2022 NFL Draft Notebook: Aidan Hutchinson Leads Final Big Board
By John Blair
Defensive Ends
Most underrated: Zach VanValkenburg
Most overrated: Boye Mafe
Sleeper: Isaiah Chambers
The player who had a breakout year: Jermaine Johnson II
2022 NFL Draft Defensive End Rankings
1. Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan (first round)
2. Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon (first round)
3. George Karlaftis, Purdue (first round)
4. Travon Walker, Georgia (first round)
5. Jermaine Johnson, Florida State (first round)
6. David Ojabo, Michigan (second round)
7. Drake Jackson, USC (second round)
8. Arnold Ebiketie, Penn State (second round)
9. Boye Mafe, Minnesota (third round)
10. Myjai Sanders, Cincinnati (third round)
11. Kingsley Enagbare, South Carolina (third round)
12. Cameron Thomas, San Diego State (third round)
13. Dominique Robinson, Miami of Ohio (fifth round)
14. Amaré Barno, Virginia Tech (fifth round)
15. Sam Williams, Ole Miss (fifth round)
16. Micheal Clemons, Texas A&M (fifth round)
17. Alex Wright, UAB (fifth round)
18. Josh Paschal, Kentucky (fifth round)
19. Esezi Otomewo, Minnesota (fifth round)
20. Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, Notre Dame (sixth round)
21. Zach VanValkenburg, Iowa (sixth round)
22. Isaiah Chambers, McNeese State (sixth round)
23. Isaiah Thomas, Oklahoma (seventh round)
24. Cade Hall, San Jose State (seventh round)
25. Tyree Johnson, Texas A&M (seventh round)
26. Ali Fayad, Western Michigan (seventh round)
27. Tyreke Smith, Ohio State (free agent)
28. Jeffrey Gunter, Coastal Carolina (free agent)
29. Tre Williams, Arkansas (free agent)
Defensive Tackles
Most underrated: Matthew Butler
Most overrated: Phidarian Mathis
Sleeper: Dion Novil
The player who had a breakout year: Jermaine Johnson II
2022 NFL Draft Defensive Tackle Rankings
1. Jordan Davis, Georgia (first round)
2. Devonte Wyatt, Georgia (first round)
3. Demarvin Leal, Texas A&M (second round)
4. Travis Jones, UCONN (second round)
5. Logan Hall, Houston (third round)
6. Perrion Winfrey, Oklahoma (fourth round)
7. Matthew Butler, Tennessee (fourth round)
8. John Ridgeway, Arkansas (fourth round)
9. Zachary Carter, Florida (fourth round)
10. Phidarian Mathis, Alabama (fifth round)
11. Thomas Booker, Stanford (fifth round)
12. Haskell Garrett, Ohio State (fifth round)
13. Eyioma Uwazurike, Iowa State (fifth round)
14. Chris Hinton, Michigan (sixth round)
15. Otito Ogbonnia, UCLA (seventh round)
16. Dion Novil, North Texas (seventh round)
17. Marquan McCall, Kentucky (seventh round)
18. Demetrius Taylor, Appalachian State (free agent)
19. DJ Davidson, Arizona State (free agent)
20. Neil Farrell, LSU (free agent)
21. Eric Johnson, Missouri State (free agent)
Outside Linebackers
Most underrated: Christopher Allen
Most overrated: Terrel Bernard
Sleeper: Baylon Spector
The player who had a breakout year: Troy Andersen
2022 NFL Draft Outside Linebacker Rankings
1. Nik Bonitto, Oklahoma (second round)
2. Troy Andersen, Montana State (second round)
3. Brandon Smith, Penn State (third round)
4. Malcolm Rodriguez, Oklahoma State (fourth round)
5. JoJo Domann, Nebraska (fourth round)
6. DeAngelo Malone, Western Kentucky (fifth round)
7. Christopher Allen, Alabama (fifth round)
8. Zakoby McClain, Auburn (fifth round)
9. Baylon Spector, Clemson (fifth round)
10. Mike Rose, Iowa State (sixth round)
11. Terrel Bernard, Baylor (sixth round)
12. Isaiah Graham-Mobley, Boston College (sixth round)
13. Jeremiah Gemmel, North Carolina (sixth round)
14. Kyron Johnson, Kansas (seventh round)
15. Aaron Hansford, Texas A&M (free agent)
16. James Houston IV, Jackson State (free agent)
17. Carson Wells, Colorado (free agent)
Middle Linebackers
Most underrated: Justin Rice
Most overrated: Darrian Beavers
Sleeper: James Skalski
The player who had a breakout year: Nakobe Dean
2022 NFL Draft Middle Linebacker Rankings
1. Devin Lloyd, Utah (first round)
2. Nakobe Dean, Georgia (second round)
3. Christian Harris, Alabama (second round)
4. Chad Muma, Wyoming (second round)
5. Quay Walker, Georgia (third round)
6. Channing Tindall, Georgia (third round)
