2022 NFL Draft Notebook: Preseason All-Underrated Offensive Team
By John Blair
- A player with plenty of experience is Washington center Luke Wattenberg who has already started 36 games during his career, and if he stays healthy this year will have started more games than any player in Washington football history. To go along with his experienced play Wattenberg has the versatility the NFL is looking for having started at offensive tackle in 2017, offensive guard during the 2018 and 2019 seasons and then taking over at center last year.
- Julius Chestnut of Sacred Heart is a small school running back to watch this year. Chestnut led the FCS in rushing yards per game and all-purpose yards last season averaging 171 yards on the ground and 205 yards overall. When watching his film he shows impressive contact balance and the speed to routinely beat NEC defenders. His true test will come after next season where he will need a strong performance at a game like the East-West Shrine Bowl and put up strong testing numbers in the pre-draft process.
- One center that is being overlooked is Michael Maietti of Missouri. Maietti has proven to be one of the best pass-blocking centers in college football going 1,329 snaps without giving up a sack which is the most from a Power Five center since Pro Football Focus started tracking this data. One of the reasons he is so productive is his outstanding technique. He is rarely out of position and uses his active hands extremely well. He shows surprising strength to his outstanding technique especially for a player only 6-foot-1 and 292 pounds. While Maietti likely won’t go before day three of the draft it would not be a surprise if he ended up being a solid NFL player.
- A player with all the physical talent to be an NFL starter is Auburn’s Bo Nix. Unfortunately, what he does lack is the ability to play calm and under control. He tends to force throws into tight coverage on a consistent basis which is the main reason he has thrown 13 interceptions over the past two years and why his completion percentage is low against the top teams he plays. This lack of calmness in the pocket also forces him to take off at the first sign of pressure at times and to throw with little touch which leads to uncatchable passes. If Nix can go to the right coach who can calm his play down and help him read defenses he could be a good developmental quarterback at the next level.