Looking back at the 2022 NFL Draft, it’s easy to see why good teams stay good and why bad teams are bad. When I went back and regraded that draft — three years is when you can get a legitimate gauge on a draft — it was obvious why some of the league’s power teams are as good as they are right now and why some of the bottom teams drafted high again this year.
Four of the five teams that received the highest grades in my regrade of that draft are the Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions. They all got A+ grades this time around and all four were playoff teams last season, with the Chiefs going to the Super Bowl. All have top-tier quarterbacks to build around.
The Chiefs have Patrick Mahomes, the Ravens have Lamar Jackson, the Packers have Jordan Love and the Lions have Jared Goff, but it’s the cast around them — especially with the big contracts those players have — that makes their success sustainable. You have to draft well. In 2022, those four teams did just that.
The New York Jets also got an A+ for that year’s draft. The problem is they haven’t had reliable quarterback play. Aaron Rodgers got hurt in 2023, and didn’t play well for much of last season and then was released this year. They now have Justin Fields, who is on his third team. They’ve also blown high picks on the position, which shows that the quarterback is the most important part of the equation, one that supersedes the good drafting, which is why the Jets were bad last year.
Bad drafting by teams also keeps teams flailing in an attempt to win games and become a contender. It’s a tough hole to get out of for those teams. Why are the New England Patriots in rebuild mode? Look at their 2022 draft. It was horrible. They get an F on the regrade. Nice job, Bill. But with Drake Maye around and a new regime in place, they will get better.
The other teams to get F grades here in the regrade were the Cleveland Browns (another thing they can blame Deshaun Watson for), the Las Vegas Raiders, the Minnesota Vikings and the Washington Commanders. Only quarterback Jayden Daniels being special as a rookie, coupled with a new owner and regime, has helped push aside the horrors of the 2022 draft for Washington.
Good-to-great quarterback play and drafting well are the keys to sustainable success in this league. It’s a lesson that lives on and on, one that this 2022 draft regrade once again screams loudly.
2022 Grade: C-
The Skinny: The Cardinals traded their first-round pick to get receiver Hollywood Brown from the Ravens, which was a move that didn’t work out. He’s now in Kansas City. They did hit on second-round pick Trey McBride, who is now one of the best tight ends in the league. The rest of the draft produced nothing, since none of the players is still on the roster. Only McBride saves this draft.
How I did: I didn’t like the trade for Brown, and that played true. I thought taking edge players Cam Thomas and Myjai Sanders were good moves, but neither worked out.
New Grade: D
2022 Grade: B-
The Skinny: Of their eight picks, five are still on the roster and three are starters. They hit on first-round receiver Drake London, but missed on third-round quarterback Desmond Ridder. They also got starters in edge rusher Arnold Ebiketie — who could lose his job to one of this year’s two first-round edge players from this year’s draft — and linebacker Troy Andersen in the second round. Backup running back Tyler Allgeier came in the fifth.
How I did: I liked the pick of London in the first, but also thought Ridder would end up being their starter. That’s a miss. I thought Andersen went too high, but thought he could become a starter, which he has done.
New Grade: B-
Baltimore Ravens
2022 Grade: A+
The Skinny: They had 11 picks and five of those are starters, including their first two picks. They took safety Kyle Hamilton in the first, and he’s proven to be a heck of a player. Starting center Tyler Linderbaum came with their second first-round pick. They landed starting defensive tackle Travis Jones in the third and got starting right guard Daniel Faalele in the fourth. They also took punter Jordan Stout, backup tight ends Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar and backup corner Jayln Armour-Davis in the fourth. They nailed this draft.
How I did: I loved the pick of Linderbaum to anchor the line. I wasn’t enamored with the Hamilton pick, but he’s been worth it. I loved their draft then and love it even more now.
New Grade: A+
2022 Grade: B
The Skinny: They had eight picks in the draft and ended up with four starters, but missed on first-round corner Kaiir Elam. He is now in Dallas. They made up for it by taking starting corner Christian Benford in the sixth. The other starters that came in this draft were running back James Cook (second), linebacker Terrell Bernard (third) and receiver Khalil Shakir (fifth). Seventh-round linebacker Braylon Spector has started and is a good special teams player. That’s good drafting, despite the miss on Elam.
How I did: I liked the pick of Elam in the first, which clearly didn’t work out. I liked the pick of Cook, but thought maybe he was too similar to Devin Singletary. I also liked the pick of Shakir in the fifth.
New Grade: B+
2022 Grade: C-
The Skinny: They had six picks in the draft and just one, first-round pick Icky Ekwonu, is set to start this season. He is their left tackle. Sixth-round picks Amare Barno (edge) and offensive lineman Cade Mays are backups. They whiffed on third-round quarterback Matt Corral.
How I did: I liked the pick of Ekwonu a lot, saying he would become a long-time starter. I didn’t like the pick of Corral, which played true. I also said Mays would stay around for a while — and he has.
