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2022 NFL Draft News & Rumors

Alabama WR John Metchie Declares For Draft

January 14th, 2022 at 4:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

Alabama will send two injured wide receivers to the draft. Following Jameson Williams‘ Thursday declaration, teammate John Metchie indicated Friday he will pass on his senior year to enter the draft, per ESPN.com’s Chris Low.

Metchie entered last season with a higher profile than Williams, having played extensively alongside DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle in 2020. After a 916-yard season alongside the two first-round talents, Metchie became a bigger part of the offense as a junior. He finished this season with 96 catches for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns. However, the ACL tear the 6-foot pass catcher suffered in the SEC championship game kept him out for the Crimson Tide’s final two contests and will affect his draft stock.

With Metchie not viewed as highly as Williams going into the draft, this injury may solidify him missing out on a first-round selection. Still, Scouts Inc. has the two-year Crimson Tide contributor as the No. 6 wideout in this upcoming class and the No. 42 overall prospect. Williams has graded out as the ESPN scouting service’s top receiver available. Injuries to each may cloud their stock going into the April draft, though ACL tears are obviously not as damaging as they once were to careers.

Alabama has seen four wideouts — Waddle, Smith, Henry Ruggs and Jerry Jeudy — be drafted in the first round since 2020. Williams and Metchie’s statuses will be less certain, given the likelihood neither will be available for full work until at least training camp. But each will almost certainly be an early selection.

Iowa C Tyler Linderbaum Declares For Draft

January 14th, 2022 at 9:49am CST by Adam La Rose

Yet another top prospect has announced his decision to turn pro. Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum, the undisputed top interior offensive linemen in the country, has declared for the 2022 NFL Draft.

Linderbaum tweeted a statement which reads in part, “these last four years have been nothing short of amazing… I will be forever thankful for all the love and support I have received over the last four years and truly could not imagine my time anywhere else… The lifelong friendships I have made are ones that I will cherish forever. To my coaches… thank you for pushing me to be a great football player, but an even better man“.

Linderbaum was originally a defensive linemen, but quickly switched to the offensive side of the ball not long after his arrival. That decision certainly paid off, as he was a finalist for the Rimington Trophy – given to the nation’s top center – in 2020. He lost out to Alabama’s Landon Dickerson that year, but did one better in 2021, becoming the first Hawkeye to ever win the award. He was also a finalist for the Outland Trophy, given to the top interior linemen on either side of the ball, although that honor went to Georgia’s Jordan Davis.

With an utterly dominant 2021 season, Linderbaum earned a 95.2 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, the highest of any o-linemen in the country. He helped lead the Hawkeyes to the Big Ten Championship game, and was a valued leader on an otherwise inexperienced line, allowing just one sack all season. In a draft dominated by defensive players and offensive tackles at the top, Linderbaum won’t have to wait long to hear his name called, as he is seen by many as a potential top-ten pick.

Alamaba WR Jameson Williams Declares For Draft

January 13th, 2022 at 10:08pm CST by Ely Allen

Jameson Williams is going pro. The junior wide receiver made the announcement on his Instagram account early this afternoon, joining Evan Neal as the second Crimson Tide underclassman so far to declare for the 2022 NFL Draft.

Williams leaves the ranks of college football having lost two consecutive national championship games: one as a Buckeye in the 2020 season and one as a member of the Crimson Tide this year. Williams initially signed with Ohio State in 2019 but was starved for targets behind fellow first-round hopefuls Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson.

The change of scenery was a smart move for Williams as he went on the have the second-best receiving season for an Alabama receiver since Amari Cooper, behind only Heisman Trophy winner Devonta Smith. Williams finished fifth in the nation with 1,572 receiving yards and tied for third in the nation with 15 receiving touchdowns. Williams has length and speed to dominate at the next level.

There is a bit of a hurdle for Williams as he tore his ACL in the Tide’s National Championship Game versus Georgia. The injury rang a familiar unpleasant tone with Alabama fans as they saw a similarly timed injury sideline their number-two receiver John Metchie III in the team’s SEC Championship Game against Georgia.

Williams was projected as an extremely high draft pick before the injury. While the potential threat of having to sit out his entire rookie season won’t do anything to help the 20-year old’s draft stock, whichever team takes a chance on Williams will have a do-it-all receiver who can win the jump balls, go deep, and return kicks. We shouldn’t be waiting too long to hear his name.

Utah LB Devin Lloyd Declares For Draft

January 13th, 2022 at 1:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

One of the top defensive prospect’s in this year’s draft is turning pro. Utah star Devin Lloyd, the consensus top linebacker in the country, has declared for the 2022 NFL Draft, according to a report from the Athletic.

