Game Thread: Thee 2022 nfl draft

[Podunkparte]

I don't think I can recall being pretty pleased with about every pick...

Same. First draft in a long time I haven't heard a Seahawks selection and went

 

[Shanemansj13]

I don't think I can recall being pretty pleased with about every pick...

Yeah I always get suspicious when that happens and they aren’t high picks. I’m glad this year I really didn’t like the picks, they will probably turn out to be good players now lol

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Brett Veach right now:

 

[Clayton]

I don't think I can recall being pretty pleased with about every pick...

I think this is the first one where I can follow the logic of every pick to this point.

Although the Chiefs generally dont get the opportunity to pick guys like Trent McDuffie. He was the consensus #3 CB to my knowledge. Normally they aren't even picking in the top 50

 

[Shanemansj13]

TEN likes their mobile QB’s. McNair, Young, Mariota and now Willis

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

TEN likes their mobile QB’s. McNair, Young, Mariota and now Willis

That might've been the stupidest thing I've seen in NFL draft history.... Malik Willis' profile pops up, and the 3rd listed item "Steve McNair."

I mean... eh whatever. I'm going to bed.

 

[Black Adam]

so far, so good. Keep up the good work, Veach...

 

[Moab]

I have good news and bad news...the good news is these guys might have their info correct and the bad news is most of their stuff is about them covering their asses for the stuff they've been writing for the last 2 or 3 months...reality tells me they're all hacks trying to protect their jobs..

Kiper's Day 2 winners and questionable picks: Which teams got the best value?

Rounds 2 and 3 of the NFL draft are where teams can find the best value, and these are the teams that won the day -- and struggled.

www.espn.com

 

[Moab]

Day 2 of the 2022 NFL draft brought some drama with the quarterbacks, as none went in Round 2 and three went in Round 3. I was extremely surprised that Malik Willis lasted all the way to Tennessee at No. 86, but I love where he landed. Desmond Ridder (Atlanta, No. 74) and Matt Corral (Carolina, No. 94) also slid down the board further than expected. So what happened? It's clear that teams really weren't in love with this class. I'm a fan of Willis -- he's the most talented signal-caller in the group -- but he needs some time to develop.

The other big storyline of Day 2 was Nakobe Dean's fall to the Eagles in Round 3 (No. 84), but that wasn't because of his on-field performance. Teams had flagged his medical reports, so there's some concern about his ability to play in 2022. As with Willis, I love Dean's game, and he will patrol the middle of Philly's defense for years to come.

Let's roll through the picks I liked and didn't love from the second and third rounds, just as I did for the first round. These are based on my rankings and how I have prospects graded. I'll point out the teams that got the best value and the teams that reached. Check back in bright and early on Saturday as we'll be back for Rounds 4-7 (noon ET on ESPN, ABC and the ESPN App). And come back late Saturday night for my post-draft grades for all 32 teams.

More NFL draft coverage:
Kiper's final rankings
Round 1 winners and head-scratchers
Answering big Round 1 questions
Best available prospects | Top 32 picks​

Winners and my favorite picks from Rounds 2 and 3​

Atlanta Falcons​

The picks: Arnold Ebiketie, DE, Penn State (No. 38); Troy Andersen, LB, Montana (No. 58); Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati (No. 74); DeAngelo Malone, OLB, Western Kentucky (No. 82)



Ebiketie is one of my favorite prospects in this class, and Atlanta was able to snag him. I love this pick. I thought he might have gone in the 20s. The only downside is that general manager Terry Fontenot had to give up a fifth-rounder to move up five spots with the Giants. The Falcons had to get ahead of Seattle for Ebiketie, and he's going to be a really solid all-around player.

Editor's Picks​

• 
  

  Kiper picks winners and head-scratching picks from Round 1: Which teams crushed the night
  1dMel Kiper Jr.​

• 
  

  Answering the biggest Round 1 questions: Experts debate best picks, steals, trades and more
  18hTodd McShay, +2 More​

• 
  

  Kiper's final NFL draft rankings: Top 225 prospects and best at every position
  3dMel Kiper Jr.​

Andersen is another great fit for Atlanta, which needs playmakers in the front seven. He is super talented -- he played running back and quarterback early in his college career -- and tested extremely well at the combine (4.42-second 40-yard dash at 243 pounds). These two could be foundational defenders.

