7/10/21: Malone was a dangerous quarterback hunter over the past three seasons for the Hilltoppers. Walkers athleticism is legitimately otherworldly, and on tape, his power is just as potent. He is quick at the point of attack and causes a lot of disruption behind the line of scrimmage. . He started slowly, but he was coming alive in the final regular-season games for Ohio State. 1 and No. 4/27/22: Anthony was playing well for LSU and on his way to a good season, but he suffered a non-contact knee injury versus Central Michigan that ended his 2021 season. [2], Draft activities were held around two main locations on the Las Vegas Strip; invited players walked a red carpet stage constructed on the man-made lake in front of the Bellagio and its fountains. He was a consensus first-rounder prior to the injury. He needed to show more pass-rushing talent. 38", "Colts trade down in the second round of NFL Draft with Vikings", "Browns trade down from No. Nik Bonitto is one of the draft's best outside linebackers. He also has to up his pass-rush production with the Bulldogs. 2022 NFL draft: The top 11 quarterbacks 1 Jermaine Johnson II, Florida State (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports) Height: 6'4 5/8 (69th) Weight: 254 (20th) 40-Yard Dash: 4.58 seconds (93rd) 10-Yard. And Isaiah Thomas also finds himself on the list of top defensive ends in the 2022 NFL Draft. 2022 NFL Draft Defensive End Rankings includes a prospect ranking, a breakdown of scouting for the position, key questions about the position, and a link to learn more. Team sources say Johnson beat up on some bad tackles and really struggled against Alabama left tackle Evan Neal. Team sources say Thibodeaux is worthy of being a high first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft and feel he has the upside to possibly be a Khalil Mack-type rusher at the next level. He has excellent size at 65 and 258 pounds, with incredible length. The junior put together an impressive 2021, including a number of games against good opponents in which he wreaked havoc. Defensive End Rankings 2022 NFL Draft Home Positions DE ALL QUARTERBACK RUNNING BACK WIDE RECEIVER TIGHT END OFFENSIVE LINE DEFENSIVE LINE EDGE LINEBACKER DEFENSIVE BACK #1 RANKED - SCOUTING REPORT 97 Aidan Hutchinson POSITION RANK #1 OUR RATING 94.8 DE All Scouts Average Overall Rank 2.7 All Scouts Average Position Rank 1 Height Feet 6-7 He is going to be freak at the combine and pro day. Barno broke out in 2020, recording 6.5 sacks with 43 tackles, two forced fumbles and two passes batted. His best fit in the NFL could be as a 3-4 outside linebacker. Similar to Karlaftis, dont be fooled into thinking that size only equals power. 24 in passing yards allowed (4,160) and No. The defensive linemen in the 2022 NFL draft class may be one of the best classes in recent years. The draft also saw a record nine draft-day trades with first-round picks, which resulted in less than half of the first round selections being made by the teams that initially owned them. 4/27/22: Some in the media are projecting Thomas in the first round, but team sources said they don't have him that high. After an offense-heavy draft in 2021, there is more defensive promise in 2022. Who will be the top defensive ends for the 2022 NFL Draft? Listed at 65 and 268 pounds, Thomas has the frame to add more weight and strength this season. 4/27/22: Mafe collected 34 tackles, seven sacks and one forced fumble in 2021. The six-year NFL veteran and Minnesota Vikings stud defensive end, Danielle Hunter is well deserving of a spot as one of the Top 10 NFL Defensive Ends 2021-22 rankings. 98), outside linebacker Baron Browning (2021, No. Some team sources said they have Thomas graded on Day 3 of the 2022 NFL Draft as a potential backup in the NFL. Additionally, Paschal received outstanding marks from teams for his football, locker room leadership, and off-the-field intangibles. 7/10/21: Thibodeaux recorded 32 tackles, three sacks and three passes batted in 2020. He was a dynamic pass rusher and showed improved run defense. 