The rookie ranking season is upon us! As we get set for the NFL Scouting Combine beginning in a week as of this writing, we’re getting the chance to dive into the 2022 rookie class and start forming our opinions about how impactful we expect them to be at the NFL level.
As in most things in life, nothing is set in stone with these first rounds of rankings, as there’s still much that can change between combine performances, injuries, and where these players ultimately land. I plan to continually update this ranking list all offseason and give reasons why I have guys ranked where I do. I will also outline why players have been moved up or down in later versions of this article.
Without further ado, let’s get on to the rankings!
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1) Treylon Burks, Arkansas (WR1)
The more I watch Burks, the more I’m convinced he’s the top skill player in this class. With a 6’3 frame and weighing in at 225 lbs, he has the right mix of size and speed to excel at the next level. Not just that, Burks can create excellent separation on his routes, highpoint the 50-50 balls, and has terrific physicality rarely seen in a wide receiving prospect. Burks projects to be a first-round pick, and I expect someone who will make an immediate impact for an NFL team right away.
2) Garrett Wilson, Ohio State (WR2)
Here’s a fun fact about Wilson: He and Baker Mayfield played together in High School. Besides that, Wilson took the college football world by storm his senior season scoring 12 touchdowns and being the number one wide receiver for one of the most prominent schools in the nation. Wilson has excellent footwork as he’s a polished route runner with plenty of speed to boot. He also has what many quarterbacks love in making yards after the catch. He’s the 1B to the 1A of Treylon Burks in this class for me.
3) Isaiah Spiller, Texas A&M (RB1)
At the number three spot is my favorite running back in this class, and that is Isaiah Spiller. Spiller is a powerful runner that can make defenders miss while also staying very patient in the hole letting his blockers set up. He has excellent contact balance, average speed, and capability in the receiving game. I would love Spiller in a zone scheme for his best results, but I think he can succeed anywhere. Spiller should be a solid NFL contributor with the combination of his patience, burst, and vision.
4) Breece Hall, Iowa State (RB2)
At 6’1 220, Breece Hall was a bruiser for Iowa State in 2021. Hall is elusive, a great pass catcher, and has plenty of speed and power. He is essentially the most complete back in this class and should be an every-down back from day one. He consistently got through defenders with 74 broken tackles, had nearly 1,500 rushing yards, and set an FBS record scoring a touchdown in 24 straight games.
5) Drake London, USC (WR3)
You’d think 88 catches for 1,084 yards and seven touchdowns is a pretty good season, right? Imagine doing that in just eight games. That’s what London did before sustaining an ankle fracture that made him miss the rest of the season. In my mind, London is the best 50-50 catcher of the football in this draft and possesses a great release off the line of scrimmage. He uses his hands well and should be a great possession receiver at the next level.
6) Jameson Williams, Alabama (WR4)
I expect Jameson Williams to be a trendy player discussed on Twitter after performing at the combine. He’s expected to run under a 4.3 40, and teams will take notice, not to mention over 1,500 yards and 15 touchdowns for Alabama in 2021 as an attention grabber for teams. The torn ACL in his final game could be a bit of a concern, so it’ll be interesting to see which number receiver he is off the board come draft day. There’s no doubt about it, though; he’s a better route runner than he gets credit for and is a vertical threat for an NFL team from Day 1.
7) Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State (RB3)
Kenneth Walker III is a fun player to talk about and watch tape on. Walker went from a relative unknown at Wake Forest to being one of the best backs in the country in his one year at Michigan State, leading all of college football with 89 broken tackles. Walker should be a bell-cow back right out of the gates as he showed you he could do it in college, having 23 or more carries in eight of his twelve games this season. He’s powerful, has a great change of direction, and is very elusive. He’s the last back in the first tier with Spiller and Hall for me.
