Most Popular This Month

Monday, April 25, 2022

2022 NFL Draft - Skill Position Ranks (RB/WR/TE)

 It’s once again a deep year at wide receiver, with 6 receiving starting grades and 15 cracking my top two tiers. It doesn’t have the standout at the tippy top but what it lacks in absolute star power it more than makes up for with depth and breadth. Running back, for its part is very similar, although it doesn’t have as robust a top end as wide receivers but it holds quality in depth with a number of intriguing, if flawed, talent. Tight end is yet again rather weak, and unlike last year there is no Kyle Pitts to add a massive ceiling to the ranks. Although I wouldn’t say the it possesses the same depth or breadth as receiver or running back it does have some solid players who should fill roster roles if not necessarily exciting from a more fantasy or entertainment slant.

 

Running Backs

Name | School (Conf) | Height, Weight | Touches | AY/Ru | AY/Re | 40 | Short Shuttle | 3 Cone | Vert | Broad | Role (Grade)

 

Breece Hall | Iowa State (B12) – 5’ 11 1/4", 217 lbs | 289 | 7.27 | 6.31 | 4.39 | x | x | 40 | 126 | S (7.2)

Kenneth Walker III | Michigan State (B1G) – 5’ 9 1/4", 211 lbs | 276 | 7.48 | 5.16 | 4.38 | x | x | 34 | 122 | ES (7.0)

 There’s a tier at the top with Hall the only starter grade for me this year. Hall just has a bit more wiggle to him, which allows him to create a bit more when everything is a problem. They both have great long speed and have the ability to utilize a lead back role.

 

Tyler Allgeier | BYU (IND) – 5’ 10 3/4", 224 lbs | 304 | 7.33 | 4.42 | 4.60 | 4.36 | 7.09 | 33 | 120 | ES (6.4)

I’m higher on Allgeier than a lot of people, he’s a slightly older prospect but he’s a big, fluid, back with good vision and an ability to get up field, functional athleticism and consistent production.

 

Zamir White | Georgia (SEC) – 5’ 11 7/8", 217 lbs | 169 | 6.62 | 5.36 | 4.40 | x | x | 33.5 | 128 | ES (6.1)

Brian Robinson Jr. | Alabama (SEC) – 6’ 1 5/8", 225 lbs | 306 | 5.91 | 5.98 | 4.53 | 4.59 | 7.3 | 30 | 119 | PS (6.0)

James Cook | Georgia (SEC) – 5’ 11 1/2", 204 lbs | 140 | 7.58 | 8.40 | 4.42 | x | x | 33 | 124 | PS (5.9)

Dameon Pierce | Florida (SEC) – 5’ 9 5/8", 218 lbs | 119 | 8.13 | 9.13 | 4.59 | 4.46 | 7.53 | 34.5 | 119 | PS (5.9)

Isaiah Spiller | Texas A&M (SEC) – 6’ 0 3/8", 217 lbs | 193 | 6.51 | 5.21 | 4.64 | 4.27 | x | 33 | 114 | PS (5.8)

Jerome Ford | Cincinnati (AAC) – 5’ 10 1/2", 211 lbs | 236 | 7.76 | 7.25 | 4.46 | 4.22 | 7.31 | 31 | 118 | PS (5.8)

Tyler Badie | Missouri (SEC) – 5’ 8", 197 lbs | 322 | 6.95 | 4.73 | 4.45 | 4.28 | 7.07 | 33.5 | 121 | PS (5.8)

Going to give a superlative for the last 7 as I obviously don’t have a huge amount of difference between them…

White shows flashes of elite talent and may have the highest upside of the group. Robinson is a big back with good balance and solid all-around skills. Cook is a receiving back maven who understands space well and is just good enough on the ground to not make it completely obvious whether it’s a run or pass. Pierce the one player who flashes as much as White but 50 less touches and no Cook level backfield mate makes you wonder why those touches were so few. Spiller a solid overall back, which feels like damning with faint praise but I just didn’t see that huge ceiling a lot of people did. Ford had a great game against Bama, his former team, and he does a great job maximizing what’s there. Badie had a huge workload and is a firecracker but that size is going to hamper him even if he is definitely chunky enough to hold up.

