2022 NFL Draft News & Rumors

Lions Meet With QB Malik Willis

April 19th, 2022 at 2:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Lions could go in a number of directions with their No. 2 overall pick, one the rebuilding team has discussed trading. Detroit is also open to developing a quarterback behind Jared Goff. The team is wrapping up its homework on this subject.

Malik Willis finished up a visit with the team Tuesday, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. Kenny Pickett is set to meet with Lions brass on Wednesday, the final day for top-30 visits. While it would surprise if the Lions drafted a quarterback, this prospect would make sense for a team that has time to develop one.

GM Brad Holmes said the team remains confident Goff can start next season. With little expected from the upcoming version of the Lions, the concept of Willis or Pickett sitting for at least a year while Goff keeps the reins has almost certainly come up at team headquarters. But, with this QB class not on the level of those in recent years and behind the 2023 crop (as of now, at least), the Lions would be passing on the kind of instant starter Dan Campbell has said he wants with the No. 2 pick.

The Willis and Pickett meetings could also double as a last-ditch attempt to drum up trade interest in the second pick. This draft is short on surefire impact players at the top. A move down would give Detroit more ammo to address its many needs. ESPN ranks Willis as its No. 21 prospect, while NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah slots the Liberty passer 27th. Quarterback reaches occur annually, due to the positional value at play, but this would be one of the more notable climbs for a passing prospect.

Should the Lions go with a “best player available” strategy at 2, they still hold the Nos. 32 and 34 overall picks. That window would give the team another crack at quarterback, though Willis and Pickett should be considered unlikely to be available by then. Matt Corral, Desmond Ridder and Sam Howell very well could remain on the board here, however.

Kyle Hamilton To Visit Texans, Steelers

April 19th, 2022 at 11:02am CST by Adam La Rose

Another day closer to the NFL Draft, more news is coming out regarding teams interested in the class’ top safety. Kyle Hamilton is set to visit the Texans and Steelers, per Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson (Twitter link).

[RELATED: Commanders Host Hamilton]

The Notre Dame alum spent most of the build-up to the draft being seen as a sure-fire top-five pick. In recent weeks, however, many have reported that a significant drop from that position is expected to take place. His positional value, athletic testing and a season-ending knee injury have been named as causes for teams at the top of the board to potentially pass on him.

One of those clubs is the Jets. Currently the owners of the No. 4 and 10 selections, the team has been linked with Hamilton on multiple occasions. The former Golden Domer has also met with other teams, such as the Lions and Giants, who hold top-ten picks. It comes as no surprise, then, that the Texans (who own the third-overall selection, as well as No. 13 as a result of the Deshaun Watson trade) are doing their due diligence on him.

The Texans are in position to take the top available prospects with their picks, given the state of their roster. That could lead them towards the top remaining defensive ends and offensive linemen, especially with respect to the No. 3 selection. The Steelers, meanwhile, are in need of a safety; while there are free agents still available at the position (including Tyrann Mathieu), Hamilton would provide a similar skillset and solid value if he were still available at No. 20.

Once Hamilton’s visits with these two clubs are completed, he will have met with nearly every relevant team within range of selecting him. Where he ultimately lands remains one of the most intriguing questions surrounding this year’s draft.

Jets Interested In Jameson Williams?

April 18th, 2022 at 5:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

Involved in the Tyreek Hill and Amari Cooper trade talks, the Jets acquired neither. They have since been linked to D.K. Metcalf, having discussed the fourth-year wideout with the Seahawks. Those talks were not believed to have been substantial.

This points the Jets to a receiver in a draft featuring several ready-made contributors but one appearing to lack the top-end talent of last year’s class. It is not certain which of this year’s receiver crop will be the first to go off the board, but the Jets are believed to be interested in Alabama’s Jameson Williams, a source informed ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini. While the Jets are continuing to monitor the potential availability of Metcalf and 49ers wideout Deebo Samuel, Cimini notes, they will continue to be connected to using one of their first-round picks on this position.

The Jets-Williams connection comes shortly after a report indicating the Alabama receiver, despite the ACL tear he suffered in the national championship game, is moving toward being a top-10 pick. With linemen and defensive backs atop draft boards, it is possible the Jets would have their pick of the top wideout in this draft. The Jets hold the Nos. 4 and 10 picks in this year’s draft, and even taking their persistent receiver interest into account, it would surprise if the team used that No. 4 choice on one.

