Six quarterbacks listed among the top 100 prospects eligible for the 2022 NFL Draft
4 min read
Invitations to the annual Reese’s Senior Bowl and other NFL Draft showcases have already begun to disperse and the college football regular season is waning. Bowl season is roughly a month away and that serves as opening day festivities for the NFL offseason as several teams fail to advance to the postseason.
Over the past two months, there has been some moving and shaking in the CBSSports.com 2022 NFL Draft prospect rankings. Ryan Wilson, Chris Trapasso and myself fashioned together a new top 100, which can be read below:
| 1. Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame |
| 2. Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon |
| 3. Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU |
| 4. Evan Neal, OL, Alabama |
| 5. Tyler Linderbaum, OL, Iowa |
| 6. George Karlaftis, EDGE, Purdue |
| 7. Aidan Hutchinson, DL, Michigan |
| 8. Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State |
| 9. Demarvin Leal, DL, Texas A&M |
| 10. Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss |
| 11. Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson |
| 12. Ikem Ekwonu, OL, N.C. State |
| 13. Kenyon Green, OL, Texas A&M |
| 14. Derion Kendrick, CB, Georgia |
| 15. Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh |
| 16. Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State |
| 17. Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati |
| 18. Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State |
| 19. Jordan Davis, DL, Georgia |
| 20. Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah |
| 21. Kingsley Enagbare, EDGE, South Carolina |
| 22. Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas |
| 23. Drake London, WR, USC |
| 24. Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama |
| 25. Daxton Hill, CB, Michigan |
In a bit of a surprise, Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton surpassed Oregon edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux for the top spot.
There were two quarterbacks to crack our first bunch: Ole Miss’ Matt Corral and Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett. Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum jumped into the top five but it is worth noting that No. 18 overall is the highest a center has been drafted dating to 2000. Coming off a few years in which wide receivers were a popular commodity, six were included among the top 25 prospects; the most among any position group.
The SEC was the most well-represented with 10 prospects followed by the Big Ten (7). There were more defensive prospects (13) than offensive prospects (12).
| 26. Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida |
| 27. Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia |
| 28. Jaxson Kirkland, OL, Washington |
| 29. Charles Cross, OL, Mississippi State |
| 30. Malik Willis, QB, Liberty |
| 31. Zion Johnson, OL, Boston College |
| 32. Sean Rhyan, OL, UCLA |
| 33. Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn |
| 34. David Bell, WR, Purdue |
| 35. Drake Jackson, EDGE, USC |
| 36. Carson Strong, QB, Nevada |
| 37. Bernhard Raimann, OL, Central Michigan |
| 38. Trevor Penning, OL, Northern Iowa |
| 39. Isaiah Spiller, RB, Texas A&M |
| 40. Travon Walker, DL, Georgia |
| 41. Darian Kinnard, OL, Kentucky |
| 42. George Pickens, WR, Georgia |
| 43. Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson |
| 44. Jalen Wydermyer, TE, Texas A&M |
| 45. Nicholas Petit-Frere, OL, Ohio State |
| 46. Cole Turner, TE, Nevada |
| 47. Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State |
| 48. Zion Tupuola-Fetui, EDGE, Washington |
| 49. Noah Daniels, CB, TCU |
| 50. Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington |
Two more quarterbacks, Liberty’s Malik Willis and Nevada’s Carson Strong, join the scrum. TCU cornerback Noah Daniels is the highest-rated Big 12 prospect at No. 49 overall, which is later than the MAC’s first prospect — Central Michigan offensive tackle Bernhard Raimann (No. 37 overall).
The SEC was once again the most represented (9) among prospects No. 26-50. Georgia has five players in the top 50, which is the most among all individual programs. The offensive line had eight prospects among the second batch; the most among all positions groups. Texas A&M’s Isaiah Spiller is the first and only running back among the top 50.
| 51. Myjai Sanders, EDGE, Cincinnati |
| 52. Thayer Munford, OL, Ohio State |
| 53. Zach Harrison, EDGE, Ohio State |
| 54. Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College |
| 55. Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina |
| 56. Haskell Garrett, DL, Ohio State |
| 57. Daniel Faalele, OL, Minnesota |
| 58. Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State |
| 59. Jamaree Salyer, OL, Georgia |
| 60. David Ojabo, EDGE, Michigan |
| 61. Brandon Joseph, S, Northwestern |
| 62. Rasheed Walker, OL, Penn State |
| 63. Abraham Lucas, OL, Washington State |
| 64. Ainias Smith, WR, Texas A&M |
| 65. Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, CB, TCU |
| 66. DeMarvion Overshown, LB, Texas |
| 67. Jordan Battle, S, Alabama |
| 68. Christian Harris, LB, Alabama |
| 69. Josh Jobe, CB, Alabama |
| 70. Zion Nelson, OL, Miami |
| 71. Jahleel Billingsley, TE, Alabama |
| 72. Tykee Smith, S, Georgia |
| 73. Wan’Dale Robinson, WR, Kentucky |
| 74. Jalen Catalon, S, Arkansas |
| 75. Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa |
North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell has fallen from No. 7 in May’s rankings to No. 55 overall. Iowa State running back Breece Hall is only the second running back to be included in the rankings. He sits at No. 58 overall. Day 2 is when NFL teams went on a run of speedy wide receivers in 2021. A similar narrative could be stirring in 2022 NFL Draft circles as Boston College’s Zay Flowers, Texas A&M’s Ainias Smith and Kentucky’s Wan’Dale Robinson make an appearance.
Miami places its first prospect on the list with offensive tackle Zion Nelson at No. 70 overall. Texas, North Carolina, Minnesota, Iowa State, Northwestern and Washington State also make their first appearances. Alabama was the most well-represented with four prospects.
| 76. Akayleb Evans, CB, Missouri |
| 77. Sam Williams, EDGE, Ole Miss |
| 78. Alontae Taylor, CB, Tennessee |
| 79. Nik Bonitto, EDGE, Oklahoma |
| 80. Jermaine Waller, CB, Virginia Tech |
| 81. Josh Ross, LB, Michigan |
| 82. Jared Harrison-Hunte, DL, Miami |
| 83. Jermaine Johnson, EDGE, Florida State |
| 84. Bubba Bolden, S, Miami |
| 85. Kyren Williams, RB, Notre Dame |
| 86. Ellis Brooks, LB, Penn State |
| 87. Isaiah Thomas, EDGE, Oklahoma |
| 88. Jake Ferguson, TE, Wisconsin |
| 89. Adam Anderson, LB, Georgia |
| 90. Cade Otton, TE, Washington |
| 91. Tyler Davis, DL, Clemson |
| 92. Arnold Ebiketie, EDGE, Penn State |
| 93. John Metchie III, WR, Alabama |
| 94. Kedon Slovis, QB, USC |
| 95. Kenneth Walker III, RB, Michigan State |
| 96. Coby Bryant, CB, Cincinnati |
| 97. Phidarian Mathis, DL, Alabama |
| 98. Jeremy Ruckert, TE, Ohio State |
| 99. Davis Allen, TE, Clemson |
| 100. Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington |
USC’s Kedon Slovis was the only quarterback in the final group, bringing the total up to six within the top 100. The programs to make their first appearance: Missouri, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Virginia Tech, Florida State, Wisconsin and Michigan State.
For further explanation on several selections, Ryan Wilson, Chris Trapasso and myself discussed some of the notable changes on a weekly YouTube show.
