The AFC South is a difficult division to predict in 2022. The Texans and Jaguars are both hoping their new regimes will see them turn a corner, whilst the Colts are starting a new chapter with Matt Ryan. It feels like one of the league’s more open divisions, making a good draft this year all the more important. Here are my 2022 NFL Draft grades for all four teams.
Houston Texans
1.3 – CB Derek Stingley, LSU
1.15 – IOL Kenyon Green, Texas A&M
2.37 – S Jalen Pitre, Baylor
2.44 – WR John Metchie, Alabama
3.75 – LB Christian Harris, Alabama
4.107 – RB Dameon Pierce, Florida
5.150 – IDL Thomas Booker, Stanford
5.170 – TE Teagan Quitoriano, Oregon State
6.205 – OT Austin Deculus, LSU
It feels really strange to say this after what has happened in Houston over recent years, but it looks like the Texans might be headed in the right direction. They took the best cornerback in the class at No. 3 overall in Derek Stingley, providing a substantial improvement to their secondary. After adding some muscle in the trenches with Kenyon Green they came back and added more secondary talent with Jalen Pitre at the top of the second round.
The selection of John Metchie deserves some praise too. Metchie might not be the biggest or fastest receiver, but he is an outstanding technician whose skillset translates well to the NFL level. The smart picks continued through the later rounds, with the pickup of Florida running back Dameon Pierce representing perhaps my favourite value pick of the group. There is also a lot to like about fifth rounder Thomas Booker, who could easily develop into a starter at the next level.
Grade: A
Indianapolis Colts
2.53 – WR Alec Pierce, Cincinnati
3.73 – TE Jelani Woods, Virginia
3.77 – OT Bernhard Raimann, Central Michigan
3.96 – S Nick Cross, Maryland
5.159 – IDL Eric Johnson, Missouri State
6.192 – TE Andrew Ogletree, Youngstown State
6.216 – IDL Curtis Brooks, Cincinnati
7.239 – S Rodney Thomas II, Yale
The Colts didn’t have a first round pick this year and actually ended up trading their initial pick further back to No. 53 overall. The lack of top end draft capital didn’t seemingly impact their ability to get quality players though. The selection of Alec Pierce was excellent and gives them a true three level threat at wide receiver. Jelani Woods helps bolster a depleted tight end room too and has huge developmental upside as one of the biggest athletic freaks the position has seen.
Picking up Bernhard Raimann at No. 77 might have been the best pick of their class though. He is admittedly an older prospect, but this a player with great technique and athleticism who can start from day one. They continued this impressive run of prospects with Maryland safety Nick Cross at No. 96 overall. All of these players have the potential to be impact starters at the NFL level and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see them make an impact in 2022.
Grade: A-
Jacksonville Jaguars
1.1 – EDGE Travon Walker, Georgia
1.27 – LB Devin Lloyd, Utah
3.65 – IOL Luke Fortner, Kentucky
3.70 – LB Chad Muma, Wyoming
5.154 – RB Snoop Conner, Ole Miss
6.197 – CB Gregory Junior, Ouachita Baptist
7.222 – CB Montaric Brown, Arkansas
The Jags didn’t surprise anybody with their No. 1 overall pick last year, but that can’t be said for this year’s draft. Electing to chase Travon Walker’s upside over the safer bet of Aidan Hutchinson was nothing if not an interesting decision and it is sure to be the measuring stick by which this draft class is judged. Walker is a very good prospect and he will provide an immediate upgrade to Jacksonville’s defense, but there is a lot of projection involved in his evaluation.
The rest of their draft was also a little confusing. Trading back into the first to get Utah linebacker Devin Lloyd was a solid move, but they then added another linebacker in Chad Muma at the top of the third, despite already having Foyesade Oluokun on the roster. The selection of Luke Fortner a few picks earlier also felt like a serious reach. The odd picks continued into day three with the decision to add a running back despite having both Travis Etienne and James Robinson on the roster. Time will tell if these moves were the right call, but right now it is certainly one of the more underwhelming draft classes.
Grade: C-
Tennessee Titans
1.18 – WR Treylon Burks, Arkansas
2.35 – CB Roger McCreary, Auburn
3.69 – OT Nicholas Petit-Frere, Ohio State
3.86 – QB Malik Willis, Liberty
4.131 – RB Hassan Haskins, Michigan
4.143 – TE Chigoziem Okonkwo, Maryland
5.163 – WR Kyle Philips, UCLA
6.204 – S Theo Jackson, Tennessee
6.219 – LB Chance Campbell, Ole Miss
The biggest talking point from Tennessee’s draft wasn’t a player they picked, but one they traded. After plenty of speculation about the future of A.J. Brown, they flipped him for a first round pick to the Eagles. Replacing a player of Brown’s quality is always going to be difficult, but they came as close as they could with Arkansas wide receiver Treylon Burks. Burks isn’t the most refined receiver in the class, but he has the size, speed, and YAC ability to make an instant impact in that offense. He actually led all receivers in yards per route run coming into the draft.
The Titans front office deserves credit for the rest of their draft. With the exception of the over-drafted Nicholas Petit-Frere at the top of the third, the rest of the class was great. They managed to wait until No. 86 overall to take Malik Willis, making this a low risk investment with the potential for major upside. In Haskins and Okonkwo they landed two players who fit their offensive identity like a glove and should be useful as rookies. They also got Roger McCreary at the top of the second, adding to a talented young cornerback room.
Grade: A