Williams’ tear is not likely to cost him much in this draft, with ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. noting a rise into the top 10 is not out of the question. The Jets have Corey Davis, the recently re-signed Braxton Berrios and second-rounders Elijah Moore and Denzel Mims. While Mims has not come especially close to justifying his draft slot, helping lead the team to this wideout-needy place, the Jets have some options at the position. They also have two picks atop the second round (Nos. 35 and 38, the latter coming via the Sam Darnold trade), should Joe Douglas and Co. opt to address other needs in Round 1. The Jets have not drafted a wideout in the first round since Santana Moss in 2001.

Prior to his knee injury, Williams broke through after transferring from Ohio State to Alabama. The 179-pound pass catcher posted a 79-catch, 1,572-yard, 15-touchdown season to help Bryce Young to the Heisman Trophy. Should he regain that form post-surgery, Williams would provide a tremendous speed injection to whichever offense he joins. ESPN gives he, ex-Buckeyes teammates Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, and USC’s Drake London top-20 grades among this draft’s receiver class. The Jets have met with Wilson, Olave and London, Cimini adds.

Panthers Holding Private Workout With Sam Howell, Ikem Ekwonu

April 18th, 2022 at 12:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Panthers, like all other NFL teams, have already conducted most of their allotted ’30 visits’ with top draft prospects. They can still host meetings and workouts with local players, though, and they are doing just that. Carolina is getting together with quarterback Sam Howell for a second time today, and will do so tomorrow with offensive linemen Ikem Ekwonu (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport).

The Panthers already hosted Howell as part of their wider pre-draft work on each of the top QBs in the class. The North Carolina product has also drawn interest from a number of other teams, leading many to believe he will be a first-round pick. The consensus among analysts with respect to quarterbacks, however, is that Malik Willis and Kenny Pickett will hear their names called before Howell’s; the same may also be true of Desmond Ridder.

The No. 6 selection, then, could more likely be used on Ekwonu. It was reported earlier this month that the Panthers were interested in both him and Charles Cross, two of the top offensive line prospects in this year’s class. The NC State alum, like Howell, counts as a local, rather than a ’30’ visit. The extended look at each player signals a high degree of interest, but the 131-pick gap between the Panthers’ first and second selections leaves a trade-down as a distinct possibility as well.

Rapoport adds that the team will also meet with Cross, which doesn’t come as a surprise. The Mississippi State product is likelier than Ekwonu to still be available, and would still fill the offensive tackle need the team has faced for years. How the team handles its QB situation, meanwhile, will directly affect Howell’s odds of winding up in Carolina.

Commanders Hosting Kyle Hamilton

April 18th, 2022 at 11:03am CST by Adam La Rose

Kyle Hamilton has become one of the more polarizing prospects in this year’s draft class. Seen as a prime candidate to fall down the board, the former Notre Dame safety has been the source of speculation regarding his ultimate landing spot in the first round. Today, he is meeting with the Commanders, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link).

While some have had – and in some cases, still have – Hamilton ranked as the No. 1 overall prospect in the class, there has been a growing sense he will be waiting longer to hear his name called than the top defensive ends, tackles and, potentially, quarterbacks. That could land him in range of the Commanders, who hold the 11th pick.

Washington currently has Bobby McCain, Troy Apke, Kamren Curl and Jeremy Reaves at the top of the depth chart at the safety position. Between the financial statuses of those four – none are under contract beyond the 2023 season – and the team’s disappointing defensive performance last year, ranking 29th against the pass, Hamilton would be worth consideration for that pick.

Hamilton had a highly productive three-year career with the Fighting Irish. He totalled 138 tackles and eight interceptions, demonstrating positional flexibility and leadership qualities along the way. His testing numbers, season-ending knee injury and overall athletic profile, however, have led to a belief he could drop to at least the second half of the first round. He has visited the Lions, though there is currently no expectation he would be considered with the No. 2 pick.