4/27/22: Smith had a slow start to the 2021 season, and his lack of pass-rush pressure really hurt Ohio State against Oregon and Minnesota. Hes still raw from a hand usage standpoint, and the way Georgia used Walker, he was rarely rushing the edge in a pure defensive end role. The production alone was impressive. In addition to being a phenomenal pass rusher, Thibodeaux is impressive against the run. 7/10/21: Johnson flashed some pass-rush ability in 2020, but he also illustrated limitations in the ground game. He also brings a violent disposition with his hands. Thibodeaux is the top defensive end and is also widely regarded as one of the top players in the entire 2022 NFL Draft class. Clemons has quality size with some quickness and athleticism on the edge. Anderson and Johnson both flashed, with Johnson recording four sacks and 14 tackles in backup duty. Hall looks like the rare five-technique prospect who is capable of putting pressure on the quarterback. Williams did a nice job of blitzing the quarterback off the edge in 2019, and he showed some nice ability to put pressure on the signal-caller. Smith needs to become a more consistent pass rusher this coming season. Players are identified as Pro Bowlers if they were selected for the Pro Bowl at any time in their career. In-depth prospect rankings with linked reports and all updated player information. As a pass rusher, Ojabo can burn tackles with a speed rush, and he is explosive off the ball. Paschal needs to improve his pass-rush production as a senior. In addition to the high number of defensive selections, nine offensive linemen were taken in the first round, the most since 2013. Off the snap, it is as if he has been shot out of cannon as he explodes upfield with shocking speed. Multiple NFL team sources say there isn't a significant difference between Johnson and top-10 picks like Aidan Hutchinson. 126: Las Vegas Minnesota Las Vegas, No. 1-5. Paschal lost his 2018 season to fighting malignant melanoma, but after beating cancer, he returned to the field in 2019 to put together a quality year for Kentucky. After a relatively disappointing defensive draft last April in terms of first-round pass rushers, the top of the 2022 NFL Draft could feature multiple defensive ends. The NFL Combine is the first week of March and it will take place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Ohio State Buckeyes have a rich recent history of sending defensive line talent to the NFL. Now that he has a year of experience, Thomas could be even better in 2021 and rise for the 2022 NFL Draft. The Tennessee Titans ' defensive needs aren't as obvious as . ", Not all evaluators were high on Anderson because of him being a backup and rotational player. What makes Thibodeaux so special? 4/27/22: VanValkenburg is a sleeper defensive end who could be a nice value on Day 3 of the 2022 NFL Draft. The top 100 picks in the 2022 NFL Draft were littered . If it is close, for example if a defensive end is a bit undersized, but moves really well in space, they very well . All that being said, they feel his ego could drive him to be a good player as he wants to be a star. Ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft in April, NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks recently released his top five draft-eligible defensive ends. Anderson had an impressive pro-day workout, and his lawyer is seeking the dismissal of the charges. The 6-foot-6, 260-pounder has the strength to set the edge in the ground game and has the length to play 3-4 five-technique defensive end. Hutchinson has been the most dominating pass-rusher in college football during the 2021 season and easily outperformed the presumptive top p Thibodeaux has out-of-this-world athletic ability and as a result, is in the running for being the top pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. 19 defensive prospects the Tennessee Titans may fall in love with at 2023 NFL combine. Johnson was a high-effort player for the Seminoles, making a lot of stops in the ground game along with putting steady pressure on the quarterback. 4/27/22: Chambers played well in 2021, creating a buzz in the scouting community. 94: Kansas City New England Carolina, No. By Oliver Hodgkinson August 27, 2021 Jump Around This Article Click to show With Aidan Hutchinson commanding a lot of attention, Ojabo broke out in 2021, recording 35 tackles, 11 sacks, five forced fumbles and three passes defended. Having made little impact in his first three seasons with the Sooners, Thomas exploded into life during his redshirt junior campaign. Hutchinson has good size for the next level in that he could be a base end in a 4-3 or a 3-4 five-technique defensive end. He has an elite combination of size, strength, a Drake is a quality prospect who possesses impressive athletic ability: he has a unique combination of speed, agility, power as wel David Ojabo may have the greatest upside of any player in the 2022 NFL Draft class with a unique combination of size, strength, an Arnold Ebiketie is an impressive pro prospect who has top-level athletic skills - he's