NFL Draft Daily

2022 NFL Draft Big Board: Loaded draft of defensive players, one quarterback cracks Top 25

Chris McGlynn Draft, Football, NFL , , , , ,

NFL Draft Daily looks at top stories, historical trends, player performances and more all through the lens of the NFL Draft. After all, there are only 10 days until the 2022 NFL draft. Check back in tomorrow for another entry.

We are slowly creeping closer to draft week and I am working on finalizing grades and rankings for players. The more time I spend looking at this class, the more I realize how deep it is on defense. It is a really good year to need edge rushing or cornerback help. There are also a couple of great linebackers in this class as well.

A few things to note about how I do my big boards. I rank the best players in the class based on talent and ability to translate to the NFL, not necessarily where they will be drafted. Let’s use Malik Willis as an example. I expect him to be drafted well above where I have him ranked, but that is because the league puts a premium on the position he plays. Same thing goes for Kyle Hamilton, but in reverse. He is a top-five player in this draft class, but he will probably drop out of the top 10 on draft day because the NFL does not value safeties as highly.

Here are my top 25 players. I will have my next 25 players out tomorrow.

1. Evan Neal, OT, Alabama
An absolute mountain of a man, I love Neal’s physical traits, experience and versatility. He has above average arm length as well. He started 40 games over three years at Alabama, featuring at left guard, right tackle and left tackle in that span. On top of that, he went up against some of the best competition the country has to offer in the SEC. He is nimble on his feet and brings good play strength for the position. He has Pro Bowl potential at any offensive line position other than center.

2. Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati
I love long, tall corners. Gardner is a long, tall corner who can run and play shutdown coverage. The popular stat you will see regarding his play was that he did not allow a receiving touchdown during his time in college. He didn’t always face the best competition playing in the AAC, but he stepped up in big games for the Bearcats throughout his career. He mirrors well in coverage and has the length to break up passes. I think he has the potential to be a top-5 corner in the league.

3. Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Michigan
In a draft full of talented edge rushers, Hutchinson is the most pro ready of the group. He has a full array of pass rush moves, dominates at the point of attack and showcases good play strength on film. His short area quickness for the position is elite and he has the versatility to play with his hand in the ground or stand up as an outside linebacker. If you are looking for a knock on him, it is that he lacks the length teams typically look for in edge rushers, measuring in the eighth percentile among edge rushers, according to Mockdraftable. He might not have the highest upside of any edge rusher in this class, but he seems to have the highest floor.

4. Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon
Much has been made about the former Oregon superstar in this draft cycle. We’ve heard that he didn’t interview well, and teams were disappointed by his lack of fire. I know he didn’t live up to the lofty expectations we all set for him heading into this season, but he still has all the physical ability in the world. Also of note, he had 19 career sacks at Oregon, including seven this past season. He has a tendency of stepping up in big games as well, posting 4.5 sacks in three Pac-12 title games. There are definitely elements of his game you would like to see him improve (consistency at the point of attack, reading his keys in run defense), but I like the upside and talent to win out at the next level.

5. Ikem Ekwonu, OT, North Carolina State
If you like nasty, physical offensive linemen, Ekwonu is just the man for you. Known as the “Most feared player in the ACC,” he routinely pancakes defenders with his impressive play strength and great pad level. However, for all the highlight plays he puts on film, there is still some work to be done. His footwork and technique are a bit inconsistent and he will need to be more disciplined about not leaking downfield on passing plays too early at the next level. That being said, few players offer the type of raw power with upside that Ekwonu does.

6. Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame
Hamilton might have ranked even a bit higher had he turned in a better pre draft performance. His lackluster 40-yard dash time has been picked apart, but he played faster on film, so I’m not too concerned with a lack of speed. He takes good angles in coverage and against the run, which pairs well with elite size at the position. I believe he can still play single high along with dropping into the box and even playing nickel linebacker. The versatility along with the production and “wow” plays on his film make him an elite prospect.

