2022 Comprehensive Draft Thread

[philibusters]

8 hours ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

I wasn't that impressed with Ridder when I watched him against Indiana.  His extreme pedigree of winning is very appealing, but the play itself was meh.  TBH, I just didn't see a big difference between him and Kellen Mond.  He's a good prospect but my gut take was that he is a second rounder.

 

He looked weak the first half.   That questionable targeting penalty changed the momentum and got CInn going

[Skinsinparadise]

I am probably jinxing him and he ends up having a meltdown game against Alabama but if he plays well against them, I am all in on Corral.  My main reservations about him is can he beat up a good defense and his decision making last year came off at time reckless.  If he conquers those 2 things, I am buying stock in Corral. 

 

 

 

[Always A Commander Never A Captain]

Anyone got an opinion on the Austrian LT Bernhard Raimann?  He's got some hype with some people saying early 2nd round.

[Skinsinparadise]

2 hours ago, Alcoholic Zebra said:

Anyone got an opinion on the Austrian LT Bernhard Raimann?  He's got some hype with some people saying early 2nd round.

 

 

[Panninho]

33 minutes ago, Skinsinparadise said:

 

 

Go Austria 🏈🇦🇹

Would be great for the game here if he had success in the NFL.

[IrepDC]

Corral leading Ole Miss against Alabama will be the game to watch this weekend. Likely the most important game of his career.

[philibusters]

UVA plays Miami tonight.  I am a fan of of UVA's QB.  I don't know if he is necessarily a first round type guy (I am not as technical knowledgeable as some of the posters in this thread when it comes to scouting), but he strikes me as a good pick up in the middle rounds.   Fairly mobile, doesn't have a rocket, but decent zip on the intermediate stuff and throws a decent long ball.

[CobraCommander]

I hope we draft a QB. 

 

Welp, my job here is done. See you guys on draft day.

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

 

[Otis Wonsley Posse]

On 9/26/2021 at 9:16 AM, stevemcqueen1 said:

 

They're not that bad.  Their OL has issues but this was a top 25 team.  Howell has been a big reason why they lost, he's been turning it over, holding the ball forever, spraying it, and reading the game wrong.  He's just not playing well right now.

 

I liked what I saw from him last year, but I think some limitations of his are becoming a lot more clear this season now that Michael Carter and Javonte Williams are gone.  Those dudes held that locker room together.  I think he's not that smart of a QB, and I doubt he's a dynamic leader.

 

But I also think Mac Brown probably has no clue how to get things fixed for him.

 

His ceiling is somewhere between Baker Mayfield and Kirk Cousins IMO.  He looks like Baker but he's definitely not as smart or good as Baker was.  It's an OK ceiling, but you better surround him with a dominant run game and defense to have any chance at success because he is a play action QB.

Being sacked and pressured 30 times hasn’t helped; I’m a NC homer so Corral then Howell

[The Consigliere]

On 9/5/2021 at 6:09 AM, Skinsinparadise said:

I watched some Carson Strong last night. Strong arm, pun intended. Nice deep ball with good arc on it.  Made some nice throws on some out routes that didn't look that easy.  I have to digest more.  He has an easy-compact throwing motion.  My first impression is he's more of a traditional pocket passer, looks the part too, stands tall in the pocket, etc -- i saw him mostly in the gun.  Doesn't look like a statue but didn't come off mobile either.    A bit lanky looking. 

 

I am trying to dive more into intangibles with the QBs and supposedly Strong's intangibes are high.

 

 

 

 

 

Saw him dominate Idaho State a few weeks ago. Was pretty impressive, but also Idaho State. Hope he's legit, hoping to see him play one or more two times down the road at UNR. Had no idea a 1st round pick QB was in my own back yard, even funnier to realize Michigan's QB is from a High School a few blocks away from my old apartment. When did Reno become a hot bed of talent (beyond Charles Mann and Kap?? Apparently it is now). 