 

For Your Consideration

Rachaad White | Arizona State (P12) – 6’ 0 3/8”, 214 lbs | 225 | 7.04 | 6.89 | 4.48 | x | x | 38 | 125 | PS (5.7)

Abram Smith | Baylor (B12) – 5’ 11 5/8”, 213 lbs | 270 | 7.09 | 3.57 | 4.54 | 4.40 | 7.25 | 36 | 116 | PS (5.7)

Ty Chandler | North Carolina (ACC) – 5’ 11 1/4”, 204 lbs | 197 | 7.31 | 9.80 | 4.38 | 4.41 | 7.40 | 31 | 121 | PS (5.6)

Tyler Goodson | Iowa (B1G) – 5’ 9 3/8”, 202 lbs | 287 | 4.93 | 5.43 | 4.42 | 4.12 | 6.76 | 36.5 | 123 | PS (5.6)

Ronnie Rivers | Fresno State (MWC) – 5’ 7 1/2", 198 lbs | 196 | 5.43 | 7.46 | 4.57 | 4.34 | 6.91 | 36.5 | 119 | PS (5.5)

Hassan Haskins | Michigan (B1G) – 6’ 1 3/4”, 228 lbs | 288 | 6.28 | 4.52 | INJ | INJ | INJ | INJ | INJ | PS (5.5)

Leddie Brown | Iowa State (B12) – 5’ 11 1/4", 213 lbs | 258 | 5.85 | 4.22 | 4.64 | 4.26 | 7.10 | 36.5 | 118 | PS (5.5)

Jerrion Ealy | Ole Miss (SEC) – 5’ 8 1/8”, 187 lbs | 165 | 6.47 | 5.03 | 4.47 | 4.35 | 7.07 | 34.5 | 128 | PS (5.5)

 

Wide Receivers

 

Name | School (Conf) | Height, Weight | Touches | Production | 40 | 10-yard Split | Short Shuttle | 3 Cone | Vert | Broad | Role (Grade)

 

Drake London | USC (P12) | 6’ 3 7/8”, 219 lbs | 140 | 8.68 | x | x | x | x | x | x | S (7.4)

Jameson Williams | Alabama (SEC) | 6’ 1 1/2”, 179 lbs | 126 | 13.25 | INJ | INJ | INJ | INJ | INJ | INJ | S (7.3)

Treylon Burks | Arkansas (SEC) | 6’ 2”, 225 lbs | 105 | 9.37 | 4.55 | 1.60 | 4.23 | 7.28 | 35.5 | 122 | S (7.2)

Chris Olave | Ohio State (B1G) | 6’ 0 3/8”, 187 lbs | 104 | 9.37 | 4.39 | 1.45 | x | x | 32 | 124 | S (7.2)

Garrett Wilson | Ohio State (B1G) | 5’ 11 3/4”, 183 lbs | 112 | 8.45 | 4.38 | 1.53 | 4.36 | x | 36 | 123 | S (7.2)

Alec Pierce | Cincinnati (AAC) | 6’ 3 1/8”, 208 lbs | 83 | 7.39 | 4.33 | 1.46 | 4.20 | 7.13 | 40.5 | 129 | S (7.1)

Jahan Dotson | Penn State (B1G) | 5’ 10 5/8”, 181 lbs | 145 | 10.06 | 4.43 | 1.56 | x | 7.28 | 36 | 121 | ES (7.0)

London was my surprise this draft season. Based on the highlights I had seen used when he was talked about it was almost always a contested catch with little separation. He was much more than that he lined up inside and out, was the focal point of his offense and made plays and got separation routinely. The impact Williams had on Alabama was pretty evident in the championship game. Yes Metchie was out too but Bama was able to move the ball while Williams was on the field Bama moved the ball and was a threat to score, once he went down it became much much more difficult. Burks wins best as a big slot but he's capable of playing on the outside and gets separation a bit more often than he’s given credit for. The big knock is his speed but we’ve seen him run away from the entire Alabama defense and consistently create small space separation so I’m very comfortable with him. Olave & Wilson were fantastic at OSU, Olave is a footwork maven with great speed and nasty in space. Wilson was used as a deep threat more often, is a bit more solidly built and creates separation on his deep routes. I favor Olave ever so slightly but see them as having very similar floors and ceilings. Pierce was so much fun to watch and provides pure burner speed with a big receiver body. He routinely flashed against bigger competition and is a good prospect and explosive athlete. Dotson absolutely balled out with bad QB play who could make me feel stupid for just sliding him out of the Starter tier but he’s the shortest of my top 10 receivers and although he’s shown an ability to play outside sub-six foot may put him in a great role that just limits his value a little bit.