7. Travon Walker, EDGE, Georgia
Reportedly, the NFL is all over this guy. He was a workout warrior at the combine, sending scouts back to the tape. I like what I saw from him a lot, but I’m not putting him in the conversation for the No. 1 overall pick. Walker has tons of talent and versatility, but there is still a bit of refining that needs to come in his game. What is great is that he can conceivably line up at defensive tackle, defensive end or outside linebacker, depending on what scheme he lands in. I like the upside a lot. He might not have the biggest impact as a rookie, but two years from now, he could be a top-25 defensive player in the league, regardless of position.

8. Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah
One of my favorite players in this draft class, Lloyd is a dynamic playmaker with great physical tools. He could play inside backer or outside backer, potentially even lining up on the edge for some pass rushing snaps. Utah put him in that spot on occasion early on in his college career. When watching his tape, I think he played better as a sophomore than he did as a junior, but his combined tape impressed me overall. I think he will probably slide a bit on draft day because the league does not value off-ball linebackers as highly, but he will be an instant impact player.

9. Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU
One of the most polarizing prospects in this draft class, Stingley is a really tough evaluation. He dominated his freshman season at LSU, shutting down pretty much everyone he faced, including teammates Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson in practice. Unfortunately, his career got derailed from there. He only played 10 games over his final two college seasons, missing time with injuries. He also never returned to that 2019 form that made him look like the best corner prospect since Jalen Ramsey. A solid pro day rebuilt his draft stock a bit. If he can stay healthy, he has immense potential given his size, speed and coverage skills.

10. Jermaine Johnson II, EDGE, Florida State
A late riser in the draft process, Johnson’s season went under the radar as Florida State struggled again in big moments. A closer look at Johnson’s tape shows an elite run defender with room to grow as a pass rusher. He sorts through traffic so well and shows great play strength against the run. He tested very well at the combine and has ideal length for the position. I don’t know if he is quite ready to post double-digit sacks in the NFL like he did this year in college, but I think the physical tools make it easy to project. With some coaching, he might turn out to be the most well-rounded edge rusher in this class.

11. Drake London, WR, USC
The first receiver on my board is a big body playmaker with good hands and impressive yards after the catch ability. At just a shade under 6’4″ with 33-inch arms, London has the makings of a great jump ball receiver. His size and ability to make contested catches makes it easy to project a role for him in the NFL. I think he can be more than just a red zone target. He showed at USC his ability to be a high-level possession receiver as well, catching 88 passes in just eight games before suffering an ankle injury. The concern with him is whether he can generate separation at the next level. He is a solid route runner though, so I think he will be at least average in that department. Give him some bonus points for being a solid run blocker.

12. Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State
Trying to rank the top receivers in this class is like splitting hairs. It really comes down to what teams value in a player’s skill set and scheme fit to determine where teams will rank them. Wilson is a proven receiver with tons of production and good physical traits. He is just a shade under six feet tall and ran an impressive 4.38 40 at the combine. That speed shows up on tape as well. The biggest red flag I have in evaluating Wilson was his shuttle time at the combine, which was in the 20th percentile per Mockdraftable. He also gets redirected on some of his routes. In the right system, Wilson could be a superstar. Put the ball in his hands and let him go to work.

13. Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama
Another wide receiver, Williams would probably have been the top receiver in this class if he had not suffered a torn ACL in the national championship game. One of the best ways to quantify his skill set is that Alabama’s offense fell off significantly after his departure. He is a speedster with good size. He has some room to fill out his frame a little bit, which I think he will need to do in order to survive in the NFL. His big-play ability is through the roof and just about unparalleled in this class, especially among the other top receivers. There are some drops on his film, which is a problem he will need to address at the next level.

14. Devonte Wyatt, DL, Georgia
Jordan Davis and Nakobe Dean got the early season hype, but Wyatt has steadily risen up draft boards as more people dove into his film. He is rock solid against the run and an asset on pass rushing downs as well. He didn’t get home too often, posting just 2.5 sacks this season, but he is more than capable of collapsing the pocket. He is also scheme versatile, with the size, strength and speed to line up as a 3-4 defensive end or a 4-3 defensive tackle. He feels like a very safe pick that can contribute right away.

