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2022 NFL Draft Winners and Losers: Day 2

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Winners and Losers – Day 1 | Winners and Losers – Day 3

By Charlie Campbell – @draftcampbell
Published: May 4, 2022.


Second-Day Winners

    Indianapolis Colts
      Alec Pierce, WR, Cincinnati
      Bernhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan
      Nick Cross, S, Maryland
    Over the last five years, the Colts have been the best drafting team in the NFL, and they came through with a superb showing on Day 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft. Alec Pierce was an absolute steal in the second round. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Pierce has size and shocking speed as evidenced by his lightning 40 at the combine. Multiple team sources said Pierce looks like a faster Jordy Nelson. Pierce could be a dangerous weapon paired with Michael Pittman and the Colts’ smash mouth rushing attack that leads to safeties playing closer to the line of scrimmage. Pierce could end up being one of the top steals of the 2022 NFL Draft.

    The Colts added two more potential steals Round 3 of the 2022 NFL Draft. The media overrated and inflated Raimann, but he has a good skill set for Indianpolis to work with. The organization has been superb at developing offensive linemen, and in a year or two, Raimann could be a starting left tackle. Cross, meanwhile, has a dynamic skill set with size and speed. He could be a talented strong safety for the Colts. While Indianapolis lacked a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the team’s class reminds me of the franchise’s class from a few years ago when it lacked a first-round pick but still came away with a superstar in Jonathan Taylor and a very good receiver in Pittman.



    Tampa Bay Buccaneers
      Logan Hall, DE, Houston
      Luke Goedeke, G, Central Michigan
      Rachaad White, RB, Arizona State
    Like the Colts, the Bucs did not make a selection on the opening night of the 2022 NFL Draft, and also like Indianapolis, Tampa Bay has drafted very well over the past few years. This draft was no different despite the Buccaneers trading out of the first round. Hall was a good choice at No. 33 overall to give them an interior pass rusher in the long term to go with Vita Vea. In the short term, Hall provides a talented player in case Ndamukong Such is not re-signed.

    After Ali Marpet retired, Tampa Bay had a hole at guard, and Goedeke could become a starter quickly. He blocks with a mean streak while being strong and effective as a run blocker. Having played tackle in college, Goedeke should transition well to pass protection in the NFL.

    In my final mock draft, I had Tampa Bay taking White in the third round, and the team pulled the trigger on him at pick No. 91. White is a great fit bceause he is a fantastic receiver and is a perfect fit as a rotational receiving back to work with Tom Brady. While the Bucs’ draft class may not have a lot of star power, it could produce a trio of good pros who help them win on Sundays as soon as this fall.

    Atlanta Falcons
      Arnold Ebiketie, DE, Penn State
      Troy Anderson, LB, Montana State
      Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati
      DeAngelo Malone, DE/OLB, Western Kentucky
    The Falcons had an impressive second-day haul that filled needs and added high-upside players. Ebiketie could easily have gone in the first round and was a superb value at pick No. 38. The Falcons badly needed to improve their edge rush, and Ebiketie is a speed demon off the edge with functional strength. Like Ebiketie, Malone was dangerous quarterback hunter in college, and both of them produced impressive sack numbers. They could end up being an potent tandem for Atlanta. Linebacker help was also a need for Atlanta, and Anderson has a good skill set with upside to grow as he continues the position. Ridder has a great skill set with a strong arm, mobility and size. He also has good character and work ethic, so even if he doesn’t develop into a starter, he could be a quality backup. The Falcons’ roster really improved their starting potential and depth from their group of second-day picks.



    Philadelphia Eagles
      Cam Jurgens, C, Nebraska
      Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia
    With Jason Kelce nearing the end of his excellent career, the Eagles landed their future starter in Jurgens. He possesses rare speed and athleticism for a center and has the potential to become an excellent pro starter. Jurgens could stand to get stronger and heavier, but he has the luxury of developing that while learning behind Kelce.

    The Eagles ended Dean’s fall in the third round, and they were a great landing spot because the starting position is an open question. The team signed Kyzir White in free agency, but Dean should compete immediately with T.J. Edwards to be the starting middle linebacker. Once healthy, Dean should win the starting job and be a centerpiece of the Philadelphia defense. Dean has excellent instincts, and there is no doubt that he is a good football player who is very capable in coverage and as a run defender. The key to Dean panning out in the NFL will be staying healthy and on the field. Whether Dean can shake the injury bug is a unknowable, but if he manages to do that, he could be a massive steal for the Eagles as a third-round pick.

    Baltimore Ravens
      David Ojabo, DE, Michigan
      Travis Jones, DT, Connecticut
    The Ravens took the patient approach when they snatched up Ojabo in the second round. The speedy edge rusher was on track to be a top-16 selection before suffering an Achilles tear at Michigan’s pro day. While Ojabo might miss some or all of the 2022 season, he should heal well and could end up being a dynamic edge rusher in the Baltimore defense.

    Staff around the league said Baltimore coveted Georgia nose tackle Jordan Davis, but the Eagles leap frogged them in the first round to take Davis. The Ravens shrugged off the loss and landed a similar nose tackle in Jones in the third round. While Jones is not dynamic as Davis, Jones is big, physical and capable of playing zero-technique in the Ravens’ scheme. Overall, not getting Davis could end up being a blessing in disguise because there may not be a huge drop off from Davis to Jones in the NFL, and not landing Davis allowed Baltimore to land Notre Dame’s Kyle Hamilton, the best safety in the 2022 NFL Draft.



    Second-Day Losers

    Dallas Cowboys
      Sam Williams, DE, Ole Miss
      Jalen Tolbert, WR, South Alabama
    The Cowboys took a big roll of the dice with Sam Williams in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Williams was phenomenal as a pass rusher for the Rebels last year, and he was perhaps the SEC’s second-best edge rusher in 2021 behind just Alabama’s Will Anderson. With his skill set and production, Williams should have been a first-round pick. Numerous issues led to huge character concerns that caused him to be removed from many teams’ draft boards. Some sources referred to Williams as “Greg Hardy 2.0.” While Williams has the talent to be a good player, it would not be surprising if he has issues avoiding suspensions and puts himself in danger of being run out of the league.

    Tolbert was a solid third-round pick. That was the right roung for him, and he was not a bad pick as he could become a No. 3 or rotational receiver. Taking a huge risk on Williams and the significant danger of not having anything to show for a top-60 draft pick is what makes Dallas one of the losers from Day 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft.

    New England Patriots
      Tyquan Thornton, WR, Baylor
      Marcus Jones, CB, Houston
    The Patriots made a big reach in the first round with Chattanooga guard/center Cole Strange and then they followed it up with two questionable picks on Day 2. Those three players were all graded lower than where New England took them, and it would not be at all surprising if the 2022 class continued Bill Belichick’s struggles with drafting in recent years.

    Thornton is a speed receiver, who is undoubtedly extremely fast. He is also extremely skinny and struggles to get off jams. Dealing with jams will only be a bigger problem in the NFL given the stronger cornerbacks. Jones is very undersized, and other teams felt that his value was as a returner. They thought he was a dangerous player for special teams but easily could end up not translating to cornerback. Hence, many other teams were giving Thornton and Jones third- and fourth-round grades, respectively. They are role players, and it would not be surprising if they end up not being starters. That is bad value because second and third round players are expected to become starters after some short development.

Go to Winners and Losers – Day 1

Go to Winners and Losers – Day 3




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