BEST Picks from Days 2 & 3 of 2022 NFL Draft

 In the blink of an eye, the 2022 NFL draft is officially in the books! As always, what a great weekend it was full of surprises and landscape shifting moves and picks. Now we enter the UDFA signing phase and then the wave of moves that generally come a few days after the draft. Before we know it, training camp will be upon us! In the past 2 days we've seen rounds 2-7, and I'm going to highlight all of my favorite picks from that range!

Rd. 2, 34th overall: Green Bay Packers select Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota St.

Thank god the Packers made a trade up to make this pick. We really thought the team was going to leave Aaron Rodgers out to dry AGAIN after making two first round selections on day 1 and neither of the two being a wideout. That changed here when the Packers grabbed the 6'5, 210 speedster from NDSU. Watson is a "create-a-player" with that size and speed combination. He ran a forty time in the 4.3s and was one of the most explosive wideouts in college this past season. He's an easy separation creator and is so so versatile. He was even returning kicks for the Bison. While he may immediately step in as the WR1 in Green Bay's high octane offense, expect Matt LeFleur to use his versatility to the max and move him around this offense like Davante Adams. Home run pick here for the Packers to be able to get him outside of the first round.

Rd. 2, 42nd overall: Minnesota Vikings select Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson

While the Vikings did get a DB in round 1, it was Lewis Cine who profiles in more as a Safety than a CB and it wasn't until the final pick of the round. CB was the Vikings' biggest need by far and they should count their lucky stars that they were able to snag Booth in the mid second round. I had Booth as an easy first round talent due to his ideal size at 6 feet and 195 pounds coupled with his unreal ball skills. This guy is a turnover creator as he got his hands on so many footballs during his time in the Clemson defense. While Patrick Peterson will be the short term CB1 still in Minny, Booth will be able to be mentored by one of the best and work alongside him from day 1, developing into the eventual lockdown CB1. Great value and fit here.

Rd. 2, 45th overall: Baltimore Ravens select David Ojabo, EDGE, Michigan

The Ravens have such a simple draft philosophy that they preach every single year, and it never seems to fail. Simply always take the best player on the board. David Ojabo coming to them with the 45th overall pick was easily that. Before tearing his Achillies at his pre-draft pro day, Ojabo was a top 20 pick lock in this draft. Easily the edge rusher with the most juice and bend off the edge in this class, teams were licking their chops at taking the raw but surprisingly already productive Ojabo (11 sacks in 2021). Instead, the injury dropped him outside the first round and right into the Ravens' lap. They will have to wait a year for him, but that is quite alright. This team is stacked at almost every position and can easily wait for a young stud who can step in instantly and be a difference maker when he suits up in 2023. Odafe Oweh just found his rush mate for the future. 

Rd. 2, 55th overall: Arizona Cardinals select Trey McBride, TE, Colorado St.

Weapons on weapons on weapons in Arizona. GM Steve Keim wanted to leave no doubt in Kyler Murray's mind that the team wants to set him up for success. The team traded their first rounder for WR Hollywood Brown on night 1 and then on night 2 spent their first pick on the best TE in the class. Aside from the unicorn that is Kyle Pitts (drafted #4 overall last year), McBride is one of the best TE prospects I've seen in the last 10 years. He's big, physical, and can make every catch. In some ways he really reminds me of Rob Gronkowski coming out of college (minus the elite blocking that Gronk boasted). While Zach Ertz is locked in on a new contract w/Arizona, the team is expected to come out in many two-tight end sets this season which would make McBride an unbelievable weapon. While it may not be this season, McBride is the TE of the future in the desert, and the NFL will be put on notice very soon.

Rd. 2, 58th overall: Atlanta Falcons select Troy Andersen, LB, Montana State

The Falcons needed talent wherever they could get it. That was certainly the motive behind bringing in super-athlete Troy Andersen in the late second round. Andersen was one of my favorite prospects in the entire class. He plays with elite athleticism and speed for the position and is already a very refined talent. Andersen is an elite tackler (second in the nation in tackles) but also is awesome in run support and able to cover pretty much anyone in the second level including the biggest and strongest TEs. While he still has some developing to do, Andersen has the athleticism to become a superstar in the NFL, exactly the kind of pick Atlanta needed.

Rd. 3, 76th overall: Baltimore Ravens select Travis Jones, DT, UCONN

The Ravens were back at it again with this pick. Travis Jones was a guy a lot of people thought could sneak into the late first round or potentially be among the first 3-4 players off the board in the second. Nope, for some reason, he fell to the mid third round, and the Ravens were waiting there for him. Jones is a MONSTER. He's just huge. 6'4 and 330 pounds, at worst this guy will just simply eat up blocks to free up other rushers to get home to the QB. Jones has potential to develop into a serious interior pass rush threat, but again, at the current moment he's still raw there and mostly just a great run stopper. This was a steal for the Ravens who are currently playing with Brandon Williams and Calais Campbell (both well over 30) and they now have at least one guy for the future to replace those two who don't have much time or gas left in the tank.