8) David Bell, Purdue (WR5)
Does anyone else hear this name and not picture the baseball player? Well, there’s a new David Bell in town, and he’s ready to make an impact at 6’2 and 205 pounds. He can run any route, is a decent blocker, and has good enough speed needed for an outside wide receiver. Bell played with Rondale Moore at Purdue, but many say he was the true alpha between the two and should be a better pro. Look at potentially a team with a late-first or early-second snagging him in the draft.
9) George Pickens, Georgia (WR6)
Once viewed as the potential WR1 of the 2022 class, an ACL tear in the spring rears some questions as to when Pickens might get drafted in April. Pickens has excellent hands, strength, toughness and made the most of his 63 snaps in the 2021 season. If he slips to the second round, teams may have a true gem on their hands.
10) Wan’Dale Robinson, Kentucky (WR7)
I think Robinsons will be a better real-life player than a fantasy player and will have a bunch of great packages designed for him in the offense with the right head coach. The Kentucky transfer who can line up at RB or WR had 1445 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns in 2021. You could find him breaking ankles and constantly making defenders miss in the open field while being one of the best dynamic dual-threat athletes in college football last season.
11) Chris Olave, Ohio State (WR8)
Olave is a curious prospect because you’ll see his ranking fluctuate in many places. He’s a good route runner, plays inside or outside, and has good footwork to get open at the NFL level. Olave was considered a better prospect as a junior. However, even after becoming the number two in the Ohio State offense to Garrett Wilson, he should still have a very productive pro career. The biggest questions will be overcoming his 6’1 and 186-pound frame given the physicality of the NFL.
12) Jahan Dotson, Ohio State (WR9)
Jahan Dotson capped off an impressive college career, going for 91 catches for 1,182 yards and 12 touchdowns in his senior season. Dotson is considered undersized at only 184 pounds, but Dotson’s route running is good enough, along with his incredible speed to take the tops of the defense, that he should be a great deep threat for a team in 2022. He’s fast, catches the ball well, and when he gets the ball in space, you better hang on to your hat.
13) Dameon Pierce, Florida (RB4)
Pierce is a LOAD at 5’10 and 215 pounds, barreling into defenders and breaking tackles at a high rate. Pierce only carried the ball 100 times in 2021 but still scored 13 touchdowns and averaged 5.7 yards per carry. Pierce also should be fresh as he comes into the NFL, having never topped 106 carries in a season in college. His strength in the ground game, along with his penchant for pass blocking, will have an NFL team who spends the 2nd to 3rd round pick on him very happy.
14) Kyren Williams, Notre Dame (RB5)
I think Kyren Williams might be a back who sees his value dip the most closer to the NFL draft but should be a good complementary back at the next level. Williams burst on the scene at the end of the 2021 season, as he accumulated 14 touchdowns over his last eight games. While that’s impressive, teams have been falling in love with Williams’ game: his ability as a receiver. Over his sophomore and junior seasons, Williams had 77 receptions for 672 yards and could be a great 3rd down back at the next level from day one. The problems will be his lack of size at 5’9 200 pounds and breakaway speed.
15) Trey McBride, Colorado State (TE1)
If you’re looking for a tight end who checks all the boxes, look no further than Trey McBride. He’s got everything you’re looking for at the NFL level: He can catch, has excellent route-running ability, and is a willing run blocker. Not just that, but he’s smart too and knows how to find holes in most zones he’s going to play against. With how well he is at blocking for his quarterback, along with showing off his receiving prowess (90 receptions in his senior season), he should be the first tight end off the board and a potential late first-round pick.
16) Tyler Allgeier, BYU (RB6)
I like Allgeier because he’s a former linebacker similar to Javonte Williams. Allgeier runs extremely hard, is tough, finishes his runs, and creates a lot of yards after contact. He has back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons and can break off the big ones, as he has legit 4.4 speed. I love Allgeier just as much now because he’s flying under the radar and could be a great steal for those that draft early in their rookie drafts. He should be a day two pick in the NFL draft and someone you might see fly up rankings more than any other running back in this class.
