive and plays with his hair on fire. Love that. He's a little leggy and his change-of-direction skill worries me in his projection as a coverage defender. However, many big-time linebackers were drafted on Day Two, and Lloyd could be the next one. The coverage inexperience is a ding on his resume as a prospect, though.
As for sleepers I love in this range: Joseph from Illinois is incredibly rangy, he just needs to trust his eyes at the next level. Muma is a ready-to-go, three-down linebacker. Hayes is the best pass-blocking guard in the class and probably best-suited for a man/gap scheme in the NFL. Sanders feels a lot like Randy Gregory, and Smith from Ohio State is a hand-work master at an almost identical size to Thibodeaux. Jurgens is nearly as athletic as LInderbaum and just as nasty.
Round 3
65. Obinna Eze, OT, TCU
66. Adam Anderson, EDGE, Georgia
67. Rasheed Walker, OL, Penn State
68. Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State
69. Logan Bruss, OL, Wisconsin
70. Montaric Brown, CB, Arkansas
71. Kingsley Enagbare, EDGE, South Carolina
72. Jeremy Ruckert, TE, Ohio State
73. Cordale Flott, CB, LSU
74. Josh Jobe, CB, Alabama
75. Khalil Shakir, WR, Boise State
76. Phidarian Mathis, DL, Alabama
77. Luiji Vilain, EDGE, Wake Forest
78. Jalyn Armour-Davis, CB, Alabama
79. Nick Cross, S, Maryland
80. Charlie Kolar, TE, Iowa State
81. Drake Jackson, EDGE, USC
82. Zach Tom, OL, Wake Forest
83. Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State
84. Sterling Weatherford, S, Miami (Ohio)
85. Bryan Cook, S, Cincinnati
86. Darian Kinnard, OT, Kentucky
87. Tyquan Thornton, WR, Baylor
88. Joshua Paschal, EDGE, Kentucky
89. Troy Andersen, LB, Montana State
90. Velus Jones Jr., WR, Tennessee
91. Jelani Woods, TE, Virginia
92. Joshua Williams, CB, Fayetteville State
93. Sean Rhyan, OL, UCLA
94. Bailey Zappe, QB, Western Kentucky
95. Kenneth Walker III, RB, Michigan State
96. DeMarvin Leal, DL, Texas A&M
97. Isaiah Spiller, RB, Texas A&M
98. Chris Paul, OL, Tulsa
99. Verone McKinley III, S, Oregon
100. Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State
101. Jamaree Salyer, OG, Georgia
102. Braxton Jones, OL, Southern Utah
103. Matt Waletzko, OL, North Dakota
104. Cole Strange, OL, Chattanooga
105. JT Woods, S, Baylor
106. Brian Asamoah, LB, Oklahoma
Anderson didn't meet expectations at Georgia in 2021. The traits are first-round caliber. He converts speed to mammoth power and is as bendy as they come around the corner. Eze is a smooth operator in pass protection with incredible length. Brown from Arkansas is one of the most savvy zone corners in the class with requisite size.
Ruckert is my TE1 because of the completeness of his game. He will be a better pro than he was in college. Blocking, athleticism, catch radius, separation skill, it's all there. Thornton was initially billed as a burner only because of the sub 4.30 time in the 40. He's a fundamentally sound route runner and catches it effortlessly away from his frame. The discount -- but faster -- Olave if you will. My top three RBs are as expected, although most have Hall ahead of Spiller and Walker. They all graded super close.
I will not be surprised in least when Jones from Southern Utah is a franchise left tackle in a few seasons. He has serious traits and nastiness at the position.
