Tag: 2022 NFL draft

Zulgad: Time is running out for Vikings’ 2022 draft class to prove it wasn’t a bust

Time is running out for Vikings’ 2022 draft class as it looks to find it’s identity within the current state of the franchise.

There is no more misguided project involving the NFL draft — and that is saying something — than the immediate attempt to assign overall grades to each team’s selections. A process that takes several years to play itself out is assigned a collective letter mark hours after all the names have been called.

The latest example of the futility accompanying this assignment comes from the Minnesota Vikings’ 2022 draft. Chad Reuter of NFL.com and Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News gave the Vikings A-minus grades. ESPN’s Mel Kiper, the Washington Post’s Mark Maske, and Eric Edholm of Yahoo Sports handed out B-minuses. Rob Rang of Fox Sports wasn’t so kind, giving the Vikings a C-plus grade, and Conor Orr of Sports Illustrated handed out a D-minus.

Orr’s negativity has proven to be well-founded and might not be strong enough. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s first draft as the Vikings’ general manager could be headed for an F, depending on how the remaining class members do this season. This concerns those who know how important this month’s draft will be in shaping the future of the Vikings’ roster.

Adofo-Mensah’s defenders will point out that he had only been on the job for a few months before that draft and that the current front office structure wasn’t as set then. That doesn’t excuse the fact that Adofo-Mensah not only traded back with Detroit to go from 12 to 32 in the first round but then missed (at least for now) on three of his first four picks.

Here’s a look at the Vikings’ 10-player draft class from 2022:

Round 1 (32): Lewis Cine, S
Round 2 (42): Andrew Booth Jr., CB
Round 2 (59): Ed Ingram, G
Round 3 (66): Brian Asamoah, LB
Round 4 (118): Akayleb Evans, CB
Round 5 (165): Esezi Otomewo, DT
Round 5 (169): Ty Chandler, RB
Round 6 (184): Vederian Lowe, OL
Round 6 (191): Jalen Nailor, WR
Round 7 (227): Nick Muse, TE

Cine, taken with the last pick of the opening round, has only played in two games and been in for 10 defensive snaps in his first two seasons. Cine suffered a compound fracture in his left leg early in his rookie season but declared himself ready to go during offseason workouts last spring.

But he only played in seven regular-season games, despite the fact that defensive coordinator Brian Flores often employed three safeties simultaneously, including 2020 sixth-round pick Josh Metellus.

It wasn’t much better with Booth and Asamoah, who were expected to step into prominent roles last season. Booth played in all 17 games and got a chance on defense. Still, it appears the Vikings will head into offseason workouts with 2023 third-round selection Mekhi Blackmon and free agent addition Shaq Griffin as the outside corners and Byron Murphy Jr. inside in the nickel.

Asamoah only played 36 snaps on defense last season, and while he has appeared in 29 games over two years, he has yet to get a start. The starting inside linebackers are Ivan Pace Jr., an undrafted free agent who excelled as a rookie last season, and free agent signee Blake Cashman.

Ingram struggled at right guard in his first year but started all 18 games, including the playoff loss to the Giants, and showed improvement in starting 15 games in 2023. The fact that Ingram is the most successful player from this group isn’t a positive.

Evans has shown promise in his first two seasons but dealt with concussion issues as a rookie and was benched in a Dec. 24 game against Detroit last year at U.S. Bank Stadium. He returned to start in the final two games of the season, but the decision to sign Griffin likely means Evans will find himself on the sideline when the Vikings play their opener.

Of the Vikings’ final five picks, Otomewo and Lowe are no longer with the team, Nailor has dealt with injuries and spent three stints on injured reserve last season, and Muse has played two snaps on offense in 12 games.

Chandler likely will serve as the backup to free agent running back Aaron Jones, who joined the Vikings after being released by the Packers. The Vikings were so hesitant to turn to Chandler as their starter last season that they spent much of the year with the struggling Alexander Mattison as their top back and didn’t turn over that job to Chandler until the final four games. Mattison was released this offseason.

If you have wondered why the Vikings don’t have more depth, this is why. Adofo-Mensah and Co., turned out two players the coaching staff currently trusts (Ingram and Chandler) and six that remain on the roster but with uncertain roles.

