This QB class might be thin at the top but that doesn’t mean teams won’t target them early
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We’ve typically had three quarterbacks go in the first round of our weekly mock drafts, but with the college season concluded (save the playoffs), and draft season unofficially underway, don’t be surprised if that number grows as we hear about quarterback-needy teams talking themselves into players that, truthfully, are second-round talents who end up being overdrafted.
But that’s what makes the whole draft process interesting, and with so many teams needing franchise quarterbacks, expect a run on signal-callers, even in a decidedly weak 2022 draft class.
For us, Matt Corral remains our QB1, in part because of how well he played this fall, but also because of questions about Carson Strong’s knee. (We’ve been saying it for months, but if Strong’s knee is 100%, he’s the passer we’re taking first.) But after Corral, it’s wide open; some teams may love Strong, others may prefer Kenny Pickett, and others still may love the upside of Malik Willis or Sam Howell or Desmond Ridder.
Given the state of this QB class, perhaps the real winners might be Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Deshaun Watson or any other veteran quarterbacks who force their way off their current clubs. But, hey, a lot can change, not only between now and the draft, but between the draft and the NFL season. A year ago, some folks (not us!) thought it was crazy to suggest that Mac Jones was not only a legit first-round talent, but one of the most-NFL-ready passers in the class.
For now, keep reading to see how the entire first round unfolds.
One other thing, and this is important: now that we’re past the midway point of the season, we’re using the 2022 NFL Draft order (via tankathon, with results prior to Monday’s game) to determine selections 1-32 below.