New Grade: C-
2022 Grade: D
The Skinny: They had 11 picks in the draft, but did not have a first-round pick after trading it the year before to move up to draft Justin Fields. That clearly did not work out since he’s now with the Jets, his third team. Of the 11 picks, three are starters. Second-round corner Kyler Gordon is the nickel back, while second-round safety Jaquan Brisker and fifth-round tackle Braxton Jones are starters. They have three other backups still on the roster from the 11, including seventh-round safety Elijah Hicks, who made seven starts last season.
How I did: I liked the pick of Gordon in the second, and didn’t like the pick of return/receiver Velus Jones. He is now with the Saints. I questioned why they waited until the fifth to take an offensive lineman, which clearly they shouldn’t have done after spending money to fix it this year during free agency. This was not a great draft for Chicago when the Fields move is factored into it.
New Grade: C-
2022 Grade: B
The Skinny: Of their six picks, three will go into camp as starters. They are first-round corner Dax Hill, second-round corner Cam Taylor-Britt and fourth-round guard Cordell Volson. But Volson is expected to be pushed by rookie Dylan Fairchild. The only other player from the draft still on the roster is safety Tycen Anderson.
How I did: I liked the idea of picking three secondary players, and really liked Hill, although I thought he would be a safety. I thought Taylor-Britt was taken too high and I said to keep an eye on third-round defensive tackle Zach Carter, who was cut last season and is now with the Raiders.
New Grade: C+
Cleveland Browns
2022 Grade: C
The Skinny: The Browns traded their first-round pick in the Deshaun Watson deal and they dealt the second-round pick to the Texans to add more picks. They had nine picks in the draft. Of those nine, two are starters right now. They are corner Martin Emerson (third round) and running back Jerome Ford (fifth) and Ford is expected to be pushed by rookie Quinshon Judkins. Fourth-round pick Perrion Winfrey was let go after some off-the-field issues in 2023. The Watson trade has been brutal, and it started here.
How I did: I liked the pick of Winfrey, but he clearly didn’t work out. I also liked the Emerson pick, but questioned the Ford pick because I didn’t think they needed a back — even though I stated I loved Ford as a player.
New Grade: F
2022 Grade: B+
The Skinny: They had nine picks and seven are still on the roster, with four as projected starters. They are first-round offensive guard Tyler Smith, third-round receiver Jalen Tolbert (third receiver), fourth-round tight end Jake Ferguson and sixth-round corner DaRon Bland. That’s a nice haul. Second-round edge Sam Williams is a player who flashed early and was expected to be a starter last season before tearing his ACL.
How I did: I liked the pick of Williams, who showed pass-rush skills before his injury. I questioned taking Ferguson, but they were right to do so. I was also high on Smith, who most questioned when he was picked. I said he could be a good guard, which is what he’s become.
New Grade: B+
2022 Grade: B-
The Skinny: They traded their first-round pick to get Russell Wilson, and we know how that worked out. He was a flop. Of the nine picks they had, two are starters and three are still on the roster as backups. The starters are edge Nik Bonitto (second) and center Luke Wattenberg (fifth). Bonitto has proven to be a steal with his ability to disrupt the game.
How I did: I liked fourth-round corner Damarri Mathis, who has started games but has struggled at times when doing so. I didn’t love the pick of tight end Greg Dulcich in the second and he was released last November. I did say Bonitto would liven up the pass rush.
New Grade: C-
Detroit Lions
2022 Grade: B+
The Skinny: They had the second overall pick and landed edge Aidan Hutchinson, who might have been on his way to Defensive Player of the Year honors before breaking his leg last year. He is a special player. They followed that by trading up to get receiver Jameson Williams, who is their deep threat and had a big season in 2024. The also landed a starter in third-round safety Kerby Joseph, who is coming off his best season and was All-Pro, and backups in edge Josh Paschal (second) and linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (sixth).
How I did: I loved the move to trade up to get Williams and questioned taking tight end James Mitchell in the fifth, and he is now with the Panthers after having 13 catches for the Lions in his first two seasons. I liked them getting Hutchinson and Paschal to help the pass rush, but Hutchinson was a no-brainer.
New Grade: A+
Green Bay Packers
2022 Grade: B+
The Skinny: They had 11 picks in this draft, two thanks to the trade of Davante Adams to the Raiders, and they hit on a bunch of them. If second-round receiver Christian Watson didn’t get hurt late last year, seven would be heading into the season as starters. As it is, six will be, including three on the offensive line. Those three are guard Sean Rhyan (third), right tackle Zach Tom (fourth) and left tackle Rasheed Walker (seventh). The other starters are first-round linebacker Quay Walker, first-round defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt and fourth-round receiver Romeo Doubs. If Watson were healthy, that’s an unreal draft.
