Round 1 of the 2022 NFL Draft is in the books. Below is Bucky Brooks' analysis for every player drafted in Round 1.
NOTE: Only trades agreed to after Day 1 began are reflected below.
Walker is a Swiss Army knife with the capacity to play anywhere along the line. From nose tackle to edge rusher, the Georgia product possesses the speed, athleticism and burst to be an impact defender. Although he did not produce at a high level in college, he boasts intriguing athleticism and play-making potential.
Hutchinson is a blue-chip prospect with A-plus tools and technical skills. The Michigan standout combines his exceptional physical gifts and refined hand-to-hand combat ability with relentless effort that overwhelms blockers over time. His resume is loaded with performance and production, making him a high-floor prospect with outstanding potential.
Stingley is a five-star talent with outstanding tools (height, weight, speed and athleticism) and play-making potential, but he has not played like an A-plus prospect since his freshman season. Although the LSU standout's ability could make him a future All-Pro, he must display more consistency between the lines to become a player whose production matches his ceiling.
The Cincinnati star displays exceptional bump-and-run skills, but he is also an instinctive defender with the capacity to thrive as a ballhawk in zone coverage. An aggressive tackler with underrated talents as a pass rusher off the edge, the 6-foot-3, 190-pounder should be a premier corner early in his career.
Thibodeaux is a boom-or-bust blue-chip player with impressive physical tools and an unstoppable speed-rush maneuver. The Oregon product displays exceptional balance and body control turning the corner. With outstanding instincts and snap-count anticipation enhancing his speed rush attempts, the electric pass rusher could blossom into a destructive force as a pro.
Ekwonu is an explosive run-blocker with a nasty temperament that will enable him to set the tone for the front line. He mauls defenders with his exceptional combination of strength and power, finishing his blocks with relentless aggression. The N.C. State product is still a work in progress as a pass-protector, but his size and physical tools could enable him to quickly blossom into an elite offensive tackle in time.
Neal is a super-sized edge blocker with natural skills as a left tackle. The 6-7, 337-pounder is a patient technician with the length to stymie pass rushers off the edge and the power to blow defenders off the ball. The Alabama standout is a powerful run-blocker, but not quite as nasty as some of his counterparts in this class.
London is a former hooper with outstanding size, length and leaping ability. As a super-sized pass catcher, he expands the strike zone for the quarterback and will be a dominant red-zone threat from Day 1.
Cross is a technical marvel with the athleticism, hand skills and anchor to dominate one-on-one matchups against premier pass rushers off the edge. The Mississippi State star flips the switch from technician to mauler/brawler in the run game to bully defenders at the line of scrimmage.
Wilson is a polished playmaker with A-plus route-running ability and ball skills. The Ohio State product could thrive as a WR1 or WR2 in an offense that features skilled route runners on the perimeter.
Olave is a scoring machine with the speed and explosiveness to win on deep routes from an outside alignment. As a crafty vertical route runner, he is a perfect fit as a WR2 in an offense that loves to push the ball down the field.
Williams is a "redshirt" candidate due to the torn ACL he suffered in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, but his speed and big-play ability could help him emerge as a special player as a pro. If the Alabama standout returns to form, he'll have a chance to be the best value pick in the draft.
Davis is a monstrous interior defender with exceptional run-stopping skills. He occupies multiple blockers at the point of attack and can completely eliminate the running game as a one-man wrecking crew at the line of scrimmage.
Hamilton is a future all-star with a game built on instincts, awareness and elite athleticism. He covers ground like an MLB center fielder while packing a punch like an All-Pro linebacker. As a middle-of-the-field defender with size, range and versatility, the Notre Dame standout is the kind of play-making safety defensive coordinators build game plans around.
An athletic phone-booth controller, Green has the strength, power and explosiveness to blow defenders off the ball in the running game. The Texas A&M standout excels in a "pin-and-pull" scheme, but he also displays enough athleticism to thrive in zone-based or man blocking systems, as well.
Dotson is a catch-and-run specialist with outstanding speed, quickness and burst. The Penn State standout is a scheme-friendly playmaker capable of filling a variety of roles as an inside-outside threat.
Johnson is a scrappy interior blocker with a versatile game that suits any system. The Boston College star climbs quickly to the second level with superb balance and body control while flashing enough knock-back power to blow defenders out of the hole.
The big-bodied playmaker is a versatile offensive threat; he has the size to dominate in the red zone as a jump-ball specialist, and he has the running skills to create big plays as a catch-and-run weapon.
Penning likes to mash and maul defenders at the point of attack. With superior size, length and strength, the Northern Iowa star will be a problem for opponents who are unable to deal with his bully-ball tactics on the edges.
As an experienced prospect with A-plus intangibles and swagger, Pickett is a pro-ready QB1 with the potential to take snaps as a starter early in his career. Although he lacks elite arm talent, the Pittsburgh standout's collegiate seasoning (49 career starts) gives him a chance to make up for his deficiencies with superb managerial skills and expertise as a pocket passer.
McDuffie is a polished cover corner with a toolbox that enables him to employ a variety of techniques as a scheme-friendly playmaker. Whether playing man or zone or utilizing bump, bail or shadow techniques, the Washington standout can do it all -- defensive coaches covet players with his IQ and skills.
The ultra-athletic defender is an explosive sideline-to-sideline playmaker with range and solid tackling skills. Walker’s prototypical physical dimensions and natural instincts should make him an effective pro.
The Florida standout is an instinctive cover corner with the size to challenge receivers in press coverage and the technical skills to excel in zone coverage. Elam is one of the few corners in the draft with a solid set of skills that would suit any system.
As a raw, unrefined athlete with outstanding physical tools, Smith has the potential to quickly develop into an all-star-caliber blocker if he improves his technique. With solid coaching and a strong work ethic, Smith could blossom as an edge blocker within this system.
The savvy technician from Iowa lacks prototypical dimensions, but his game is pretty flawless between the lines. Linderbaum is a scrappy player at the point of attack with the IQ, instincts and experience to serve as a traffic cop for the front line.
The Florida State standout can win with speed or power off the edge while also displaying enough grit to set the edge as a run defender. Johnson is a potential double-digit sack artist who stands to earn all-star accolades early in his career.
Lloyd is a ball magnet with exceptional instincts and awareness, a big-play threat in coverage who also displays the athleticism and explosiveness to create chaos as a pass rusher. With the Utah standout additionally flashing sound fundamentals as a tackler in space, he has the talent to emerge as a Pro Bowl-caliber player early in his career.
Wyatt routinely overwhelms blockers at the point of attack with his explosiveness, athleticism and power. The Georgia product could explode as a pro with more opportunities to hunt in an aggressive one-gap system that emphasizes penetration.
The scrappy interior blocker from Chattanooga has the potential to play every spot on the offensive line. Strange is a developmental prospect, but he could earning a starting role as a rookie with a strong performance in training camp.
Karlaftis is a worker bee on the edge with a non-stop motor and exceptional hand skills. He is relentless when pursuing the quarterback, and his steady production is the result of his tireless approach. With a pro-ready game, Karlaftis should be a Day 1 starter.
Hill is an exceptional nickel defender with superb instincts for the position, a natural slot defender with cover-corner-like skills and sneaky pass-rush ability.
Cine is a knockout specialist with an aggressive game that enables him to flourish near the box as a run defender. The Georgia product is an outstanding tackler with enough range to control the box from depth while also flashing the athleticism to stay over the top in coverage.
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