2022 NFL Draft Notebook: Top draft picks of the past decade and more
By John Blair
- Teams will love the versatility Georgia offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer has shown so far in his career. Salyer has played every position on the offensive line while at Georgia including starting nine games at left tackle and one at guard last season. While this is definitely a positive for him his lack of agility could be a red flag. Explosive defensive tackles can beat him off the ball and he also struggles blocking in space. Due to these concerns, it would not be a shock if he fell to the third day of the NFL Draft
- Liam Dobson of Texas State is an interesting prospect to keep an eye on. Dobson transferred to Texas State from Maine where he was an FCS All-American. In 2019, Dobson averaged an impressive 12 knockdowns a game and was the Black Bears’ highest-graded lineman each game of the season, To go along with his production Dobson is an impressive athlete who posts a 29-inch vertical jump and 4.84 short shuttle time.
- One of the best offensive lines in college football last year belonged to UAB, and that line returns all five starters this season. Last season, UAB’s offensive line helped their ground game rush for 200 yards a game and only gave up four sacks in nine games. Two of the unit’s top prospects are Colby Ragland and Sidney Wells both of who carry priority free agent grades currently.
- Teams that run a zone scheme will want to keep an eye on Clemson offensive lineman Jordan McFadden. While McFadden plays tackle at Clemson his best position in the NFL will likely be at guard due to his lack of size coming in at only 6-foot-2 and 300 pounds. Despite his lack of size, McFadden should be an early day three pick due to his athletic ability and overall mobility.
- An underrated player in this year’s offensive guard class is Josh Sills of Oklahoma State. Sills, who started his career at West Virginia, was named second-team All-Big 12 in 2018, and this past season was named to the first team while playing at Oklahoma State. What makes Sills stand out is his combination of size, strength, and mobility. Coming in at 6-foot-6 and 330 pounds he is one of the bigger guards in the 2022 NFL Draft. In terms of strength, he easily controls his man once he gets his hands on him. He also moves well for someone his size and can easily get to the second level or be a pulling lineman. Another positive with Sills is his versatility having played tackle, guard, and center during his college career.