 

Christian Watson | North Dakota State (FCS) | 6’ 4 1/8”, 208 lbs | 69 | 6.66 | 4.36 | 1.45 | 4.19 | 6.96 | 38.5 | 136 | ES (6.7)

Jalen Tolbert | South Alabama (SBC) | 6’ 1 1/4", 194 lbs | 131 | 11.59 | 4.49 | 1.57 | 4.24 | 7.08 | 36 | 123 | ES (6.6)

George Pickens | Georgia (SEC) | 6’ 3 1/4", 195 lbs | 8 | - | 4.47 | 1.50 | x | x | 34.5 | 125 | ES (6.5)

David Bell | Purdue (B1G) | 6’ 0 7/8”, 212 lbs | 148 | 9.98 | 4.65 | 1.56 | 4.57 | 7.14 | 33 | 118 | ES (6.4)

Wan’Dale Robinson | Kentucky (SEC) | 5’ 8”, 179 lbs | 166 | 10.46 | 4.44 | 1.49 | 4.13 | 6.99 | 35 | 118 | ES (6.3)

John Metchie | Alabama (SEC) | 5’ 11 1/4", 187 lbs | 153 | 9.23 | INJ | INJ | INJ | INJ | INJ | INJ | ES (6.2)

Skyy Moore | Western Michigan (MAC) | 5’ 11 7/8”, 195 lbs | 151 | 10.57 | 4.41 | 1.46 | 4.32 | 7.13 | 34.5 | 125 | ES (6.1)

Khalil Shakir | USC (P12) | 5’ 11 7/8”, 196 lbs | 123 | 8.91 | 4.43 | 1.49 | 4.21 | 7.28 | 38.5 | 124 | ES (6.1)

There’s a bit of a tier break after Dotson but not a huge one. Watson is an absolute burner who has slightly limited production in a NDSU offense that focuses more on the ground than through the air. Tolbert had some hands inconsistency and played in an offense that used in smaller spaces but he’s a tall guy with good feet and long speed. Pickens has the talent to be the best receiver in this draft and might be my favorite receiver but he’s been limited for multiple years by known back injuries and that means he gets knocked for that and production. Bell was a beast at Purdue who routinely racked up production, he’s not an athletic freak but he’s just a smart player who gets open routinely and I see no reason he shouldn’t be able to do that at the next level. Robinson is an RB/WR hybrid player that can be moved around the formation and makes plays in a whole bunch of ways but that also means he’s relatively reliant on being used correctly and being designed touches. That said the dude can absolutely scoot and is the proverbial home run threat. Metchie, Moore, and Shakir are chunkier (relatively) slot guys with good athleticism, ball skills, and enough reps on the outside to move around formations and be useful outside of just the middle of the field.

 

For Your Consideration

 

Makai Polk | Mississippi State (SEC) | 6’ 3 1/8”, 197 lbs | 156 | 8.27 | 4.59 | 1.53 | 4.34 | 7.06 | 32.5 | 120 | PS (6.0)

Calvin Austin III | Memphis (AAC) | 5’ 7 3/4”, 170 lbs | 118 | 9.28 | 4.32 | 1.44 | 4.07 | 6.65 | 39 | 135 | PS (5.9)

Danny Gray | SMU (AAC) | 5’ 11 7/8”, 197 lbs | 78 | 6.95 | 4.33 | 1.51 | 4.37 | 7.38 | 34 | 126 | PS (5.8)

Bo Melton | Rutgers (B1G) | 5’ 10 7/8”, 189 lbs | 88 | 4.81 | 4.34 | 1.47 | 4.10 | 6.81 | 38 | 121 | PS (5.8)

Calvin Jackson Jr | Washington State (P12) | 5’ 8 7/8”, 193 lbs | 105 | 7.99 | 4.53 | 1.57 | 4.26 | 7.23 | 36 | 124 | PS (5.7)

Tyquan Thornton | Baylor (B12) | 6’ 2 3/8”, 181 lbs | 99 | 8.12 | 4.28 | 1.41 | 4.39 | 7.25 | 38.5 | 131 | PS (5.6)

Kevin Austin Jr | Notre Dame (IND) | 6’ 2 3/8”, 200 lbs | 76 | 7.28 | 4.43 | 1.48 | 4.15 | 6.71 | 39 | 132 | PS (5.6)

Kyle Phillips | UCLA (P12) | 5’ 11 1/4", 189 lbs | 94 | 6.63 | 4.58 | 1.49 | 4.09 | 6.75 | 33.5 | 124 | PS (5.5)

 

Tight Ends

 

Name | School (Conf) | Height, Weight | Touches | Production | 40 | 10-yard Split | Short Shuttle | 3 Cone | Vert | Broad | Role (Grade)

