Which offensive tackles were drafted in the 2022 NFL Draft? Who were the teams that drafted those OTs, and how does the 2022 class compare to previous years?
Which Offensive Tackles Were Drafted in the 2022 NFL Draft?
Let’s take a look at the OTs drafted in the 2022 NFL Draft. Things got off to a fast start at the position, with three tackles selected inside the top 10.
Ikem Ekwonu, NC State | Carolina Panthers
Round 1, Pick 6
Ekwonu became the first tackle drafted in 2022 when the Carolina Panthers selected him with the sixth pick. He played his college ball in the same state at North Carolina State University. The Panthers selected Ekwonu with the hopes he can be a franchise cornerstone.
Evan Neal, Alabama | New York Giants
Round 1, Pick 7
Immediately following the Ekwonu selection, the Giants doubled down on the very next pick and selected Evan Neal out of Alabama. Both Neal and Ekwonu were considered the two best tackles in the class, and the Giants were pleased to get one of them.
Charles Cross, Mississippi State | Seattle Seahawks
Round 1, Pick 9
Charles Cross did not start the 2021-2022 college football season as a top-10 selection, but as the season went on, his stock rose fast.
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That eventually landed him as the third tackle selected at the top of the 2022 NFL Draft. The Seahawks needed the help and believed Cross could provide it.
Trevor Penning, Northern Iowa | New Orleans Saints
Round 1, Pick 19
Penning showed his nastiness throughout the pre-draft process with all of the fights he got into at Senior Bowl practices. As a small-school prospect, sometimes you have to do a little extra to get noticed. Penning did, and he became the fourth tackle selected in Round 1.
Tyler Smith, Tulsa | Dallas Cowboys
Round 1, Pick 24
Dallas’ selection of Tyler Smith caught many by surprise on draft day, but he quickly emerged as the right choice as a rookie. Smith was the fifth tackle selected in the first round and is a projected starter heading into Year 2 for the Cowboys, setting up many questions in need of answers on Dallas’ offensive line.
Rounds 3-7
6) Nicholas Petit-Frere, Ohio State
Round 3, Pick 69 | Titans
7) Abraham Lucas, Washington State
Round 3, Pick 72 | Seahawks
8) Bernhard Raimann, Central Michigan
Round 3, Pick 77 | Colts
9) Sean Rhyan, UCLA
Round 3, Pick 92 | Packers
10) Daniel Faalele, Minnesota
Round 4, Pick 110 | Ravens
11) Max Mitchell, Louisiana
Round 4, Pick 111 | Jets
12) Spencer Burford, UTSA
Round 4, Pick 134 | 49ers
13) Cordell Volson, NDSU
Round 4, Pick 136 | Bengals
14) Zach Tom, Wake Forest
Round 4, Pick 140 | Packers
15) Darian Kinnard, Kentucky
Round 5, Pick 145 | Chiefs
16) Matt Waletzko, North Dakota
Round 5, Pick 155 | Cowboys
17) Braxton Jones, Southern Utah
Round 5, Pick 168 | NFL Team
18) Vederian Lowe, Illinois
Round 6, Pick 184 | Vikings
19) Zachary Thomas, San Diego State
Round 6, Pick 186 | Bears
20) Nick Zakelj, Fordham
Round 6, Pick 187 | 49ers
21) Jamaree Salyer, Georgia
Round 6, Pick 195 | Chargers
22) Austin Deculus, LSU
Round 6, Pick 205 | Texans
23) Luke Tenuta, Virginia Tech
Round 6, Pick 209 | Bills
24) Ja’Tyre Carter, Southern
Round 7, Pick 227 | Bears
25) Andrew Stueber, Michigan
Round 7, Pick 245 | Patriots
26) Rasheed Walker, Penn State
Round 7, Pick 249 | Packers
27) AJ Arcuri, Michigan State
Round 7, Pick 261 | Rams
How Many Offensive Tackles Were Drafted in 2022?
There is an increased premium being placed on the offensive tackle position. The 27 offensive tackles drafted in the 2022 NFL Draft are tied for the most players taken at the position in the last decade. There were also 27 OTs taken in 2021, with nine being taken in the first two days and 18 on Day 3.
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Typically, three to four tackles are taken in Round 1 each year, but the 2022 NFL Draft topped that with five. As the league continues to move towards more and more passing, getting athletes to protect the quarterback is ever more important.