15. Jordan Davis, DL, Georgia
Another Georgia defender here, Davis turned heads all season long with an impressive season for the Bulldogs. He is an elite run defender with some occasional pop as a pass rusher. He only posted seven sacks in four seasons. While it is clear that Davis is an incredible athlete, I do have concerns with his weight. He tipped the scales at 341 pounds at the combine. He will need to be disciplined at keeping that number in check throughout his career. That much weight usually takes a toll on a player’s joints before too long. If he can, he might end up being great value for whoever drafts him.

16. Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State
One of the most tested pass blockers in draft history, Cross played in a Mississippi State offense that threw the ball an absurd 704 times this past season. On the flip side, Cross is very untested as a run blocker, with the Bulldogs rushing just 270 times. There is a lot to like about Cross’ game. He displays good balance and anchors well in pass protection. However, there are some concerns for me when watching his tape. He lets his hands get outside a little too often and has a tendency to get beat across his face in pass protection. In my mind, he is a bit of a project, but he should be impactful in any pass-heavy offense from Day 1.

17. Kenyon Green, OL, Texas A&M
My top interior lineman in this class, Green has experience playing at every position other than center along the offensive line. He actually started at least one game at left tackle, left guard, right guard and right tackle this past season. I like what I’ve seen from Green in pass protection. He has good pad level and good footwork, especially as an interior lineman. He is a little limited as a run blocker with some struggles to reach the second level. On top of that, he tested in the fourth percentile for the 20-yard shuttle, per Mockdraftable. Not super important, but I think he could struggle to fit in outside zone or screen-heavy offensive systems.

18. Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State
The Robin to Wilson’s Batman, Olave plays a similar style, dominating in open spaces with his speed. He put up impressive numbers this past season, scoring 13 touchdowns in 11 games for the Buckeyes. He has good hands, but he did measure in a little shorter than ideal when it comes to arm length and he posted a well below average 32-inch vertical for receivers. (Take a second and think about the fact that 32 inches is in 12th percentile for receivers. I would be thrilled to have a 32-inch vertical!) I think he could be a solid No. 1 receiver or elite No. 2 receiver in an NFL offense.

19. Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa
The latest Northern Iowa star set to make the leap to the NFL, Penning will be the highest drafted player in program history, barring something unforeseen on draft day. He checks every box from a size perspective, measuring in at 6’7″ and 325 pounds at the combine. He also has 34.25-inch arms and tested in the 97th percentile for the 40-yard dash and the 98th percentile in the 3-cone, according to Mockdraftable. In short, a great athlete with impressive measurables. He is a bit raw as a run blocker in space and he needs some refining as a pass blocker, but he finishes plays well and shows really good play strength. He is a bit of a project with tons of upside.

20. Malik Willis, QB, Liberty
At long last, our first quarterback. Willis is my favorite passer of this group because of his physical tools and the upside he brings. He is not going to be like Lamar Jackson at the next level, but he has good mobility and a penchant for making plays on the run. He needs to improve his pocket awareness and learn to throw the ball away. In 2021, he took an outrageous 51 sacks. Some of that can be attributed to a less than stellar offensive line, but Willis desperately needs to improve his internal clock as well. He has a strong arm with solid accuracy and showed on film that he can hit every throw required at the pro level. He won’t be a Day 1 starter, at least he shouldn’t be, but his ceiling is a borderline top-10 NFL quarterback.

21. Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson
A player that I think could have pushed his way up draft boards if he had been healthy enough to test, Booth brings all the requisite length to be a starting outside corner in the NFL. Unfortunately, he underwent sports hernia surgery in March, which kept him from participating in drills at the combine or his pro day. He showed at Clemson that he has the athleticism to compete at the position as well. He adjusts well to the ball in the air and uses his hands well to break up passes.

22. Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington
I’m breaking one of my own rules by giving McDuffie a first-round grade. Pretty much every elite NFL corner that lines up on the boundary is at least 5’11”. Jalen Ramsey and Trevon Diggs are 6’1″. Marlon Humphrey, Marshon Lattimore, Xavien Howard, Stephon Gilmore are 6’0″. Tre’Davious White is 5’11”. There are two notable exceptions to that rule. Jaire Alexander and J.C. Jackson are roughly 5’10”. That’s where McDuffie falls as well. I think his talent and play style supersedes my concerns over his height. In truth, he is only a quarter inch under 5’11”, so I’m probably splitting hairs. Still, he plays bigger and is very physical. I think he has what it takes to survive on the outside at the next level.

23. Zion Johnson, G, Boston College
NFL teams love versatility from an offensive lineman. Johnson brings plenty of it with the ability to play either guard spot and potentially center at the next level. He took some snaps there during Senior Bowl week. Throw on the tape and you will see a very fundamentally sound blocker who can hold his own in pass protection or the running game. He is a seasoned option having spent two years at Davidson before transferring to Boston College. Expect him to be a Day 1 starter wherever he lands.

24. David Ojabo, EDGE, Michigan
Ojabo was knocking on the door of the top 10 before he suffered an Achilles injury at his pro day. The injury will cause him to miss most if not all of his rookie season in the NFL. Truth be told, Ojabo might have benefitted from something akin to a redshirt season anyway. While the athleticism is unquestionable, Ojabo is a bit raw as an overall prospect. He didn’t start playing football until his junior year of high school, previously running track and playing soccer and basketball. There are moments of brilliance on film, but they are not consistent enough to think Ojabo would have been much more than a situational pass rusher in his first season. If he can recover and develop as a pass rusher, some team at the end of the first round is going to get a steal in this draft.

25. Daxton Hill, S, Michigan
A fun prospect to watch, Hill is the latest safety/slot corner hybrid to make his way into the NFL draft. Think of players like Jevon Holland from last year’s draft as an example. Hill moved around in Michigan’s defense quite a bit under Jim Harbaugh and could bring that same type of chess piece flexibility to an NFL defense. He is best as a strong safety allowed to attack downhill and make plays in the backfield and in the flat, but he has the range to drop into coverage more. I wouldn’t be shocked if a team tested him out at outside corner either given his size, speed and length.

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NFL Draft Daily: Is there still hope for JT Daniels to reach the NFL?

Chris McGlynn Draft, Football, NCAAF , , , , ,

NFL Draft Daily looks at top stories, historical trends, player performances and more all through the lens of the NFL Draft. After all, there are only 14 days until the 2022 NFL draft. Check back in tomorrow for another entry.

We are onto school number three for JT Daniels. The former five-star quarterback told ESPN on Wednesday that he will be transferring to West Virginia after losing his starting job to Stetson Bennett at Georgia. This is already the second time that Daniels has transferred, arriving in Athens after two years at USC. His college career has been nothing shy of a rollercoaster ride.

Unfortunately for Daniels, injuries have plagued his career. He suffered a torn ACL in his sophomore year at USC, which led to Kedon Slovis taking over the starting job. Slovis had a phenomenal freshman season, prompting Daniels to head to Georgia. The NCAA granted him permission to play immediately following his transfer in the summer of 2020, paving the way for him to compete with Jamie Newman, Bennett and D’Wan Mathis for the starting job. Newman ultimately ended up opting out of the 2020 season.

Daniels started just three games for the Bulldogs in 2021. (Photo credit: TigerNet.com)

Perhaps we should have known right away that Daniels was not going to be the guy in Athens. He finished third in that quarterback competition. Mathis was the Week 1 starter, but quickly lost his job to Bennett. Daniels became the backup to Bennett. He only took over when Bennett suffered an injury in November. He looked sharp in the team’s final four games, winning the starting job for the remainder of the season. He completed just over 66 percent of his passes and averaged over 300 yards passing per game.

That set the stage for a big 2021 season. Daniels entered the year as a Heisman front runner and the presumed starter. Once again injuries got in the way as he missed extended time and ultimately lost his starting job even when he was healthy enough to return. Bennett went on to lead Georgia to a national championship, with Daniels playing sparingly in relief throughout the final stretch of the season.