The offseason and training camp could be the last chance for guys like Cine, Booth, and Asamoah to prove that the generous grades so many gave the Vikings’ draft class in 2022 were warranted. The problem is the clock is ticking, and some might believe it’s already run out.

Former Panthers QB Matt Corral named starter for UFL’s Stallions

Former Panthers third-round pick Matt Corral is getting the starting nod in the UFL’s opener on Saturday.

Matt Corral’s second chance kicks off this weekend.

As announced on Thursday night, Corral has been named the starting quarterback for the United Football League’s Birmingham Stallions. The Stallions, the reigning United States Football League (USFL) champions, will be taking on the Arlington Renegades, the reigning XFL champions, in the UFL’s season opener at 1 pm. ET on Saturday.

Corral began his pro career with the Carolina Panthers, who selected him with the 94th overall pick of the 2022 NFL draft. Carolina had to trade up to that spot for the Ole Miss star, a move that sent a 2022 fourth-rounder and a 2023 third-rounder to the New England Patriots.

Later that year, Corral sustained a Lisfranc injury in the team’s preseason outing in New England. He’d go on to miss the entirety of what would have been his rookie campaign.

The Panthers would go on to waive Corral the next summer. He was then claimed by the Patriots, who released him on Sept. 18, 2023.

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The 2022 NFL Draft is cemented as one of the worst quarterback classes in history

The ’22 draft class at quarterback has proven to be one of the worst ever

Looking back on the 2022 NFL Draft, the narrative going in was the mixed bag of a quarterback class. It was headlined by Pittsburgh Panther Kenny Pickett, Cincinnati’s leader in Desmond Ridder and the explosive Liberty quarterback Malik Willis. Fast forward to just two drafts later, and none of the top quarterbacks from that class find themselves in a starting role, and most of them find themselves hanging on a thread for their NFL career.

In just the past week, three of the quarterbacks from that class who opened the last season as their team’s starter found themselves shipped off to another team. Sam Howell, Kenny Pickett, and Desmond Ridder were all moved off in favor of a veteran or a future rookie draft pick.

The only reason this class will likely not be considered a total bust is, ironically enough, the final pick in the entire draft with former Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy, who is coming off a Super Bowl appearance. It goes to show that the quarterback draft process can, at times, be a bit of a crap shoot. With top projected talents falling out of the first round, others quickly failing at the next level, and the ones no one ever expected becoming heroes of their franchise.

Matt Rhule claims he was vetoed from putting Brock Purdy on Panthers’ draft board in 2022

Former Panthers HC Matt Rhule said he wanted to put QB Brock Purdy on the team’s draft board in 2022, but was vetoed.

Was Mr. Irrelevant almost Mr. Carolina?

On Wednesday, University of Nebraska head football coach Matt Rhule revealed an interesting little nugget from his last draft with the Carolina Panthers. He told reporters that he was interested in selecting quarterback Brock Purdy—who is about to play on the game’s biggest stage in a couple of days.

“I think Brock Purdy is an amazing player, because I played against him at Iowa State,” Rhule said during his program’s national signing day press conference. “When I was in the draft room at Carolina, I brought his name up. I said, ‘Hey, guys, he should be on the draft board. I got vetoed on that one.”

Well, he may not be pulling out the ol’ used car salesman pitch. Both Joe Person of The Athletic and Benjamin Allbright of KOA Colorado subsequently noted that there is at least some truth to Rhule’s claim.

Purdy, of course, ended up going to the San Francisco 49ers with the 262nd overall pick.

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15 Most Impactful Texans of 2023: No. 9 Christian Harris

Up next in our “15 Most Impactful Texans of 2023” series is Christian Harris, who had a breakout year.

The Houston Texans had an extremely successful 2023 campaign.

They cruised to a 10-7 record under new head coach DeMeco Ryans and captured several accolades along the way. They won the AFC South and won a playoff game for the first time since the 2019 season. Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud won PFWA’s Offensive Rookie of the Year, rookie edge rusher Will Anderson won PFWA’s Defensive Rookie of the Year, and even Ryans took home hardware with PFWA’s Coach of the Year.

