The 2022 NFL Combine shined a little extra light on this year’s crop of prospects. Players like Jordan Davis who were lost in the wash of uber-talented teams like Georgia had the chance to showcase their best traits in front of a captive audience of league scouts. FCS stars like Trevor Penning and Troy Andersen showed they have the athleticism to handle big tasks at the next level.
While that event won’t entirely replace the evidence these players put on film at the college level, it did allow some players to raise their profiles among NFL decision makers. For this post-Combine mock draft, I’ll take those performances into account, still knowing pro days loom across the country to provide redemption for players who either opted out or underperformed in Indianapolis.
Other factors led to big shakeups as well. The Seahawks find themselves with a top 10 draft pick this spring but no starting quarterback (Drew Lock doesn’t count). The Packers may have to turn their attention to wideout to keep the newly-extended Aaron Rodgers happy. Washington no longer has to worry about a quarterback because it has … Carson Wentz? Okay, Washington still kinda has to worry about a quarterback.
As a result, Alabama left tackle Evan Neal’s lack of participation in Indianapolis has caused him to slide from the top spot. That, plus Jacksonville’s decision to franchise tag left tackle Cam Robinson, slides a pass rusher to the first selection of this year’s draft. Let’s take a look at what else we’ve got in our first post-Combine mock draft.