At this point, it is hard to know what to make of Daniels. He clearly still has some talent. Over his two seasons at Georgia he put up solid numbers. He completed 69 percent of his passes to go with 17 touchdowns and five interceptions across nine appearances. Daniels has prototypical NFL size, standing 6’3″, 210 pounds. He has an above average arm with decent velocity on his throws. I was particularly impressed with his quick release. There are some nice anticipation throws on his tape as well. While he is not a great athlete for the position, he can move around in the pocket and make throws on the run. His deep ball isn’t always perfect, but when it is on, it looks great.

However, Daniels will need to show a number of things this year in order to prove to NFL teams that he deserves a shot at the next level. His ball placement is a bit inconsistent, especially when throwing to the boundary. His footwork also needs to be cleaned up. There are several throws where his feet are a mess and it impacts the trajectory of the throw, frequently leaving the ball short of where he should be leading the receiver. His throwing motion also gets a bit funky at times. Above all else, he will need to show that he can stay healthy. Perhaps adding a few pounds to his frame will help prepare for the physical nature of the NFL.

Some people may be questioning why West Virginia of all schools. Well for one, his former offensive coordinator at USC, Graham Harrell, is the offensive coordinator for the Mountaineers now. Having some familiarity with the offensive scheme was likely appealing to Daniels. They also have a veteran group returning for 2022 on offense. Beyond that, he simply did not have many other suitors. The other schools he visited were Missouri and Oregon State.

Without a doubt, there is a lot of work to be done in order for Daniels to rehab his draft stock. For a frame of reference, I think Daniels would probably be a late-round pick or priority undrafted free-agent in this quarterback class at best. This is one of the weakest quarterback classes in recent memory, but he would likely be the eight or ninth quarterback selected. There are just too many unknowns about him right now.

Heading into 2023, he will certainly not be in contention to be the first quarterback taken. With Bryce Young, CJ Stroud and possibly Tyler Van Dyke all in the mix to be top-10 selections, it is hard to see Daniels coming anywhere close to that group. That being said, if Daniels can simply stay on the field and post similar numbers to his time in Georgia, he will be drafted. Probably not in the first round given his injury history. It is obviously way too early to say, but I think Daniels will still have a really good shot of making the jump to the NFL.

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NFL Draft Daily: Why will we never see a first round without quarterback again

Chris McGlynn Draft, Football, NFL , , , , , , , , ,

NFL Draft Daily looks at top stories, historical trends, player performances and more all through the lens of the NFL Draft. After all, there are only 30 days until the 2022 NFL draft. Check back in tomorrow for another entry.

You’ve heard it by now if you’ve been watching any sort of coverage in the lead up to the 2022 NFL draft: this is a weak quarterback class. There is no Trevor Lawrence or Joe Burrow or Kyler Murray. The expectation is that for the first time since 2017, there won’t be a quarterback taken with the first overall pick.

Mills was a bit of a wildcard in 2021, having only started 11 games in his career at Stanford. (Wikimedia Commons)

So, we know it’s bad, but how bad are we talking? Daniel Jeremiah recently said on his Move the Sticks podcast that if Davis Mills was in this draft class, he would be the first quarterback taken. Mills was the seventh quarterback selected in 2021 with the 67th overall pick. That should give us some perspective on how bad this is. Granted, that is just one draft scout, but DJ often knows what he is talking about.

Yet, every 2022 mock draft we see has at least one and probably two or three quarterbacks projected to go in the first round, including Jeremiah’s most recent mock. Malik Willis, Matt Corral and Kenny Pickett all seem to find their way into the top 32 selections. If these guys are no better than a player drafted in the third round just a year ago, why are they considered first-round players?

It all comes down to the league’s need for quarterbacks. Since 1996, there has been at least one quarterback selected in the first round of the NFL draft. In fact, only four times in that span, 2013, 2001, 2000 and 1997, was only one quarterback taken in the first round. Even that is a bit of a misnomer because Drew Brees was selected 32nd overall in 2001. It was just before we had 32 NFL teams, so he was the first pick of the second round.

