Tag: 2022 NFL draft

Way-too-early 2022 NFL mock draft sends Bills CB in Round 1

Buffalo Bills select Cincinnati’s Ahmad Gardner in 2022 NFL draft mock by Bleacher Report.

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Didn’t get enough NFL draft speculation in early April? Let’s keep that ball rolling now.

Bleacher Report took a big-time look into the future recently, all the way to the 2022 NFL draft next year via a mock draft. In those way-too-early projections, the Bills, slated to pick at No. 28 overall, land a cornerback.

The pick is Cincinnati’s Ahmad Gardner.

Here’s B/R’s breakdown:

The Buffalo Bills now feature one of the NFL’s best all-around rosters. Concern does linger at cornerback opposite Tre’Davious White, though.

Levi Wallace returned to the team this offseason, but he did so on a one-year, $1.75 million deal. Those aren’t starting cornerback numbers.

Bills general manager Brandon Beane didn’t add much at the position courtesy of the draft. Racard Wildgoose joins the team after being a sixth-round selection. A real commitment to the position would be nice.

Cincinnati’s Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner may not look a typical first-round cornerback. He’s 6’2″ and quite slender at a listed 188 pounds. But Wallace isn’t the biggest defensive back, either. Gardner can cover with the best of them, though. According to Pro Football Focus, the two-time, first-team All-AAC defensive back hasn’t allowed a touchdown in 598 career coverage snaps.

As of now, Wallace has yet to convince the Bills that he’s their pick for the No. 2 cornerback job moving forward. Over the course of the past few summers, the Bills front office continues to bring in competition for him. However, as of now, he doesn’t have a huge challenge ahead of him before next season.

Wildgoose might better project as a slot cornerback in Buffalo’s defense, so as of now, Wallace will only have to hold Dane Jackson to start across from White in 2021. That is, if the Bills don’t sign further competition for him this offseason.

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7 Georgia Bulldogs make Athlon’s list of top 2022 SEC NFL draft prospects

Georgia football has seven players listed in Athlon Sports’ top-25 SEC players for the 2022 NFL draft.

With the 2021 NFL draft behind us and no football to be played for another four months, it’s time to shift our focus to the 2022 NFL draft.

UGA just set a school record with nine Bulldogs selected in the 2021 draft and may even look to break that record next year.

The Bulldogs return a loaded roster for the upcoming season, and that’s reflected in Athlon Sports’ list of the top-25 SEC NFL draft prospects for next year’s event.

Georgia placed seven players on the list, which is the most of any team in the league.

These players appear in alphabetical order and are as follows…

7 Georgia Bulldogs make Athlon’s list of top 2022 SEC NFL draft prospects

Georgia football has seven players listed in Athlon Sports’ top-25 SEC players for the 2022 NFL draft.

With the 2021 NFL draft behind us and no football to be played for another four months, it’s time to shift our focus to the 2022 NFL draft.

UGA just set a school record with nine Bulldogs selected in the 2021 draft and may even look to break that record next year.

The Bulldogs return a loaded roster for the upcoming season, and that’s reflected in Athlon Sports’ list of the top-25 SEC NFL draft prospects for next year’s event.

Georgia placed seven players on the list, which is the most of any team in the league.

These players appear in alphabetical order and are as follows…

What picks in 2022 NFL Draft are Dolphins currently scheduled to own?

What picks in 2022 NFL Draft are Dolphins currently scheduled to own?

It is time to put the NFL Draft talk on the shelf for a few months. The 2021 event has come and gone, bringing new faces to the Dolphins along with the rest of the NFL. But as we bid farewell to one of the most all-inclusive events on the league calendar, we can at the very least take a look ahead at what awaits us next April.

Which picks do the Miami Dolphins currently own?

The team was busy over the course of the last few months, wheeling and dealing picks in order to best align themselves to add talent at last weekend’s event. But despite all of the trade activity — including moves both up and down the board, Miami has a plentiful crop of picks currently on the schedule.

