Tag: 2022 NFL draft

Titans projected to get comp pick in 2022 after deadline passes

The Titans are slated to receive an extra pick for the second straight year.

With the deadline for free-agent signings counting against the compensatory pick formula having passed on May 3, the Tennessee Titans are being projected to receive one comp pick in 2022.

According to Over the Cap, the Titans are slated to get a fourth-round compensatory pick as a result of tight end Jonnu Smith signing a four-year, $50 million deal with the New England Patriots in free agency.

If this holds, the Titans will get an extra pick for a second straight year after receiving a third-round selection resulting from Jack Conklin signing with the Cleveland Browns. The pick was used on cornerback Elijah Molden.

It’s very possible we’ll start to see more action from the Titans in free agency now that the deadline has passed.

General manager Jon Robinson recently hinted that the team is working on contract restructures to free up more money. Tennessee still has needs to address at wide receiver and kicker, among a few other positions.

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Bengals go three different ways in early 2022 NFL mock drafts

Quick look at the early 2022 NFL mock drafts for the Cincinnati Bengals.

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Mock-draft season is a year-around thing these days, which means it’s time to take a quick look at how some projections treat the Cincinnati Bengals.

Most early 2022 NFL mock drafts have the Bengals picking high in the order again. There, they either draft defense or offensive line, as expected.

Over at The Athletic, Dane Brugler has the Bengals landing Oregon edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux at third overall:

“This past draft was the first without a pass rusher in the top 10 since 2012, but Thibodeaux will help the position make a comeback next April. The former five-star recruit has lived up to expectations in Eugene and is the current favorite to be the first non-quarterback drafted in 2022.”

Thibodeaux, interestingly enough, is the No. 1 pick in a CBS Sports mock draft from Ryan Wilson. He has the Bengals picking fourth and selecting safety Kyle Hamilton out of Notre Dame.

Then there’s Brent Sobleski at Bleacher Report, who slots the Bengals fourth and selecting Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal:

“It’s time to rectify this matter. Alabama’s Evan Neal is a massive human being (6’7″ and 360 pounds) with starting experience at right tackle and guard. The former 5-star recruit has lived up to expectations with the Crimson Tide.”

A lot can change between now and the next draft, but those prospects are certainly on track to be top-10 players. The only odd pick here is to roll with a safety over other positions of need in the early goings of the draft unless that prospect just blows away the team.

As an aside, Cincinnati picking this early in mocks is related to Super Bowl odds — but if they do, the Bengals will be looking at a change across the coaching staff, too.

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

The New York Giants are not currently projected to receive any compensatory picks in the 2022 NFL draft.

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The New York Giants did not receive any compensatory picks in the 2021 NFL draft and it appears that tend will carry over into 2022.

Over the Cap recently completed their compensatory projections for next year’s draft and of the 32 picks likely to be handed out, the Giants will once again receive none. In fact, they didn’t even factor into the overflow.

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However, several signings made by the Giants will impact other teams, including the Detroit Lions, who lost wide receiver Kenny Golladay to Big Blue.

As of now, only two 3rd rounders are projected to be awarded: to the Steelers for Bud Dupree going to the Titans, and to the Lions for Kenny Golladay going to the Giants.

Additionally, how much wide receiver John Ross plays in 2021 will also impact the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Giants signed John Ross to a $2.5M APY contract. However, they just used their 2021 first round pick to get Kadarius Toney, and their wide receiver depth chart is deep alongside him with Kenny Golladay, Sterling Shepard, and Darius Slayton also on the team. If Ross can’t get on the field, that’s bad news for the Bengals, who need him to be a CFA in order to positive in the net number of CFAs lost. If Ross isn’t a CFA, that would be devastating for Cincinnati, who could lose a 4th or 3rd round comp pick for the departure of one of either William Jackson III or Carl Lawson.

Only five of the Giants’ free agents — Dalvin Tomlinson, Kyler Fackrell, Colt McCoy, Wayne Gallman and David Mayo (released) — have gone on to sign with another team. Seven remain unsigned, while three of the four players the team released also remain unsigned.

The loss of Tomlinson was canceled out by the signing of Golladay, while the additions of Ross and running back Devontae Booker count against the Giants in the compensatory pick formula.