explosive, has elite speed around the edge, Johnson has been rocketing up draft boards after his dominating 2021 season with FSU. There were many talented defensive linemen in the 2021 NFL draft, but the 2022. BIO 1 18 -- Travon Walker Georgia 6'5" 272 JR 4/27/22: Thomas played well for Oklahoma in 2021, getting after the quarterback. As Deshaun Watson and others have proven, however, nobody knows for sure what people will do privately. Like any preseason list, these are subject to change throughout the year as some defensive ends elevate their stock and others falter along the way. He is a riser who could go in the early rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft. There could be as many as 10 prospects selected from the IDL class on the. Mafe can still work on his instincts and hand usage, but the traits are all there. He was a good defender for West Virginia. With that size, hes not the highest-tier athlete, but Carter still brings good burst, and his power capacity helps elevate his game. With such a deep class, there should be some diamonds in . It was a big jump from his underclassmen years as a backup. They say that his tape and skill set are superb, but the off-the-field issues could push him down into the mid-rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft or lower. 2022 NFL Draft: Top Defensive Tackles Georgia's Jordan Davis (99) is Eddie Brown's top-rated defensive tackle in the upcoming NFL Draft. In 2019, he had 68 tackles with 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. With the 2022 NFL Draft fast approaching, who are the top defensive ends in the class? One of the best fits in this year's draft class for the Patriots on the interior of the defensive line, Mathis is compared to Lawrence Guy by Pro Football Focus. 7/10/21: In 2020, Johnson was part of a loaded group of edge rushers at Georgia. There is a deep group of defensive backs, and we know that the New York Giants will be in the market for back-end help, specifically at cornerback, a position widely regarded as deep in this year . Aidan Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux will compete for the No. Aidan Hutchinson goes first overall in 2022 NFL Mock Draft These are the top defensive ends in the 2022 NFL Draft. Boye Mafe, Minnesota; Malik Vann, Cincinnati; Jordan Strachan, South Carolina; Ochaun Mathis, TCU; Will McDonald, Iowa State, Anthony Richardson Combine Results: Florida Star Makes Case for QB1, Rakim Jarrett, WR, Maryland | NFL Draft Scouting Report, 2023 NFL Combine Hand Size Results: Notable Quarterback Measurements and More, 2023 NFL Combine Risers: Christian Gonzalez, Deonte Banks, and Brian Branch Perform Well. Gaye racked up 9.5 tackles for loss with 2 sacks and a forced fumble last fall. Ever since his explosive freshman season when the college football world was introduced to Kayvon Thibodeaux, the Oregon DE has been earmarked to be at the top of the 2022 NFL Draft. His power certainly comes first, but he does flash great burst off the line, as well as modest ankle flexion around the edge. Additionally, in the Buck position for South Carolina, he has been tasked with dropping back into coverage. At 63 3/4, Karlaftis has a dense 266-pound frame, but he was at times closer to 275-280 in college. Regardless, Paschal still has great density and power capacity, and he has the explosiveness (37.5 vertical and 123 broad) to move between 3-technique and wide 9-technique. The plans were similar to those originally intended for the 2020 draft, although a plan for players to be transported onto the stage by boat was scrapped in favor of using walkways. 7/10/21: Charlton was a solid defender for Central Florida in 2020. VanValkenburg played very well to close out the 2021 season, impressing in the bowl game versus Kentucky. 166: Arizona Philadelphia Houston Chicago Cincinnati, No. The top group of defensive ends in the 2022 NFL Draft is full of different player types, and South Carolinas Kingsley Enagbare is just one example. He has everything you Travon Walker is a prospect who is still a better athlete than a football player. You'll find the 40 time on the Y-axis and on the X-axis the weight in pounds. He had a decent week of practice at the Senior Bowl. Florida Football: DT Zachary Carter NFL draft 2022 profile GatorSports.com Schedule Teams SEC Alabama Arkansas Auburn Georgia LSU Tennessee Texas A&M ACC Clemson UNC Big Ten Iowa Michigan. Nik Bonitto is one of the drafts best outside linebackers. Given his size, the assumption is that Karlaftis wins with strength alone. Pro Football Network, LLC. Nashville Tennessean. Hes adept at combining speed with a high motor to finish plays. In 2020, he improved as a run defender, upping his stops from 23 to 35, but his pass rush was not as good with only two sacks on the season. He had 57 tackles, 12.