2022 NFL Draft Big Board | 26-50
The first quarterbacks land in the second half of the top 50 prospects on our 2022 NFL Draft Big Board. Furthermore, the depth of the wide receiver class is showcased, with multiple pass-catching prospects landing within the next 25 positions.
26) Kenyon Green, G, Texas A&M
Tony Pauline: 23 | Oliver Hodgkinson: 26 | Ian Cummings: 34 | Cam Mellor: 37
Kenyon Green has taken a slip down our 2022 NFL Draft Big Board. However, if you take him for what he is (an exceptional guard prospect) rather than what the Aggies tried to make him (an offensive tackle), Green has impressive next-level potential. A mauling savage in the ground game, the Texas A&M interior lineman has an anchor in pass protection that could hold a yacht to the bottom of the ocean in the middle of a tornado.
27) Arnold Ebiketie, EDGE, Penn State
Tony Pauline: 46 | Oliver Hodgkinson: 33 | Ian Cummings: 12 | Cam Mellor: 43
Having transferred from Temple, Arnold Ebiketie has made a name for himself in just one season at Penn State. Forget the sensational statistical performance — Ebiketie has showcased all the tools to be a dangerous edge player in the NFL. Explosive, agile, and bendy, the Penn State pass rusher has weaponized hands connected to impressively long levers. It’s a dangerous combination that’s vaulted him up our final NFL Draft Big Board.
28) Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia
Tony Pauline: 29 | Oliver Hodgkinson: 43 | Ian Cummings: 30 | Cam Mellor: 31
Explosive and powerful, Devonte Wyatt possesses game-changing athletic ability of his own. He’s explosive, powerful, and poses a genuine pass-rush threat. He’s also able to provide a strong anchor in the run game. An all-around threat, it’s easy to see why some prefer him to his Georgia teammate. However, some off-field issues may impact Wyatt’s overall selection on draft weekend.
29) Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas
Tony Pauline: 35 | Oliver Hodgkinson: 28 | Ian Cummings: 35 | Cam Mellor: 40
Following Treylon Burks‘ less-successful-than-anticipated NFL Combine performance, PFN Chief Draft Analyst Tony Pauline reported that he might fall out of the first round. However, on tape, you can see Burks has the ability to impact the NFL in multiple ways as a pass catcher. The Arkansas WR can be a big-bodied boundary threat. He also possesses after-the-catch elusiveness and has been used out of the backfield at the college level.
30) Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington
Tony Pauline: 22 | Oliver Hodgkinson: 31 | Ian Cummings: 45 | Cam Mellor: 41
Although Trent McDuffie lacks the impressive size profile of his CB contemporaries on our 2022 NFL Draft Big Board, that doesn’t mean he should be overlooked as an elite prospect at the position. The Washington playmaker makes up for what he lacks in size with explosiveness, fluidity, physicality, and instincts. Improvements at the catch point in his final season round out an impressive scouting report for the highly regarded prospect.
31) Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa
Tony Pauline: 18 | Oliver Hodgkinson: 46 | Ian Cummings: 52 | Cam Mellor: 30
A prospect that has been reportedly receiving early first-round attention in NFL front offices for a long time, Trevor Penning certainly presents some starting-level qualities. His sheer size, power, and physicality combined with athleticism make for an alluring prospect. However, some technical elements of his game require serious refinement. Meanwhile, his temperament straddles the line between aggressive and unacceptable.
32) Malik Willis, QB, Liberty
Tony Pauline: 21 | Oliver Hodgkinson: 32 | Ian Cummings: 85 | Cam Mellor: 21
In a murky quarterback class, Malik Willis emerges as the QB1 on our 2022 NFL Draft Big Board. Boasting a ludicrous cannon for an arm, the Liberty passer can make throws some QB prospects can only dream of. His creative mobility is unlike anything we’ve seen since Lamar Jackson entered the league. However, accuracy, decision-making, and processing will require serious development before Willis takes to the field.
33) Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State
Tony Pauline: 34 | Oliver Hodgkinson: 39 | Ian Cummings: 23| Cam Mellor: 53
With a nose for the end zone and the speed, explosion, and elusiveness to match, Iowa State running back Breece Hall is reportedly garnering Round 1 attention ahead of the draft. Testing exceptionally well at the NFL Combine won’t have harmed his chances of being the first RB off the board in April. In addition to his athletic ability, Hall offers receiving upside while possessing the vision to make the most of any opportunity.