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Saints projected to receive three comp picks in 2022 NFL draft

The New Orleans Saints are projected to receive three compensatory picks for the 2022 NFL draft in Las Vegas after recent free agent losses.

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The New Orleans Saints are one of ten teams projected to earn multiple compensatory draft picks in 2022’s NFL draft in Las Vegas, per Over The Cap’s Nick Korte, though his chart doesn’t include comp picks received as part of the league’s recent incentivized minority hiring program.

New Orleans has already locked in a 2022 third rounder following the loss of Terry Fontenot, their pro personnel director who left for the open Atlanta Falcons general manager position. Teams that lose minority candidates to executive roles with other teams receive two third-round picks in subsequent draft cycles.

So that’s in addition to the comp picks Korte projects the Saints to recoup after losing defensive linemen Trey Hendrickson and Sheldon Rankins to the Cincinnati Bengals and New York Jets, respectively. At this early stage, the Saints are expected to receive a fourth rounder for Hendrickson and a sixth rounder for Rankins.

However, that could change. Korte adds that Hendrickson is one of six players whose comp pick could upgrade to a third rounder if he logs enough playing time in New York; that seems likely after he broke out last year, quickly surpassing his career snaps percentage of 32.8% (he played 53.4% of snaps in 2020). We’ll know for sure once the NFL announces comp picks next spring.

In the meantime, here are where the Saints are slotted in the 2022 NFL draft  (not including the sixth rounder forfeited for COVID-19 protocols violations last season):

  • Round 1
  • Round 2
  • Round 3
  • Round 3 (compensation for Fontenot)
  • Round 4
  • Round 4 (compensation for Hendrickson)
  • Round 5
  • Round 6 (compensation for Rankins)
  • Round 7

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DraftWire’s 2022 NFL mock draft: Georgia has two first-rounders

This 2022 NFL mock draft has two Georgia football players go in the first round.

The 2021 NFL draft recently came to a close, with the three-day event wrapping things up on Saturday in Cleveland.

Georgia saw nine players selected during this year’s draft, setting a school record, and could very well look to break that record next year.

The Dawgs are loaded with talent and have every intention on competing for a national championship this upcoming season.

With all that returning talent, the Bulldogs will be heavily represented in next year’s draft.

USA TODAY’s Draftwire recently released a 2022 NFL mock draft which featured two UGA players going in the first round.

NEXT: Georgia players selected in 2022 NFL mock draft…

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Giants select DeMarvin Leal, Zion Nelson in early 2022 Draft Wire mock

In Draft Wire’s way-too-early 2022 mock, the New York Giants select DL DeMarvin Leal and OT Zion Nelson.

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The 2021 NFL draft has officially come and gone, so what better time than now to look ahead to the 2022 NFL draft?

That’s exactly what our friend Luke Easterling of Draft Wire did this week, offering up his “way-too-early 2022 NFL mock draft.” And for the New York Giants, who have two first-round picks thanks to a draft-day trade with the Chicago Bears, they go heavy on the hog mollies.

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With an order determined by the current Super Bowl odds, the Giants are slated to select at No. 7 overall and No. 11 overall.

With their first projected pick, Big Blue selects Texas A&M defensive lineman DeMarvin Leal, who 247Sports has rated as a top prospect in 2022.

Leal is one of the more intriguing defensive prospects in the 2022 draft cycle thanks to his plus athletic ability, explosiveness off the ball and his versatility. Listed as a defensive end for Texas A&M’s front, the 6-foot-4, 290-pound Leal can capably play both inside and outside, generating pressure wherever he lines up. Leal rated as PFF College’s ninth-best EDGE rusher nationally a season ago, excelling as both a run defender and as a pass rusher. His 32 pressures ranked within the top 50 nationally of EDGE rushers as well despite playing in a system built around stopping the run.

Leal isn’t as big, but he features some of the traits that made Christian Wilkins such a dynamic player for Clemson a few years ago: Freakish athletic ability for his size, excellent against the run and dynamic when needed as a pass rusher be it with a speed or power move. In a deep EDGE class, Leal feels like one of the safer bets to go off the board in the first round.