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and one pass defended on the year. Moreover, he accounted for 60% of South Carolinas forced fumbles. Perrion Winfrey is one of the top defensive tackles on the board. He had a superb freshman season for the Ducks, doing an excellent job of getting after the quarterback and totaling nine sacks, 35 tackles, a forced fumble and three passes batted. Ferguson is a durable and experienced tight end, playing in 47 . The following is the breakdown of the 262 players selected by position: In the explanations below, (PD) indicates trades completed prior to the start of the draft (i.e. 4/27/22: Anderson was charged with rape in November and turned himself into the police. Hutchinson has issues holding up at point of attack. Like the edge rushers group of the 2022 NFL Draft, the interior defensive linemen are extremely deep and versatile. Very tricky thing to do is first weed out guys that are defensive ends in college that will be 3-4 OLB's in college. Get ready for the 2023 NFL Draft with positional and big board rankings from the team at The NFL Draft Bible. Best of Defensive Backs | 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. But when they run right at him, it's alarming.". 4/27/22: Ebiketie played well for the Nittany Lions in 2021, picking up 62 tackles, 9.5 sacks and two forced fumble. Hutchinson figures to be one of the most versatile of all the DE prospects on this list. Josh Paschal shouldve been able to register the backfield as a private domicile given how often he lived there this past season for Kentucky. Kayvon Thibodeaux *, Oregon 3. He has everything you look for Aspiring college or profootball journalist? With Anderson and Smith returning to the Bulldogs, Johnson transferred to Florida State. Stills needs to improve in both phases to rise for the 2022 NFL Draft. Johnson has good size and speed off the edge. video Kyle Hamilton's 2022 NFL. A number of NFL sources have Walker graded higher than Aidan Hutchinson. Ohio State running back Miyan Williams (3) celebrates a touchdown with offensive lineman Paris Johnson Jr.. Which defensive ends currently round out the top 10? Azeez Ojulari was the featured defender, while Johnson, Adam Anderson and Nolan Smith rotated for snaps. Head back to the 2022 NFL Draft Bible Virtual Guide homepage. However, beyond the statistics, Sanders is an alluring prospect. Heres a look at the top defensive ends in the 2022 NFL Draft. After sending Tarron Jackson to the NFL just months ago, the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers have the potential to send another pass rusher to the pros. 7/10/21: Hutchinson was excellent to open 2020, collecting 13 tackles and a pass batted before going down with an ankle fracture that required surgery. 4/27/22: Stills recorded 36 tackles, seven sacks and one forced fumble in 2021. Perhaps they got addicted to the catch radius of 2021 first-round tight end Kyle Pitts and preferred London as the . Hunter, who has posted at least 12.5 sacks in three of his first six seasons appeared in just seven contests last season after tearing his pectoral muscle. He had the reputation of being a good guy and teammate. But if he plays with a hand in the dirt at the NFL level, it could help him attain better leverage, while maximizing his athletic traits. Pre-Snap Reads 2/28: 2023 NFL Draft could prove to be most . A few names have been mixed into the No. 4/27/22: In 2021, Hutchinson recorded 62 tackles, 14 sacks, three passes batted, a fumble recovered and two forced fumbles - another one was mistakenly given to a teammate. Top defensive ends in the 2022 NFL Draft include Kayvon Thibodeaux, George Karlaftis After an offense-heavy draft in 2021, there is more defensive promise in 2022. Who will be the top defensive ends for the 2022 NFL Draft? He totaled 42 tackles with four sacks. After his impressive practices in Mobile, more team evaluators think Johnson will go late in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. 7/10/21: Some NFL advance scouts had Anderson with the highest preseason grade of any player on their preseason watch list. New York Giants select defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux with No. His 4.53 40-yard dash, 38 vertical, and 125 broad jump are all reflections of his elite athleticism. 