The six-foot-three, 235 pounder had a massively productive four-year career in Utah. He saved his best for last, producing 111 tackles, including 22 for a loss, seven sacks and four interceptions in 14 games in 2021. His play earned him Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year honors and was a main reason why the Utes won their conference and made their first ever appearance in the Rose Bowl. While he is on the leaner side for a middle linebacker, his length and speed should easily let him translate that production into NFL success.

Lloyd tweeted a video celebrating his time with the team. In it, he says in part, “Thank you for the experiences, the memories and the relationships that will last a lifetime. Throughout my years here, I have grown tremendously as a man. To my family, I truly couldn’t have done it without you… To my coaches, words can’t express how appreciative I am for everything you’ve done for me on and off the field. .. To the best fans in the nation, thank you for everything; your constant love and support was felt by everyone on the team… Utah, I love you, you’ll always be a part of my heart and I’m blessed to be a part of your history“.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler has Lloyd being drafted sixth overall by the Giants in his latest mock draft.

 

 

Alabama OT Evan Neal Declares For Draft

January 13th, 2022 at 12:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

Another one of the projected top picks in the 2022 NFL draft has turned pro. Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal, arguably the top offensive linemen in the country, has declared for the draft, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). 

Neal, a true junior, has been a starter since his arrival in Tuscaloosa. At six-foot-seven, 360 pounds, his size and frame are certainly NFL-ready. He projects well as a powerful right tackle who could be dominant in the run game with his size and strength, though he started every game at left tackle this season. He earned a PFF grade of 84.5 in 2021, in which he was a consensus First-Team All American.

Neal’s status as the top blocker in this year’s class may be challenged by NC State’s Ikem Ekwonu, but he is generally seen as the No.1 option, and rarely projected to be picked later than third overall. Some have Neal in the conversation to go first overall, being selected ahead of consensus top pass rushers Kayvon Thibodeaux and Aidan Hutchinson. Given the Jaguars’ need for help along the offensive line, Neal certainly wouldn’t be the most surprising name to be taken at the top of the board.

In a tweet, Neal said in part, “I thank my family, my mom and dad, and every single coach and fan who has supported me throughout my collegiate career… This season was incredible and I will forever remember all that it took to get us there. Playing football at the highest level was always my goal and to be able to do that at the University of Alabama has been a dream come true… Thank you to every single person who supported me during my time at Alabama”.

Alabama WR Jameson Williams Suffered Torn ACL

January 11th, 2022 at 6:09pm CST by Ben Levine

One of the top projected wideouts in the 2022 draft will likely be sidelined for his entire rookie season. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams tore his ACL during last night’s championship game.

While the injury will surely delay Williams’ NFL career, there is some good news. Doctors believe that the receiver should make a full recovery, and he should return to his sub 4.3-second speed, per Schefter. Alabama’s receivers corps took a hit earlier this season when John Metchie III tore his ACL in early December.

Williams spent two years buried on Ohio State’s depth chart, but he had a breakout campaign with Alabama in 2021. The receiver finished the season with 79 receptions for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns. The prospect also returned 10 kicks for 352 yards and two touchdowns. The performance earned Williams a first-team All-American nod and first-team All-SEC honors.

The 6-foot-2, 189-receiver didn’t only rank as one of the top receiver prospects in the draft…he was one of the top overall prospects, period. In their recent rankings of the top draft prospects, ESPN’s Mel Kiper and Todd McShay both had Williams among their top-15 players, with Kiper ranking the Alabama product behind USC’s Drake London and McShay having Williams behind London, Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson, and Penn State’s Jahan Dotson. Meanwhile, Pro Football Focus’ Michael Renner had Williams going 13th to the Browns in his recent mock draft.

Florida’s Kaiir Elam Declares For Draft

January 10th, 2022 at 3:36pm CST by Ely Allen

The son and nephew of former-NFL safeties Abram Elam and Matt Elam, respectively, Kaiir Elam is going pro. The University of Florida cornerback announced in a video posted from his Twitter account that he is forgoing his final two years of eligibility in order to take the next step.

Elam came into Gainesville as a top-100 recruit out of The Benjamin School near Palm Beach, FL. Elam wasted no time playing in all 13 games as a true freshman and earning 5 starts. From there Elam took over the starting cornerback position and became a leader on the Gators’ defense. Over his career, Elam totaled 6 interceptions and 20 pass breakups, demonstrating the ball skills that NFL teams will look for in a first round cornerback.