 

 

[philibusters]

Happy to see Dontay Demus on Mel Kipers list of top 10 WR's at #9.  He is having a huge year.   He has the prototypical size and speed teams look for in WR (6'4 215 pounds-should run sub 4.5 forty)   

[Stone Cold]

I’m a Malik Willis guy but not for the 1st rd price tag he’s gonna have come april

[philibusters]

Maryland plays Iowa tomorrow night (Friday).  Maryland has about dozen upperclassmen who are NFL prospect ranging from guys who are probably day 2 guys to guys who may get drafted.  Off the top of my head he is how I would rate the draft eligible prospects on Maryland's team:

1.  Nick Cross (Safety):  He is a third year junior but likely leaves early.  Should be one of the top 5 or so safeties.

2.  Jaelyn Duncan (LT):  He is a fourth year junior but likely leaves early.   Probably a day 2 player.

3.  Dontay Demus (WR):   He is a fourth year senior.   Has a decent chance to be a day 2 player and if not probably an early day 3 player.

4.  Jakorian Bennett (CB):  The senior CB is playing well and could be a day 3 guy.

5.  Deonte Banks (CB):  Hasn't gotten too play much this year (his junior year) due to an injury that has his arm in a sling.  Hopefully he returns this year.  Won a starting job as a true freshman and didn't give up until his injury.  His injury this year probably lessen the chance he declares this year.

6.  Sam Okuayinonu (DE):  He is A 6'2 280 POUND DE.  He is having a really good senior season through four games.  Was a solid starter last year, but this year looks like the best player in Maryland's front 7 on defense.   Definitely could be a late round guy this year for teams looking for bigger DE's in the latter rounds
7.  Taulia Tagovailoa (QB):  Tua's younger brother is putting up video game numbers.   Is a Taylor Heincke type player both in his size (5'11 200 pounds) and his style (improviser who can move around).  Likely comes back for his senior season.  Through 4 games is throwing for like 360 yards per game with 10 TD's and 1 interception.

8.  Chig Okonkwo (TE): Athletic TE.  More of a pass catcher than a blocker.  Hasn't quite lived up to what the coaches think he can be.   Will probably return to Maryland

9.  Tayon Fleet-Davis:   Continues UMD's tradition of productive RB.  Averaging 7.1 yards per carry.   Maryland has 3 RB's drafted the past 4 years (Ty Johnson, Anthony McFarland, and Jakee Funk) and another leave early only not to get drafted.   Tayon's production is on par with them and he could be a day 3 guy.

10.  Ami Finau (NT)  6'2 320 who is a fairly productive player.  Probably goes undrafted, but could go in the later rounds if teams are looking for more of a run stuffer DT.

 

 

[Skinsinparadise]

 

With that in mind, let me say this: I really, really like the trajectory of Utah linebacker Devin Lloyd at this point in the season. So much so that I’d go out on a limb and say he’s probably not just my favorite 2022 linebacker prospect, but that I think he may well end up having the most impressive resume to finish as the top linebacker prospect for this upcoming spring. 

 

I thought this was going to be a hot take until I sat down to write out my thoughts and saw that ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. recently declared the same thing on his latest 2022 Big Board update, so instead I’ll simply chalk this up as affirmation for what I’ve seen thus far this season: Lloyd is playing at a tremendous level and is a force to be reckoned with on the Utes defense thus far in 2021. 

Lloyd is a listed 6-foot-3, 235-pound linebacker who is a third-year starter for the Utes. He, unlike a number of the young prospects who are just scratching their surface as NFL draft-eligible prospects in 2022, does not have a sample size issue on his hands; he’s now logged 23 career starts and counting and continues to find more and more ways to make an impact along the way. His backfield production in 2021 is phenomenal. He’s logged eight tackles for loss, two sacks, and an interception thus far in 2021 through the month of September after logging 10 tackles for loss (and 48 tackles) in five games with the Utes in 2020. 

 

The race to land atop the 2022 linebacker class is shared with a number of linebacker prospects who have fascinating resumes. Penn State’s Brandon Smith is a surreal physical talent but he’s still inexperienced as a starter and struggles at times with discipline with his play. Alabama’s Christian Harris has the athletic profile to also be an impact defender but hasn’t gotten off to nearly the caliber of a start as Lloyd has thus far in 2021. And, as always, what you’ve done recently speaks the loudest in NFL draft evaluations. 