Here are the picks the Dolphins currently own for the 2022 NFL Draft, plus a projected pick based on the NFL’s compensatory pick formula:

First Round

  • San Francisco 49ers’ selection (2021 trade back)

Second Round

  • Miami Dolphins’ selection

Third Round

  • San Francisco 49ers’ compensatory selection (2021 trade back)

Fourth Round

  • Miami Dolphins’ selection
  • Pittsburgh Steelers’ selection (2021 trade back)

Fifth Round

  • Miami Dolphins’ selection
  • Projected: Compensatory pick (DL Davon Godchaux)

Sixth Round

  • Miami Dolphins’ selection
  • Pending: New England Patriots’ selection (Isaiah Ford trade)

Seventh Round

  • Tennessee Titans’ selection (Isaiah Wilson)

Four Ohio State players in USA TODAY’s early 2022 NFL draft top fifteen players

USA TODAY ranked the top fifteen players well ahead of the projected 2022 NFL draft and has four Ohio State players listed.

The Ohio State football program didn’t have as many first-round picks as we are all accustomed to in the 2021 NFL draft, but don’t get used to it. The Buckeyes are expected to be back at the first-round party next season and plenty of national media outlets are projecting several hues of scarlet and gray to walk across the stage in Las Vegas next April.

In fact, according to Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, Ohio State has four players ranked in the top fifteen that will be eligible for the draft in 2022. That’s almost one-third of the first fifteen players selected, and that’s before we even get past that number and through the rest of the first round.

Now, before we celebrate, remember that it’s way too early to get excited about such prognostications and projections. All you have to do is look at both Wyatt Davis and Shaun Wade falling outside of the first round despite almost everyone projecting them to be there for the 2021 draft early in the year.

Still, it’s an impressive list so early on. So, what four players does Middlehurst-Schwartz have in the top fifteen (with a bit of a caveat)?

NEXT … A defensive end that’s primed to breakout

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DeMarvion Overshown listed as a top 25 potential draft prospect for 2022

Texas linebacker DeMarvion Overshown is listed as one of the top 25 most intriguing 2022 NFL draft prospects.

The 2021 NFL draft concluded a few days ago and the Longhorns were present in the event with five Texas players selected through the seven rounds, the most since the 2015 NFL draft.

It’s never too early to look ahead to next year’s draft and dissect who from the Longhorns could be a part of the event and/or who could potentially be selected in the early rounds.

The likely favorite appears to be linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, who was listed as one of the most intriguing prospects by ESPN. Here’s what staff writer Dave Wilson had to say about Overshown:

In seven seasons at Washington, new Longhorns defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski had 17 players drafted. He’ll have a versatile new defender to utilize in DeMarvion Overshown this season in Austin. Overshown, a 6-4, 217-pound former safety, showed flashes of brilliance in his first season as a linebacker, culminating with MVP honors in the Alamo Bowl after he had six tackles, an interception, a fumble recovery and two quarterback hurries against Colorado. With one more year of experience, Overshown should start climbing up draft boards. — Wilson

There hasn’t been an inside linebacker from Texas drafted in the first round since Tommy Nobis in 1966. If Overshown can build off a strong 2020 season, we could possibly see that streak end.

2022 NFL draft: Two Badgers make Athlon Sports’ list of Big Ten football players to watch

It’s never too early to look ahead to next year’s NFL draft. Even if the 2021 draft ended just a few days ago, writers are already

It’s never too early to look ahead to next year’s NFL draft. Even if the 2021 draft ended just a few days ago, writers are already publishing 2022 mock drafts and compiling lists of players to watch.

Today, Athlon Sports’ Kevin McGuire did just that with the Big Ten conference.

On his list of 25 Big Ten football players to watch heading into next year’s draft: Wisconsin tight end Jake Ferguson and linebacker Jack Sanborn.

Here’s what McGuire, who is also the editor for newly launched Nittany Lions Wire had to say about the two Badgers.

Jake Ferguson

“Wisconsin’s big tight end target will benefit from a solid season this fall. Ferguson was  the Badgers’ leading receiver in 2020 but will need to put together some more production to move up the big boards.”

Jack Sanborn

“The Badgers have developed some reliable linebackers over the years. Sanborn will be the next in line coming out of Madison ready to prove his worthiness at the next level.”

Asher and I went through the Wisconsin roster on Locked On Badgers this week and talked about who has a shot to get drafted next season.

Included in our discussion are Ferguson and Sanborn, though there are a few more starters who will be worth watching as draft boards are compiled.

A lot will change between now and the 2022 NFL draft. But if you want to hang your hat on two Badger starters hearing their names called, Ferguson and Sanborn are your guys.

