NFL Draft’s winners, losers
It’s too early to determine what a drafted player will be in the NFL, but it’s never too soon to evaluate whether a team addressed its needs or not in the 2022 draft.
Take a look at how our NFL columnist grades each team’s draft, and forecasts what they should expect from their rookie class: — Arizona Cardinals: Btrading the 23rd pick to the Ravens for Marquise Brown was a wise move because he’s better than every receiver in this draft class, and his relationship with Kyler Murray could win over the disgruntled quarterback who is seeking a mega deal. Colorado State’s Trey Mcbride (pick No. 55) was the best tight end in this class. However, everyone else was filler.
— Atlanta Falcons: Bthe Falcons came into the draft with scraps at receiver, which explains why
USC’S Drake London was their choice as the first wideout selected with the No. 8 pick.
But it’s surprising they didn’t add another receiver. Taking Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder in the third round was a wise move because Marcus Mariota hasn’t proven he’s a top-20 quarterback in the NFL. Another need filled was at the edge, with the selection of Arnold Ebiketie, one of the most underrated talents in the 2022 class. — Baltimore Ravens: A
The Ravens annually make the most of every selection, and this year was no different considering I love all 11 of their picks. Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton (No. 14) was the best player in the draft in my opinion. Center Tyler Linderbaum (No. 25) is a Day 1 starter. David Ojabo (No. 45) was a top-15 talent in the draft who slid due to an Achilles’ injury he suffered at his pro day, and Travis Jones, Daniel Faalele, Jalyn Armour-davis could all become starters by their second season. — Buffalo Bills: A
The Super Bowl contender added quite a few missing pieces during the draft. Former Florida standout Kaiir Elam gives them a man coverage cornerback with press ability to put across from Tre’davious White.
James Cook is a near-perfect fit for the outside-zone concepts the Bills use. Boise State’s Khalil Shakir was one of the best slot receivers in this draft and should help ease the offseason release of Cole Beasley, and adding Matt “Punt God” Araiza in the sixth round was genius and makes Matt Haack expendable.
— Carolina Panthers: C
With the sixth pick the Panthers were able to get their left tackle of the future in North Carolina State’s Ikem Ekwonu, the most physically dominant offensive lineman in this class, and they were also able to grab Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral much later than expected with the 94th pick. The rest of their draft class was filler, and none of those selections will likely keep head coach Matt Rhule’s seat from getting hot.
— Chicago Bears: Bthe trade that allowed Chicago to land quarterback Justin Fields last year prevented the Bears from having a first-round pick, but that didn’t stop Chicago from adding impactful players. Washington cornerback Kyle Gordon (No. 38) and Penn State safety Jaquan Brisker (No. 48) were two of the top-rated players at their position. And Tennessee receiver Velus Jones (No. 78) was one of my favorite talents in this draft. All 11 picks should aid the Bears’ rebuilding process.
— Cincinnati Bengals: Cthe Bengals placed an emphasis on adding defenders who can help Lou Anarumo’s unit tighten up with its first three picks. Michigan safety Daxton Hill (No. 31), Nebraska cornerback Cam Taylor-britt and Florida defensive lineman Zachary Carter should all be able to carve out important roles as rookies. However, the Bengals should have selected an offensive lineman earlier than pick No. 136, which was used on North Dakota State tackle Cordell Volson. — Cleveland Browns: B
The Browns didn’t have a pick until the third round because of the offseason trade that landed quarterback Deshaun Watson. They also failed to unload quarterback
Baker Mayfield and his $19 million contract. But Cleveland did managed to add some talent on defense with their first two picks, adding cornerback Martin Emerson from Mississippi State (No. 68) and Alex Wright from UAB (No. 78). Selecting two receivers — Purdue’s David Bell and Oklahoma’s Michael Woods II — was wise, but Watson needs more playmakers.
— Dallas Cowboys: B
The Cowboys are one of the best teams
when it comes to talent evaluation, so don’t be surprised if Tulsa offensive lineman Tyler Smith, Mississippi pass rusher Sam Williams become immediate contributors, if not starters. And Wisconsin tight end Jake Ferguson (No. 129), LSU’S Damone Clary (No. 176), and Arkansas defensive tackle John Ridgway (No. 178) are excellent value picks.
— Denver Broncos: B
The offseason trade for Russell Wilson meant the Broncos weren’t on the clock until the end of the second round. Denver still managed to make two quality additions at areas of need, selecting Oklahoma pass rusher Nik Bonitto with the 64th pick, and then adding UCLA tight end Greg Dulcich, a potential Noah Fant replacement, at pick No. 80. The rest of the nine player draft class is a little underwhelming, but adding an elite quarterback like Wilson boosts any class.
