This new section highlights which players have improved or worsened their 2022 NFL Draft stock as the draft approaches.
By Charlie Campbell.
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2022 NFL Draft Stock Up
Kenneth Walker III, RB, Michigan State Walker was impressive with how he ran against Michigan’ tough defense. On the first play of the second quarter against the Wolverines, Walker took a run up the middle, was stopped by a pile of bodies, but then bounced it to the outside and exploded down the field for a 27-yard touchdown. It showed excellent vision and instincts from Walker. Midway through the second quarter, Walker added his second rushing touchdown taking off on a short run before diving to the pylon to put the Spartans in front.
Early in the fourth quarter, Walker followed his blocks to break off a 56-yard touchdown run. With the Spartans down by three with just a few minutes remaining, Walker exploded up the middle and broke a tackle at the second level to dart into the end zone with a 22-yard touchdown. Walker racked up for 197 yards and five touchdowns on 23 carries against Michigan.
Walker’s performance against Mighican will help his draft grade because he had his way with one of the best defenses he will see all season. Walker showed serious power to break tackles and pick up yards after contact. His vision to to see small holes and cut-back lanes was terrific. Walker looks like a future three-down starter in the NFL with impressive size, strength, quickness, vision and patience. If Walker enters the 2022 NFL Draft, he could be a second-day pick.
Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State The 6-foot-5, 310-pound Cross looks like a future starting left tackle in the NFL and has impressed team evaluators this season. Cross has excellent feet, athleticism, and the quickness to play on the edge. For the next level, sources say Cross needs to get stronger and bigger for taking on pro linemen, but that is not abnormal. They feel after a little developmental time, Cross could be a good pro left tackle.
Jamison Williams, WR, Alabama The Ohio State transfer has been an electric playmaker for the Crimson Tide this season, averaging 20.3 yards per catch for 710 yards and six touchdowns over 35 catches. The 6-foot-2, 189-pound Williams has quality height alongside explosive speed, suddenness and a burst that catches defensive backs by surprise. Williams has put himself in contention to be a late first-round or early second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Demarvion Overshown, LB, Texas The 6-foot-4, 223-pound Overshown has helped himself this season with pro evaluators. Some scouts feel Overshown needs to get stronger and has issues holding up against blocks coming downhill at him, but there are others who like his skill set. The scouts who like Overshown believe his instincts have gotten better and that he can run, cover, and has three-down starting potential. Overshown looks like a second- or third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, but it sounds like Texas is trying hard to convince Overshown to return for his senior year and believe that lucrative NIL deals from Longhorns supporters could be available if Overshown decides to stay in school.
Michael Clemons, DE, Texas A&M Multiple team sources have said they have liked how Clemons is playing this season. The 6-foot-5, 270-pounder has NFL ability with size, quickness, and some athleticism. This season, he has 3.5 sacks, 22 tackles, one forced fumble and one pass defended. Scouts feel Clemons could be a or third- or fourth-round pick who grows into being a quality starter in the NFL.
Nolan Smith, DE, Georgia Smith is a former five-star recruit who has come on this season as an edge-defender replacement for Azeez Ojulari. While Florida played tough football against the Bulldogs for most of the first half, Smith made two game-changing plays in the final seconds before halftime that put the Gators away.
On a run by Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson, Smith ripped the ball away around the 10-yard line for a fumble that set up a short rushing touchdown. On the next Gators possession, Smith caught a deflected pass for an interception that set up another quick score for the Bulldogs. Smith did a nice job all day of getting into the backfield while also showing a good motor as a run defender. His peformance against Florida will definitely help his draft grade.
Team sources say Smith needs to get bigger for the NFL, but they love how hard Smith plays and the relentless motor he shows. If Smith returns for his senior year and gets bigger, he could end up being a first- or second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Travon Walker, DE, Georgia Walker continued his excellent season with a superb first half versus Florida. In the early, he going he showed his speed byflying to the flat to make a tackle on Malik Davis. Walker then made a good play against the run, forcing the ball-carrier to the inside to limit the gain to one yard. Late in the second quarter, Walker made two phenomenal plays. On the first one, he busted an option forcing it to the inside. On the next play, he dropped into coverage and tipped a pass that was intercepted by Smith.
Walker has been excellent on a weekly basis this season. He is big, quick, athletic and strong. Walker’s size and strength make him a tough run defender at the point of attack, yet he has the speed and quickness to rush the passer. Walker could be a first- or second-round pick next April in the 2022 NFL Draft thanks to the run of strong tape he has put up this season.
Adam Anderson, OLB, Georgia While he is a rotational player, Anderson made his presence felt with some big plays against Florida.
In the first half, Georgia was rotating Anderson and playing him at a variety of spots as usual. While Anderson is a natural edge rusher outside linebacker, Georgia was also playing him at inside linebacker and dropping him in coverage. In the early going, Anderson made a nice tackle in zone coverage and a tackle on quarterback Anthony Richardson on an interior run.
Late in the first half, Anderson improved his sack total to 5.5 on the season when he used his speed to get upfield, then pushed the right tackle back with strength to shed the block, and chased down Richardson for the sack. Early in the third quarter, Anderson laid a blistering hit on Richardson on an option run, and that hit knocked Richardson out of the game.
In the fourth quarter, Anderson picked up the Florida tight end in zone coverage and made a tackle after giving up some separation. While Anderson did not have great coverage, it was impressive for an edge rusher to stay close to a tight end and make a tackle downfield. Most edge rushers would get torched and not even be considered candidates to run with a tight end in pass coverage.
Anderson is a freak prospect with excellent speed, athleticism, and functional strength. He needs to improve his run defense for the NFL, but multiple team sources have compared Anderson to fast edge rushers like Brian Burns and Von Miller. In the 2022 NFL Draft, Anderson looks like a future top-20 pick and he has the potential to go high in the top 10.
2022 NFL Draft Stock Down
Sam Williams, DE, Ole Miss As we reported in the Hot Press, Williams would be a first- or second-round pick if it weren’t for off-the-field issues. Entering the back half of the 2021 season, Williams is second in the SEC in sacks with 7.5. He also has three forced fumbles and 29 tackles. “He’s a super talented player,” said an area scout about Williams. “Talent-wise, he’s got it. He’s at worst a second-round talent, but he has first-round traits. But he has a lot of character concerns, and some is real bad with lots of maturity issues. My team probably will rule him out, but I would bet someone takes a chance on him late Day 2.”
John Metchie, WR, Alabama Metchie is not having a bad season, but he has not been a dominant force as the Crimson Tide’s replacement for DeVonta Smith. Metchie is well-rounded with enough size and quickness, but he does not have a defining trait, such as mismatch size or speed, for the NFL. As a result, some area scouts are not grading Metchie to be an early-round pick and have him in the third or fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Christian Harris, LB, Alabama The 6-foot-2, 232-pound Harris has a good skill set with size, speed and athleticism. He has not played up to it this however, recording just 42 tackles, two sacks and one pass defended. Harris underwhelmed in the loss to Texas A&M and in the near-loss to Florida. While Harris has a first-round skill set, team sources say he probably will slip to Day 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft because his tape has not been good this season.
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