Who’s ready for new 2022 NFL draft rankings ahead of one of the best and most important weeks on the calendar? That’s right — it’s NFL combine week. There will be so much to discuss for a class that a lot of people in the league are still unsure about; this is a strange year. Often at this time of the year, we know who the No. 1 pick will be and we definitely know who the No. 1 quarterback on the board will be. Not in 2022. There’s no consensus on much about this class, which makes it super interesting headed into the combine.
The combine, of course, is where prospects will be able to interview with teams and where teams can get a better grasp on athletic testing, measurements and more. It’s crucial for both sides; watching film from games during the season is only part of the equation for NFL evaluators.
Let’s get into a new Big Board — my top 25 prospects overall for the class — plus my rankings for the best at every position. This is my first update since right before the Senior Bowl, so there are several risers and fallers. You can also check out my new new mock draft ahead of the combine as well.
Jump to: Position rankings
HT: 6-6 | WT: 265 | Previously: 1
Hutchinson had a consistently dominant season on the way to finishing as the runner-up in the voting for the Heisman Trophy. He had 14 sacks, 19 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. He finished fifth in the country in pressure rate (16.5%). He is advanced as a pass-rusher — he already has a few go-to moves — and is relentless on every snap. Hutchinson dominated Ohio State at the end of the regular season, picking up three sacks. He played only 144 defensive snaps in 2020 before he sustained a leg injury and had to have surgery; the Michigan defense cratered after he was hurt. He was outstanding as a sophomore in 2019, putting up 4.5 sacks and creating havoc in the backfield (10.5 tackles for loss).
HT: 6-4 | WT: 320 | Previously: 5
Ekwonu bullies pass-rushers. He toys with them. He has played both guard and tackle in his career, but he excelled at left tackle in 2021. He moves his feet well in the run game and can get to the next level. I still want to see his arm length measurement, but people inside the league whom I trust think he can stick at left tackle regardless. He has been a riser over the past few months, and people I trust in the league rave about him. He has a real chance to be the No. 1 overall pick.
HT: 6-7 | WT: 360 | Previously: 3
It would also not be totally outlandish to see Neal picked No. 1 in the draft. The Jaguars need a stalwart left tackle, and that’s Neal, who has a massive frame and stellar physical traits. I put him at No. 3 to the Texans in my debut mock draft. He started at right tackle in 2020 and was Bama’s starting left guard as a freshman in 2019. He moved over to the left side in 2021, taking over for first-round pick Alex Leatherwood. Neal is the complete package, excelling as a run-blocker and also in moving his feet as a pass protector.
HT: 6-4 | WT: 219 | Previously: 4
Hamilton played in only seven games in 2021, as he injured his right knee against USC in late October and didn’t return. There aren’t many safeties with Hamilton’s size and speed, and he was one of the most versatile defenders in the country in college. He had two interceptions against Florida State and added another in the win over Purdue. He had eight total in his career. Hamilton has the size to move up to the line of scrimmage and help in the running game and the speed and range to cover pass-catchers out of the slot. He’s exactly what NFL teams want in their first-round safeties.
1:25
Mel Kiper Jr. breaks down the intangibles that make Kyle Hamilton a high draft pick, possibly to the Jets.
HT: 6-5 | WT: 250 | Previously: 2
After missing a few games because of an ankle injury he suffered in the season opener, Thibodeaux was spectacular in his return. He had a strip sack, another sack and nine total tackles against UCLA. Against Cal the week before, he had a sack and 10 pressures. He finished the season with seven sacks and two forced fumbles, and even though he had half as many sacks as Hutchinson, he had the second-best pressure rate in the country (17.8%). Thibodeaux, the No. 1-ranked high school recruit in 2019, is an elite pass-rushing talent with the quickness and bend to get double-digit sacks annually at the next level. He had nine sacks as a true freshman in 2019 and had three more and 9.5 tackles for loss in seven games last season.