 

Trey McBride | Colorado State (MWC) | 6’ 3 5/8”, 245 lbs | 143 | 12.72 | 4.56 | 1.60 | x | x | 33 | 117 | ES (7.0)

Greg Dulcich | UCLA (P12) | 6’ 4”, 243 lbs | 67 | 9.16 | 4.69 | 1.62 | 4.37 | 7.05 | 34 | 122 | ES (6.5)

Isaiah Likely | Coastal Carolina (SBC) | 6’ 4 5/8”, 245 lbs | 94 | 12.76 | 4.83 | 1.70 | 4.57 | 7.39 | 36 | 123 | ES (6.4)

Cole Turner | Nevada (MWC) | 6’ 6 1/2", 249 lbs | 99 | 9.70 | 4.76 | 1.62 | 4.33 | 7.06 | 29 | 120 | ES (6.2)

Jelani Woods | Virginia (ACC) | 6’ 7 1/8”, 253 lbs | 70 | 8.39 | 4.61 | 1.57 | 4.33 | 6.95 | 37.5 | 129 | ES (6.0)

Jalen Wydermeyer | Texas A&M (B12) | 6’ 3 7/8”, 255 lbs | 57 | 6.34 | 5.02 | 1.78 | x | x | 25.5 | 109 | ES (5.8)

Jake Ferguson | Wisconsin (B1G) | 6’ 4 7/8”, 250 lbs | 73 | 5.67 | 4.77 | 1.61 | 4.48 | 7.03 | 34.5 | 118 | PS (5.7)

Jeremy Ruckert | Ohio State (B1G) | 6’ 5 1/2", 252 lbs | 41 | 4.09 | INJ | INJ | INJ | INJ | INJ | INJ | PS (5.5)

Chigoziem Okonkwo | Maryland (B1G) | 6’ 2 1/2", 238 lbs | 83 | 6.06 | 4.52 | 1.57 | 4.45 | 7.19 | 35.5 | 117 | PS (5.4)

McBride is a functionally strong blocker, a good athlete and a consistent performer. Dulcich has great feet for a man his size and performed when given the chance. I like Likely more than consensus… He doesn’t have the athletic profile and that worries me but he’s a fluid mover who and produced as well as anyone in the class. Turner and Woods are big athletes, with Woods being the better athlete and Turner being the more productive player while looking slightly awkward in motion. Wydermeyer is a bad athlete and an ok producer who I just liked more when I watched him. Ferguson is the complete opposite profile-wise and someone who routinely made plays for Wisconsin. They could probably be flipped but alas. Ruckert is a favorite of many in the draft community but he strikes me a lot like Spiller at running back. He’s a fine player who moves well and is passable at all phases but doesn’t have that one standout trait. Onkonkwo was used as an H-back/move tight end and I’d expect him to be used in similar spaces at the next level, making him a better fantasy prospect than an overall draft prospect.

 

For Your Consideration

Peyton Hendershot | Indiana (B1G) | 6’ 4 1/8”, 250 lbs | 73 | 6.92 | 4.78 | 1.62 | 4.25 | 6.75 | 33.5 | 124 | PS (5.1)

James Mitchell | Virginia Tech (ACC) | 6’ 4”, 249 lbs | - | - | INJ | INJ | INJ | INJ | INJ | INJ | PS (5.1)

Derrick Deese Jr | San Jose State (MWC) | 6’ 3 1/4", 244 lbs | 75 | 9.00 | 4.93 | 1.65 | INJ | INJ | 31 | 120 | PS (5.0)

Charlie Kolar | Iowa State (B12) | 6’ 6 1/2", 252 lbs | 92 | 9.14 | 4.62 | 1.66 | 4.30 | 7.00 | 35.5 | 120 | PS (5.0)

Chase Allen | Iowa State (B12) | 6’ 6”, 251 lbs | 37 | 3.50 | 4.79 | 1.62 | 4.43 | 7.03 | 33.5 | 117 | PS (4.9)

Austin Allen | Nebraska (B1G) | 6’ 7 5/8”, 253 lbs | 61 | 7.15 | 4.83 | 1.67 | 4.26 | 7.00 | 35.5 | 120 | PS (4.8)

Lucas Krull | Pittsburgh (ACC) | 6’ 6 1/8”, 253 lbs | 61 | 6.32 | 4.64 | 1.62 | 4.38 | 7.15 | 35 | 120 | PS (4.8)

No comments:

Post a Comment