A headcount for serious contenders elsewhere to land as LB1 in the 2022 class won’t find many other legitimate threats at this point in time, leaving Lloyd as the best blend of athleticism and high-level play to serve as the favorite. And, depending on the team needs and draft slot of any number of NFL franchises, I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see Lloyd eventually go on to be considered a top-25 overall prospect in this year’s upcoming draft. He’s already on the Senior Bowl’s radar as their highest-graded defensive prospect out west, according to executive director Jim Nagy. 

 

As a spoiler, the only Pac-12 (or West Coast) defensive prospect to score higher than Lloyd in The Draft Network’s upcoming updated TDN100 list of the top-100 prospects in all the land is Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux—so the stance Nagy and his event are taking on Lloyd falls directly in line with how TDN feels about him collectively as well. 

This is a player with the versatility to play forward in attack mode and the athleticism to play in space. He has the length to offer a notable tackle radius and the burst to chase plays down in pursuit. And in a class that is loaded with prospects who offer as many questions or uncertainties as they do answers, Lloyd is one of the rare few who seems to offer both a high floor and a high ceiling. To this point, that’s good enough to embrace being LB1.

Kiper

 

Rankings at every position for the 2022 NFL draft

Quarterbacks

1. Malik Willis, Liberty
2. Matt Corral, Ole Miss
3. Spencer Rattler, Oklahoma
4. Sam Howell, North Carolina
5. Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati
6. Kenny Pickett, Pitt
7. Carson Strong, Nevada
8. Tanner McKee, Stanford
9. Jayden Daniels, Arizona State
10a. Kedon Slovis, USC
10b. Phil Jurkovec, Boston College

 

Inside linebackers

1. Devin Lloyd, Utah
2. Christian Harris, Alabama
3. Nakobe Dean, Georgia
4. DeMarvion Overshown, Texas
5. Henry To'oTo'o, Alabama
6. Mike Rose, Iowa State
7. Jack Sanborn, Wisconsin
8. Damone Clark, LSU
9. Chance Campbell, Mississippi
10a. Jeremiah Gemmel, North Carolina
10b. Ventrell Miller, Florida

 

Offensive tackles

1. Evan Neal, Alabama
2. Charles Cross, Mississippi State
3. Trevor Penning, Northern Iowa
4. Nicholas Petit-Frere, Ohio State
5. Daniel Faalele, Minnesota
6. Jaxson Kirkland, Washington
7. Darian Kinnard, Kentucky
8. Kellen Diesch, Arizona State
9. Abraham Lucas, Washington State
10. Andrew Stueber, Michigan

 

https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2022/insider/story/_/id/32305918/nfl-draft-2022-rankings-top-25-prospects-best-position-mel-kiper-big-board-including-matt-corral-malik-willis-spencer-rattler

[philibusters]

From that blurb this sounds like it may be a weak LB class

 

[Skinsinparadise]

Mel Kiper's 2022 NFL draft mailbag: What's wrong with Spencer Rattler? How good is Matt Corral?

Has Spencer Rattler's play this year changed your opinion on him? (via @KevinEidt)

 

Definitely. His decision-making hasn't improved. He has thrown some really poor interceptions. The preseason Heisman Trophy favorite doesn't look like a franchise quarterback right now.

What's most concerning is that Oklahoma's competition hasn't even been strong. In three home games against FBS opponents (Tulane, Nebraska, West Virginia), Rattler has thrown three TD passes and three picks, averaging just 7.1 yards per attempt. He's completing 73.4% of his passes, but that's because so many of his throws have been short. He's not finding star wideout Marvin Mims downfield (just 10 total catches so far). In 10 games against FBS teams last season, 57.5% of Rattler's completions went for at least 10 yards. This season? That's way down to 41.3%. Where are the "wow" throws we saw down the stretch in 2020? He and the Sooners just aren't clicking.

