The NFL Scouting Combine is finally set to begin this week and we’re now getting the chance to dive into the 2022 rookie class! It may only be guys working out in shirts and shorts, but it’s our first real taste of something football since the Super Bowl ended in what feels like already forever ago. The best part about the combine is we can start seeing some of these draft prospects in action and have talking points and narratives as we inch closer to the 2022 NFL Draft.
In an article last week, I outlined the dynasty rankings of this draft class. In this article, I’ll be looking at this draft class from a Superflex dynasty perspective. For those unfamiliar with Superflex, it’s a format where you can plug in a running back, wide receiver, tight end, or quarterback in your flex position. The quarterback is the most important because they generally outscore every other position in fantasy and starting two quarterbacks in a lineup generally gives that fantasy player an advantage over a fantasy player that does not. That’s why in any Superflex rankings you’ll see quarterbacks continually pushed up.
Let’s take a look at how these 2022 NFL Draft prospects are ranked in a Dynasty Superflex format!
Special Offer: Get a FREE 6-month upgrade
1) 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.
When you combine Willis’ mobility with his arm strength, the ceiling is there. Willis led all quarterbacks with 944 rushing yards and had 14 touchdowns on the ground. In Superflex leagues, that is GOLD and no other quarterback in this class has near that kind of potential rushing the football. The way he can throw the ball at multiple arm angles and launch the ball for the big play, Willis is a no-brainer for the first player off the board for me in Superflex formats.
2) 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 he will be someone who will make an immediate impact for an NFL team right away.
3) Garrett Wilson, Ohio State (WR2)
Here’s a fun fact about Wilson: He and Baker Mayfield (QB – CLE) 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.
4) 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.
5) 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 by scoring a touchdown in 24 straight games.
6) 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.
I think Pickett is the most pro-ready of all the quarterbacks in this class, which is why I have him as the number two quarterback and sixth pick overall in Superflex. Pickett will undoubtedly be a first-round pick in the NFL Draft and someone who might start from day one, depending on the team he goes to. He also has demonstrated he has some rushing upside with his 386 yards and 13 TDs over his last two collegiate seasons.
7) 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.
8) Matt Corral, Ole Miss (QB3)
The former Ole Miss Rebel once was considered the number one quarterback in this class (and very well could end up being by the time the draft rolls around). I’ll be interested to see what Corral measures in at the combine as right now being a 6’1 quarterback is never something teams love to see when considering drafting their franchise QB. Corral is arguably the most accurate quarterback in this class, having 68% or better completion percentages over the last two seasons. He’s also cut his interception totals from 14 to 5 from 2020 to 2021.
Corral should be a top-20 pick in the NFL draft and he’d be a mistake to leave outside the Top 10 in any Superflex draft. His accuracy is a major plus, but Corral has also rushed for over 500 yards in each of his last two seasons. This may be the best bargain in your fantasy drafts.
9) 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 one.
10) 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.
11) Sam Howell, North Carolina (QB4)
Admittedly, I’m extremely low on Howell compared to consensus among quarterbacks in the 2022 class. While he’s 11 in these rankings as of now, I’m not sure how long he’ll stay up here. After he broke out as a freshman with 38 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 2019, he continued to very much look like a future top draft choice with 30 touchdowns and seven interceptions his sophomore year. After losing future pros Javonte Williams (RB – DEN), Michael Carter (RB – NYJ), and Dyami Brown (WR – WAS) to the NFL, Howell saw his completion percentage, yards, touchdowns, and passing attempts all drop. Meanwhile, his interceptions and sacks both went up.
Howell doesn’t seem to have the strongest arm and to me doesn’t seem to be too much of a difference-maker at the next level. He’s going to need to run an offense guided by the right head coach for his skill-set that in my mind is more of a west coast offense. Howell can contribute on the ground, which is why he’s up here and should still be somewhere in the early second round of your Superflex drafts.
12) 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 (WR – ARI) 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.