Rd. 3, 83rd overall: Philadelphia Eagles select Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia

This might have been THE best pick of the draft. Talent-wise, Dean was an easy top 15 talent in the class. Not just in my eyes, but in pretty much anyone's. While his main knock is his size (5'11) which is small for an LB, but he makes up for it pretty much in every way possible with his actual ability on the field. Dean was a heat seeking missile for the national champions. He has great sideline to sideline speed, he's an ELITE blitzer (6 sacks in 2021), and he's amazing at maneuvering through gaps to get into the backfield. There's really nothing to hate about Dean except his size. This was a top 15 talent in the class that fell to round 3 for no true known reason, and the Eagles capitalized. What a pick for them, especially with LB as a major need. A+, home run pick. This is an ELITE talent and a surefire day 1 starter if healthy.

Rd. 3, 86th overall: Tennessee Titans select Malik Willis, QB, Liberty

Aside from Dean, Malik Willis was the other insane shocking player to fall this far. Willis was another top 20 talent that I figured had no chance of escaping the top 20. Not only did he fall out of the first round, but he fell out of the second as well. Pretty shocking for a guy with the physical profile and potential of Willis. What a steal for the Titans. The main knock on Willis was his inconsistency and how he was somewhat raw, but getting him in the third round eliminates pretty much any concern. When you are taking a QB in round 3, the expectations are almost always low. If Willis doesn't pan out, then he doesn't pan out. That mantra is a little different if he's a first round pick. What a situation for him to land in as well. He can sit for a year or even two behind a still good (but aging) Ryan Tannehill and learn how to be a pro, and then he may step in and instantly become a superstar franchise QB for the Titans. While I hated Tennessee's move of trading AJ Brown away, this steal at 86 almost makes up for it. What insane value for the potential Lamar Jackson/Josh Allen talent. This (or the Dean pick) may have been the best value in the draft.

Rd. 3, 94th overall: Carolina Panthers select Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss

The QBs as a collective unit all falling in this draft might have just saved HC Matt Rhule's job. I was quite shocked when the Panthers didn't trade down in round 1 to secure potentially multiple early round picks to have a chance at a QB like Corral in round 2. Instead they got the best o-lineman in the class and then were willing to wing it with Sam Darnold for another year. I cannot imagine the surprise and elation in the Carolina front office when Matt Corral was still sitting there in the late 3rd round when they made the move up to secure him. While I believe both Kenny Pickett and Willis were better QB prospects than Corral, he is a close 3rd. Willis won't see time for years maybe, but Corral is going to get a chance at least at some point this very season. The Ole Miss QB played in a college offense that limited him, but he still showed many flashes of greatness. He zips the ball downfield and has a very strong arm, much stronger than given credit for. He also is able to go through his progressions well. The best trait about him is his toughness and running ability, which will go a long way in the NFL. While he still is a QB who needs coaching up, the Panthers potentially landed a franchise QB in almost the fourth round. They were really about to go into next season with Sam Darnold as their QB. Sighs of serious relief in Charlotte right now...

Rd. 4, 109th overall: Seattle Seahawks select Coby Bryant, CB, Cincinnati

When people are talking about a CB from Cincinnati in this year's draft, 99% of the time it's about Sauce Gardner who went #4 overall to the Jets. The funny thing is that Sauce's boundary mate Coby Bryant was the one who won the Thorpe award for being the best DB in the entire nation in 2021. What a steal here for Seattle. The Hawks were devastated that both Gardner and Derek Stingley (who they reported loved) were gone before their 9th overall pick. They got a guy who can also start day 1 but in the 4th round. I really don't get why Bryant wasn't being considered as a first or second round prospect. This guy again was THE best CB in all of college last season. The main knock on Bryant is his speed, but he ran a very respectable and honestly pretty fast 4.4 during the pre-draft process. Bryant is unlike any CB Seattle currently has on roster. He's a genuine BALL HAWK. He plays the ball, not always the receiver. The kid who was named after the late NBA legend should be a day 1 starter for Seattle and not just that, but a very good player too. What a steal for Pete Carroll whose team did great work this draft.

Rd. 4, 110th overall: Baltimore Ravens select Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota

Hello again Baltimore. Into the 4th round the Ravens continued to do their thing. I was a lot higher on Faalele than most. A lot of the times, these kinds of prospects don't pan out, but I have a good feeling about Faalele. At 385 pounds (and also standing at 6'8), Faalele will be the biggest player in NFL HISTORY. That's right, HISTORY. While that might not mean much alone, the young tackle who has only played the sport for a handful of years is already somewhat refined. He definitely has a lot of work to do, but his sheer size and strength alone is enough for him to be able to play meaningful snaps on the line from day 1 if needed. If this guy gets coached up correctly, he has real All-Pro potential. For the Ravens who don't have a ton of team needs and a lot of picks in their chest, taking a relative flier on a tantalizing prospect like this is well worth it. I thought Faalele should have been an early second rounder.