7. Brian Asamoah, Oklahoma (third round)
8. Leo Chenal, Wisconsin (third round)
9. James Skalski, Clemson (fifth round)
10. Damone Clark, LSU (fifth round)
11. Chance Campbell, Mississippi (fifth round)
12. Micah McFadden, Indiana (sixth round)
13. Ellis Brooks, Penn State (sixth round)
14. Darrian Beavers, Cincinnati (sixth round)
15. D’Marco Jackson, Appalachian State (seventh round)
16. Nephi Sewell, Utah (seventh round)
17. Justin Rice, Utah State (seventh round)
18. Jake Hansen, Illinois (free agent)
19. Nate Landman, Colorado (free agent)
20. Jack Sanborn, Wisconsin (free agent)
Cornerbacks
Most underrated: Zyon McCollum
Most overrated: Tariq Woolen
Sleeper: Cam Taylor-Britt
The player who had a breakout year: Marcus Jones
2022 NFL Draft Cornerback Rankings
1. Ahmad Gardner, Cincinnati (first round)
2. Derek Stingley Jr., LSU (first round)
3. Kaiir Elam, Florida (first round)
4. Andrew Booth, Clemson (second round)
5. Trent McDuffie, Washington (second round)
6. Kyler Gordon, Washington (second round)
7. Roger McCreary, Auburn (third round)
8. Cam Taylor-Britt, Nebraska (third round)
9. Zyon McCollum, Sam Houston State (third round)
10. Josh Jobe, Alabama (third round)
11. Marcus Jones, Houston (fourth round)
12. Coby Bryant, Cincinnati (fourth round)
13. Damarri Mathis, Pittsburgh (fourth round)
14. Jalyn Armour-Davis, Alabama (fourth round)
15. Mykael Wright, Oregon (fourth round)
16. Martin Emerson, Mississippi State (fourth round)
17. Tariq Woolen, UTSA (fifth round)
18. Derion Kendrick, Georgia (fifth round)
19. Tariq Castro-Fields, Penn State (fifth round)
20. Kalon Barnes, Baylor (fifth round)
21. Akayleb Evans, Missouri (fifth round)
22. Josh Thompson, Texas (fifth round)
23. Jaylen Watson, Washington State (fifth round)
24. Josuah Williams, Fayetteville State (fifth round)
25. Alontae Taylor, Tennessee (sixth round)
26. Decobie Durant, South Carolina State (sixth round)
27. Shaun Jolly, Appalachian State (sixth round)
28. Chris Steele, USC (sixth round)
29. Samuel Womack, Toledo (seventh round)
30. Mario Goodrich, Clemson (seventh round)
31. Vincent Gray, Michigan (seventh round)
32. DaMarcus Fields, Texas Tech (free agent)
33. Chase Lucas, Arizona State (free agent)
34. Damarion Williams, Houston (free agent)
35. Jack Jones, Arizona State (free agent)
Safeties
Most underrated: Kenderick Duncan
Most overrated: Lewis Cine
Sleeper: Smoke Monday
The player who had a breakout year: Daxton Hill
2022 NFL Draft Safety Rankings
1. Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame (first round)
2. Daxton Hill, Michigan (first round)
3. Jaquan Brisker, Penn State (second round)
4. Lewis Cine, Georgia (second round)
5. Jalen Pitre, Baylor (third round)
6. Kerby Joseph, Illinois (third round)
7. Verone McKinley, Oregon (fourth round)
8. Bryan Cook, Cincinnati (fourth round)
9. Kenderick Duncan, Louisville (fifth round)
10. J.T. Woods, Baylor (fifth round)
11. Tycen Anderson, Toledo (fifth round)
12. Dane Belton, Iowa (fifth round)
13. Nick Cross, Maryland (fifth round)
14. Yusuf Corker, Kentucky (sixth round)
15. Markquese Bell, Florida A&M (sixth round)
16. Smoke Monday, Auburn (sixth round)
17. Bubba Bolden, Miami (sixth round)
18. Kolby Harvell-Peel, Oklahoma State (seventh round)
19. Delarrin Turner-Yell, Oklahoma (seventh round)
20. Juanyeh Thomas, Georgia Tech (seventh round)
21. Trenton Thompson, San Diego State (seventh round)
22. Nolan Turner, Clemson (seventh round)
23. Reed Blankenship, Middle Tennessee (free agent)
24. Brad Hawkins, Michigan (free agent)
25. Elijah Hicks, California (free agent)
26. Percy Butler, Louisiana ( free agent)
27. Greg Eisworth, Iowa State (free agent)
2022 NFL Draft Kicker Rankings
1. Cade York, LSU (sixth round)
2. Gabe Brkic, Oklahoma (seventh round)
3. Cameron Dicker, Texas (free agent)
4. Hunter Duplessis, UTSA (free agent)
5. Parker White, South Carolina (free agent)
6. Ethan Ratke, James Madison (free agent)
2022 NFL Draft Punter Rankings
Jake Camarda, Georgia (sixth round)
Jordan Stout, Penn State (sixth round)
Matt Araiza, San Diego State (seventh round)
Ryan Stonehouse, Colorado State (seventh round)