Monday Morning Draft is back! This is a column that delves into the past weekend’s action from an NFL Draft perspective. As the season goes on, the draft picture and slotting will become more clear, but every Sunday will provide a few hints for next April.
By Charlie Campbell.
Send Charlie an e-mail here: [email protected]
Follow Charlie on Twitter @draftcampbell for updates.
Race for the No. 1 Pick:
Jacksonville Jaguars: The Jaguars were embarrassed in Week 1, with the Texans blowing them out in convincing fashion. New head coach Urban Meyer and rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence received a rude welcome to the NFL, and clearly Jacksonville is a young team with a lot of holes on the roster. The Jaguars should get better throughout the season, but they could be a top candidate for the No. 1 pick of the 2022 NFL Draft. If Jacksonville lands the top pick, it would make sense to trade down with a team that needs a quarterback and load up on picks to help the rebuilding process.
Detroit Lions: The Lions are deep in rebuilding mode after previous general manager Bob Quinn and previous head coach Matt Patricia did a terrible job of drafting. It will take some time for Detroit to rebuild the roster new general manager Brad Holmes and new head coach Dan Campbell inherited. Hence, it could be a long year for the Lions, but Holmes is a phenomenal talent evaluator who will build a talented team.
If the Lions land the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, what they do with it will depend on how Jared Goff plays this season. If Goff plays well enough, they could maybe trade down for a big package of picks. If Goff struggles, they could replace him with the top quarterback. Detroit has two first-round picks in each of the next two drafts, so the franchise already has good resources thanks to the haul that Holmes landed for Matthew Stafford. If the Lions don’t take a quarterback, wide receiver and edge rusher could be their top considerations.
New York Jets: The Jets lost at Carolina, but they’re a young team that will improve as the season progresses. They are in for some growing pains, but they should be a better team in the back half of the season. If the Jets were to land the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, they probably would look to trade down and load up on picks to help their rebuilding process.
Houston Texans: The Texans used to have one of the best rosters in the NFL thanks to former general manager Rick Smith and one of the best scouting staffs in the league. Houston had a 10-year stretch in which the team did not have a first-round pick go bust while landing J.J. Watt, DeAndre Hopkins, Deshaun Watson, Duane Brown, Brian Cushing, Whitney Mercilus and more. Owner Cal McNair allowed Bill O’Brien to run the Texans into ground and blow up the superb roster the team had Houston going to the playoffs consistently.
Following the desolation done by O’Brien and McNair alienating Deshaun Watson, Houston has one of the worst rosters in the NFL. The Texans could be in store for a long and ugly season. If they land the No. 1 pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, they will have to think hard about taking Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler or Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral. With Watson heading to play elsewhere at some point, Houston needs a new franchise quarterback.
Top General Manager Candidates:
Let’s Play Matchmaker:
This section will look at some of the top talent in college football and match those prospects up with teams that have a dire need at the position.
Cincinnati Bengals: Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn 
The Bengals blew a late lead to the Vikings in regulation, but rallied to win in overtime. Cincinnati’s young play-makers Joe Burrow, Joe Mixon, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins produced critical yards and points giving the fans a glimpse of what is possible in the years to come. Improving the defense could be a top priority in 2022 given how Kirk Cousins was able to move the ball, connecting with Adam Thielen for two touchdowns.
McCreary has 10 tackles and an interception so far in 2021. He was excellent in 2020, recording three interceptions, six passes defended, one forced fumble and 45 tackles. In 2019, he collected 36 tackles, an interception and 11 passes broken up.
While McCreary isn’t the biggest of corners, the 5-foot-11, 187-pounder has excellent coverage skills to run the route and prevent separation. McCreary smoothness in how he covers his targets could make him a good early-round option for Cincinnati in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Seattle Seahawks: Chasen Hines, G, LSU 
The Seahawks went on the road to Indianapolis and came away with an impressive road victory. While Seattle torched the Colts through the air, protecting Russell Wilson was once again a problem, with Indianapolis sacking and pressuring him. Adding some interior offensive line talent on the second day of the 2022 NFL Draft would make sense for Seattle.
Hines (6-3, 349) is a heavy interior blocker who is a large load at the point of attack. He was a bright spot alongside Ed Ingram in 2020, impressing some team evaluators. For the NFL, it would help Hines to lose some weight and improve his ability to handle speed rushers. Some sources believe Hines could have second-day potential for the 2022 NFL Draft as he has lot of upside and is a force at the line of scrimmage.