And Ridder and Malone too? What a day for the Falcons. Ridder is inconsistent with his accuracy at times, but he has all the physical tools to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. This is great value, and he could seriously compete with Marcus Mariota for the starting job in training camp. Malone flashed as a pass-rusher; he will be a good situational player early in his career.

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Baltimore Ravens​

The picks: David Ojabo, OLB, Michigan (No. 45) and Travis Jones, DT, UConn (No. 76)

Ojabo might have been a top-10 pick if he hadn't torn his Achilles in his left leg in March. Even if he has to redshirt this season, the Ravens got a great edge rusher for 2023 and beyond. Ojabo was a strip-sack machine for the Wolverines last season, and he dominated at times on the other side of Aidan Hutchinson.

Ojabo now gets to play for his college coordinator (Mike Macdonald) and play with his high school teammate (Odafe Oweh). By the way, this is the third straight year that coach John Harbaugh has drafted a prospect who played for his brother, Jim, at Michigan.

Jones is an awesome value pick; I thought he would go about 30 picks higher. At 6-foot-4, 325 pounds, he will eat up blockers and allow linebackers to roam freely. Baltimore is having a great draft.

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Green Bay Packers​

The pick: Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State (No. 34)

This was a fit I had in my final mock draft. But why did the Vikings trade with the Packers to allow a division rival to get Watson? OK, so Minnesota got picks Nos. 53 and 59, while Green Bay got No. 34. But Watson is a great deep threat, a receiver who will help Aaron Rodgers early and often. Watson averaged more than 20 yards per catch in college. Rodgers is going to love him.

I'm really fascinated by this NFC North trade. Yes, the Vikings got an extra pick, but they allowed the Packers to get a dangerous target. Green Bay also added versatile lineman Sean Rhyan late in Round 3 (92). That was right around where I had him ranked. He could compete to start at guard or tackle.

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​

 

[Moab]

Questionable picks from Rounds 2 and 3​

Seattle Seahawks​

The picks: Boye Mafe, OLB, Minnesota (No. 40) and Kenneth Walker II, RB, Michigan State (No. 41)

With Malik Willis still on the board at No. 40, the Seahawks passed twice on taking my top-ranked quarterback in this class. Do they really expect Drew Lock and Geno Smith to play anywhere close to above-average football this season? I don't get it.

Mafe has been a little overrated -- he's No. 53 on my Big Board -- because he doesn't have many pass-rush moves and needs to get better against the run. Walker is a good running back, but did Seattle really need one this high? I loved the Charles Cross pick on Day 1, but these are head-scratchers.

In Round 3, the Seahawks added a right tackle in Abraham Lucas, and they might just have their new bookend tackles. Still, who's playing quarterback behind them?

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Chicago Bears​

The picks: Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington (39) and Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State (No. 48)

I said before Round 2 began that the Bears were in for a big night, because they had two early picks to fill clear needs. Those needs? Cornerback, wide receiver and offensive line. What did Chicago do? Fill the hole at corner ... and then take a safety.

I like Gordon and Brisker. I do. But Justin Fields needs some help if he's going to succeed. He doesn't have many playmakers around him on offense, and the line in front of him is not good enough. He was sacked on a league-high 10.3% of his dropbacks last season.

2022 NFL draft coverage​

• Follow every pick » | Best available »
• Rankings | Analysis of every pick
• Winners, losers: Day 1 » | Day 2 »
• Answering big Round 1 questions »
• Pros and cons » | Trade tracker »
• More coverage » | Full draft order »


Among the receivers still on the board at No. 48: Alec Pierce, Skyy Moore, George Pickens. And Abraham Lucas or Nicholas Petit-Frere could have helped along the O-line.

General manager Ryan Poles did add a receiver in Round 3 with Velus Jones Jr. (No. 71), but that was still ahead of a few other players I liked, including Calvin Austin III. Jones is going to be a 25-year-old rookie, so has he already hit his ceiling?

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New England Patriots​

The pick: Tyquan Thornton, WR, Baylor (No. 50)

There were several better receivers available when the Patriots reached for Thornton here. He went two rounds early based on my rankings. He can fly -- he ran a 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the combine -- but he has a slender 6-foot-2 frame and needs to work on his route running. Alec Pierce is more ready to contribute as a rookie.