 

Now, Rattler was up and down early last season, too, before he finished with 15 TD passes and two INTs in the final seven games as OU won the Big 12 title and Cotton Bowl. He has shown his arm talent and flashed moments of brilliance this season, but he hasn't been close to consistent. His offensive line has been an issue, sure, but he's supposed to elevate those around him. I haven't seen that so far.

All the pressure is on Rattler, who looks more like a fringe first-rounder than a candidate to be picked No. 1 overall next April. He has the talent to bounce back, but it'll have to happen quickly. Over the next three weeks, the Sooners play at Kansas State, get Texas in Dallas and then play TCU at home. These are going to be major evaluation games for NFL scouts. I'll have a new Big Board update later this week, and it's safe to assume that Rattler won't be ranked as high as he was before the season.

---

Talk to me about Matt Corral's upside. (via IfUSeekCintron)

Unlike Rattler, Corral has passed the eye test. The Ole Miss quarterback looks like a potential first-rounder through three games. He torched Tulane last Saturday -- a common opponent with Rattler and OU -- to the tune of seven total touchdowns (three passing, four rushing) and a nearly perfect 97.5 Total QBR. He has a quick release, scans the field well and has shown great ball placement.

As I wrote last week, Corral's problems last season came in two disastrous games in which he combined for 11 interceptions (six vs. Arkansas, five vs. LSU), and he has a tough schedule the rest of the way. The Rebels play at Alabama on Saturday, then get Arkansas, Tennessee, LSU and Auburn in four straight weeks. He's going to have to play well to continue his rise. But if we're talking about upside, Corral could be a top-10 pick and the top quarterback in the 2022 class. There is a long time to go before we have to make a full evaluation, but he's rising in my rankings.

 

https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2022/insider/story/_/id/32284249/mel-kiper-2022-nfl-draft-mailbag-wrong-spencer-rattler-how-good-matt-corral

 

 

Edited October 1, 2021 by Skinsinparadise

[Going Commando]

Kiper's got Jahan Dotson 8th overall on his big board.  Wow.  I really, really like him but I don't see him as WR1 or a top ten player.

 

This is a good WR class but it doesn't have the studly top end power that the previous two classes had.  Jerry Jeudy or CeeDee Lamb or Jamar Chase would each pretty easily be WR1 in this class.  This group is much more flawed, and less spectacularly productive.  Burks looks the most like a WR1 in this year's class, but I kind of feel like he might have weight issues.  Dotson is small, London is slow, and the Alabama guys look like they're a year away.  Wilson hasn't been super productive in his career even though his talent looks fantastic.  Olave has, but I can't shake the feeling when watching Ohio State that Wilson is better than him.

 

It's a muddled group, and even though there are probably like six guys who are top 40 players, I don't think a consensus about their order will form this year because there aren't any no-doubter studs like the previous two classes.

[mhd24]

16 minutes ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

Kiper's got Jahan Dotson 8th overall on his big board.  Wow.  I really, really like him but I don't see him as WR1 or a top ten player.

 

This is a good WR class but it doesn't have the studly top end power that the previous two classes had.  Jerry Jeudy or CeeDee Lamb or Jamar Chase would each pretty easily be WR1 in this class.  This group is much more flawed, and less spectacularly productive.  Burks looks the most like a WR1 in this year's class, but I kind of feel like he might have weight issues.  Dotson is small, London is slow, and the Alabama guys look like they're a year away.  Wilson hasn't been super productive in his career even though his talent looks fantastic.  Olave has, but I can't shake the feeling when watching Ohio State that Wilson is better than him.

 

It's a muddled group, and even though there are probably like six guys who are top 40 players, I don't think a consensus about their order will form this year because there aren't any no-doubter studs like the previous two classes.

 

 

Yeah, obviously our needs start and end with QB, but after that, I'd focus on back-7, LT, and RB.

[Always A Commander Never A Captain]

1 hour ago, philibusters said:

From that blurb this sounds like it may be a weak LB class

 

 

Haven't followed the past few weeks, but Nakobe Dean is supposed to be an elite run-chase LB prospect that might fall due to being a bit undersized.  Don't know how he holds up in coverage.