— Detroit Lions: C+
Landing Aidan Hutchinson with the second pick after Travon Walker went first overall to the Jaguars was a dream come true. Trading up 20 spots for injured Alabama receiver Jameson Williams was an aggressive move, one that could benefit the offense tremendously in 2023 when his knee injury fully heals. And Kentucky pass rusher Josh Paschal is a multi-gap disruptor who could become an immediate starter. But where’s the quarterback? Jared
Goff can’t be Detroit’s final answer. — Green Bay Packers: BIT will take years to replace a talent like Davante Adams, but the Packers did add three receivers — North Dakota State’s Christian Watson (34th pick), Nevada’s Romeo Doubs (No. 132), and Nebraska’s Samori Toure (No. 258) who all bring something different to the unit. Linebacker Quay Walker, defensive tackle Devonta Wyatt could be immediate starters, and center Zach Tom was one of my favorite Day 3 selections. — Houston Texans: A
The Texans potentially added five starters in this second draft class of a massive rebuild. Derek Stingley was viewed as one of the best cornerbacks in the draft. Texas A&M’S Kenyon Green was rated one of the best guards. The addition of Jalen Pitre in the second round gives coach Lovie Smith some versatility in the secondary, and Christian Harris might be more talented than any linebacker on Houston’s roster. — Indianapolis Colts: Cthe Colts did not have a pick in the first round due to the trade of quarterback Carson Wentz to the Eagles, and added four underwhelming players on Day
2 in Cincinnati receiver Alex Pierce, Virginia tight end Jelani Wood, Central Michigan offensive tackle Bernhard Raimann and Maryland safety Nick Cross. Based on Indianapolis’ needs, and roster makeup, it is difficult to say the Colts got better.
— Jacksonville Jaguars: C
Trent Baalke put together a solid draft class for Jacksonville, and the general manager needs Travon Walker (first overall selection), Devin Lloyd (No. 27), Luke Fortner (No. 65) and Chad Muma (No. 70) to become immediate starters, if not contributors to help him keep his job. The only thing this draft class was missing is a safety.
— Kansas City Chiefs: BAS usual, the Chiefs made the most of their late selections, adding five players who could become starters in their second or third season with some developmental time. Cornerback Trent Mcduffie, who the Chiefs had to trade up to pick No. 21 to get, can play both man and zone coverage well. And Western Michigan receiver Skyy Moore could blossom into an elite slot receiver.
— Las Vegas Raiders: B
The Raiders were not on the clock until the third round because of the offseason trade that produced Davante Adams, and
Las Vegas’ first three selections — Memphis guard Dylan Parham, Georgia tailback Zamir White and LSU defensive tackle Neil Farrell Jr. — all have the talent to become starters in time. However, the Raiders should have made it more of a priority to address the offensive line instead of waiting until the seventh round to select Ohio State’s Thayer Munford Jr.. — Los Angeles Chargers: Bthe Chargers used the 2022 draft to fortify the offensive line, and add defensive backs to the secondary, addressing two of the team’s glaring needs. Zion Johnson (No. 17) and Jamaree Salyer (No. 195) both have the talent to start at guard. But the selection of Baylor safety J.T. Woods at No. 79 was a head-scratcher because the Chargers have Nasir Adderly and Derwin James in the fold.
— Los Angeles Rams: C+
The Rams continued their “F them picks” philosophy by adding developmental prospects with the team’s eight draft picks. Logan Bruss is an aggressive Wisconsin guard with potential to play multiple positions. South Carolina State cornerback Decobie Durant, who was taken with the 142nd pick, is an undersized, aggressive nickel cornerback. And Notre Dame tailback Kyren Williams (No. 164) was viewed as a top-5 tailback in this draft by analysts. — Miami Dolphins: B
The Dolphins weren’t on the clock until the end of the third round because of the offseason trade that delivered Tyreek Hill, one of the biggest playmakers in the NFL. And with pick No. 102 they selected Georgia linebacker Channing Tindall, an explosive athlete who has the potential to be a Day 1 contributor. The rest of the picks — Texas Tech receiver Erik Ezukanma (No. 125), California edge rusher Cameron Goode (No. 244) and Kansas State quarterback Skylar Thompson
(No. 247) — were general manager Chris Grier sticking to his bestplayer-available philosophy. In time Ezukanma and Goode might become contributors, but they could also just be camp bodies a year or two from now. Leaving the draft without a backup center was a head-scratcher, and remains a position that needs to be addressed.
— Minnesota Vikings: Cthe Vikings agreed to move from 12 to 32 in a trade with the Lions, and still got the second-best safety in this draft in Lewis Cine. Clemson cornerback Andrew Booth (No. 42) has the talent to start. The rest of this class looks like the first phase of a rebuild.