So even when there arguably aren’t first-round caliber quarterbacks, the league finds a way for them to go in the first round. 2013 is a perfect example. E.J. Manuel was seen as the best of a very weak quarterback class, arguably even weaker than the one we have in 2022. He lacked the polish or skill set of a first-round prospect, but he went No. 16 overall because the Bills desperately needed a quarterback. He inevitably flopped, as did pretty much everyone from that draft class. Had Manuel come out the year before or the year after, he probably wouldn’t have gone until the third round. 2012 featured Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Ryan Tannehill and Brandon Weeden. 2014 had Blake Bortles, Johnny Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater and Derek Carr. I think all of them would have been viewed as better draft prospects, whether that was right or not.

Beyond teams getting desperate, there is more incentive to draft quarterbacks in the first round than ever. With contracts skyrocketing for these signal callers, getting a cost-controlled quarterback is often the key to building a Super Bowl contender. Especially since the introduction of the fifth-year option in 2011, it makes a ton of sense to grab a quarterback at the end of the first round for that extra year of contract control.

Jackson led the league in touchdown passes in his MVP season. (Wikimedia Commons)

Let’s use Lamar Jackson as an example. The Ravens quarterback will play this season on his fifth-year option. He has been to multiple Pro Bowls in his first four seasons, so he will earn the equivalent of the franchise tag for the position. His cap hit this season will be roughly $23 million, which ranks ninth among quarterbacks in the NFL. That’s fairly affordable for a player who has already won an MVP award in his career.

Then there are guys like Daniel Jones. He has struggled with consistency, fumbles and injuries in his first three seasons. He also has had a horrendous offensive line and injuries to most of his key skill players as well. In short, it’s a bit unclear what to make of Jones.

If New York decides it wants to hang onto Jones for an extra season without giving him a true extension, they have until May 2 this year to exercise his fifth year option and lock him in for 2023. Based on his playtime in his career, Over The Cap projects Jones to have a cap hit of $22.3 million for that season. That would rank 13th in the league right now. Probably a slight overpay for Jones, but not if he turns it around this upcoming season. For the record, it would be about $8 million less than Jared Goff’s cap hit. That stems from the monster deal he signed with the Rams after his third season. Sometimes it pays to be patient when evaluating your quarterback.

With such a high priority placed on finding quarterbacks and the appeal of the fifth-year option, we are always going to see at least one quarterback taken in the first round, whether they are truly a first-round talent or not. It’s going to happen this year, where it is debatable if there are really any first-round quarterbacks. Weak quarterback class or not, the league will find a way to make at least one of them into a first-round selection.

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NFL Draft Daily: The case for Evan Neal at No. 1

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NFL Draft Daily looks at top stories, historical trends, player performances and more all through the lens of the NFL Draft. After all, there are only 31 days until the 2022 NFL draft. Check back in tomorrow for another entry.

For the second straight year, the Jacksonville Jaguars have the first overall pick in the NFL draft. In 2021, they used it to select their quarterback of the future and one of the most anticipated prospects in the past decade, Trevor Lawrence.

My message to the Jaguars: don’t pass up the opportunity to give Lawrence the support system he needs. Doug Pederson arriving is already a good start. Jacksonville spent big in free agency, but the upgrades they’ve made feel pretty marginal. Brandon Scherff is a really good addition on the offensive line, but the Jags overpaid for Christian Kirk and probably Foyesade Oluokun as well. They really need to crush it in the draft.

After franchise tagging Cam Robinson, the assumption has been that Jacksonville will now select Aidan Hutchinson No. 1 overall. Pairing the edge rusher from Michigan with Josh Allen would give the Jaguars a talented duo off the edge. However, I’m here to advocate for Evan Neal going first overall.