HT: 6-1 | WT: 195 | Previously: 6
Stingley injured his foot and played in just three games in 2021. It’s not ideal for an NFL prospect, but he had two full seasons of starting tape before that, so I don’t think it will be an issue in the draft. I wrote about him and his ceiling in the fall, and he’s the top corner in this class even though he hasn’t been consistently great since 2019. This ranking is all about his upside. His freshman film, when he was one of the best players on LSU’s national title team, is tremendous. He didn’t play as well in 2020, but that can mostly be attributed to the entire LSU defense being dreadful. He has shown that he can lock down SEC receivers. There are going to be questions about his up-and-down play, but NFL teams will see more good tape than bad and draft him based on his ceiling.
HT: 6-3 | WT: 235 | Previously: 8
Lloyd had a fantastic season for the Utes, with 111 total tackles, eight sacks, 20 tackles for loss, four interceptions (two pick-sixes, including one in the Pac-12 title game) and a forced fumble. He blows by linemen at the snap, but Utah also uses him often in coverage, showing off his range as an off-ball defender. Lloyd was used more as a pass-rusher in 2019, racking up 6.5 sacks. He had 16.5 for his career. The versatility stands out as a major plus. I’ve compared him to former top-five pick Devin White, though I’m curious about what he runs at the combine to see whether he has the same elite speed as White.
HT: 6-5 | WT: 210 | Previously: 7
London was having a phenomenal season before he fractured his right ankle against Arizona on Oct. 30. He had 88 catches for 1,084 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 11 catches and 136 yards per game. London, who played on the USC basketball team in 2019-20, towers over Pac-12 defenders, and he can outleap just about any corner. He had 72 catches for 1,069 yards and eight touchdowns from 2019 to 2020. I noticed a few concentration drops this season — he had five after just one the previous two seasons — but he does have soft hands and a huge catch radius.
1:16
Mel Kiper Jr. explains why USC’s Drake London is his No. 1 wide receiver in his mock draft.
HT: 6-3 | WT: 200 | Previously: 11
Gardner is a lockdown corner, and other teams know it. He was targeted just 31 times in 2021, and he allowed only eight catches for 60 yards as the nearest defender in coverage. He was targeted only one time against Alabama in the College Football Playoff semifinal, and the throw was incomplete. In fact, there were five games in 2021 when he allowed zero catches. He’s a legit No. 1 corner who has a chance to be the top cornerback in this class if he tests well at the combine. Gardner had three picks in 2021 and nine in his three-year career with the Bearcats.
HT: 6-3 | WT: 290 | Previously: 12
Linderbaum is one of the best center prospects in recent memory. He can do everything, and he excels as a puller to either side. He’s a stellar run-blocker and is incredibly strong at the point of attack. He doesn’t have many weaknesses. Linderbaum allowed just one sack in the 2019 and 2020 seasons combined. He allowed two in 2021, but I’m still huge fan of his game and upside regardless.
HT: 6-5 | WT: 250 | Previously: 9
Ojabo was one of the most impressive newcomers in the country in 2021. A third-year sophomore who spent his youth in Nigeria and Scotland (check out my colleague Jordan Reid’s piece on him for more), he had 11 sacks and five forced fumbles playing on the other side of Aidan Hutchinson. He has flashed advanced pass-rush moves — check out this spin on the right tackle for a strip sack against Indiana — and his physical traits pop on tape. While Ojabo needs to work on his all-around game, there’s a lot to like. He’s still young; he could develop into an elite edge rusher.
HT: 6-0 | WT: 193 | Previously: 15
Wilson played mostly out of the slot in 2020, catching 43 passes and averaging almost 17 yards per reception, but he did most of his damage outside last season. He’s dynamic with the ball in his hands and can run away from defenders after the catch. Here he is doing that against a Minnesota defensive back for a 56-yard score. He had 70 catches for 1,058 yards and 12 touchdowns this season, including six in his final three games. His versatility will help at the next level. Wilson and Chris Olave formed one of the best wideout tandems in the country.
HT: 6-0 | WT: 225 | Previously: 10
McShay called dibs on Dean being his guy in this class, but can I still say that he is an awesome prospect? Dean was the leader of one of the best defenses in recent college football history, and he made plays all over the field. He finished the season with 72 tackles, six sacks, two forced fumbles and two interceptions. He flies across the field to blow up plays and is a sure tackler once he gets to the ball. He has some coverage ability and will be a three-down defender at the next level. He could be a top-10 pick.
