05-09-2022, 11:35 PM
© Provided by TheSportsterThe 10 Worst Picks Of The 2022 NFL Draft
It is important to note that it is impossible to make an accurate assessment of players before they have played a down in the league, and several knee-jerk draft grades have aged poorly over the years. With that said, some picks seemed ill-advised based on where a player got selected and who else was on the board at the time.
Quay WalkerIt may be another year, but it was the same old story for Green Bay, who perennially ignore the receiver position (much to the chagrin of their fanbase) despite there having a Davante Adams-sized hole in their receiving corps. They instead drafted Georgia linebacker Quay Walker, a late-riser throughout the pre-draft process, with the 22nd pick, their first of two selections in round one.
Cole StrangeThe only thing more strange than the Patriots' selection of UT-Chattanooga center Cole Strange with the 29th pick is the spelling of 'Chattanooga.' Even more peculiar was the fact that he became the first player in the school's history (Terrell Owens was also a UTC alum) to be selected in the first round.
Doubting Bill Belichick is generally bad for business, but it is fair to question his decision to draft the small-school lineman when he did, as they could have accumulated more picks by moving down and selecting him in the second round. The soon-to-be 24-year-old (another demerit) displayed a mean streak at the collegiate level, but it would not be surprising if he struggled to adapt to the NFL, considering the steep increase in competition.
Alontae TaylorThe Saints' selection of Tennessee cornerback Alontae Taylor with the 49th pick was one of the worst moves of the second round. Versatility was his main selling point (he can play corner or safety), but he lacks the upside that teams generally covet in their top-50 selections.
Fellow second-round pick Bryan Cook is a more traditional safety prospect (a greater need for New Orleans after losing Marcus Williams in free agency) who would have been a better fit than Taylor. They would have also been better off strengthening their underwhelming receiving corps or targeting a linebacker like Nakobe Dean or Troy Anderson.âââââââ
Tyquan ThorntonThe Patriots' second pick was arguably even more questionable than their first, as they traded up four spots to select Baylor receiver Tyquan Thornton with the 50th pick. The selection was not only a reach, as the speedster is a raw prospect who was widely regarded as a mid-round target, but the fact that they traded UP to select him made it even more egregious.
The move-up for a pass catcher certainly made sense, as they jumped ahead of receiver-needy teams in the Steelers and Colts (both of whom selected pass-catchers with back-to-back picks), but it would have made more sense to move up for a more polished product. The move will look even worse if one of the three receivers chosen immediately after Thornton (the Chiefs also selected Skyy Moore at New England's original draft slot) become better players than him.âââââââ
Kenyon GreenThe Texans' selection of Texas A&M guard Kenyon Green with the 15th pick was one of the more head-scratching moves of the first round, as they were in a position to take the best player available due to a lack of talent virtually everywhere on their roster. Green has the potential to be an anchor on Houston's line, but he will have to retool his technique to reach that status in the pros.
The Texans would have probably been able to land him (or the similarly-rated Zion Johnson) if they moved down a few spots, which would have allowed them to add a few more pieces. With that said, the selection of Green was not as egregious as their next one...âââââââ
It is important to note that it is impossible to make an accurate assessment of players before they have played a down in the league, and several knee-jerk draft grades have aged poorly over the years. With that said, some picks seemed ill-advised based on where a player got selected and who else was on the board at the time.
Quay WalkerIt may be another year, but it was the same old story for Green Bay, who perennially ignore the receiver position (much to the chagrin of their fanbase) despite there having a Davante Adams-sized hole in their receiving corps. They instead drafted Georgia linebacker Quay Walker, a late-riser throughout the pre-draft process, with the 22nd pick, their first of two selections in round one.
While he certainly has the athleticism to warrant a first-round selection, he is still an incredibly raw prospect who could take a few years to get his feet underneath him (à la his new teammate DeVondre Campbell). Many graded him similarly to his college teammate Nakobe Dean, who got selected by the Eagles 61 picks later. They finally addressed the receiver position after trading up early in the second round for North Dakota State pass-catcher (and occasional dropper) Christian Watson, but they might regret not making a similar move up the boards for a more polished prospect like Treylon Burks on day one.
Doubting Bill Belichick is generally bad for business, but it is fair to question his decision to draft the small-school lineman when he did, as they could have accumulated more picks by moving down and selecting him in the second round. The soon-to-be 24-year-old (another demerit) displayed a mean streak at the collegiate level, but it would not be surprising if he struggled to adapt to the NFL, considering the steep increase in competition.
Alontae TaylorThe Saints' selection of Tennessee cornerback Alontae Taylor with the 49th pick was one of the worst moves of the second round. Versatility was his main selling point (he can play corner or safety), but he lacks the upside that teams generally covet in their top-50 selections.
Fellow second-round pick Bryan Cook is a more traditional safety prospect (a greater need for New Orleans after losing Marcus Williams in free agency) who would have been a better fit than Taylor. They would have also been better off strengthening their underwhelming receiving corps or targeting a linebacker like Nakobe Dean or Troy Anderson.âââââââ
Tyquan ThorntonThe Patriots' second pick was arguably even more questionable than their first, as they traded up four spots to select Baylor receiver Tyquan Thornton with the 50th pick. The selection was not only a reach, as the speedster is a raw prospect who was widely regarded as a mid-round target, but the fact that they traded UP to select him made it even more egregious.
The move-up for a pass catcher certainly made sense, as they jumped ahead of receiver-needy teams in the Steelers and Colts (both of whom selected pass-catchers with back-to-back picks), but it would have made more sense to move up for a more polished product. The move will look even worse if one of the three receivers chosen immediately after Thornton (the Chiefs also selected Skyy Moore at New England's original draft slot) become better players than him.âââââââ
Kenyon GreenThe Texans' selection of Texas A&M guard Kenyon Green with the 15th pick was one of the more head-scratching moves of the first round, as they were in a position to take the best player available due to a lack of talent virtually everywhere on their roster. Green has the potential to be an anchor on Houston's line, but he will have to retool his technique to reach that status in the pros.
The Texans would have probably been able to land him (or the similarly-rated Zion Johnson) if they moved down a few spots, which would have allowed them to add a few more pieces. With that said, the selection of Green was not as egregious as their next one...âââââââ