Jaguars General Manager Trent Baalke says extension talks with Robinson are ongoing. (Wikimedia Commons)

I talked about this idea a bit this week on my podcast. This has less to do with Hutchinson and more to with both Neal and the Jaguars future at offensive tackle. Lawrence’s rookie season was nothing shy of a train wreck. He threw 12 touchdowns and a league-high 17 interceptions while completing fewer than 60 percent of his passes. That included an eight-week stretch where he only had one touchdown. However, Lawrence was rarely the subject of scrutiny when it came to the Jaguars. Urban Meyer racked up controversy after controversy to keep the spotlight off the former Clemson star. By all accounts, it was a very toxic environment and Jacksonville did not allow Meyer to even finish his first season.

On top of that, his supporting cast was underwhelming at best. Fellow first-round pick and former Clemson teammate Travis Etienne suffered a Lisfranc injury that cost him the whole year. The receiving corps was often banged up and lacked a go-to playmaker. The offensive line left a lot to be desired as well.

The case for Neal requires a bit of projecting into the future. This is the second straight year the Jaguars tagged Robinson. I can’t see them doing it a third time and clearly they have some reservations about handing him a long-term extension. On the right side, Jacksonville also has a question mark. Jawaan Taylor is in the final year of his rookie deal and has done little to indicate he deserves an extension. According to PFF, he led the league in penalties for offensive tackles last season on top of allowing six sacks. So both of the Jaguars starting tackles could be gone next season and neither one is truly deserving of being the long-term starter.

That’s why I think Neal should be the pick. He measured in at 6’7.5″ and 337 pounds with 34-inch arms at the combine. In addition to being a massive human being capable of moving like a man 100 pounds lighter, he has experience at both tackle spots from his time at Alabama. He could easily play right tackle this season before sliding over to the left side in 2023 when Robinson’s deal is up. Jacksonville also has 2021 2nd-round pick Walker Little in the fold. If he can continue to develop. He could be in line to be the team’s starting right tackle with Neal on the left in 2023.

Put on Neal’s tape and you can see why he is special. He is rock solid in pass protection and can get to the second level as a run blocker. There is definitely room for him to improve his pad level and balance. If you want to see what he looks like going up against NFL talent, here is his film from the SEC Championship game against Georgia.

I have long been an advocate for building in the trenches, especially on the offensive side. Jacksonville has already invested some resources there this offseason, but they shouldn’t stop. Especially after Brandon Linder announced his retirement on Sunday, this unit still has room to grow.

There is one last piece to this that I think is important to consider. The depth at edge rusher in this draft class is impressive. Players like Arnold Ebiketie, Nick Bonitto, Drake Jackson, David Ojabo, Kingsley Enagbare, Cam Thomas, Josh Pascal and Myjai Sanders will all likely come off the board on Day 2. Jacksonville will absolutely be able to find a quality edge rusher to pair with Josh Allen with the 33rd pick in the draft.

I don’t think the same can be said for offensive tackle. The drop off from Neal to players like Darian Kinnard, Abraham Lucas, Nicolas Petit-Frere and Tyler Smith is much larger than the drop off from Hutchinson to the group I mentioned before. As great a player as Hutchinson may be, the strength of this class is at edge rusher.

If and when Jacksonville ultimately drafts Hutchinson No. 1 overall a month from now, I won’t crush them for making the safe and obvious pick. I will wonder a bit about Lawrence’s long-term protection and if passing on Neal will hurt his long-term development.

Follow the Aftermath via email to get every article delivered right to your inbox. Enter your email in the text box to subscribe. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter. You can also check out our weekly podcast Draft Season Never Ends with new episodes every Friday, available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

NFL Draft Daily: Is the Rams’ “all-in” method possible to replicate?

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NFL Draft Daily looks at top stories, historical trends, player performances and more all through the lens of the NFL Draft. After all, there are only 34 days until the 2022 NFL draft. Check back in Monday for another entry.

The Rams laid the blueprint. Now everyone is trying it. Los Angeles general manager famously rocked a NSFW t-shirt at the team’s championship parade this year that summed up his feelings on draft picks. Let’s just say he doesn’t regret his aggressive approach to roster building.