Round 4
107. Calvin Austin III, WR, Memphis
108. Christian Harris, LB, Alabama
109. Lecitus Smith, IOL, Virginia Tech
110. Martin Emerson, CB, Mississippi State
111. Alex Wright, EDGE, UAB
112. Channing Tindall, LB, Georgia
113. Malcolm Rodriguez, LB, LSU
114. Dawson Deaton, OL, Texas Tech
115. Jalen Tolbert, WR, South Alabama
116. Matthew Butler, DL, Tennessee
117. Isaiah Thomas, EDGE, Oklahoma
118. Darrian Beavers, LB, Cincinnati
119. Markquese Bell, S, Florida A&M
120. Percy Butler, S, Louisiana
121. Marcus Jones, CB, Houston
122. Esezi Otomewo, EDGE, Minnesota
123. Dohnovan West, IOL, Arizona State
124. Zonovan Knight, RB, NC State
125. Jack Coan, QB, Notre Dame
126. Eyioma Uwazurike, DL, Iowa State
127. Micheal Clemons, EDGE, Texas A&M
128. Jake Ferguson, TE, Wisconsin
129. Alontae Taylor, CB, Tennessee
130. Cameron Goode, EDGE/LB, California
131. JoJo Domann, LB, Nebraska
132. Micah McFadden, LB, Indiana
133. Carson Strong, QB, Nevada
134. Curtis Brooks, DL, Minnesota
135. Abraham Lucas, OT, Washington State
136. Ed Ingram, IOL, LSU
137. Zamir White, RB, Georgia
138. James Cook, RB, Georgia
139. Wan'Dale Robinson, WR, Kentucky
140. Isaiah Likely, TE, Coastal Carolina
141. Tariq Woolen, CB, UTSA
142. Decobie Durant, CB, South Carolina State
143. Rachaad White, RB, Arizona State
144. Leo Chenal, LB, Wisconsin
145. Jerome Ford, RB, Cincinnati
Harris from Alabama absolutely flies. Wish he was a better, more reliable tackler. And he's not quite as disruptive in coverage as his athletic profile would indicate. Uwazurike is a truly versatile defensive lineman who can win in a multitude of ways in any position along the line of scrimmage.
Rodriguez doesn't have insane suddenness or overall speed. He defeats blocks like a champ and is very comfortable in coverage. His instincts are fantastic reading his keys against the run too.
Domann and McFadden are such good football players with requisite athletic traits to excel at the next level as three-down defenders. Goode is a deep sleeper edge rusher with serious burst/bend around the corner and some maneuvers with his hands to win. Woolen is a buzzed-about prospect because he's 6-4 with sub 4.30 speed. He's crazy raw as a coverage player and lacks the twitch needed to quickly transition to the NFL level. He's going to have issues staying in phase with pro receivers at the next level.
Durant from South Carolina State is the super-confident, twitchy and explosive small-school cornerback I'd want in my secondary. He's always around the ball.
Round 5
146. Perrion Winfrey, DL, Oklahoma
147. David Bell, WR, Purdue
148. Dameon Pierce, RB, Florida
149. Chigoziem Okonkwo, TE, Maryland
150. Leon O'Neal, S, Texas A&M
151. Kennedy Brooks, RB, Oklahoma
152. Ty Chandler, RB, North Carolina
153. D'Marco Jackson, LB, Appalachian State
154. Coby Bryant, CB, Cincinnati
155. Travis Jones, DL, UConn
156. Akayleb Evans, CB, Missouri
157. Cordell Volson, OL, North Dakota State
158. Spencer Burford, OL, UTSA
159. Brian Robinson, RB, Alabama
160. Dallis Flowers, CB, Pittsburg State
161. Quentin Lake, S, UCLA
162. Zyon Gilbert, CB, Florida Atlantic
163. Tycen Anderson, S, Toledo
164. John Metchie III, WR, Alabama
165. Nicholas Petit-Frere, OT, Ohio State
166. Joshua Ezeudu, OL, North Carolina
167. Nazeeh Johnson, S, Marshall
168. Alec Pierce, WR, Cincinnati
169. EJ Perry, QB, Brown
170. Thayer Munford, OL, Ohio State
171. Delarrin Turner-Yell, S ,Oklahoma
172. Cade Mays, IOL, Tennesee
173. DeAngelo Malone, EDGE, Western Kentucky
174. Chasen Hines, OL, LSU
175. Brandon Smith, LB, Penn State
176. Chase Lucas, CB, Arizona State
177. Erik Ezukanma, WR, Texas Tech
178. Smoke Monday, S, Auburn
179. Jack Sanborn, LB, Wisconsin
180. Luke Goedeke, OT, Central Michigan
181. Matt Araiza, P, San Diego State
182. Yusuf Corker, S, Kentucky
183. Pierre Strong Jr., RB, South Dakota State
184. Derion Kendrick, CB, Georgia
185. Jerrion Ealy, RB, Ole Miss
Bell was such a difficult evaluation. He gave me smaller Laviska Shenault vibes. Ran slower than expected but absorbs contact like a heavyweight fighter and tracks it like a Mike Evans type. My system didn't love his lack of premier athleticism. Jackson from Appalachian State would be considered a Day Two pick by most if he was a little bigger with more coverage chops. Lake from UCLA and Flowers from Pittsburg State are two fast defensive backs with major upside because of how rapidly they cover ground on the field.