17) Malik Willis, Liberty (QB1)
Meet the most polarizing quarterback in this class in Liberty’s Malik Willis. Talk to people in fantasy football, and many like myself love the potential. He seems as risky a prospect as there is at the quarterback position this year in the real world. Willis has problems with accuracy as he only completed 62% of his passes at Liberty and had 12 interceptions in 2021. Those numbers aren’t horrible, but that is a concern against the level of competition he’s playing. Willis’ performance in the Senior Bowl is what has really put him on the map and potentially the first quarterback off the board in the 2022 NFL draft. He’s going to need to improve on his decision-making, along with his accuracy, but if he can sit for his first season in the league to learn the game a little more, he could be a future starter for an NFL franchise.
18) John Metchie, Alabama (WR10)
Another Alabama wide receiver who suffered a late ACL tear that has some questions about him before the 2022 NFL Draft, Metchie had a great season in which he accumulated 96 receptions for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns. Assuming he can make a clean recovery, he has exceptional speed, great route-running/footwork skills, and an above-average ability to track the ball. Metchie should be an immediate contributor at the NFL level and is being insanely undervalued right now.
19) Rachaad White, Arizona State (RB7)
Rachaad White is someone who really stands out when you watch him on tape. He has arguably the best contact balance in the draft, has great vision that he uses with his great cutback ability, and has moves for days. White has the body of an NFL running back at 6’2 and 210 pounds. To put it lightly, he seems to be just a freak of an athlete. Not only was White able to show what he could do on the ground with over 1400 yards and 16 touchdowns from scrimmage in 2021, but he also caught 43 passes and showed he could be a threat in the receiving game. I think you see many may rank White as high as three or four in terms of running backs in this class and will be an excellent pick for an NFL team on Day 3 of the NFL draft.
20) Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh (QB2)
For me, Pickett is currently behind Malik Willis as the next best quarterback in this class. Make the joke about hand size all you want, but I love Pickett’s leap from 2020, where he threw 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions, to 2021, where he threw 42 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He upped his completion percentage, can run better than you think and seems to process the game in my mind better than any of the other quarterbacks in this class. Pickett will undoubtedly be a first-round pick and someone who might start from Day 1, depending on the team he goes to.
The Best of the Rest:
21) Justyn Ross, Clemson (WR11)
22) James Cook, Georgia (RB8)
23) Pierre Strong Jr., South Dakota State (RB9)
24) Matt Corral, Ole Miss (QB3)
25) Romeo Doubs, Nevada (WR12)
27) Sam Howell, North Carolina (QB4)
28) Brian Robinson Jr., Alabama (RB10)
29) Jalen Wydermyer, Texas A&M (TE2)
30) Skyy Moore, Western Michigan (WR13)
31) Jalen Tolbert, South Alabama (WR14)
32) Jerome Ford, Cincinnati (RB11)
33) Christian Watson, North Dakota State (WR15)
34) Alec Pierce, Cincinnati (WR16)
35) Zamir White, Georgia (RB12)
36) Tyler Badie, Missouri (RB13)
37) Carson Strong, Nevada (QB5)
38) Jerrion Ealy, Mississippi (RB14)
39) Khalil Shakir, Boise State (WR17)
40) Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati (QB6)
41) Jeremy Ruckert, Ohio State (TE3)
42) Calvin Austin III, Memphis (WR18)
43) Erik Ezukanma, Texas Tech (WR19)
44) Hassan Haskins, Michigan (RB15)
45) Zonovan Knight, NC State (RB16)
46) Isaiah Likely, Coastal Carolina (TE4)
47) Kevin Harris, South Carolina (RB17)
48) Tyquan Thornton, Baylor (WR20)
49) Ty Chandler, Tennessee (RB18)
50) Reggie Roberson Jr., SMU (WR21)
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