Philadelphia Eagles: James Skalski, LB, Clemson 
The Eagles’ defense played really well against the Falcons, holding them to only six points. Atlanta had some success at times on the ground with Cordarrelle Patterson and Mike Davis, and over the past few years, linebacker has been a weakness for Philadelphia. The Eagles could land some linebacker help in the early rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Skalski recorded 14 tackles in the season opener against Georgia and played really well. The 6-foot, 246-pounder has been a solid contributor for Clemson over the past few seasons. His best year came in 2019, when he had 90 tackles with 4.5 sacks, one forced fumble and three passes defended. Skalski could become a three-down starter in the NFL. Testing well before the 2022 NFL Draft will be important for his draft stock.
Houston Texans: D’vonte Price, RB, Florida International 
The Texans rolled the Jaguars in Week 1, giving Urban Myer and Trevor Lawrence a harsh welcome to the NFL. Houston received an efficient performance from Tyrod Taylor, and Mark Ingram churned out 85 yards on 26 carries with a touchdown. It will be interesting to see where the Texans picking in the 2022 NFL Draft and what quarterback options are available for them, but from the second round, they could use a long-term running back as Ingram and David Johnson are declining veterans. Adding a talented tailback could help Houston’s new quarterback.
Price has 28 carries so far this season, collecting 276 yards and three touchdowns. He ran really well in a limited number of attempts in 2020. He averaged 6.8 yards per carry while turning 85 carries into 581 yards and four touchdowns over five games. Florida Interntional also struggled defensively, which hurt his opportunities.
Price is built well and has some quickness to go with his size. Advance scouts were impressed with his skill set and pro potential. He could make an impact for Houston at the starting running back.
Los Angeles Chargers: Jalen Wydermyer, TE, Texas A&M 
The Chargers lost Hunter Henry in free agency, and Jared Cook is just a short-term stop-gap for them. With contract situations and decisions looming for Mike Williams and Keenan Allen, Los Angeles could consider adding a more dependable tight end weapon for Justin Herbert. In the early rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft, Wydermyer could be a good fit as a mismatch weapon who provides size and route-running for the Chargers.
Wydermyer has eight receptions for 102 yards so far in 2021. He recorded 45 catches for 502 yards and six touchdowns in 2020. The 6-foot-5, 260-pounder created a buzz with scouts for having a good skill with a ton of upside during the 2019 season. The Aggies staff raved about Wydermyer to NFL evaluators coming through College Station. In 2019, he totaled 32 receptions for 447 yards and six touchdowns.
Wydermyer has good size to him with speed and athleticism. He could have three-down starting potential for the NFL.
San Francisco 49ers: Josh Jobe, CB, Alabama 
The 49ers almost blew a 28-point lead to the Lions thanks to Jared Goff staging a comeback and throwing for 338 yards, three touchdowns and two critical two-point conversions. Detroit almost tied the game late in the fourth quarter despite playing with a lack of talent at wide receiver. Clearly, San Francisco needs to improve its cornerback talent to support its excellent defensive line.
In 2021, Jobe has five tackles and a pass broken up. He collected 55 tackles, two sacks, 11 passes defended and two forced fumbles in 2020. In 2019, Jobe notched 22 tackles, two passes broken up and an interception, but he looked like he was just scratching the surface of his potential.
,br> Jobe (6-1, 189) is a big corner who can run and is athletic. Like Patrick Surtain II, Jobe was a rare freshman defensive back to see the field under Nick Saban. He would be a quality value for San Francisco in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Akayleb Evans, CB, Missouri 
The Bucs allowed Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper to have a big game in the season opener, and the young Tampa Bay secondary had some up-and-down performances in 2020. Carlton Davis is entering free agency after the season, but even if he signs an extension, the Bucs could consider adding more talent around him. Evans could be a nice fit for them in the early rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Zaven Collins wasn’t the only Tulsa defender who jumped out in 2020, as Evans had a big season for Tulsa with 29 tackles and three passes broken up while showing blanket coverage. Evans also collected eight breakups over his previous seasons, and he could help himself by producing some interceptions as a senior.
The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Evans transferred to Missouri for the 2021 season. He has an interception, two tackles and two passes defended so far as a Tiger. Evans possesses good size, speed and athleticism.
Team Draft Report:
In this section, we take a deeper look at specific teams and where they stand in regards to the 2020 NFL Draft.
Detroit Lions: The Lions are in store for a long season as their roster was depleted of talent by terrible drafting on the part of former general manager Bob Quinn. The Lions have a lot of needs, but fortunately, they have an excellent talent evaluator in new general manager Brad Holmes. Over the next two drafts, Detroit has four first-round picks, and the organization should also have lots of free agency money available. Holmes will need to add some difference-makers to both sides of the ball to get the Lions back in playoff contention.
