The 2022 NFL Draft (April 28-30) lacks a marquee quarterback prospect – certainly a far cry from 2021, when Trevor Lawrence was the first of three QBs taken at the top of the draft and five among the first 15 picks. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t any star-caliber options. The upcoming NFL Combine (March 1-7) will help us take a closer look at all the prospects, but most of what we need to know has already been played out on the field and put on tape.
It’s important to remember that most of the evaluation process only accounts for what we can see, what we can measure. There are always those unknown factors of what a player has between his ears and what pounds inside his chest.
2022 NFL Draft quarterback prospect rankings
1. Malik Willis, Liberty
Height: 6’1”. Weight: 225.
Age: 22 (will be 23 for 2022 season)
2021 stats: 61.1%, 2,857 passing yards, 27 TD, 12 INT, 878 rushing yards, 13 rushing TD
Highest upside of any 2022 quarterback prospect, so that’s why I have him over Kenny Pickett. Live arm, ball just flies out of his hand. Changes launch angles on a whim and still fires it out. Very good athleticism and mobility outside the pocket. Deceptively fast, good balance as runner. Big enough to absorb some contact. Stood out as a prospect at the Senior Bowl and I believe he’ll do the same at the combine.
Accuracy is hit-or-miss. He will need a ton of polish on the art of being a quarterback—mechanics, footwork, timing. The offensive line did him few favors so there was a lot of improvisation. My main concern is that even with no real stars at Liberty, his stats should’ve been better.
Burning question: Tons of talent, but which coaching staff will be responsible for what should be a redshirt year in the pros?
Draft position: Top 10
Player comp: A faster Deshaun Watson
2. Kenny Pickett, Pitt
Height: 6’3”. Weight: 220.
Age: 23 (will be 24 for 2022 season)
2021 stats: 67.2%, 4,319 passing yards, 42 TD, 7 INT, 233 rushing yards, 5 rushing TD
Fast release, average arm. The guy is fun to watch—which is a thing, if you ask me. Pickett can improvise to make plays downfield. Plays with a chip on his shoulder. Above-average anticipation on his throws. Can change launch angle on the fly. He moves through his progressions well, just needs to play a beat faster. Average athlete, but he can feel out the pass rush and show some evasion. Good deep ball placement. Scouts seem to speak highly of his intangibles as a leader, teammate and competitor.
That chip on his shoulder does lead him to some poor decisions and throws. Needs to better play within his talents. The NCAA granted 2020 fall athletes an extra year of eligibility and Pickett certainly made the most of it. His stats exploded in 2021, but that also had to do with his supporting cast. That extra year of seasoning might make dynasty owners take a beat.
Burning question: One-year wonder in 2021 and how much of that had to do with having more experience than almost all of his competition?
Draft position: Top 10
Player comp: Matt Ryan
3. Matt Corral, Ole Miss
Height: 6’2”. Weight: 205.
Age: 23
2021 stats: 67.7%, 3,343 passing yards, 20 TD, 5 INT, 614 rushing yards, 11 rushing TD
Above-average mobility highlights dual-threat upside. Good decision-making and leadership. Above-average arm talent with a sharp, fast release. Noticeably adept at feeling pocket pressure and evading the rush. Tough runner, doesn’t often shy away from seeking out extra yards. Agile enough, but not fast.
Durability is the hot-button concern, even moreso given the ankle sprain that ended his season. Fine accuracy isn’t up to par. Lots of RPO experience under Lane Kiffin and will need to get more comfortable dropping back and using timing, footwork to deliver his passes. Lots of improvisation and needs to better play within an offensive system.
Burning question: Will durability concerns outweigh his adamant decision to play in the Sugar Bowl?
Draft position: Late first round
Player comp: Jalen Hurts
Brandon Wade/AP
4. Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati
Height: 6’4”. Weight: 215.
Age: 22 (will be 23 for 2022 season)
2021 stats: 64.9%, 3,334 passing yards, 30 TD, 8 INT, 355 rushing yards, 6 rushing TD
Quick release and adequate arm strength. Notable accuracy, even on intermediate and downfield throws. Really good athletically and frequently extends plays. Tons of experience with four full seasons as starter with the Bearcats.
Up-and-down play and too often plays hero ball, where he tries to do too much. Needs to improve pocket elusiveness. Too quickly abandons the pocket and then abandons the play. Needs to slide and feel his way through pressure. Accuracy can be hit or miss, seems to be mechanical. Will lean, fade or throw out of rhythm, missing on passes that he has shown he can hit.
Burning question: Will his prospect half-full or half-empty evaluation push him later in drafts?
Draft position: Late second round
Player comp: Kirk Cousins
5. Sam Howell, North Carolina
Height: 6’1”. Weight: 220.
Age: 21 (will turn 22 during 2022 season)
2021 stats: 62.5%, 3,056 passing yards, 30 TD, 8 INT, 828 rushing yards, 11 rushing TD
Quick to diagnose inside the pocket. Can make a lot of timing throws with good footwork. Good accuracy on short, intermediate passes when working within the play design. Good arm inside the pocket and when he follows through on his mechanics. Looks natural when given time to make the right reads. A few head-scratchers when pressured hard in the A-gaps.
Took a big fall in my rankings from the preseason. I don’t like him outside the pocket as his arm strength, mechanics and ball placement basically go out the window. Since he tends to hold the ball or overextend plays more often than he should, this further compounds the issue. Average athlete, not fast, quick or agile. Poor pocket feel.
Burning question: Are scouts putting more weight on his 2020 tape (great) or the 2021 tape (so-so)?
Draft position: Mid-second round
Player comp: Baker Mayfield
6. Carson Strong, Nevada
7. Bailey Zappe, Western Kentucky
8. Eric Barriere, Eastern Washington
9. Jack Coan, Notre Dame
10. E.J. Perry, Brown
11. Kaleb Eleby, Western Michigan
12. Anthony Brown, Oregon
13. Aqeel Glass, Alabama A&M
14. Brock Purdy, Iowa State
15. Nick Starkel, San Jose State
16. Zerrick Cooper, Jacksonville State
17. Dustin Crum, Kent State
18. D’Eriq King, Florida
19. Skylar Thompson, Kansas State
20. Chase Garbers, Cal
