Round one of the NFL Draft has come and gone… And it was bonkers. My Mock Draft was mangled by the third overall pick, only one quarterback was drafted, and we saw a multitude of trades. A lot of future stars were taken tonight, but there are still a ton of awesome prospects available for day two.
Here are the twelve best available after night one of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Liberty QB Malik Willis
My jaw is on the floor. I thought Willis was a lock to go on day one, especially within the top ten, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Pittsburgh went with the home town kid Kenny Pickett, while Washington, New Orleans, and Detroit decided that they didn’t need a quarterback just yet. Willis comes equipped with great playmaking ability that will elevate a lot of offenses; keep any eye on Minnesota at 34, Tennessee at 35, or Seattle at 40 to grab Willis.
Georgia LB Nakobe Dean
Green Bay reached on Dean’s teammate Quay Walker which led to Dean sliding to the second round. He has a very high football IQ and makes plays all over the field. Dean tallied 72 tackles, 6 sacks, and 2 interceptions with Georgia in 2021. At this point, whoever grabs him gets a steal.
Michigan DE David Ojabo
Had Ojabo not torn his achilles, he would have been a mid 20s to early 30s pick in round one. He was some-what overshadowed by Hutchinson’s 14 sack season, but Ojabo had 11 in 2021. The Wolverine alum is great at bending the edge and will be a play making pass rusher in the NFL. The teams that passed on him will regret it in a few years.
Ole Miss QB Matt Corral
While only one quarterback came off the board last night, I’m not shocked Corral is still available. The Ole Miss alum graded around a late-first, early second round pick and he’ll be off the board early tonight. His ability to improvise coupled with solid accuracy will make him a possible starter from day one for certain NFL teams.
Houston DT Logan Hall
Only two interior defensive linemen went last night and it wasn’t much of a shock. Now there are multiple defensive tackles with great upside looking for a home on night two; Logan Hall is one of them. In 2021, Hall made 47 tackles and 6 sacks which elevated his stock. I believe either Baltimore at 45 or Arizona at 55 will grab the big pass rusher.
Georgia WR George Pickens
This wide receiver class is absolutely loaded so I’m not stunned Pickens didn’t come off the board in round one. Had he not been injured for the majority of the 2021 season, he’d be a top 15 pick; his 6’3 frame leads him to catch everything. Top that off with his 4.4, 40 yard dash and he’s a mismatch nightmare.
Baylor S Jalen Pitre
I can’t lie, I’m a little surprised that Pitre is still available after three safeties were taken last night. The Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year is an absolute weapon in run support as he made 18.5 tackles for loss in 2021. To go with that, he made 3.5 sacks and 7 pass breakups proving he can play anywhere on the field.
Central Michigan OT Bernhard Raimann
Raimann was First Team All MAC in 2021 due to his great play for the Chippewas. The 6’7, 305 pound tackle is super crafty with his hands in pass protection and shows off awesome power in the run game. Don’t be shocked if the Jets at 38 or the Packers at 53 scoop up the Austrian pass protector.
UConn DT Travis Jones
I love Travis Jones. In 2021, he was a lone bright spot for UConn as he made 48 tackles and 4.5 sacks; this sent his draft stock to the MOON. The way Jones works his hands in a quick and violent manner paired with his powerful bullrush makes him an asset to teams with vacancies along the interior of their defensive line.
Clemson CB Andrew Booth
I was stunned when I saw Kaiir Elam come off the board before Andrew Booth. Booth is a ridiculously good player.. If he hadn’t gone under the knife for a sports hernia, he most likely would have gone before Trent McDuffie. While his surgery concerned some scouts and teams I don’t believe it’ll be an issue when training camp roles around.
Minnesota DE Boye Mafe
I’m a little surprised that Mafe didn’t get taken in round one, but this edge rusher class is so strong that his slide isn’t concerning. Mafe has a great frame, 6’4, 265 pounds, and has tremendous explosion that other edge rushers in the draft don’t have. Keep an eye out on Houston at 37 or Atlanta at 43 to take Mafe.
North Dakota State WR Christian Watson
After a big run on receivers last night, I don’t think it stops tonight. Watch for Watson to be one of the first pass catchers off the board to either Chicago at 39 or Indianapolis at 42 because he is a baller. The former Bison caught 43 balls for 800 yards in 2021 and will only progress from what he did in college.