7/10/21: Paschal was a tough competitor in the ground game in 2020, but he did not produce much in the pass rush. Paschal earned 15 tackles for loss on the year and proved to be a menace for opposing offensive linemen. Brugler's Top 100: TE1, No. They will gather on the field for the first time when the team holds their rookie minicamp May 13-15. The 2022 NFL Draft big board rankings are reflective of Bucky Brooks' top five 2022 NFL Draft prospects by position 1.0 and ESPN's NFL Draft "Best Available" list. Thomas was quietly very productive over the past couple of seasons, with 12.5 sacks and 22.5 tackles for loss through 2020 and 2021. Furthermore, he tallied 7.5 sacks while registering his first career forced fumble. 145", "Roster Move: Bears trade Miller to Texans", "2022 NFL draft: Bills trade up in Round 5, select WR Khalil Shakir", "Texans trade up, pick Stanford DL Thomas Booker in fifth round", "Eagles trade two 2021 draft picks to Washington Football Team for one 2022 pick", "No. Ojabo uses his hands and feet at the same, showing the ability to translate speed to power. Additionally, OLB Nik Bonitto is one of the best at his position. These picks are in addition to, and have no impact on, the standard 32 compensatory selections. 4/27/22: Johnson was a dangerous pass rusher for Texas A&M in 2021, recording 8.5 sacks and 31 tackles. 126", "2021 NFL Draft trade tracker: Full details of every move", "Texans acquire Brandin Cooks in trade with Rams", "Full details of the Trinity Benson trade between the Lions and Broncos", "Chiefs trade up with Seahawks for Kentucky OT Darian Kinnard at pick No. This has provided a further showcase of his athletic ability to impact multiple phases of the game. 4/27/22: Teams sources say Williams would be a first- or second-round pick if it weren't for significant character concerns that could cause him to go undrafted. He decided to transfer to Mississippi State after the season. Copyright 2019-2023. Although Zach Harrison may not be cut from the same cloth as Chase Young and the Bosa brothers, he can still be one of the top defensive ends in the 2022 NFL Draft. There's a load of heavy, stout defensive ends who played last college season at 270, 275 or 280 . In the NFL, Malone could be too undersized to play defensive end and might be better off as a 3-4 outside linebacker. Techie with an interesting slant on player evaluation? 4/27/22: Johnson totaled 70 tackles, 11.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and two passes batted in 2021. The first round was held on Thursday, April 28, and was followed by the second and third rounds on Friday, April 29. Although there are some areas for improvement, the Ohio State pass rushers length, speed, and strength combined with his ability to disrupt both around the outside track and from the interior make him one of the best defensive ends in the 2022 NFL Draft class. The sixth-round pick in this past April's NFL Draft played in nine games for the Carolina Panthers over the course of the year, totaling nine total tackles, with eight solo stops, and finishing the season with two total sacks to . 5 pick in 2022 draft NFL+ X Players Only Combine Presented by NOBULL Matthew Judon and Devin White join host Rhett Lewis for. He was listed over 280 pounds in college, but at the NFL Combine, he measured in at 62 5/8, 268 pounds. Rookie defensive end Amar Barno put together a solid start to his professional career in his debut season in 2022. The top-ranked Commander is defensive end Montez Sweat, who ranks No. 122, select RB Zamir White", "Defensive lineman Neil Farrell Jr. selected after Raiders trade up to No. 6", "Philadelphia Eagles trade QB Carson Wentz to Indianapolis Colts for two draft picks", "Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints shake up first round of 2022 NFL draft with multipick trade", "Packers trading Davante Adams to Raiders; WR signing 5-year, $141.25M deal", "Ravens trade WR Marquise Brown to Cardinals for first-round draft pick", "49ers Make Blockbuster Pre-Draft Trade Up to No. 4/27/22: Sanders had a quality year for Bearcats even though he did not produce a big stat line. Punctuated by a year on the sidelines in 2019, Gunter racked up 14 tackles for loss and 5 sacks in 2018, followed by 12.5 tackles for loss and 6 sacks last fall. [16] The resolution rewards teams whose minority candidates are hired away for one of those positions by awarding draft selections, which are at the end of the third round, after standard compensatory selections; if multiple teams qualify, they are awarded by draft order in the first round.