HT: 6-2 | WT: 185 | Previously: 14
Williams was one of the best stories of the season. The Ohio State transfer had 79 catches for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns, and he was targeted 120 times and had just three drops. He turned into the best deep threat in the country. He has blazing speed. Williams, though, tore his ACL in the national title game, which is going to drop him down some teams’ boards. He could have been a top-10 pick, and now he’s going to slide a little bit. It’s a little too early to determine if he’s still going in the top 20 picks, but NFL teams will be watching his rehab closely. I was really impressed with his all-around game in 2021; he’s a No. 1 NFL receiver when healthy.
15. Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State
HT: 6-5 | WT: 310 | Previously: 13
Cross leveled up in 2021. He allowed just one sack and five pressures, and that’s with playing in a pass-heavy Mike Leach offense. He was dominant against a good LSU front and more than held his own against the mega-talented Alabama defense. He forces edge rushers into a stalemate. Cross has long arms and good feet, and his coaches rave about his work ethic and attention to detail. He showed potential last season, his first as a starter, but he’s also asked to do a lot in Leach’s offense, and so he had some poor pass-blocking reps. He allowed five sacks and 13 pressures on 556 pass blocks in 2020.
HT: 6-5 | WT: 275 | Previously: 19
Walker is a great example of why you shouldn’t just look at the stat sheet. He pops on tape, even if he doesn’t have great production. The Georgia defense was loaded with talent, so he wasn’t always the one to get a tackle for loss here or a sack there. But he was always around the football, and he blew up several plays. Walker finished the season with six sacks — including two in the College Football Playoff games. He could end up as a 3-4 defensive end in the NFL.
HT: 5-11 | WT: 195 | Previously: NR
McDuffie only had two interceptions in three seasons at Washington — including zero in 2021 — but don’t discount his ability to shut down receivers. He allowed just one reception of more than 20 yards last season, and he didn’t allow any touchdowns. In fact, going back to the four games he played in 2020, he didn’t allow any scores then, either. McDuffie can play in the slot or outside, and he can play press coverage too. He’s a really good player who is rising after a tremendous season.
HT: 6-7 | WT: 321 | Previously: 21
Penning destroyed edge rushers at the FCS level. He’s consistently dominant in both the run and pass game. “Rugged” is the word I’d use to describe his game. And though he wasn’t playing against NFL-caliber players every week, I think he has a chance to be an elite guy. He played mostly at left tackle for the Panthers, who had 2021 third-rounder Spencer Brown on the right side from 2017 to 2019. Penning has flashed more than Brown did. He could be an early NFL starter; he had a good week at the Senior Bowl in early February.
HT: 6-3 | WT: 220 | Previously: 16
I was hoping one of the quarterbacks would emerge at the Senior Bowl as the clear-cut No. 1 in this class, but that didn’t happen. It’s still very close at the top, and teams are going to differ atop their boards. As of now, Pickett is the guy I feel most comfortable about as an NFL starter. He was incredibly impressive in 2021, throwing 42 touchdown passes with seven interceptions. He was up and down the previous two seasons, with 18 picks and an average of 6.9 yards per attempt. He averaged 8.7 in 2021, taking a huge step in every way. Pickett is accurate to all three levels of the field, has shown patience in taking the checkdown throws when necessary and has good zip on his throws.
My comp for him has been a combo of Derek Carr/Andy Dalton, and NFL teams can win with that kind of guy. As I mentioned in my debut mock draft, hand size is an issue, and some teams could be scared away from that because he’s expected to have below 9-inch hands, which has been one of the benchmarks for quarterbacks. But there’s a lot to like with his improvement; also, his ability to use his legs to maneuver the pocket and scramble when he has to is underrated.
HT: 6-1 | WT: 215 | Previously: 17
Willis has been a tough evaluation because of the talent he had around him. He had to elevate his teammates because he didn’t get a lot of help; he was sacked 51 times in 2021, which led the FBS. But NFL evaluators are really high on his ceiling, and he’s the most talented quarterback in this class. Can he reach that ceiling? That will depend on the situation in which he lands, but the hope is that once he gets around NFL talent, those players can elevate him.
