NFL
By: Ryan Cooley
The quarterback NFL Draft class isn’t nearly as strong as it has been in the past, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t talent. There is no clear-cut #1 quarterback in the class, leading to mixed rankings. We know quarterbacks get overdrafted every year due to them playing the most important/impactful position. However, there is a strong possibility we won’t see one go in the top 10.
To put this class into perspective, no one in this draft would have been in my top five last year. There is a good chance none of these quarterbacks will start week one and most won’t play at all in their rookie year.
Here are my quarterback rankings for the 2022 NFL Draft
1. Sam Howell
Howell has the best arm talent in the draft. North Carolina didn’t waste his ability to throw deep with 20.2% of his passes going 20+ yards this season. His dip in play from 2020 to 2021 can be blamed on North Carolina losing nearly all of their starting skill position players. While Willis might have the highest ceiling, Howell has the tools to be very successful at the next level.
Pros
- Cannon for an arm
- Maneuvers well in the pocket
- Decent touch
- Steps up/climb the pocket
- Scrambling skills will translate to the NFL (65 broken tackles in 2021)
Cons
- Runs far too often (13% of dropbacks resulted in scrambles in 2021)
- Would like to see more consistency with accuracy
- Ball security issues (10 fumbles in 2021)
- Needs to throw the ball away more or throw it to check down, took too many unnecessary sacks
- Needs to be faster when going through progressions
2. Malik Willis
Willis is the definition of a raw prospect. Whatever team takes him in the first round will do so for his ceiling. Despite not running the 40 at the combine, he would likely run around a 4.4. While I believe Howell has the strongest arm, Willis isn’t far off. Willis threw the ball deep at a higher rate than Howell in 2021 (20.9%). He has all of the tools to be a great quarterback at the next level, but he needs serious work before he hits his ceiling.
Pros
- Elite rushing ability (94.5 rushing grade & 90 forced missed tackles)
- Great escapability
- Strongarm (made a handful of deep off-platform throws, especially in the Lending Tree Bowl)
- Shown the ability to take coaching, helping his chance of hitting a ceiling
- The highest ceiling in the draft
- Played with subpar talent at Liberty
Cons
- Stares down receivers badly
- Needs to throw the ball away, especially at NFL level when he can’t escape every sack
- Very inconsistent accuracy
- Needs to keep eyes downfield when extending plays (ran far too often)
- Played weak competition
3. Kenny Pickett
After four mediocre seasons at Pitt, Pickett took a huge leap in year five. He finished 2021 with 4,748 total yards, 47 total touchdowns, to only 7 interceptions. His grade went from 69.8 in 2020 to 92.3, ranking 3rd out of 124 qualifying quarterbacks. Some are concerned with this sudden leap in play, but we saw the same thing with Joe Burrow and Mac Jones the past two drafts.
Pros
- Most accurate QB in the draft (78.8 adjusted completion percentage)
- Good size at 6’3 220 lbs
- The ball does have some zip-on slants, comebacks, etc.
- Doesn’t force things that aren’t there
- Good pocket awareness, he knows when to bail
Cons
- Holds the ball too long (3.19 time to throw, 3rd highest in the country)
- Extremely small hands (8.5 inches)
- Never steps up/climbs the pocket
- Weak competition in ACC & four years of mediocre play before his fifth year
- Arm strength is not impressive
- Needs to keep his eyes downfield when extending the play (had open receivers but still took off and ran)
4. Desmond Ridder
Ridder has been ranked all over the place. Some believe he is the best quarterback in the draft, while others have him at 5. If any quarterback is ready to start year one it would be Ridder. Mentally, he is the best quarterback in this draft, which could lead to him being drafted in the first round. I would also consider Ridder the safest quarterback to draft due to him not having as many big concerns as the other prospects.
Pros
- Improved every year at Cincinnati
- High football IQ/quick processing speed
- Faster than most 6’4 quarterbacks (4.52 forty time)
- Played much better down the stretch of 2021 (78.1 grade first seven games, 90.1 grade last eight games)
- Decent arm strength
- Said to be very coachable and possess great leadership
Cons
- Doesn’t possess an elite physical trait
- Struggled with accuracy at times
- Beat up a lot of weaker teams and struggled when playing better teams (Alabama in the playoffs)
- Despite speed, isn’t very quick/elusive (won’t make many miss)
5. Matt Corral
Most will have Corral higher than five. No one prospect is significantly better or worse than the other, leading to so many different rankings. Corral had the opportunity to thrust himself as the top quarterback prospect in 2021 but didn’t take advantage. The team drafting Corral will need patience as he needs time to develop. If they do, I believe he can a successful NFL signal-caller.
Pros
- Quickest release in the draft
- Strongarm
- Ultimate competitor
- Very good athlete
- Isn’t afraid to throw into tight windows
- Improved a lot in taking care of the football in 2021 (16 turnover worthy plays in 2020, 9 TWPs in 2021)
Cons
- Slim frame, which doesn’t bode well for his physical running style (will need to slide at next level)
- Very little touch on passes
- Took a step back in 2021
- Needs improvement when going past his first read
- Would like to see him stay in the pocket more, bailed too often
- Ran a ton of quick hitters/RPOs at Ole Miss