Contact/Follow us @TheBadgersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin news, notes, opinion and analysis.

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Bills not projected to receive any compensatory picks in 2022 NFL draft

2022 compensatory picks not expected to be awarded to Buffalo Bills.

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The Bills did a great job maintaining their roster this offseason. Buffalo retained many of their top pending free agents, including linebacker Matt Milano and offensive lineman Daryl Williams.

Because of that and other factors, the team is currently not projected to receive any compensatory picks at the upcoming 2022 NFL draft. Per Over The Cap this week, the only team in the AFC East slated to receive a comp pick is the Dolphins.

Compensatory picks are awarded to teams when they lose free agents during an offseason who play a certain amount of snaps the prior season as compared to other free-agent departures around the league. Those in the top-five percent earn a team an extra third-round pick and so on.

Via OTC, here’s that breakdown, for reference:

The round for each contract is assigned on a percentile basis, as follows:

  • 3rd Round: top 5%

  • 4th Round: below top 5% to top 10%

  • 5th Round: below top 10% to top 15%

  • 6th Round: below top 15% to top 25%

  • 7th Round: below top 25% to top 35% (previously 50% in the 2011 CBA)

The Bills did lose some free agents this offseason to other teams, but perhaps the biggest in terms of snaps played was Andre Roberts. He signed with the Texans. Roberts was only the Bills’ man returner though, so he will not earn the Bills a comp pick.

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Would DeMarvin Leal, Zion Nelson make sense for Giants in 2022?

An early look at the 2022 NFL draft and two prospects — DL DeMarvin Leal and OL Zion Nelson — already connected to the New York Giants.

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Now that the 2021 NFL draft has concluded, it’s time to focus on the 2022 NFL draft. We’re not kidding. Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling has published his “way too-early” 2022 mock draft, which we briefly touched on earlier this week.

The Giants, remember, have two first round picks next year, so here’s who he sees the Giants selecting.

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In Easterling’s mock draft, the Giants have the seventh overall pick and the Chicago Bears’ pick, which is No. 11.

With the seventh pick, the Giants take Texas A&M defensive lineman DeMarvin Leal. The 6-foot-4, 291 pound junior is expected to be a top 10 pick next April. He is considered a “hybrid” players can line up at any any position on the defensive line.

“He has an unbelievably competitive nature. When he’s on the field, I don’t ever see him loaf for one second,” Aggies head coach Jimbo Fisher said of Leal last October. “I don’t care what drill it is, what we’re doing or how we do it. Those kinds of guys change cultures of an organization because they’re great players, and they’re highly recruited players who play like they have no ability … with their effort and toughness.”

With the 11th pick, the Giants select Miami offensive tackle Zion Nelson, a 6-foot-5, 315 pound underclassman. Nelson played left tackle last season as a sophomore but will need this season in college to sure up his fundamentals.

“He’s just a freak of nature. Zion’s an incredibly gifted football player,” center Corey Gaynor said. “He’s got long arms. Think he’s big and strong, and I think he’s very twitchy. He’s everything you want out of a left tackle.”

A lot can happen between now and the 2022 NFL draft, but odds are the Giants will still need a quality offensive lineman by then. They also love their versatile defensive linemen, so both Leal and Nelson are worth watching this coming college season.

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Vikings projected to receive no compensatory draft picks for 2022

The Minnesota Vikings are currently looking at zero compensatory draft picks for the 2022 NFL draft.

Vikings GM Rick Spielman is seen as a draft pick stockpiler.

Spielman has earned that reputation through trading back in drafts and acquiring more picks. However, there is another way to accumulate more than the average draft stock, and that’s landing compensatory picks.

Over the Cap recently did a projection for what each NFL team could be looking at for 2022 compensatory picks. The Vikings are currently not on the 2022 compensatory picks board at Over the Cap, meaning the team has zero compensatory draft capital for 2022 as it stands.

That could change in the future. Minnesota still has some free agents, like Brett Jones and Todd Davis, available in the market. However, it’s likely that neither of those two command a big enough deal in free agency to put the Vikings back on the compensatory board.

What really hurt the team was S Anthony Harris and LB Eric Wilson signing relatively cheaper deals than some thought they would earn. Also, Minnesota added a lot of players through free agency, which can affect the cancellation chart.