With a revamped team effort that led to dramatic improvements compared to both the 2021 and 2022 Texans, it’s worth examining who created that impact this past season and what their future projects moving forward.

This series has taken a look at defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, running back Devin Singletary, rookie receiver Tank Dell, and veteran tackle George Fant, and upstart linebacker Blake Cashman.

Entering the top 10, we took a closer look at cornerback Steven Nelson and now transition to breakout second-year linebacker Christian Harris.

Aidan Hutchinson sets Lions record for most sacks in 1st two seasons

Aidan Hutchinson sets Lions record for most sacks in 1st two seasons

When the Lions selected Aidan Hutchinson with the second overall pick, there were high expectations for him from the start. As a rookie, he didn’t let anyone down. During his first season in the NFL, he had 52 tackles, 9.5 sacks, nine tackles for loss and three interceptions.

Sure, this year, there’s been a dip in sack production for Hutchinson. However, he’s been generating more pressure than he did a season ago and is often facing two or three blockers at a time. Despite that, his 61 pressures are the best in the league currently.

While the Lions battle against the Chicago Bears in week 14, they took a 13-10 lead at half-time. Much of the limitations for the Bears offense were caused by a strong first half by Hutchinson. So far, he’s got two tackles, a tackle for loss and a sack.

This sack gave him his 6.5 sacks on the season, and it gives him the franchise record for most sacks by a Lions player in their first two career seasons with the team.

Breaking down the Jameson Williams touchdown against the Saints

Breaking down the spectacular Jameson Williams touchdown for the Lions against the Saints

Just a few weeks back, things were looking bleak for Jameson Williams and his young career with the Detroit Lions. Drops were a concern and he was playing limited snaps. However, he’s done the little things over recent weeks and it’s earning him the opportunity to make big plays.

In fact, we’re getting to a point where it feels like Jameson Williams needs to be slotted as the permanent number two receiver for this offense.

The reason is that whenever he’s on the field, he’s making a key block or making a big play with the ball in his hands. Teams have to honor his speed, and it just feels like he gives this offense a different element that they didn’t have previously.

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This season, Williams has only played 271 offensive snaps but he’s only been active since week 5 of the season. Meanwhile, his offensive snap percentage has been 50% or higher since Week 9 against the Chargers. But if the Lions started playing him more, he would start taking snaps from receiver Josh Reynolds.

For Reynolds, he’s played 611 offensive snaps this season and has been averaging 64% or more snaps since week 9 against the Chargers. During that time, Reynolds has only recorded 6 receptions for 53 yards and a score. Despite playing less snaps, we’re seeing Williams produce better results. Since week 9, Williams has recorded 7 receptions for 124 yards and a score.

To me, it’s evident that the change needs to happen. Williams provides more of a spark for an offense that is already creative enough to get the ball into the hands of their play makers.

Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson showed that creativity with a double reverse that found Williams diving into the end-zone for a touchdown that extended the Lions lead to 12 points. Let’s breakdown this touchdown for the Lions talented first round pick from the 2022 NFL Draft!

Despite being up 21-0 on the Saints, the Lions found themselves in a much tighter ball game than expected. Entering the 4th quarter, it was 27-21 and it was starting to feel like the Saints were going to take the lead. However, Jameson Williams and the Lions offense had a better idea.

Looking at the play above, we’re just seconds into the 4th quarter and the Lions are faced with a 2nd-and-10 on the Saints 19-yard line. The Lions come out with Jared Goff under center with his 12 personnel (one running back and two tight ends) on the field.

Once the ball is snapped, Goff fakes the hand-off to David Montgomery in the backfield and while Goff is carrying out his fake to the running back, he hands the ball off to wide receiver Kaliff Raymond. This is due to Raymond looping around to the backfield on the reverse.

However, to spice it up, not only does Raymond get the ball from Goff, he ends up handing it off to Jameson Williams. What makes this play remarkable is that Williams almost goes about 15 yards into the backfield to get the ball and then his speed and acceleration after getting the ball is just so impressive.

With a clear lane to the end-zone, Williams puts his foot on the gas and doesn’t stop until he scores. Lost in the speed of Jamo, there were two key blocks downfield on this play.

