Almost one year removed from the 2022 NFL Draft, mock drafts are in full force as draft season quickly approaches. The ’22 iteration of each team’s annual tradition had a little bit of everything– a loaded WR class, busts, and picks not ready to call. Yet, here are our lessons we’ve learned from one season of draft picks.
Wide Receivers Make or Break
It’s easy to lose track of the great wide receiver talent that got scooped up in just the first round of the draft. Most of the receivers went to teams who were quite frankly irrelevant and most didn’t make the playoffs. However, each wide receiver made a profound impact on their team that’s worth taking a look at.
In today’s passing offense, receivers are more valuable than ever, with offensive coordinators building whole systems around them and their quarterback counterparts. Players like Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, and Christian Watson took over their receiver rooms, bringing new life to otherwise lowly passing games.
Watson sparked the rejuvenation of a slumbering Green Bay offense mid year, setting Green Bay up in prime position to squirm their way into the playoffs. He went on a 4 game tear scoring 8 touchdowns to bring Green Bay back to .500.
Olave was the Saints’ leading receiver eclipsing 1,000 yards and giving Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton another option to throw to amongst a relatively underwhelming New Orleans receiving core. A good receiver could set your offense up for success and talent should not be underscored.
Safe Might Be Better
It may not get you all excited or riled up, but the safe option might just be the better bet. We all love hearing about the players that go boom after being drafted, especially when they made a late appearance on most draft boards, but sometimes those players might just be a tad late for a reason– ’cause they can go bust.
Trayvon Walker was the Jaguars 1st overall pick in 2022, usurping most predictions that had Kayvon Thibodeaux as the consensus number one overall. Thibodeaux was established, a monster coming out of Oregon with an impressive resume and a loaded repertoire. Walker was seen as raw, but with more ceiling. It should come as no surprise that while Walker has struggled to make much of an impact on the field this year due to limited playing time, Thibodeaux has taken over the Giants defensive front, playing a major role in their playoff run this year.
While it’s too early to rule Walker as a bust, it’s easy to state the obvious, Thibodeaux was predicted number one overall for a reason. You knew what you’d get out of him while Walker was a dark horse that has yet to pay off.
Quarterbacks Need a System and Time
Not to state the obvious here, but the notion seems to be forgotten every year. With quarterback being easily one of the hardest positions to play in sports, it’s very much a waiting game. Quarterbacks need time and most of the time it’ll be very hard to land a hidden gem that is plug and play. The quarterbacks of 2022 failed to make a significant impact on their teams outside of Kenny Pickett and 7th round draft choice Brock Purdy.
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And that’s okay, the quarterback position needs the right system to foster and grow, a fact we can’t prove or disprove until years from the draft. The draft had several promising QBs yet only one was picked in the first round. They were all deemed too raw to be selected in the beginning stages of the draft for good reason. With time, they will grow– with everyone from Malik Willis to even Skylar Thompson getting meaningful playing time.