Regardless of where Hamilton ends up, there will at least have been a number of teams which have done their homework on him. Given their location on the board, Washington will have a number of intriguing decisions to make, including whether he will be worth a top-15 selection, should he make it that far.

NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Liberty QB Malik Willis

April 17th, 2022 at 9:02pm CST by Ely Allen

The story of Malik Willis is the story of a second chance, the story of finding where you fit best. After making a move that most would’ve viewed as a demotion or a resignation that the NFL was not in his future, Willis proved the doubters wrong and became one of the Draft’s most sought-after quarterbacks from the smallest of stages.

Willis came out of Roswell HS in Atlanta as a consensus three-star athlete. His recruitment was fairly quiet, as he only received offers from fourteen schools with only three of them being from Power 5 conferences. Willis didn’t receive much attention until the offseason after his junior year and he committed to Virginia Tech that summer. Unfortunately for the Hokies, Auburn made a late push for Willis, flipping him in late December, a week before he arrived on campus in Alabama as an early-enrollee.

Willis spent two years at Auburn backing up Jarrett Stidham. In a recent interview with Tzvi Machlin of Sports Illustrated, Willis admitted that his immaturity at the time likely kept him from succeeding at Auburn. After two years, he decided to transfer and found his way to joining Hugh Freeze at Liberty University, a school that had only joined the FBS ranks two years prior.

After sitting out for a year, due to transfer rules, Willis was named the team’s starting quarterback and decided to set the college football world on fire. In his first season at the helm of the Flames’ offense, Willis had eye-popping numbers, despite the COVID-shortened season. In ten games, Willis completed 64.2% of his passes for 2,250 yards, tossing 20 touchdowns to 6 interceptions. He tacked on a casual 944 yards rushing, nearly averaging 100 yards per game, along with 14 additional touchdowns on the ground. The Flames were ranked as high as 21 throughout the season with their only loss being a one-point road defeat at NC State. In their bowl game, they were matched up with fellow small-market phenom Coastal Carolina in an exciting overtime affair that left Willis victorious over the Chanticleers.

Willis decided to return for his redshirt-senior year and led the Flames to an impressive 8-5 against a tougher schedule than the prior year. Despite constant pressure from a less than reliable offensive line, Willis put up career passing numbers throwing for 2,857 yards with 27 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He again added a huge component on the ground, racking up 878 yards and 13 rushing touchdowns.

The obvious asset that Willis brings to the table over the other quarterbacks in the Draft is his legs. He has a quick burst and excellent vision on designed runs and options. The Cardinals, Ravens, 49ers, and plenty of other teams have shown that an offense that incorporates run-pass-option plays (RPOs) can have a ton of success in the NFL if you have a quarterback who can run it effectively.

That being said, Willis is a quarterback, and a good one at that. He’s impressed NFL teams in meetings with his intelligence and ability to pick up on NFL concepts. He has elite arm strength and flashes the ability to fit the ball in tight windows. There are some technique/coaching issues that may help him improve his consistency and touch. He can take some gas off the ball effectively but needs to improve the arch he puts in the ball’s flight. There are quite a few things for Willis to improve on, but he has so many tools already that the potential from these improvements gives him the highest ceiling of any quarterback in the 2022 NFL Draft.

It’s become a popular thought around the league that two quarterbacks will be taken in the Top 10 picks of the Draft with their likely destinations being with the Falcons, Panthers, Giants, and Seahawks. The NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah has Willis ranked as the 27th best overall prospect in the Draft and Dane Brugler of The Athletic has Willis just behind fellow quarterback prospect Kenny Pickett of Pittsburgh at 32nd. Despite ranking behind Pickett in both rankings, most analysts agree that Willis has the higher ceiling of the two and, due to his potential, Willis has every right to expect to be the first quarterback taken off the board later this month.

NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Pittsburgh QB Kenny Pickett

April 17th, 2022 at 6:11pm CST by Ely Allen

Kenny Pickett‘s status as one of the top quarterback prospects available in the 2022 NFL Draft is the result of hard work and an example of taking advantage of every opportunity presented. He will have a chance to continue overachieving later this month when he is likely to hear his name called early on the first night of the Draft.