Rd. 4, 138th overall: Pittsburgh Steelers select Calvin Austin III, WR, Memphis

Going into the draft I thought that if anything, Calvin Austin was going to rise much further than he would potentially fall. I was wrong, but the Steelers couldn't be more happy about it. Austin is one of the most electric players in the class and felt like a surefire round 2 pick. Somehow he lasted until late into the 4th round. While he is small at 5'8 and 170 pounds, he makes up for it with game breaking speed and elusiveness. The Steelers are a WR factory. They are known for getting the most out of their drafted wideouts and they will be able to squeeze out all of Austin's potential. I loved their pick of Georgia wideout George Pickens in round 2, and with him, Austin, Diontae Johnson, and Chase Claypool in the fold, this Steelers perimeter game is going to be hard to cover. I envision Austin taking Ray-Ray McCloud's role from 2021 to the next level.

Rd. 5, 144th overall: Washington Commanders select Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina

Another instance of a team who wanted to draft a QB lucking out by the shocking fall of every QB in the class. While Washington made the big time trade to bring in Carson Wentz earlier this off-season, that did not stop them from looking into the QB options in the draft. The team reportedly did a ton of research on the available signal callers in the class. I don't think they were willing to take one early, but with Howell sliding all the way to round 5, they couldn't pass up anymore. Carson Wentz will need to be ensured by team brass that this is nothing but going best player available, but at the same time, this was a smart pick in the instance that Wentz falls apart again. Ron Rivera made a smart call bringing in Howell who reminds me a bit of Baker Mayfield. He's got a big and accurate arm and sneaky mobility, but is inconsistent and needs talent around him to succeed. An interesting value pick here to say the least, but I like the fit a lot. 

Rd. 5, 153rd overall: Seattle Seahawks select Tariq Woolen, CB, UTSA

Going into the draft this was one of my favorite prospects in the entire class, and for good reason. This is a rare player. While super super raw, you simply will never see a guy with these measurables: 6'4, 205 pounds, 33 inch arms, 4.26 forty yard dash! Holy cow! Not only are these generational athletic numbers for any player, but even more so for a CB. Woolen instantly profiles in as the tallest CB in the NFL and by his forty time, he enters the league as also a top 3-5 fastest CB in the league as well. That is crazy. Now that being said, Woolen is very raw. He's only played football for a number of years and some of those years were at WR before moving to CB. Still, while raw, he's shown major flashes of greatness during his time at UTSA. While he needs development in man and zone coverage, he's already great in press coverage. Seattle needs CB talent badly. Coby Bryant (above) was a great pick and has a high floor and Woolen has a very high ceiling. Almost polar opposites, but both could have major success in Seattle which has one of the best defensive staffs in the sport lead by HC Pete Carroll who has gotten the most out of numerous DBs over the course of his legendary career. I can't wait to see how Carroll goes about developing one of the best athletes I've EVER seen. STEAL alert for Seattle.

Rd. 6, 180th overall: Buffalo Bills select Matt Araiza, P, San Diego State

How Matt Araiza (AKA "punt god") was neither the first special teamer nor even punter off the board is beyond me, but the Bills got an absolute steal with him to open up the 6th round. I'm not just saying this, but Matt Araiza is the best punting prospect I've EVER seen. I'm sure many have heard of him already, but he is coming off an unreal season in which he averaged over 52 yards a punt and hit MULTIPLE 80+ yard punts. The sheer power from his left leg is crazy and unlike anything I've seen. That isn't even all there is to him. Araiza does kickoffs and even is able to attempt field goals as well (though he won't probably be asked to in Buffalo with Tyler Bass in the fold). He's also one of the best tackling punters I've seen, check his highlights and you will see clips of him rocking return men. Araiza is simply an athlete, not just a punter. He also ran a blazing 4.68 forty time which is faster than many QBs in the NFL. This guy is an all around legend and Buffalo just got even better at a position that they were weak at before. While they don't punt often, when they have to now, it's going to be a welcome sight. STEAL!!!!!!

Rd. 6, 189th overall: Carolina Panthers select Amaré Barno, EDGE, Virginia Tech

For the final player on this list of great picks, the Panthers got another one. While Amare Barno may not pan out in the NFL (just like many 6th round picks) he also could end up being a mismatch that opposing teams simply do not know how to handle. At 6'5 and 250 pounds, the VT edge rusher ran a frickin' 4.36 forty time. That is by far the fastest 40 ever recorded for a defensive lineman. If you heard that an edge rusher ran a 4.36 forty, you'd probably assume it was some undersized OLB type tweener who was like 6'2 and 210 pounds. Nope, Barno is the real deal size wise and still ran that forty. Aside from his unreal speed and athleticism, Barno is pretty raw. He needs to learn how to set the edge better and how to engage with more pass rush moves than he already uses. 6th round picks are fliers anyway, so to get a guy with this level of speed is unreal for the Panthers and I love it. This is a great pick and a highlight of the third day of the draft. Imagine a 6'5 and 250 pound rusher bearing down on you as a QB and running as fast as someone like Mecole Hardman or DK Metcalf. Yup, that's a reality now. I wanna see this guy get snaps for the Panthers alongside Brian Burns! Let's see what he can do. 

More draft content to come very shortly!