[Going Commando]

1 hour ago, philibusters said:

From that blurb this sounds like it may be a weak LB class

 

It seems like a pretty good one to me.  One elite prospect in Lloyd and then maybe about four others who could be first rounders in Harris, Smith, Anderson, and To'oTo'o.  If they should drop out of the first round picture, others could emerge.  And there is a nice third tier of highly proven second round quality with Sanborn and Dean.  Most years you're lucky to get one or two first round caliber stack linebackers.

[The Consigliere]

On 9/13/2021 at 7:27 AM, Darrell Green Fan said:

For the few remaining fans who can't understand the value of a really good QB I invite you to look at that game yesterday.  Justin Herbert was a stud and delivered the ball all day long, he was by far the most impactful player on the field and it wasn't even close.

 

You have to have one of these guys, unfortunately RR has said a number of times that the plan is to build the roster and plug in a vet at QB.  

 

Kill me.  

 

 

 

That and Dan Snyder is pretty much why I started the process of walking away the last few years. The willful denial of reality, even when they bring in competent leadership, is so prevalent that the situation is utterly hopeless. The Alex Smith, save me from getting fired trade, 3 fantastic QB drafts in four years, and we peel our QB, Dan's favorite, off the only year that wasn't a great QB class (at the time). I scream bloody murder to take a QB (admittedly the wrong guy) in '20, and scream bloody murder when they play their way out of slotting for Fields and Lance, then lose my ---- when Fields inexplicably falls, and again, they show no interest, and instead do a cardinal no no in round 1, take a non-efficacious position in terms of draft capital, and FA cap saving dollars by idiotically going LB. The decision is compounded when a player ranked ahead of him by most, JOK, ends up falling all the way to the mid to late 2nd, and we could have gotten him there, instead of Jamin in round 1....I'm just beyond over it. Since I graduated High School, I've given this team a further 28 years like the rest of you, and I'm sick of it. I'll never follow another team, but they've beaten the passion out of me. I used to drive an hour or more out of my way to sports bars like San Jose Live, The Englander, and Ricky's in the bay to catch games in the 90's and aughts, road tripped to Seattle, San Diego, and Arizona to catch games when they were on the West Coast, or do the shirt jaunt to SF, and now Santa Clara to catch them more locally. 

 

I just can't do it anymore. 

 

Will always support the team, but I'm now a passive fan. I am explicitly not encouraging my 5 year old son to follow in my footsteps. He doesn't deserve this ----. Let him have the joy w/another team like I had as a child in the eighties. 

[Skinsinparadise]

Some rare football insight about college prospects from Football Outsiders, they typically seem much more focused on the pros.  Some hyperbole there on the Ole Miss.  I agree they've looked great but lets see them against Alabama's defense first before crowning them. 

 

https://www.footballoutsiders.com/7th-day-adventure/2021/sda-week-5-why-ole-miss-alabama-could-be-game-decade

Few quarterbacks divide opinion as starkly as Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder. The senior is in his fourth year starting for the Bearcats, and over that period, he has followed a general upward trajectory to mirror the team. Ridder was mediocre two years ago (6.7 yards per attempt, 18 touchdowns, nine interceptions), but he has since put that season firmly in the past, averaging 8.4 yards per attempt with 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions in his last 13 games. On paper, he's a solid quarterback and has the talent to lead Cincinnati to another undefeated regular season and conference title.

Be that as it may, uncertainty still surrounds Ridder. In part, it's a reaction to the perhaps-optimistic labels he has received in the wake of that 2020 season.

 

Oddsmakers have named him a Heisman favorite this year, which some would say smacks of Group of 5 ignorance when you compare him to such stars as Grayson McCall and Carson Strong. As solid as Ridder is, there are still holes in his game. His intermediate passing leaves something to be desired, leading to an offense that can struggle when it ends up behind the sticks: Cincinnati has a mere 36.4% success rate on passing downs, and in that situation they have an offense far less explosive than most.