Pickett will watching the Draft with his family and fiancé from his hometown in New Jersey. Jersey was where it all started for Pickett, a consensus three-star recruit from Ocean Township HS. Despite ranking as 247Sports’ 10th-best pro-style quarterback of the 2017 class (33rd-ranked pro-style quarterback in the site’s composite rankings), Pickett only fielded offers from eleven schools, only four of them from a Power 5 Conference. He received his first offer from nearby Temple shortly following his sophomore year of high school, but, not content with only one scholarship offer, Pickett attended several camps starting with in-state Rutgers and branching out to several ACC schools like Boston College, Duke, North Carolina, and Virginia.

After receiving more offers from the likes of Toledo, Monmouth, Buffalo, Texas State, UConn, and Coastal Carolina, Pickett made the decision to commit to the first school that offered him and joined the Owls’ 2017 class. About a month later, following the conclusion of his junior year, his first Power 5 offers came in from Boston College and then Pittsburgh, about two weeks apart. Five days later, Pickett de-committed from Temple, intrigued by the momentum of larger schools. Three days after opening up his recruitment, Pickett took his first unofficial visit of the summer to Pitt. He returned two weeks later and the Panthers landed a commitment from the rising-junior. Pickett graduated high school early and enrolled at Pitt in January of 2017, eager to get to work.

Pickett spent most of his freshman season on the bench behind starter Ben DiNucci and backup Max Browne, who transferred in from USC. He made his debut late in a Week 6 loss to Syracuse and appeared twice more for late relief work in losses to NC State and Virginia Tech. With the season all but over and Pittsburgh sitting at 4-7 going into a season finale against the ACC Coastal Champion Miami Hurricanes, who were ranked #2 in the College Football Playoff rankings at the time, Pickett became the first true freshman to start a game for Pittsburgh at quarterback since Pat Bostick in 2007. Pickett ruined Miami’s victory lap finale completing 62.1% of his passes for 193 yards and a touchdown while adding 60 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in a 24-14 upset of the second-ranked Hurricanes in his first start.

Pickett took that starting opportunity and never relinquished it, returning to start every game of his sophomore season and leading the Panthers to their first ever ACC Coastal Championship with a 7-5 regular season record (6-2 in the ACC). Pickett’s stats didn’t jump off the page as he only threw for 1,969 yards, throwing 12 touchdowns to 6 interceptions.

Pickett took a large step forward in his development in his junior season with new offensive coordinator Mark Whipple increasing the emphasis on the Panthers’ passing attack. The Panthers once again finished the regular season 7-5, but this time with Pickett throwing for 3,098 yards with 13 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. In Pickett’s COVID-shortened senior year, he put up similar production with 2,408 yards and the exact same number of touchdowns and picks as the previous year in three fewer games.

Due to COVID-19, Pickett was given the rare opportunity to return for one more year of eligibility, and it was easily the best decision of his career to do so. Pickett had a prolific season, leading the Panthers to their first ever ACC Championship. He was named a first-team All-American and finished 3rd in Heisman voting. Pickett’s statistics in his last year exploded off the page as he threw for 4,319 yards with 42 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, adding 233 yards and 5 touchdowns on the ground.

Pickett now enters the Draft as one of the top quarterback prospects on the board, commonly grouped with Liberty’s Malik Willis as one of the top-2. Pickett has a lot of variables that NFL teams covet: ideal size, excellent accuracy and anticipation, and impressive athleticism that allows him to escape trouble. He can throw from multiple arm angles, something that’s become popular in the NFL lately, and is comfortable throwing on the move. He has a tendency to get antsy and throw the ball before getting his feet set, which can affect ball-placement, and some in NFL circles have talked about his hand size and the fact that he throws with gloves on. It’s a fun news story, but most people in those circles do not view his hands as an issue, as the acceptable NFL ball size-range largely overlaps with the NCAA ball size-range and shouldn’t affect his ability too much at the next level.

It’s looking more and more likely that at least two quarterbacks will be taken in the Top 10 picks of the Draft with their likely destinations being with the Falcons, Panthers, Giants, or Seahawks. The NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah has Pickett ranked as the 24th best overall prospect in his rankings and The Athletic’s Dane Brugler has Pickett at 31st overall. Pickett should get used to the idea of being a first-round draft pick, as it is all but certain at this point, and might want to start trying out the moniker of “Top-10 draft pick,” as that’s looking more and more likely every day.