The first one is Graham Glasgow getting out in space and kicking out the cornerback that is flying across the field to make the tackle. Additionally, Penei Sewell blocks downfield and gets up to the safety to close off any angle that defender has to the football. The speed of Jamo is just the cherry on top for this play.

49ers release 2022 3rd-round pick RB Tyrion Davis-Price

The #49ers are releasing RB Ty Davis-Price per @mattbarrows.

The 49ers are set to sign defensive back Logan Ryan, and to make room on their roster San Francisco will release running back Ty Davis-Price according to Matt Barrows of the Athletic. As a second-year player he will be subject to waivers.

Davis-Price was a third-round pick in the 2022 draft who never got his career off the ground in San Francisco. As a rookie he dealt with injuries and only played in six games where he notched 99 yards on 34 attempts. During that rookie season he was eclipsed on the depth chart by undrafted rookie Jordan Mason.

Despite an improvement from Davis-Price in the 2023 offseason, he didn’t surpass Mason on the depth chart and he wound up being a healthy scratch in all but one game this year.

With injuries in the secondary, tight end and on the defensive line, the running back room became an easy place for the 49ers to cut ties with a player whose future with the team was murky.

In his lone appearance this season Davis-Price posted 21 yards on six carries in mop up duty at the end of a blowout win over the Cowboys.

There’s a chance the team brings him back on the practice squad if he clears waivers and doesn’t sign elsewhere. That would allow them to maintain some internal RB depth with a player who knows their system well.

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Second-round selections of Levi Onwuzurike and Josh Paschal not paying off for the Lions

Detroit’s recent second-round selections of Levi Onwuzurike and Josh Paschal are not paying off for the Lions

As of right now, it’s safe to say that Brad Holmes and the Lions are batting .500 with their second round selections from their last three drafts. Certainly, it’s not expected of any regime in the NFL to get every pick right. That said, the Lions rolled the dice on two defensive lineman in consecutive drafts in the second round and currently, it’s not paying off for Detroit.

When Holmes and Campbell took over, they needed to rebuild this roster inside and out. They had to start in the trenches and for their defense, the first player they took was Levi Onwuzurike.

When looking back at Onwuzurike, he was an explosive pass-rusher out of Washington. Some viewed him as a borderline first-round talent, and he was a player who had a good week at the 2021 Senior Bowl. The downside to him as a prospect was that he was undersized at 6’2″ and 290 pounds. That brought up questions to what position best suits him along the defensive line.

Additionally, Onwuzurike opted out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That did bring up additional questions of what type of player he would be with a year-long gap of no football being played. However, the Lions looked past those questions and took a player that seemed like a potential spark-plug to a defensive line that desperately needed it. During his rookie season in 2021, he did play almost 400 defensive snaps and recorded 35 tackles, two pressures and one sack. I’d say that was a promising start to his career.

Unfortunately, he suffered a back injury in 2022 and he’s not been the same player. While he’s made a return to the football field, Onwuzurike has only played 73 defensive snaps this season. It’s only led to three total tackles and has resulted in no pressures for him. When watching the tape, he lacks the explosiveness he once had and is consistently getting beat by the opposition due to his lack of length, explosiveness and power.

Could something click so he figures it out down the stretch this season? It’s possible but don’t be surprised if the Lions decide to move on as they desperately need help on defense. It’s a tough pill to swallow but that is part of the business. I don’t think Brad Holmes made the wrong decision in drafting Onwuzurike. He had to pull the trigger on getting help up front. However, when looking back at the 2021 NFL Draft, you can’t help but wonder what this defense would look like had they taken a player such as Asante Samuel Jr, Azeez Ojulari or Nick Bolton.

Moving onto the 2022 NFL Draft, the Lions made the correct decision in drafting Aidan Hutchinson. Regardless of the current results, he’s the heartbeat of their defense. The biggest question from this regime was when they double downed at the defensive end position and drafted Josh Paschal in the second round of that draft. This is after taking Hutch the day before and the year before, they selected Levi Onwuzurike.

During the 2022 NFL Draft, the Lions could have selected Alontae Taylor, Jaquan Brisker or Cam Taylor-Britt with their second round pick. However, they selected Paschal with the 46th overall pick.