With their second projected pick of the first-round, Draft Wire has the Giants selecting Miami offensive tackle Zion Nelson.

247Sports does not have Nelson rated among their top 10 2022 prospects, but did list the 6-foot-5, 310-pound lineman as an honorable mention.

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2022 compensatory pick window closing, could spur Dolphins signings

2022 compensatory pick window closing, could spur Dolphins signings

The 2021 NFL Draft is now behind us and the next major landmark for the 2021 offseason is already here: the compensatory pick window will be closing this afternoon at 4PM EST. What does that mean specifically? That remaining free agent players can be signed without impacting the formula the NFL uses each year to calculate compensatory selections. Despite Miami’s activity in signing key free agents like QB Jacoby Brissett and WR Will Fuller, this is still relevant to the Miami Dolphins — and therefore may spur additional action for the Dolphins.

Over The Cap currently projects the Dolphins to be in line for a 2022 5th-round pick via the compensatory formula for losing defensive tackle Davon Godchaux in free agency to the New England Patriots. And, once 4PM EST passes, that will be set in stone and no further signings will alter that projection.

There are a number of talents available who may be able to further push Miami into a contender’s role. And while a 5th-round selection may not feel like much, every added pick gives the Dolphins a chance to attack player acquisition one way or another. It may be as simple as making the pick, but a 5th-round choice would hold modest weight in a pick for veteran player trade or could be the icing on the cake for Miami in a trade up scenario, too.

So while this afternoon’s deadline isn’t going to make or break the Miami Dolphins, it will certainly open the gates for any signings the team is interested in and would alleviate any concern of losing a future asset to acquire any individual player left on the market.

Way-too-early look at Ohio State football’s 2022 potential NFL draft class

The 2021 NFL draft has barely finished, and that means it’s time to focus our gaze on what 2022 might have in store for Ohio State players.

The 2021 NFL draft is in the books and it’s now time to turn the page towards the next one. After all, there are media personalities employed by several of the big boy media types who are paid to look at these sort of things year-round.

For Ohio State, there is always going to be a decent crop of talent ready to go on to the highest of levels in the National Football League, and it looks to be no different for 2022 when the draft takes place from April 28-30 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Heck, the Buckeyes had ten more players drafted in 2021, so the machine keeps on churning NFL widgets out.

So what players are likely to be in all the NFL shenanigans next year? It can all depend of course based on who decides to leave early, injuries, and a host of other factors, but here’s our best guess and projection as things sit with contracts yet to even be signed with the class of 2021.

This will of course change once the season gets going and in full swing. Someone else will jump up to get on NFL boards, and maybe a player or two will decide to put off dreams of NFL grandeur to play with the brotherhood one more season.

4 college prospects Texans need to consider as 2022 NFL draft first-round pick

The Houston Texans need to consider these four college prospects as they gear up for the 2022 NFL draft.

The 2021 NFL draft may have concluded, but given the poor outlook for the Houston Texans’ regular season, it is still draft season.

Director of college scouting James Liipfert and his team turn their attention to the 2022 NFL draft. This is the first draft in the Nick Caserio era where the Texans will have a first and second-round pick to work with as the general manager seeks to complete the rebuild.

The draft will be the most optimistic for Houston sports fans as they can finally turn the page on the Deshaun Watson era — that is, if the Texans haven’t saddled up Davis Mills as their signal caller of the future.

Taking an early look at the top 15 QB prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft class

Taking an early look at the top 15 QB prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft class

The Eagles will now embark on a long-term rebuild with a new head coach in Nick Sirianni and a fresh start at quarterback with Jalen Hurts.

The Eagles used a 2020 second-round pick on Hurts and since the four games in 2020 weren’t a true gauge of his talents at quarterback, he’ll get the entire 2021 season to prove he’s the guy.

With the Eagles passing on a quarterback, Philadelphia has started the process of building around Hurts and he’ll every opportunity to become the signal-caller of the future.

If Hurts isn’t the answer during 2021, the 2022 NFL Draft class offers some interesting prospects, but none with the resume of Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, or Trey Lance.

Below we give an early look at 15 of the top quarterbacks who could be options for the Eagles and their two possible three first-round picks depending on the Colts 2021 season.