The 2022 NFL Draft has concluded. Here are my grades for the NFC teams. But before I start, I should say that this is my opinion, please respect it. Also, these may not age well, since these players haven’t played a game in the NFL yet. Let’s begin.
Philadelphia Eagles: A-
The Eagles started by trading the 18th pick for AJ Brown, a move I love because he is young and speedy. They drafted Jordan Davis with the first pick and despite passing on Nakobe Dean in round 2, he managed to fall to the 3rd round, where they chose him.
Dallas Cowboys: C
The Cowboys took a lot of risks in the draft that could end up paying off someday, but for now, I feel like this is a boom-or-bust class. Offensive tackle Tyler Smith is very good, but will he fill the hole the Cowboys have in their O-line?
New York Giants: A
The Giants nailed this draft. They had two top-10 picks and took two of the best players in this class with them in Kayvon Thibodeaux and Evan Neal.Then they moved back twice in round 2 and got 4th and 5th-round picks. This class will be determined by how well Neal and Thibodeaux perform.
Washington Commanders: B-
The Commanders traded down in round 1 and got Penn State wideout Jahan Dotson. They started with 6 picks and got 8 players.
Green Bay Packers: B+
The Packers had an underrated draft. They tied for a league-high with 11 picks, got huge help on defense in round 1, and chose a receiver in Christian Watson in round 2. Even though they have a different window than most teams with Aaron Rodgers in his late 30s, these rookies can make a big impact in 2022.
Minnesota Vikings: B-
The Vikings had the No. 12 pick and had great prospects on the board, but they traded back with the Lions and didn’t get good value in return. First-round safety Lewis Cine is a heck of a player, but their third-round pick was Ed Ingram, a tackle out of LSU who was projected to go rounds 4-5 since he was arrested in 2018 for two counts of aggravated assault. So this draft class wasn’t bad, but it could’ve been much better.
Detroit Lions: A
The Lions had the No. 2 overall pick, where they took Michigan edge Aidan Hutchinson, who is a great player. Then, they made arguably the best move of the draft, trading up with the Vikings for big-time wideout Jameson Williams. In other words, they killed it.
Chicago Bears: C-
The Bears drafted for volume, a very good thing. But they took older players in this draft, which isn’t what they needed. They only drafted defensive backs until round 3 – and then spent their 3rd-rounder on a 24-year-old receiver from Tennessee, Velus Jones. Not good.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: B
The Bucs traded out of the No. 27 pick in the first, a move I liked because it gave them a 4th-rounder and a 6th-rounder. They took defensive lineman Logan Hall with the first pick of round 2, a good player. The Bucs might be back.
Atlanta Falcons: B+
The Falcons chose a speedy wide receiver in Drake London at No.8. Then they took the most athletic linebacker in the draft, Troy Andersen. They took a chance at quarterback with Desmond Ridder in round 3. I like this draft class a lot.
Carolina Panthers: B
The Panthers did well in this draft, taking offensive tackle Ickey Ekwonu with their top-10 selection. I wanted to give this class an A, but they waited too long to take a quarterback. Since 2012, 13 QBs have been chosen in the third round. Only two became starters. So Matt Corral isn’t the answer.
New Orleans Saints: D-
The Saints traded their first-rounder in 2023 before the draft and a second-rounder in 2024 to get 2 first-rounders this year. Then they traded up for Ohio State WR Chris Olave, which cost them 2 picks. They made 5 picks. Only Miami made fewer. Olave and OT Trevor Penning could be good players, but I am not a fan of what the Saints did in the slightest.
Los Angeles Rams: B
The Rams didn’t have a top-100 pick, trading away their first 2 picks to the Lions and Broncos, respectively. Offensive tackle Logan Bruss could compete for the starting right guard already, or at least the Rams are hoping he can. The Rams didn’t really need the draft, but they didn’t do badly.
Arizona Cardinals: C+
The Cardinals traded the 23rd pick in exchange for Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and a third-rounder, an understandable move. But the Cardinals had an underwhelming class. They took tight end Trey McBride with No. 55, a well-rounded prospect. They then added two pass rushers in round 3. It wasn’t the prettiest class, but it was alright.
Seattle Seahawks: B-
The Seahawks took two offensive tackles and an edge in the first three rounds. But the No. 41 pick was a bad one. Not that Kenneth Walker is a bad player by any stretch of the imagination, but running back was one of the last things they needed. Also, Seattle didn’t choose a single quarterback, which tells me they’re okay with Drew Lock as their quarterback, even though he might be the worst quarterback in the game. It wasn’t a bad draft, but it could’ve been far better.
San Francisco 49ers: B
The 49ers didn’t make a single move up or down the board. They just made all of their picks. Linebacker Drake Jackson was an outstanding selection, being just 21 and ranked 5th among linebackers in true pressure rate last year. Their second-round pick of running back Tyrion Davis-Price wasn’t outstanding, but it was one pick. Wideout Danny Gray had a 4.33 40-yard dash time and can give the Niners a vertical clement. I enjoyed their class.
Source: The Athletic’s “2022 NFL Draft grades for every team, from an A for Ravens to Ds for Jaguars and Saints