Adding depth to the defensive line is common in the NFL but as a whole, the defense needed help in other areas. At the time, their cornerback depth was Jerry Jacobs, Amani Oruwariye, Bobby Price, Jeff Okudah and Bobby Price.

They didn’t have the luxury of doubling down at defensive end. Especially when their depth chart up front already had players such as Julian Okwara, Romeo Okwara and Charles Harris. Meanwhile, their secondary had the names listed above on the depth chart.

Since drafting Paschal, the Lions have gotten 443 defensive snaps out of him (per Pro Football Reference). This has resulted in 31 total tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks in his career. Looking at this season, he’s only played 150 snaps this season and it’s resulted in one total pressure.

Sure, he’s been hampered by a knee injury and it’s caused him to spend time on injured reserve. However, when a player is a top-50 pick in the NFL Draft, there’s an expectation placed on that player. Regardless of the position. For Paschal and Onwuzurike, they should be expected to perform at a high level for this Lions defense. After all, the Lions are 8-3 and appear to be the best team we’ve seen Detroit have in decades.

Adding talent to the Lions secondary with early draft selections could have been just as useful. Instead, the Lions went for having an impactful pass rush. Outside of Hutchinson, the Lions pass rush has been underwhelming this season. As we’ve seen in recent weeks, it’s a big part to why their defense is turning into one of the worst units in football.

It’s a win-now league and oddly enough, this is a win-now team. These two selections have not helped this team right now. Neither of them are contributing enough or at all to further justify their status on this team. There’s potential for both players to figure it out in Detroit. In fact, I hope they do. The unfortunate part is that right now, neither player is living up to the expectations.

 

 

Breaking down the Jameson Williams touchdown against the Bears

Lions film room: Breaking down the Jameson Williams touchdown against the Bears with Russell Brown

Weeks ago, my patience with Jameson Williams was starting to run thin. But we all gave him the benefit of the doubt that he had some hurdles to get going here in Detroit. Much of that was due to him recovering from a torn ACL during much of his rookie season. As he’s worked his way onto the field in his second season for Detroit, much of that is due to his ability to do the little things.

The little things are the big things.

Go to the 75-yard touchdown run from David Montgomery against the Chargers and one of the key blocks on the run is happening downfield from Jameson Williams. It’s gained respect from the fans but most importantly from the teammates and coaches of Williams. This will lead to more opportunities and more touches. That’s exactly what happened against the Chicago Bears for Jameson Williams.

Against the Bears, Williams recorded two receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown. One of the biggest catches of his career was a touchdown that brought the Lions down from a 12-point deficit to five points with just under three minutes left in the game. Let’s jump into the film room to break down this touchdown reception from Jameson Williams against the Bears!

There’s no doubt that the Jameson Williams touchdown was one of the best plays for the Lions offense against the Bears. Looking at the play above, the Lions come out with their 11 personnel (one running back and one tight end. Bunched together to the right of the formation is Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams.

As both receivers push vertically during this 1st and 10 play, they both end up running routes that break towards the sideline. For Jameson Williams, he runs what he called a “pylon route” and underneath him is St. Brown on a corner route. In the playbook, this would be identified as a hi-lo concept.

When re-watching the touchdown, Jameson Williams had this to say: “I had a pylon route, I seen the safety before the play, we running it off of him, he was inside of me, I knew I’d get 12-15 yards, if he’s not able to run with me to the back pylon, then we got him.”

For Jared Goff, he’s reading the cornerback (Bears CB 33 Jaylon Johnson). If the corner continues to get depth and follows the route from Williams, then Goff will throw the ball to St. Brown. If the corner sits on the lower route from St. Brown, then Goff will throw the ball to Williams. On this play, that’s exactly what happens.

When watching the play, you can see the speed and burst from Williams during this route. The safety is trailing him and is nowhere near fast enough to close the space between himself and Williams. This was a well-designed play by offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and it was executed even better from the Lions offense.

This is a positive sign for Jameson Williams and the Lions’ offense as they continue to need playmakers each and every single week. It’s starting to feel like more of these opportunities will present themselves for the former first-round pick of the 2022 NFL Draft in the second half of the season. Let’s hope Williams can build off this against the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving Day.

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