 

Ridder's decent stat line is often the product of inconsistency, with highs such as his first half against Miami-Ohio (14-for-16, 229 passing yards, four total touchdowns) and lows like his inefficient day at Indiana (20-for-36, 210 passing yards, one touchdown, one interception).

It's rare to come across a quarterback as experienced as Ridder whose primary problem is volatility, but this matchup features two such starters. The Cincinnati signal-caller's Fighting Irish counterpart, Wisconsin transfer Jack Coan, has a similarly unusual profile. Like Ridder, he has had moments of brilliance (26-for-35, 366 yards, four touchdowns, one interception against Florida State), but has lately been in a rut, completing just 30 of his 60 passes across the last two games for 381 yards and two touchdowns.

 

The name on everyone's lips is that of Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral, so it's sensible to start with him. The former four-star exploded onto the national stage following an unremarkable 2019 season (7.7 yards per attempt, six touchdowns, three interceptions) as Lane Kiffin took the reins of the Rebels' offense and engineered a lightning-quick machine capable of creating a huge play at a moment's notice. Corral was, of course, foundational to this high-octane attack, emerging as an efficient (10.2 yards per attempt, 29 touchdowns), if somewhat risky (14 interceptions), star quarterback. Somehow, he has taken yet another step forward this year, boosting his efficiency even more (10.4 yards per attempt, nine touchdowns) while avoiding excessive risk astutely—he's still yet to throw a single pick. The pace of Corral's development from unmemorable freshman to mercurial sophomore to masterful junior has unfolded with remarkable rapidity.

 

This progress has been incredible to behold, but it hasn't occurred in a vacuum. Corral and Kiffin's brilliance have been two sides of the same coin, and the dominant Ole Miss offense relies heavily on the delicate craftsmanship behind its playbook. Early innovations like no-huddle offense and run-pass options are old news now; to stay one step ahead of the ever-adaptable Saban, the Rebels have had to innovate even more. Kiffin's explosive Ole Miss offense builds on the concept that this team introduced with RPOs nearly a decade ago: if expanding from one likely play to two has such an effect on opposing defenses, how much further can that idea go? Traditional routes and planned plays have been thrown out the window—receivers in Kiffin's system make split-second decisions on a dozen different routes in the way a quarterback scans through reads on the fly. Combine that versatility with Corral, a quick-on-his-feet quarterback with plenty of athleticism, and you have an offense that may just be the most unstoppable college football has ever seen.

Edited October 1, 2021 by Skinsinparadise

[Going Commando]

Man I need to watch Matt Corral.

[The Consigliere]

On 9/13/2021 at 10:16 AM, UK SKINS FAN 74 said:

You also have to be prepared to pay a premium to go and get who you think is the right one if it is highly unlikely they are going to fall into your lap.

 

Our pursuit of a QB is going to have to be far more aggressive in 2022.

 

The problem is the '17, '18, '20 and '21 classes were vastly superior (leading up to their draft years) to this one. This class may not be as bad as '13, and '14, but it's sketchy in the same way '19 was. You are going to have 3-4 guys go in round 1, and I don't know if any would have in '21 or '18 or '17. There's a lot of Danny Jones/Haskins/Wentz/Goff risk in this class. I'd much rather take a swing with a legit class, then simply push a guy up a la Campbell, and Haskins, and hope for the best. 

 

Not sure, for now, what to think of Strong, of Rattler, of Howell, of Corral, of Willis, Ridder etc. But I'm supremely confident that none of them are close to how Burrow, Tua, Lawrence and Fields were regarded leading up to their draft years. 

 

Hopefully we can get it right, but we've got nearly a century of evidence to suggest we won't (have not drafted and developed a legit franchise QB since Sammy Baugh other than maybe Cousins, who for most, isn't what they mean, when they picture a franchise QB, though he's probably close in the Ken O'Brien, Matt Ryan kind of non-playoff entity but highly productive types. In fairness to Ryan, he should have 1 ring, and he could have easily made 2, or maybe even 3 Super Bowls with a little bit more luck and a better defense and coaches).