The Auburn transfer threw 27 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions in 2021, but he had three different three-pick games. He added 13 scores on the ground. His completion percentage dropped from his breakout 2020 season (64.2% to 61.1%), but again, that’s not all on him.
HT: 6-3 | WT: 232 | Previously: 24
I wrote about Burks earlier in September, as he tore up Texas A&M and gave its defensive backs fits. Check out his speed on this 85-yard touchdown catch. He has a big catch radius and can play inside or outside, though he did most of his damage out of the slot in 2021. That’s an advantage for him because he has the size of a tight end, and he can get matched up on slower safeties. He had 66 catches for 1,104 yards and 11 touchdowns this past season and seven scores in 2020. Concentration drops are an issue. Burks is one of the prospects I’m most excited to see at the combine.
HT: 6-5 | WT: 260 | Previously: NR
Johnson landed on my Big Board in September and hovered in the 30s for most of the season, but I had to move him back up after the Senior Bowl. He dominated in Mobile, Alabama, and looked like one of the best prospects there. He has the potential to be a great edge rusher at the next level. Johnson, who transferred from Georgia, ended the 2021 season with 12 sacks and two forced fumbles. He’s a classic defensive end with some bend and burst off the edge.
HT: 6-3 | WT: 256 | Previously: 18
Ebiketie had 9.5 sacks in 2021, 3.5 more than he had in his three seasons at Temple. The transfer edge rusher also had two forced fumbles and 19 total tackles for loss, showing off his ability to set the edge in the run game. He has very long arms and could be a prototypical 4-3 end at the next level. He really impressed me when I was going back through the Penn State tape.
HT: 5-11 | WT: 184 | Previously: 22
Dotson is explosive. He had an incredible leaping catch against Illinois, and look how open he is on this 49-yard touchdown against Wisconsin. Plus, check out Penn State’s first offensive play against Villanova, a 52-yard strike to Dotson in which he showed acceleration at the catch. While he had a few drops in 2019 and 2020, he has dropped only two passes this season. He had 91 catches for 1,182 yards and 12 scores, including six in his final four games.
HT: 6-4 | WT: 270 | Previously: 20
Don’t be fooled by Karlaftis having only 4.5 sacks in 2021. He affects games in other ways, and his pressure numbers (13.7%) stacked up well next to the best edge rushers in the country. He gets double-teamed often along the Purdue front, and he is physical in fighting through them. He’s tough — he plays to the whistle and runs down whoever has the ball. He had 11 total tackles for loss. Karlaftis played just three games last season; a positive COVID-19 test in November cut short a promising campaign. As a freshman in 2019, he had 7.5 sacks and 17 total tackles for loss. I think he will test well at the combine, too.
Rankings at every position for the 2022 NFL draft
Quarterbacks
1. Kenny Pickett, Pitt
2. Malik Willis, Liberty
3. Matt Corral, Ole Miss
4. Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati
5. Sam Howell, North Carolina
6. Carson Strong, Nevada
7. Bailey Zappe, Western Kentucky
8. Kaleb Eleby, Western Michigan
9. Skylar Thompson, Kansas State
10a. Dustin Crum, Kent State
10b. Jack Coan, Notre Dame
10c. Cole Kelley, SE Louisiana
10d. EJ Perry, Brown
1:21
Todd McShay goes through the pros and cons if a team decides to draft Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder.