Plenty of quality backs in this group for me -- Pierce is a lightning bolt with tree trunks for legs. Strong is a Raheem Mostert clone and Ealy plays bigger than any other "small" back I've watched in a long time.
Round 6
186. Gerrit Prince, TE, Florida Atlantic
187. Jean Delance, OT, Florida
188. Tyler Allgeier, RB, BYU
189. Danny Gray, WR, SMU
190. Kalia Davis, DL, UCF
191. Damone Clark, LB, LSU
192. Dominique Robinson, EDGE, Miami (Ohio)
193. Max Borghi, RB, Washington State
194. Trestan Ebner, RB, Baylor
195. Kolby Harvell-Peel, S, Oklahoma State
196. Tyler Goodson, RB, Iowa
197. Cole Kelley, QB, Southeastern Louisiana
198. Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson
199. Zachary Carter, EDGE, Florida
200. Jashaun Corbin, RB, Florida State
201. Dai'Jean Dixon, WR, Nicholls State
202. Jayden Peevy, DL, Texas A&M
203. Jeremiah Moon, LB, Florida
204. Dane Belton, S, Iowa
205. Kyren Williams, RB, Notre Dame
206. Ja'Tyre Carter, OL, Southern
207. Greg Dulcich, TE, UCLA
208. Jermaine Waller, CB, Virginia Tech
209. Josh Johnson, WR, Tulsa
210. Vincent Gray, CB, Michigan
211. Amare Barno, EDGE, Virginia Tech
212. Luke Fortner, OL, Kentucky
213. ZaQuandre White, RB, South Carolina
214. Demetrius Taylor, DL, Appalachian State
215. Quay Walker, LB, Georgia
216. Tyree Johnson, EDGE, Texas A&M
217. Sincere McCormick, RB, UTSA
218. Cade Otton, TE, Washington
219. Marquan McCall, DL, Kentucky
220. Isaac Taylor-Stuart, CB, USC
221. Jack Jones, CB, Arizona State
222. Zakoby McClain, LB, Auburn
223. Terrel Bernard, LB, Baylor
224. Kevin Harris, RB, South Carolina
225. Mario Goodrich, CB, Clemson
226. Ellis Brooks, LB, Penn State
227. Kyle Phillips, WR, UCLA
228. Nick Zakelj, OL, Fordham
229. Jalen Wydermyer, TE, Texas A&M
230. Otito Ogbonnia, DL, UCLA
Prince from UAB is a big receiver with a tight end label. Fun pass-catcher with serious juice. Borghi and Ebner are two of my favorite dual-threat backs in this class. Dixon from Nicholls State was a classic "X" receiver who ran a variety of routes off the vertical route tree and plays to his 6-3 frame. Just lacks burst off the snap.
Johnson from Tulsa has a case for the most nuanced route runner in the class, it's the YAC area where he lacks, and he's spindly without loads of downfield speed.
Dulcich simply didn't do it for me. He is so linear, especially after he catches the football. And he didn't test nearly as well as the hype. I love the ball-tracking skills though. Taylor from Appalachian State is a unique inside-outside rusher with a stocky frame, a nasty bull rush and some counter moves to his game as a rusher. McClain from Auburn is a naturally athletic middle linebacker who sifts through traffic outstandingly and has some coverage upside.