13) 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.
14) Wan’Dale Robinson, Kentucky (WR7)
I think Robinson 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 1,445 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.
15) 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.
16) Carson Strong, Nevada (QB5)
Pardon the pun, but Carson Strong looked strong at Nevada throughout his career there. Strong has had a 70% completion percentage or better in back-to-back seasons, while never throwing more than eight interceptions in any of his collegiate seasons. Strong has a great arm and has great pocket awareness, but does nothing with his legs as he’s already had multiple surgeries on his right knee and is purely a pocket quarterback.
Strong can make all the throws needed at the next level and can manipulate defensive backs with his eyes arguably better than any other QB in this draft. However, the lack of high-end competition faced at Nevada, his lack of mobility, and injury questions have Strong as my current QB5 and more of a mid-tier second-round pick in Superflex drafts.
17) Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati (QB6)
If Malik Willis is the biggest wild card of the quarterback position, Ridder has to be the next quarterback on that list. Ridder stands at 6’4″ 215 pounds and has all the tools needed to be the best quarterback drafted in 2022. While I expect him to be an early second-round pick and sit a year, he could very well end up making a team very happy come 2023.
Ridder is going to benefit as much as anyone from a strong combine and could move across many people’s rankings between now and the draft. I may be too low on Ridder based off his anticipatory throws, underrated accuracy, and his ability to read through progressions. Ridder also provides rushing upside with 572 or more rushing yards in three of his four collegiate seasons. This is someone to keep an eye on in your fantasy drafts, as he could end up being drafted closer to the end of the first round when it’s all said and done.
18) Jahan Dotson, Ohio State (WR9)
Jahan Dotson capped off an impressive college career in 2021, going for 91 catches for 1,182 yards and 12 touchdowns in his senior season. Dotson is considered undersized at only 184 pounds, but his 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.
19) 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.
20) 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 he 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 third 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.
The Best of the Rest:
21) Trey McBride, Colorado State (TE1)
22) Rachaad White, Arizona State (RB6)
23) John Metchie, Alabama (WR10)
24) Tyler Allgeier, BYU (RB7)
25) Justyn Ross, Clemson (WR11)
26) James Cook, Georgia (RB8)
27) Pierre Strong Jr., South Dakota State (RB9)
28) Romeo Doubs, Nevada (WR12)
29) Brian Robinson Jr., Alabama (RB10)
30) Jalen Wydermyer, Texas A&M (TE2)
31) Skyy Moore, Western Michigan (WR13)
32) Jalen Tolbert, South Alabama (WR14)
33) Jerome Ford, Cincinnati (RB11)
34) Christian Watson, North Dakota State (WR15)
35) Alec Pierce, Cincinnati (WR16)
36) Zamir White, Georgia (RB12)
37) Tyler Badie, Missouri (RB13)
38) Jerrion Ealy, Mississippi (RB14)
39) Khalil Shakir, Boise State (WR17)
40) Isaiah Likely, Coastal Carolina (TE3)
41) Calvin Austin III, Memphis (WR18)
42) Erik Ezukanma, Texas Tech (WR19)
43) Hassan Haskins, Michigan (RB15)
44) Zonovan Knight, NC State (RB16)
45) Jeremy Ruckert, Ohio State (TE4)
47) Kevin Harris, South Carolina (RB17)
48) Tyquan Thornton, Baylor (WR20)
49) Ty Chandler, Tennessee (RB18)
50) Reggie RobersonJr., SMU (WR21)
Practice fast mock drafts with our fantasy football software
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Play | Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS | YouTube
Looking for advice tailored to your team? Check out our awarding-winning My Playbook tool. My Playbook allows you to sync your team for free in seconds. It offers personalized advice for fantasy owners, including a Start/Sit Assistant, Waiver Wire Assistant, and Trade Analyzer. My Playbook will also send you news and alerts specific to your fantasy players. Join over 1 million teams that have been synched for custom advice, rankings, and analysis!