34) Boye Mafe, EDGE, Minnesota
Tony Pauline: 31 | Oliver Hodgkinson: 29 | Ian Cummings: 37 | Cam Mellor: 55
While he lands as the 34th overall prospect on our 2022 NFL Draft Big Board, Boye Mafe could sniff the mid-to-late first round this weekend. An outstanding Senior Bowl week and incredible testing numbers have seen scouts scurrying for Minnesota tape. When you get there, you find an explosive pass rusher who plays with great bend and power. Once considered a “raw” prospect, Mafe already showcases exciting technical refinement.
35) Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State
Tony Pauline: 32 | Oliver Hodgkinson: 36 | Ian Cummings: 51 | Cam Mellor: 39
An electric and dangerous playmaker, Jahan Dotson has had to battle offensive deficiencies to showcase his talent while at Penn State. He’s an explosive athlete, demonstrates impressive route running, and possesses catch-point acumen. Despite his smaller stature, Dotson’s routinely shown the ability to get up and snag errant passes, allaying size concerns that could otherwise limit his stock.
36) Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh
Tony Pauline: 27 | Oliver Hodgkinson: 47 | Ian Cummings: 76 | Cam Mellor: 35
If you’re an NFL team that needs an instant starter out of this QB class, Kenny Pickett is likely to be your man. A solid quarterback prospect who possesses the best “all-around” skill set, he’s shown enough arm talent and out-of-structure prowess to be a competent NFL starter right away. With so much uncertainty amongst the other prospects, that’s enough to have the Pitt star finish as the QB2 of our 2022 NFL Draft Big Board.
37) Kenneth Walker III, RB, Michigan State
Tony Pauline: 55 | Oliver Hodgkinson: 40 | Ian Cummings: 22 | Cam Mellor: 54
Only Central Michigan’s Lew Nichols III finished the season with more rushing yards than Kenneth Walker III. Yet, it’s how the Michigan State RB achieved that production that earns him a spot on our 2022 NFL Draft Top 50 Big Board. He’s physical, has contact balance, cuts with explosion, and displays elusiveness in the open field. Don’t be fooled by a lack of relative receiving experience — Walker has shown enough natural pass-catching ability to be proficient at the NFL level.
38) Perrion Winfrey, DT, Oklahoma
Tony Pauline: 58 | Oliver Hodgkinson: 27 | Ian Cummings: 28 | Cam Mellor: 57
Solidly underrated though the season, Oklahoma defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey exploded into possible first-round contention with an exceptional Senior Bowl showing. An imposing defensive lineman, Winfrey has an alluring combination of size, length, and power. He routinely delivers bone-shaking hits as a disruptive playmaker along the defensive front.
39) Jalen Pitre, S, Baylor
Tony Pauline: 45 | Oliver Hodgkinson: 54 | Ian Cummings: 47 | Cam Mellor: 27
Baylor’s Jalen Pitre is an explosive and impactful playmaker with the potential to play from multiple alignments for an NFL defense. Pitre can hit you in the mouth as a blitzer. Meanwhile, he possesses the intelligence, instincts, sideline-to-sideline speed, and ball skills to threaten any offense in coverage.
40) Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State
Tony Pauline: 57 | Oliver Hodgkinson: 34 | Ian Cummings: 26 | Cam Mellor: 62
In a talented safety group, Jaquan Brisker is adept at disrupting passes or blowing up run plays. In an era where the safety position is required to impact the game at every phase of defense, the Penn State product has proven that he’s excellent all around. If Brisker can work on improving how quickly he reads and reacts, he’ll be an elite playmaker in the NFL.
41) Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington
Tony Pauline: 51 | Oliver Hodgkinson: 30 | Ian Cummings: 48 | Cam Mellor: 49
While his NFL Combine performance lacked the sparkle we were expecting, Washington cornerback Kyler Gordon remains one of the most explosive defensive backs in the class. The Washington CB has the requisite size to play outside or in the slot at the next level. He’s athletic, possesses impressive ball skills, and his physicality is apparent on every snap.
42) Chad Muma, LB, Wyoming
Tony Pauline: 70 | Oliver Hodgkinson: 42 | Ian Cummings: 24 | Cam Mellor: 48
Wyoming LB Chad Muma often draws comparison to former teammate Logan Wilson, now an NFL fixture with the Cincinnati Bengals. For me, Muma is at an even higher level than Wilson when he left Laramie for the NFL Draft. He attacks gaps with explosiveness, possesses sideline-to-sideline range, and has the intelligence to impact all three facets of defense — pass rush, run support, and coverage.
43) Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State
Tony Pauline: 47 | Oliver Hodgkinson: 55 | Ian Cummings: 54 | Cam Mellor: 33
A late ascending wide receiver prospect following standout Senior Bowl and NFL Combine performances, Christian Watson‘s ability was evident if you watched North Dakota State to study Trey Lance in the last draft cycle. A genuine size and speed threat, Watson’s versatile usage and special-teams experience should see him hit the field early in his NFL career. The athletic upside is outstanding, and with technical improvements, he has a very high ceiling.
44) Travis Jones, DT, UConn
Tony Pauline: 39 | Oliver Hodgkinson: 37 | Ian Cummings: 40 | Cam Mellor: 82
A 326-pound juggernaut with excellent length and unexpected levels of athleticism, UConn defensive tackle Travis Jones is a fearsome prospect to face in the trenches. He’s strong, relentless, and possesses a pair of hands that are as fast as they are powerful. Jones has all the traits to be a force as a run-stuffer at the NFL level, but his pass-rush upside could allow him to have a long and successful career as a versatile defensive tackle.
45) Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State
Tony Pauline: 41 | Oliver Hodgkinson: 44 | Ian Cummings: 67 | Cam Mellor: 46
Colorado State tight end Trey McBride is the TE1 on our 2022 NFL Draft Big Board. A physical and nasty blocker, McBride instigates contact rather than merely taking it. His origins on the defensive line help in this regard. McBride’s also a reliable pass catcher with decent ball-tracking and catch-point skills. A three-level threat, he has good relative speed for his size and acts like a bulldozer to pick up after-the-catch yardage.
46) Bernhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan
Tony Pauline: 43 | Oliver Hodgkinson: 53 | Ian Cummings: 61 | Cam Mellor: 44
A former tight end, Central Michigan’s Bernhard Raimann has successfully transitioned to offensive tackle, earning a spot inside the top 50 of our 2022 NFL Draft Big Board. Although he’ll be an older rookie, his athleticism, grip strength, and the ability to be a bully at the point of attack will make him an alluring prospect for some teams. Raimann also possesses the mental fortitude to succeed at the next level.
47) Quay Walker, LB, Georgia
Tony Pauline: 50 | Oliver Hodgkinson: 59 | Ian Cummings: 39 | Cam Mellor: 65
It can often be difficult to distinguish yourself in a defense like Georgia’s. However, when you’re a 6’4″, 240-pound juggernaut who plays the game with relentless physicality, you’re bound to get noticed. Quay Walker has entered first-round conversation during this process, and while that doesn’t tally with his 47th ranking on our 2022 NFL Draft Big Board, his ability to impact the game in multiple ways could be highly valued by teams this week.
48) Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss
Tony Pauline: 24 | Oliver Hodgkinson: 45 | Ian Cummings: 115 | Cam Mellor: 42
Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral has undeniable talent. Some of his throws appear laser-guided, and — like Willis above him on our 2022 NFL Draft Big Board — he has the confidence in himself to complete throws some quarterbacks wouldn’t even attempt. This year, Corral has proven himself a leader, dragging the team on his back as a gritty, gung-ho runner. A simplified offense at Ole Miss does raise questions about his ability to process the game at a high level in the NFL.
49) Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn
Tony Pauline: 37 | Oliver Hodgkinson: 69 | Ian Cummings: 56 | Cam Mellor: 60
Yes, there are questions about Roger McCreary‘s arm length. 28 7/8″ arms are significantly below what is typically deemed acceptable at the NFL level. However, McCreary offers plenty of alluring traits that help negate those questions. He’s a fluid athlete with the intelligence and experience to play both man and zone coverage. Despite the arm size, he showcases excellent ball skills, including the ability to remove the ball by force.
50) Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina
Tony Pauline: 61 | Oliver Hodgkinson: 49 | Ian Cummings: 102 | Cam Mellor: 36
North Carolina’s Sam Howell began the 2021 college football season as one of the favorites to be the first QB off the board. However, he suffered through a difficult season in an offense that lost significant firepower. Despite this, the UNC prospect is an intelligent, accurate quarterback with an excellent arm. Howell threw the entire team on his back at times this season and carried them down the field. That leadership will count for a lot.