We know Bill Belichick and the Patriots do their own thing in the draft, but they reached on their first two picks. I do like their third pick, cornerback/return man Marcus Jones, who is only 5-foot-8 but has really solid technique and is a dynamo on special teams.

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More reaches based on my Big Board and position rankings​

• Sam Williams was a productive edge rusher at Ole Miss, but I would have taken him in the fourth round, not the second, as Dallas did (No. 56). That feels like a reach for a hole rather than going with the best available prospect.
• Buffalo picked undersized linebacker Terrel Bernard really high based on my rankings. He is No. 219 on my Big Board, and he was picked at No. 89. I think he's more likely to be a special-teams guy, rather than a starting NFL linebacker.
• I had an early Round 3 grade on cornerback Roger McCreary, and the Titans took him early in Round 2 (No. 35). That's a little high based on value. He's going to fill a need -- and he can play in the slot -- but Andrew Booth Jr. and Kyler Gordon were still available when they picked.
• Wan'Dale Robinson is a 5-foot-8 speedster who probably will play only out of the slot, and the Giants took him a full round early (No. 43). He is my 13th-ranked receiver. I had better wideouts on the board, including John Metchie III, who is a better slot playmaker. Does this mean New York is going to move on from Kadarius Toney?
• Alontae Taylor is my 11th-ranked safety and New Orleans took him at No. 49, ahead of other defensive backs such as Nick Cross, JT Woods and Verone McKinley III .
• I see defensive tackle Zachary Carter as a backup, not a starter, so the Bengals taking him at No. 95 is a reach. I know they have a need there, but I don't love reaching.

 

[Moab]

I'll tell you all something...fuck these guys...they have jobs based on nothing other than hype, smoke and disinformation... they have been doing this for years and in the end know less than most of the people posting on this board... it's comical how much stuff they get wrong and year after year fans buy into their "evaluations"...those evaluations are more about people blowing smoke up their skirts than actual info...just smoke and nonsense...and I will say it right here an now, if any team employees are using this info they need to be fired...not today or tomorrow, but yesterday...

 

[thedddd]

@Shanemansj13 I'm just messing with you. @FaCe-LeE-uS and have man crushes that exceeds the old wentz love. @Bridgeburner are you there? @Superbelt whats your officiL stance? @thedddd

I accepted the fact they were drafting a QB a long time ago. I am like ehh on the whole thing but super glad they didn’t trade up. And now looking how far they all fell they could have drafted the QB in the second round or later.

 

[megalodon30]

That might've been the stupidest thing I've seen in NFL draft history.... Malik Willis' profile pops up, and the 3rd listed item "Steve McNair."

I mean... eh whatever. I'm going to bed.

Maybe they just meant they think he’ll be killed by his mistress some day…

 

[Black Adam]

Maybe they just meant they think he’ll be killed by his mistress some day…

Ah, you gonna be talking about "fear" again today? You've impressed us all so far...

 

[megalodon30]

Ah, you gonna be talking about "fear" again today? You've impressed us all so far...

Nah, I’m working today. I’ll be busy, so I won’t be around to tell you how awful your draft has been. Go crazy and enjoy the rest of the draft in peace, bud.

 

[Black Adam]

Nah, I’m working today. I’ll be busy, so I won’t be around to tell you how awful your draft has been. Go crazy and enjoy the rest of the draft in peace, bud.

Looking forward to burying you punks two more times in the regular season...

#14&15

 

[Clayton]

Someone needs to tell Mel Kiper that the Bills probably see undersized linebacker as desirable. His combine numbers put him in the 'money' role which is coveted in the system the Bills run

 

[SteelersPride]

I accepted the fact they were drafting a QB a long time ago. I am like ehh on the whole thing but super glad they didn’t trade up. And now looking how far they all fell they could have drafted the QB in the second round or later.

If kenny was the guy im not sure how much further he falls… but yeah you r righ

 

[Shanemansj13]

The Browns need a kicker and Cade York could go early today. PLEASE draft him. That is all I ask for!!!!

 

[Black Adam]

The Browns need a kicker and Cade York could go early today. PLEASE draft him. That is all I ask for!!!!

That ain't ALL you ask for...