Not adding a young quarterback to be groomed was a mistake, and so was not addressing tight end earlier than the seventh round. — New England: D
History has proven that the Patriots don’t value early draft picks, and don’t use them effectively either. That’s why the selection of Chattanooga offensive guard Cole Strange in the first round was laughed at by most draft analysts. Adding Baylor speedster Tyquan Thornton with the 50th pick, and the two cornerbacks selected — Houston’s Marcus Jones and Arizona State’s Jack Jones — are the highlights of New England’s draft class.
— New Orleans Saints: B
Moving up to the 11th overall pick to take Ohio State receiver Chris Olave was a wise decision, and could be the best move of the draft considering the early run on receivers that took place in the first round. Northern Iowa offensive tackle Trevor Penning was one of my favorite linemen in this draft, but he’ll need some time to settle in.
— New York Giants: C+
The Giants drafted like rebuilding franchises should, touching just about every area of that team but tailback and quarterback. Oregon pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux (No. 3) and Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal (No. 7) should be Day 1 starters. However, outside of the Giants first-round picks, every one of their selections were taken a round or two earlier than projected by draft analysts.
— New York Jets: A+
The Jets exited the draft with five potential starters in cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, receiver Garrett Wilson, pass rusher Jermaine Johnson II, tailback Breece Hall and tight end Jeremy Ruckert. The Jets have had hauls like this before — think 2020 when they selected Louisville offensive tackle Mekhi Becton, Baylor receiver Denzel Mims, California safety Ashtyn Davis, Florida pass rusher Jabari Zuniga, and Charlotte guard Cameron Clarke. So just because it’s impressive on paper doesn’t mean the end result will produce a winning team. — Philadelphia Eagles: B+
The Eagles put together a meat and potato draft, adding Jordan Davis with the 13th pick, center Cam Jurgens with pick No. 51, and then doubling down on linebacker by selecting Georgia’s Nakobe Dean and Kansas’ Kyron Johnson. This draft class isn’t sexy, but the trade that allowed Philadelphia to land former Titans Pro Bowl receiver A.J. Brown could be a transformative transaction.
— Pittsburgh Steelers: B
Rather than moving up in the draft to make Kenny Pickett the selection, the Steelers stayed at 20 and got their potential quarterback of the future. Then the Steelers added two other players with firstround talent in Georgia receiver George Pickens and Texas A&M defensive lineman Demarvin
Leal. The Steelers are a draft and develop organization, so don’t be surprised if the rest of the class eventually develops into starters. — San Francisco 49ers: B
The 49ers held onto receiver Deebo Samuel, but still have work to do to prevent a hold-in (when a player shows up to avoid being fined, but says they’re injured and won’t practice) over a new contract. San Francisco also didn’t move Jimmy Garoppolo during the draft, but added a quarterback (Iowa State’s Brock Purdy) with the final pick in the draft, so it’s not out of the question that Garoppolo can still be moved. The nine players selected will all likely begin their NFL careers as role players, being groomed slowly.
— Seattle Seahawks: C
The Seahawks are in a massive rebuild, and the draft restocked the shelves of talent to be developed. Offensive tackles Charles Cross (No. 9) and Abraham Lucas (No. 72) could be rookie starters.
Not addressing the quarterback position is a little bit of a headscratcher. Coach Pete Carroll must have a higher opinion of Drew Lock, Geno Smith and Jacob Eason than the rest of us.
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers: B
The Buccaneers traded out of the first round and took Houston defensive lineman Logan Hall with the 33rd overall pick. Hall has some good tape as a multi-gap defender. The sleeper pick is Sam Houston State cornerback Zyon Mccollum (No. 157), a player with a ton of athletic potential who might work his way into that starting secondary in a year or two.
— Tennessee Titans: B
The Titans traded A.J. Brown to the Eagles during the first round, and then used the pick they acquired to move him to add a replica of the Pro Bowl receiver in Treylon Burks with the 18th pick. We’ll learn in the next three years if they made the right call on the receiver swap. Adding Liberty quarterback Malik Willis in the third round (No. 86) was a good move because he has the tools to beat out Ryan Tannehill once he learns the offense and adjusts to the speed of the NFL game. — Washington Commanders: Ctrading draft picks for quarterback Carson Wentz could turn out to be a massive mistake, and so could over-drafting Penn State receiver Jahan Dotson, who was taken 16th overall.
There were better players on the board than what Washington got with its second- (Alabama DT Philarian Mathis) and thirdround (Alabama tailback Brian Robinson) pick. But selecting North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell could save this draft class, especially if Washington’s patient with him and he gives him time to learn the NFL game.