Round 7
231. Jeffrey Gunter, EDGE, Coastal Carolina
232. Neil Farrell Jr., DL, LSU
233. Christian Benford, CB, Villanova
234. Romeo Doubs, WR, Nevada
235. Kalon Barnes, CB, Baylor
236. Eric Johnson, DL, Missouri State
237. Deven Thompkins, WR, Utah State
238. Snoop Conner, RB, Ole Miss
239. Bo Melton, WR, Rutgers
240. Tre Turner, WR, Virginia Tech
241. Ben Brown, OL, Ole Miss
242. Makai Polk, WR, Mississippi State
243. Bryant Koback, RB, Toledo
244. Aaron Hansford, LB, Texas A&M
245. DaMarcus Fields, CB, Texas Tech
246. Brad Hawkins, S, Michigan
247. Luke Tenuta, OL, Virginia Tech
248. Jalen Nailor, WR, Michigan State
249. Haskell Garrett, DL, Ohio State
250. Jaylen Watson, CB, Washington State
251. Thomas Booker, DL, Stanford
252. James Mitchell, TE, Virginia Tech
253. Mykael Wright, CB, Oregon
254. Samori Toure, WR, Nebraska
255. Kaleb Eleby, QB, Western Michigan
256. Abram Smith, RB, Baylor
257. Dareke Young, WR, Lenoir-Rhyne
258. Devin Harper, LB, Oklahoma State
259. Sam Webb, CB, Missouri Western
260. Michael Maietti, OL, Missouri
261. Jerreth Sterns, WR, Western Kentucky
262. Daniel Bellinger, TE, San Diego State
263. Kevin Austin Jr., WR, Notre Dame
Given what I saw on film, how he tested, and the essentially zero buzz about him during the pre-draft process, Thompkins from Utah State might be the most captivating receiver prospect in this class. He's tiny -- a few tenths of an inch under 5-7 and 167 pounds -- but was magnificently productive in college -- 102 catches, 1,704 yards, 10 touchdowns in 2021 -- and showcased legitimately refined wideout skills on the field.
Conner from Ole Miss is a dynamic bruiser of a back who will enter the NFL without much mileage. Watson has supreme length and some flashes of press-coverage brilliance on film. Bellinger tested like a high-caliber athlete. I didn't see that on film. Austin is worth a late-round selection due to his big-time explosiveness he showed on film and at the combine. He's just raw in terms of creating separation and some of the other finer details of playing the receiver position.
Priority UFAs
264. Tyler Badie, RB, Missouri
265. Justin Hall, WR, Ball State
266. Justin Shaffer, OL, Georgia
267. D'Vonte Price, RB, Florida International
268. Tay Martin, WR, Oklahoma State
269 .Devin Cochran, OL, Georgia Tech
270. CJ Verdell, RB, Oregon
271. De'Montre Tuggle, RB, Ohio
272. Jaivon Heiligh, WR, Coastal Carolina
273. Bamidele Olaseni, OT, Utah
274. Jaquarii Roberson, WR, Wake Forest
275. Nephi Sewell, LB, Utah
276. Tyrion Davis-Price, RB, LSU
277. Hassan Haskins, RB, Michigan
278. Charleston Rambo, WR, Miami
280. Vederian Lowe, OL, Illinois
279. Aaron Shampklin, RB, Harvard
281. Andrew Stueber, OL, Michigan
282. Zander Horvath, RB, Purdue
283. Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, DL, Notre Dame
284. Cole Turner, TE, Nevada
285. Christopher Allen, EDGE, Alabama
286. Kyron Johnson, LB, Kansas
287. Keaontay Ingram, RB, USC
288. Isaiah Weston, WR, Northern Iowa
289. Grant Calcaterra, TE, SMU
290. Brock Purdy, QB, Iowa State
291. Baylon Spector, LB, Clemson
292. Dontario Drummond, WR, Ole Miss
293. Zack VanValkenberg, EDGE, Iowa
294. Isaih Pacheco, RB, Rutgers
295. Chance Campbell, LB, Ole Miss
296. Alec Lindstrom, IOL, Boston College
297. David Anenih, EDGE, Houston
298. Jesse Luketa, LB, Penn State
299. Connor Heyward, TE, Michigan State
300. Zachary Thomas, OL, San Diego State