Running backs
1. Breece Hall, Iowa State
2. Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State
3. Isaiah Spiller, Texas A&M
4. Kyren Williams, Notre Dame
5. James Cook, Georgia
6. Dameon Pierce, Florida
7. Jerome Ford, Cincinnati
8. Rachaad White, Arizona State
9. Brian Robinson Jr., Alabama
10a. Tyler Badie, Missouri
10b. Pierre Strong Jr., South Dakota State
10c. Kennedy Brooks, Oklahoma
10d. Ty Chandler, North Carolina
10e. D’vonte Price, Florida International
Fullbacks/H-backs
1. Jeremiah Hall, Oklahoma
2. Abram Smith, Baylor
3. Tanner Conner, Idaho State
4. Chigoziem Okonkwo, Maryland
5. Connor Heyward, Michigan State
6. John Chenal, Wisconsin
7. Clint Ratkovich, Northern Illinois
8. Sean Dykes, Memphis
9. Jack Colletto, Oregon State
10. Roger Carter, Georgia State
Wide receivers
1. Drake London, USC
2. Garrett Wilson, Ohio State
3. Jameson Williams, Alabama
4. Treylon Burks, Arkansas
5. Jahan Dotson, Penn State
6. Chris Olave, Ohio State
7. Calvin Austin III, Memphis
8. Skyy Moore, Western Michigan
9. George Pickens, Georgia
10a. John Metchie III, Alabama
10b. Jalen Tolbert, South Alabama
10c. Alec Pierce, Cincinnati
10d. Kyle Phillips, UCLA
10e. Christian Watson, North Dakota State
10f. Wan’Dale Robinson, Kentucky
Tight ends
1. Trey McBride, Colorado State
2. Greg Dulcich, UCLA
3. Jalen Wydermyer, Texas A&M
4. Jeremy Ruckert, Ohio State
5. Isaiah Likely, Coastal Carolina
6. James Mitchell, Virginia Tech
7. Cade Otton, Washington
8. Jelani Woods, Virginia
9. Derrick Deese Jr., San Jose State
10a. Cole Turner, Nevada
10b. Charlie Kolar, Iowa State
10c. Jake Ferguson, Wisconsin
10d. Teagan Quitoriano, Oregon State
Offensive tackles
1. Ikem Ekwonu, NC State
2. Evan Neal, Alabama
3. Charles Cross, Mississippi State
4. Trevor Penning, Northern Iowa
5. Bernhard Raimann, Central Michigan
6. Daniel Faalele, Minnesota
7. Tyler Smith, Tulsa
8. Nicholas Petit-Frere, Ohio State
9. Abraham Lucas, Washington State
10a. Matt Waletzko, North Dakota
10b. Kellen Diesch, Arizona State
10c. Luke Tenuta, Virginia Tech
Guards
1. Zion Johnson, Boston College
2. Kenyon Green, Texas A&M
3. Jamaree Salyer, Georgia
4. Cole Strange, UT-Chattanooga
5. Sean Rhyan, UCLA
6. Darian Kinnard, Kentucky
7. Marquis Hayes, Oklahoma
8. William Dunkle, San Diego State
9. Lecitus Smith, Virginia Tech
10. Logan Bruss, Wisconsin
Centers
1. Tyler Linderbaum, Iowa
2. Dohnovan West, Arizona State
3. Dylan Parham, Memphis
4. Cameron Jurgens, Nebraska
5. Zach Tom, Wake Forest
6. Luke Fortner, Kentucky
7. Dawson Deaton, Texas Tech
8. Alec Lindstrom, Boston College
9. Luke Wattenberg, Washington
10a. Doug Kramer, Illinois
10b. Ben Brown, Ole Miss
Defensive ends
1. Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan
2. Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon
3. Travon Walker, Georgia
4. Jermaine Johnson II, Florida State
5. George Karlaftis, Purdue
6. Cameron Thomas, San Diego State
7. Myjai Sanders, Cincinnati
8. Sam Williams, Ole Miss
9. Amare Barno, Virginia Tech
10a. Josh Paschal, Kentucky
10b. Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, Notre Dame
10c. Esezi Otomewo, Minnesota
0:27
Aidan Hutchinson discusses which NFL quarterback he would like to sack the most once he is drafted to a team.
