We have reached the end of a unique draft, arguably one of the strangest in recent times. Teams have doubled down on their desire to draft raw athleticism and gamble on future talent at almost every key position, but suddenly shied away from projecting raw athleticism at the quarterback position.
What gives? What does it mean?
A few months back, Sports Illustrated ran a story about the evolution of quarterback play. Aaron Rodgers and, later, Patrick Mahomes, altered the way private coaches and tutors thought about the position. Those changes creeped their way into the modern game and made the NFL accessible for quarterbacks with unique talents we’ve never seen before. A few months later, I talked to some pass-rush coaches who noticed a similar trend with edge rushers. Big and stiff? Small and speedy? It really doesn’t matter, as long as you get to the quarterback.
Imagine our surprise, then, when someone like Travon Walker goes No. 1 overall, almost completely because of the parts of his game we cannot yet see. Then, someone like Malik Willis goes No. 86, despite having a high ceiling at the position. Imagination continues to be a key factor for general managers and coaches when it comes to positions. This year, it failed to become part of the equation for players under center. Is it the Rams-Buccaneers effect, seeing how quickly mercenary QBs can change your fortunes, leaving teams averse to the roller coaster that comes with developing unique young QBs? Was this class of passers really just awful? (We don’t think so, as you’ll see below).
All of these thoughts—and more—have factored into our grading of each team’s 2022 draft class. Who filled needs? Who took the best kinds of calculated risks? Who left good talent on the table, and who made the most of their situations? Of course, these are a joy to revisit as time goes on. (Raise your hand if you punished the Bengals for taking Ja’Marr Chase over Penei Sewell.)
Every year, it’s about what we can see, what we want to see and what we refuse to see. Let’s jump in and discuss how we feel about the class of 2022. (Note: Teams are in rank order of grades.)