Elam has prototypical size and length at the position and is viewed in many circles as a potential Day One pick. Dane Brugler of the The Athletic has Elam as the fifth-best corner in the draft class and picked him to go 20th overall as the third cornerback off the board in his mock of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Elam hopes to follow in the steps of his uncle and become a first-round draft pick and then follow in the steps of his father and become an NFL starter. That journey will start in March with the NFL Scouting Combine where Elam will try to show the NFL evaluators that he’s ready for the next level of gameplay.

Updated 2022 NFL Draft Order

January 10th, 2022 at 10:41am CST by Adam La Rose

The NFL’s first ever 17-game regular season is now over, and the 14-team playoff field is set. The end of the year also confirms, of course, the draft order for the top 18 picks, allowing the non-playoff clubs to begin planning for the offseason.

Despite their upset win on Sunday, the Jaguars will have the top selection for the second year in a row; this marks the fifth time a team has had back-to-back No. 1 picks, and the first since the Browns did in 2017-18.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2021 standings, plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. For playoff teams, the order is determined by their postseason outcome and regular season record.

Here is the final draft order (for non-playoff teams) along with the current projected order for the 14 postseason clubs:

  1. Jacksonville Jaguars: 3-14
  2. Detroit Lions: 3-13-1
  3. Houston Texans: 4-13
  4. New York Jets: 4-13
  5. New York Giants: 4-13
  6. Carolina Panthers: 5-12
  7. New York Giants(via Bears)
  8. Atlanta Falcons: 7-10
  9. Denver Broncos: 7-10
  10. New York Jets (via Seahawks)
  11. Washington Football Team: 7-10
  12. Minnesota Vikings: 8-9
  13. Cleveland Browns: 8-9
  14. Baltimore Ravens: 8-9
  15. Philadelphia Eagles (via Dolphins)
  16. Philadelphia Eagles (via Colts)
  17. Los Angeles Chargers: 9-8
  18. New Orleans Saints: 9-8
  19. Philadelphia Eagles: 9-8*
  20. Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-7-1*
  21. New England Patriots: 10-7*
  22. Miami Dolphins (via 49ers)*
  23. Las Vegas Raiders: 10-7*
  24. Arizona Cardinals: 11-6*
  25. Cincinnati Bengals: 10-7*
  26. Buffalo Bills: 11-6*
  27. Detroit Lions (via Rams)
  28. Dallas Cowboys: 12-5*
  29. Kansas City Chiefs: 12-5*
  30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 13-4*
  31. Tennessee Titans: 12-5*
  32. Green Bay Packers: 13-4*

* = Playoffs

Clemson CB Declares For Draft

January 9th, 2022 at 9:55pm CST by Ely Allen

Andrew Booth Jr. is going pro. The Clemson cornerback is ranked second in Dane Brugler’s positional rankings and The Athletic’s writer has Booth going 12th overall in his first round mock of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Booth is the consensus second best corner in the draft to LSU’s Derek Stingley. With as many as four or five cornerbacks potentially getting picked on Day 1 of the draft, Booth is almost guaranteed to hear his name called on Thursday. The only question will be: how early?

Booth arrived at Clemson as a five-star prospect from Georgia. He’s played in all 34 games for the Tigers since he’s arrived and has tallied 3 interceptions and 9 pass break ups. His biggest splash play was a fumble recovery his sophomore year against Syracuse that he returned 21 yards for a touchdown.

Booth has an intriguing combination of length, athleticism, and ball skills that has NFL franchises ready to pull the trigger. He’ll look to improve his draft stock at the Combine and Clemson’s Pro Day before he hears his name called out on that night in late April.

Lions Win; Jaguars To Pick No. 1 Overall 2022 NFL Draft 

January 9th, 2022 at 3:19pm CST by Zachary Links

The Lions held on to beat the Packers 37-30 on Sunday. With the win, the Lions improved to 3-13-1 on the year, ceding the No. 1 overall pick to the Jaguars.

The Jaguars also managed to close out their year with a win, upsetting the Colts 26-11. They get the best of all worlds, putting their division rival in jeopardy of missing the playoffs and closing the year with a win, all while retaining the top overall selection. They’ve also extended their home winning streak against the Colts, beating Indy in six straight Jacksonville games.

The early slate of Sunday games also saw the Titans clinch the No. 1 seed while the Bengals slipped in the AFC pecking order, potentially putting them on track to face the Patriots.

The Jaguars are in need of offensive line and edge help. Fortunately for them, this year’s class offers several high-profile options in both areas. Alabama tackle Evan Neal, who measures in at 6’7″ and 350 pounds, would go a long way towards protecting Trevor Lawrence. On the other side of the ball, defensive ends Aidan Hutchinson (Michigan) and Kayvon Thibodeaux (Oregon) are squarely in the conversation.

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