Wide receiver is the biggest position of need for Detroit. The Lions wisely did not overpay Kenny Golladay, and they should get a compensatory third-round pick from Golladay signing with the Giants. Marvin Jones also left in free agency after last season. It looks like Holmes landed a steal in fourth-round rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown, but Detroit needs more receiving weapons to go with St. Brown.
In my latest mock 2022 NFL Draft, I have the Lions taking Clemson wide receiver Justyn Ross with their first selection. Ross is dynamic receiver with excellent size and real speed for a big wideout. If the Lions decide to wait for their second first-round pick, the one from the Rams most likely, they could also consider wide receivers like Penn State speedster Jahan Dotson, USC big receiver Drake London, or Ohio State route-running phenom Chris Olave.
The other position Detroit should target in the first round is a pass rusher to go across from Romeo Okwara. The 2022 NFL Draft looks phenomenal for edge-rushing talent. High in the first round, the Lions could consider Georgia’s Adam Anderson, Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson, Florida State’s Jermaine Johnson, Purdue’s George Karlaftis and Virginia Tech’s Amaré Barno.
Aside from their top primary needs, the Lions could use help at linebacker and safety. With their three picks on Day 2, it might make sense to add talent at each of those positions and perhaps a second receiver to continue to build up the weapons around Jared Goff. If Goff doesn’t play well and the Lions have a high first-round pick, they will also have to assess if a better franchise quarterback is available.
Detroit needs a few good draft classes and free agency signing periods to upgrade its roster. While the Lions are a long way from being playoff contenders, they finally at least have a good general manager with a proven track record of being an adept scout capable of finding talent and building a good roster.
Dallas Cowboys: It would not be surprising if the Cowboys’ opening night loss to Tampa Bay sets a tone for the season. The Dallas passing attack was superb as Dak Prescott, Amari Cooper, and CeeDee Lamb were very effective against the defending Super Bowl Champion Bucs. The Cowboys defense, however, couldn’t create enough stops to help the scoring attack, and Tom Brady’s four touchdown passes for too much for Dallas. It would not be surprising if the Cowboys split their games in wins and losses in a weekly shootout. Thus, they need to spend the 2022 NFL Draft focusing on upgrading the stop unit.
Fortunately for the Cowboys, the 2022 class looks strong on the defensive side of the ball, especially at defensive end and cornerback. Dallas has used second-round picks on corners in back-to-back drafts while also signing Jourdan Lewis to an extension. Perhaps by the end of the season, the young corners will have improved enough to take that position out of the running for a first-round pick, but if they disappoint, Dallas could consider a number of good cornerback options in the first round. LSU’s Derek Stingley will probably be long gone by the time Dallas picks, but there are other excellent options, including Penn State’s Tariq Castro-Fields, Auburn’s Roger McCreary, Tennessee’s Alontae Taylor, Florida’s Kaiir Elam, Alabama’s Josh Jobe, Missouri’s Akayleb Evans, Texas A&M’s Myles Jones and Ohio State’s Sevyn Banks. Not all of those prospects will go in the first round, so there could be depth into Round 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence has had a good career for Dallas, but the team could exercise an out of his contract after this season. Even if the Cowboys don’t, they could use more help around him as they are still reeling from Taco Charlton being a bust. There should be some excellent defensive end/outside linebacker edge options in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Dallas won’t be picking high enough to land Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux, but this is a talented and deep class of rushers. The franchise could consider the likes of Georgia’s Adam Anderson, Georgia’s Nolan Smith, Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson, Florida State’s Jermaine Johnson, Virginia Tech’s Amaré Barno, Purdue’s George Karlaftis, and more. Taking a defensive end in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft might be the best value for the Cowboys.
Adding help to the inside of the defensive line could be a top consideration for Dallas as well. At this early stage, there isn’t clarity about how strong the interior defensive line class will be and if the values will be worthy of the Cowboys’ first-round pick. Some potential first-rounders include Georgia’s Jordan Davis, Oklahoma’s Perrion Winfrey and Texas A&M’s DeMarvin Leal. It wouldn’t be surprising if Davis is off the board when Dallas is set to pick.
Taking an offensive tackle to replace the aging Tyron Smith could also be a consideration, but the defense is the bigger hinderance to Dallas challenging for a Super Bowl at this time. Adding veteran or second-day depth at offensive tackle could make more sense for the Cowboys.
The 2022 NFL Draft looks strong for defensive talent, so that plays to the Cowboys favor for improving their roster to improve their chances of challenging for a Super Bowl with Prescott at the helm.
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