As the old saying goes: it’s a copycat league. A whopping eight teams currently do not have a first-round pick in the upcoming 2022 NFL draft. There are a few outliers in the group, as Chicago and San Francisco both parted with their 2022 picks in 2021 to trade up to draft a quarterback. However, the rest, which includes Denver, Las Vegas, Cleveland, Miami and, or course, the LA Rams, all did so in a win-now move in pursuit of a Super Bowl.

The Rams already had a championship core featuring players like Aaron Donald, Cooper Kupp, Jalen Ramsey and more. (Wikimedia Commons)

For the Rams, we’ve already seen the tact work. They brought in Matthew Stafford and sent Jared Goff packing. Continued aggression saw them acquire Von Miller from the Broncos for a second-round pick. It all paid off in the form of a Lombardi trophy won in February. Even if the Rams are terrible in two years, which is possible with an aging core and fewer draft picks to replace them, it will have been worth it because they won a title.

The important thing to remember when it comes to trying to emulate Los Angeles is that this was already a championship contender. The Rams featured in the Super Bowl three years prior against Tom Brady and the Patriots. That group ultimately came up short, but L.A. was very clearly within reach of a title. They just made the move to put them over the top.

I can’t say the same thing for any of the teams that have attempted to follow in their footsteps this offseason. We obviously saw the Colts fall well short of expectations last year and ultimately ship Carson Wentz to D.C. after just one season. They brought in Matt Ryan, but as I’ve talked about, they have some holes they still need to fill at corner, left tackle and wide receiver.

Then you have the Browns, who mortgaged their future to acquire Deshaun Watson. Cleveland is probably closer than most to competing for a title, but they need another receiver to complement Amari Cooper, possibly a new center and tight end and an edge rusher. It’s also far from a guarantee Watson will be available for much of this upcoming season given that he is facing civil lawsuits alleging sexual assault and harassment. The Browns also compete in the same division as the reigning AFC champions and the 2019 MVP in Lamar Jackson. Plus, you can never count out Mike Tomlin and the Steelers.

Miami might be the exception to all of this with two first-round picks in 2023. (Wikimedia Commons)

Miami has fewer clear holes on the roster after spending big in free agency and adding Tyreek Hill via trade. That being said, they have maybe the 10th best quarterback in the conference. We simply have not seen enough from Tua Tagovailoa to believe he is capable of leading the Dolphins to a Super Bowl, or even to stay healthy for a full season. Perhaps he will take the next step in his development with a new, offensive-minded head coach in Mike McDaniel. Still, the Dolphins haven’t made the playoffs since 2016. Not exactly a contender putting in the final piece of the puzzle. While Miami is unquestionably better, it’s hard to say they are even the best team in their own division with Buffalo coming off an impressive year and adding Von Miller.

Then there are the Raiders and Broncos. Many are describing the AFC West as the best division we’ve ever seen in football with Russell Wilson joining the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Derek Carr. Denver had a good defense last year, but some abysmal quarterback play, which led to a 7-10 record and the end of Vic Fangio’s tenure with the team. Las Vegas snuck into the playoffs after beating the Chargers in Week 18. Rich Bisaccia righted the ship after a season full of controversy and hardship.

There is no question both teams are better, but given the moves made by the Chargers (re-signing Mike Williams, signing J.C. Jackson and trading for Khalil Mack) and the continued presence of Patrick Mahomes, I’m hard pressed to say either Raiders or Broncos are a lock to make the playoffs, much less a true championship contender. All four teams are talented enough to make it, but the likelihood is someone will miss out because of how brutal those divisional games will be.

The all-in approach is one that I can respect. If you think you have a championship window, you should be doing everything possible to maximize it. The problem is, if you fall short after going all in, you wind up staring down a long rebuild without the resources necessary to do so. My prediction, none of the teams that went all in will win the Super Bowl this year. I think we are much more likely to see a team like the Chiefs, Packers or Buccaneers hoist the Lombardi trophy than a team like the Raiders, Broncos, Dolphins or Browns. What the Rams did is much harder to imitate than it might seem.

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