Defensive tackles
1. Devonte Wyatt, Georgia
2. Jordan Davis, Georgia
3. Logan Hall, Houston
4. Perrion Winfrey, Oklahoma
5. DeMarvin Leal, Texas A&M
6. Travis Jones, Connecticut
7. Phidarian Mathis, Alabama
8. Matthew Butler, Tennessee
9. Neil Farrell Jr., LSU
10a. Eric Johnson, Missouri State
10b. Haskell Garrett, Ohio State
10c. Noah Elliss, Idaho
10d. John Ridgeway, Arkansas
10e. Eyioma Uwazurike, Iowa State
10f. Otito Ogbonnia, UCLA
Inside linebackers
1. Devin Lloyd, Utah
2. Nakobe Dean, Georgia
3. Christian Harris, Alabama
4. Damone Clark, LSU
5. Chad Muma, Wyoming
6. Troy Andersen, Montana State
7. Channing Tindall, Georgia
8. Quay Walker, Georgia
9. Brian Asamoah, Oklahoma
10a. Darien Butler, Arizona State
10b. Leo Chenal, Wisconsin
10c. Chance Campbell, Ole Miss
10d. Jack Sanborn, Wisconsin
10e. Mike Rose, Iowa State
Outside linebackers
1. David Ojabo, Michigan
2. Arnold Ebiketie, Penn State
3. Boye Mafe, Minnesota
4. Drake Jackson, USC
5. DeAngelo Malone, Western Kentucky
6. Kingsley “JJ” Enagbare, South Carolina
7. Adam Anderson, Georgia
8. Brandon Smith, Penn State
9. Jesse Luketa, Penn State
10a. Dominique Robinson, Miami (Ohio)
10b. Aaron Hansford, Texas A&M
10c. Nephi Sewell, Utah
10d. Kyron Johnson, Kansas
2:30
Todd McShay breaks down what Minnesota’s Boye Mafe and Kentucky’s Wan’dale Robinson will offer NFL teams.
Cornerbacks
1. Derek Stingley Jr., LSU
2. Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, Cincinnati
3. Trent McDuffie, Washington
4. Andrew Booth Jr., Clemson
5. Kyler Gordon, Washington
6. Tariq Woolen, UTSA
7. Roger McCreary, Auburn
8. Kaiir Elam, Florida
9. Marcus Jones, Houston
10a. Damarion “Pepe” Williams, Houston
10b. Cam Taylor-Britt, Nebraska
10c. Tariq Castro-Fields, Penn State
10d. Martin Emerson, Mississippi State
10e. Zyon McCollum, Sam Houston State
10f. Christian Holmes, Oklahoma State
Safeties
1. Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame
2. Daxton Hill, Michigan
3. Jaquan Brisker, Penn State
4. Lewis Cine, Georgia
5. Jalen Pitre, Baylor
6. Verone McKinley III, Oregon
7. JT Woods, Baylor
8. Kerby Joseph, Illinois
9. JoJo Domann, Nebraska
10. Alontae Taylor, Tennessee
Kickers and Punters
1. Jordan Stout, Penn State (P)
2. Jake Camarda, Georgia (P)
3. Cade York, LSU (K)
4. Matt Araiza, San Diego State (P)
5. Ryan Wright, Tulane (P)
6. Jonathan Garibay, Texas Tech (K)
7. Blake Hayes, Illinois (P)
8. Cameron Dicker, Texas (K & P)
9. Trenton Gill, NC State (P)
10a. Tommy Heatherly, Florida International (P)
10b. Andrew Mevis, Iowa State (K)
10c. Ryan Stonehouse, Colorado State (P)
10d. Gabe Brkic, Oklahoma (K)
10e. Daniel Whelan, Cal-Davis (P)
10f. Zach Harding, Army (P)
10g. Adam Korsak, Rutgers (P)
Long-snappers
1. Cal Adomitis, Pitt
2. Daniel Cantrell, Boise State
3. Jordan Silver, Arkansas
4. Billy Taylor, Rutgers
5. Antonio Ortiz, TCU
6. Damon Johnson, USC
7. Cameron Kaye, Troy
8. Ross Reiter, Colorado State
9. Ethan Tabel, Illinois
10. Keegan Markgraf, Utah
Returners
1. Marcus Jones, Houston
2. Calvin Austin III, Memphis
3. Britain Covey, Utah
4. Jequez Ezzard, Sam Houston State
5. Velus Jones Jr., Tennessee
6. Justin Hall, Ball State
7. Jalen Virgil, Appalachian State
8. Trestan Ebner, Baylor
9. Deven Thompkins, Utah State
10. Travell Harris, Washington State