NFC Notes: Packers, Cousins, Seahawks, Kaepernick

April 17th, 2022 at 4:00pm CST by Ely Allen

Following the mass exodus of the Packers’ staff this offseason, longtime NFL quarterbacks coach Tom Clements received a phone call from his old player, quarterback Aaron Rodgers, as reported by Ryan Wood of Packers News.

Rodgers had just watched the dissolution of the Packers’ 2021 coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett departed to Denver for a head coaching position. Passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Luke Getsy took an offensive coordinator job for the rival Bears.

Clements was enjoying retirement, looking forward to heading into Year 2 of armchair quarterbacking like the rest of us. Clements claimed he “didn’t have the itch to come back,” but after conversations with Rodgers and Packers head coach Matt LeFleur, Clements found himself back in the NFL, returning to his longest tenured home from his first stint in coaching.

Here are a few other notes from around the NFC, starting with another note from the North:

Following a shiny new deal from the Vikings, quarterback Kirk Cousins appears content to finish his NFL career in Minnesota, according to The Athletic’s Chad Graff. Cousins certainly didn’t need an early extension. He set an example years ago for how a player can bet on himself, becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to be franchise-tagged in consecutive years then signing the league’s first ever (and highest at the time) fully-guaranteed contract. Despite this history, Cousins agreed to a deal that freed up some cap space for Minnesota. When asked why he agreed to this deal, Cousins simply stated, “The short answer is: I want to be a Minnesota Viking.”
Jason La Canfora wrote a piece Friday asserting his belief that two quarterbacks will go in the Top 10 picks of the 2022 NFL Draft, notably that he expects Atlanta and Carolina to select one of Liberty’s Malik Willis or Pitt’s Kenny Pickett. If either NFC South franchise ends up addressing another position, though, La Canfora expects Seattle to fulfill his prediction with the No. 9 overall pick. Should neither quarterback be available to the Seahawks, several executives believe that Seattle would trade back, allowing teams who are hungry to select a specific prospect to relinquish some of their draft capital while keeping alive the Seahawks ability to draft a value-player without reaching.
Should Seattle not find a quarterback in the Draft, one option they’ve kicked the tires on is former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Kaepernick hasn’t played since January of 2017, but has stayed in shape amidst lawsuits and accusations against the NFL that settled in 2019. A connection was reported with the Seahawks in March after some comments from head coach Pete Carroll. Carroll gave an update, as reported by USA Today’s Scooby Axson, saying that, while not much has progressed in terms of a contract, Carroll notices the work Kaepernick has put in and admires the 34-year-old’s desire to compete. No deal seems imminent, but Kaepernick remains a possibility should Seattle strike out in the Draft later this month.

Panthers’ Draft Plan

April 17th, 2022 at 2:08pm CST by Ely Allen

Carolina’s draft plans are becoming foggier and foggier each day as the Panthers are either really running through all of their options or else they are throwing up one heck of a smokescreen. Supporting a rumor we posted almost two weeks ago, Carolina will host NC State offensive lineman Ikem Ekwonu and Mississippi State offensive tackle Charles Cross this Tuesday for their 30 visits, according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated.

Breer goes on to posit what many have deduced at this point from Carolina’s actions: if either of two of the Draft’s top offensive linemen fall to the Panthers’ first-round pick at sixth overall, Carolina would be expected to pounce at the opportunity to select them. This would fill a huge need at offensive tackle for the Panthers, but would leave another position need behind center unaddressed. The assumption is that, if the Panthers draft Ekwonu or Cross, they would address their need at quarterback by going after a veteran option like Baker Mayfield or Jimmy Garoppolo.

This take seems to be diametrically opposed to multiple other takes we’ve heard in the last four days alone. On Wednesday, we heard that Carolina was considering trading their No. 6 overall pick to grab a few additional draft picks. Yesterday, we reported on rumors that “the consensus of the people in this league” is that Carolina is going to draft one of two quarterbacks: Malik Willis out of Liberty or Kenny Pickett of Pittsburgh. Six hours later, we reported that the Panthers were reversing course on statements made in March about their lack of interest in Mayfield and, in fact, had the inside track to acquire the Browns’ quarterback.

That last report is the only one that lines up with Breer’s assertion from this morning. That could either point to some much anticipated clarification on the Panthers’ draft plans or it could be some expert mind-trickery by general manager Scott Fitterer and head coach Matt Rhule. Sandwiched between the Giants’ two top-seven picks (No. 5 & No. 7), the Panthers’ draft needs are not far off from those of New York. So these mind-games could be targeted specifically at one franchise. Those early reports that Carolina would draft Willis or Pickett could’ve been aimed to put pressure on New York to take a quarterback with their first pick, increasing the odds that an offensive lineman like Ekwonu or Cross falls to them at six. Similarly, the increased reports that the Panthers want Ekwonu or Cross and will sign a veteran quarterback may be aimed to take that pressure off of New York, lulling the Giants into selecting an offensive lineman and giving Carolina more options at quarterback in the first round.

It’s a lot to follow and mostly going in circles, I know, but Carolina can afford to focus this much attention on their No. 6 pick because, with no selections in the second or third round, their second pick of the draft comes at the end of the fourth round slotted as 137th overall. While the scouting brass may have plans to acquire extra picks, their current situation makes their decision surrounding the sixth pick their most important decision of the offseason.

I honestly don’t know whether to tell you to expect things to get clearer or muddier as we get closer to the 2022 NFL Draft. The idea that Carolina is purposefully driving the narrative could even be proved false and we may find out that they truly have no idea what they want to do. Stay locked in as I’m sure this isn’t the last we’ll hear out of Carolina in the next week and a half.

NFL Draft Notes: Hutchinson, Willis, London, Hall

April 16th, 2022 at 10:01pm CST by Ely Allen

Rumors about what Jacksonville is likely to do with it’s top overall draft pick later this month have been pretty far-ranging. Last month it was looking like new head coach Doug Pederson had his sights set on NC State offensive lineman Ikem Ekwonu. Some of their moves since around the opening of free agency, though, have Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer thinking differently.

Right before free agency, the Jaguars placed a second-consecutive franchise tag on left tackle Cam Robinson. They then went and spent good money on offensive guard Brandon Scherff. This has Breer thinking that Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke may be content to address the offensive line through free agency and use their number one pick on Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson.

It’s long been assumed that Hutchinson won’t make it past his hometown Lions at number two overall, but, unless the Jaguars decide to triple-down on building the offensive line up around quarterback Trevor Lawrence, Detroit may not even get the chance to take Hutchinson.

Here are some other rumors surrounding the 2022 NFL Draft, starting in Lynchburg, VA:

We talked in December about the top quarterback prospects in the Draft this year with evaluators back then thinking Pitt’s Kenny Pickett or Ole Miss’s Matt Corral were the most likely to hear their names called first. Breer seems to believe that the current leader of that race is Liberty’s Malik Willis. After seeing players like Patrick Mahomes come up from a below-average Texas Tech team and Josh Allen make the leap from a Wyoming team with talent far below the NFL squads he would eventually lead, teams are putting more stock into unproven quarterbacks with high ceilings, and Willis fits the bill. His meetings with teams have done more than enough to convince most that he is ready to take the next step and handle NFL-level schemes.
One of the top wide receivers in the Draft, USC’s Drake London, will make his way to DC this week to be hosted by the Commanders, according to John Keim of ESPN. With Washington’s top receivers after Terry McLaurin last year being running backs J.D. McKissic and Antonio Gibson, followed by now free agent wide receiver Adam Humphries, London would fill a huge position of need for the Commanders. Having a big-bodied, sure-handed, NFL-ready wide receiver like London opposite McLaurin could pay big dividends for the Commanders’ offense this year.
Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network reported that the University of Houston’s Logan Hall visited the Bengals yesterday. Hall was named first-team All-AAC after producing 13.0 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks as a defensive tackle for the Cougars last year. Dane Brugler of The Athletic has Hall as the 33rd best overall prospect this year, while NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah slotted him at 50th overall. The Bengals have defensive tackles D.J. Reader and B.J. Hill under contract through 2024 and 2025, respectively, but Hall may be viewed as a long-term replacement, in case one of the two moves on.

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