How I did: I liked the pick of Quay Walker, who hasn’t quite lived up to the expectations but has 43 starts. I questioned trading up to take Watson, but when he’s been healthy he’s been worth it. Injuries have truly limited his career. I loved Tom in the fourth.
New Grade: A+
Houston Texans
2022 Grade: B+
The Skinny: They had nine picks in the draft and two of them are quality starters, one being a true star in first-round corner Derek Stingley. The other starter is second-round safety Jalen Pitre, who is a big part of their defense. They missed on first-round guard Kenyon Green, who was traded to the Eagles for safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson earlier this year after struggling to get a footing with the Texans. They took backup receiver John Metchie in the second and backup running back Dameon Pierce in the fourth.
How I did: I loved the pick of Pitre, who I said will be a star. He might not be that yet, but he’s a good player for their defense. I didn’t love the move to trade up to get Metchie, but medical issues and an injury have slowed him. This could be his year to break out. I loved the pick of Stingley to go with Pitre and also liked the Pierce pick.
New Grade: B
2022 Grade: C-
The Skinny: They traded their first-round pick to the Eagles to get quarterback Carson Wentz, which clearly was a bad move. They had eight picks in the draft, with three heading into 2025 as starters. They are second-round receiver Alec Pierce, third-round tackle Bernhard Raimann and third-round safety Nick Cross. Tight ends Jelani Woods (third) and Drew Olgetree (sixth) are listed as backups, although Woods hasn’t played since 2002 because of injuries.
How I did: I liked the pick of Pierce in the second round because of his speed and big-play ability. I hated that they traded that first-round pick to get Wentz. That’s awful. I also liked the pick of Woods and wondered if Raimann was ready to be a starter. He’s proved he is that and a lot more since he’s developed into a good player.
New Grade: B-
2025 NFL rookie QB outlook: Best- and worst-case scenarios for Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders and others in Year 1
Chris Trapasso
2022 Grade: B-
The Skinny: They passed on Aidan Hutchinson with the first overall pick to take Travon Walker. He’s been a good player, but he isn’t Hutchinson. They then traded back into the first round to take linebacker Devin Lloyd, who has just been OK. They followed that by taking another linebacker Chad Muma in the third — and he’s barely played. Third-round center Luke Fortner was a starter his first two years — not a good one — but was benched last year. Seventh-round corner Montaric Brown has been a starter at times.
How I did: I liked the Lloyd pick, but questioned taking Muma after that. Neither has worked out. I said taking Walker was a risk, and questioned whether he could be a great player. I liked the pick of Fortner, but he hasn’t been good.
New Grade: C-
Kansas City Chiefs
2022 Grade: A
The Skinny: They had 10 picks in this draft and all but one are still with the team heading into 2025, with five definite starters. They had two first-round picks, thanks to the Tyreek Hill trade with Miami, and landed corner Trent McDuffie with one of them and took edge George Karlaftis with the other. McDuffie is a top corner in the league, while Karlaftis is a good edge player. The other starters they got in the draft were safety Bryan Cook (second), linebacker Leo Chenal (third) and running back Isiah Pacheco (seventh). They also got backups in second-round receiver Skyy Moore and corners Josh Williams (fourth), Jaylen Watson (seventh) and Naz Johnson (seventh). All three corners have started games for the Chiefs and will compete for a job this year. They killed this draft.
How I did: I loved the picks of Karlaftis and McDuffie, but didn’t like the Chenal pick. I was wrong about Chenal. I also liked the Moore and Cook picks, although Moore hasn’t worked out.
New Grade: A+
Las Vegas Raiders
2022 Grade: B
The Skinny: The Raiders traded their first-round pick and their second-round pick to the Packers to get receiver Davante Adams, who played 37 games before being traded to the Jets. They had six picks in the draft and just one heads into the season as a starter, that being third-round guard Dylan Parham, and he is expected to be challenged for his job. The backups are fourth-round running back Zamir White, fifth-round defensive tackle Matthew Butler and seventh-round tackle Thayer Munford.
How I did: I liked fourth-round defensive tackle Neil Farrell, but he was gone in 2023. I also liked Munford, who has started at both guard and tackle. I questioned the pick of Butler in the fourth and he has not done a lot to warrant being selected that high.
New Grade: F
2022 Grade: C
The Skinny: They had eight picks, with two listed as starters heading into the season and three others are backups. The starters are first-round guard Zion Johnson and fourth-round defensive tackle Otito Ogbonnia. The backups are guard Jamaree Salyer (sixth) and corners Ja’sir Taylor (sixth) and Deane Leonard. All three have started games in their careers.
How I did: I liked the pick of Johnson, who has been just OK. I also liked the pick of Salyer. I questioned taking safety J.T. Woods in the third and he was cut last year. He’s now with the Seahawks. This draft was just OK for the Chargers.
New Grade: C
2022 Grade: B-
The Skinny: They didn’t draft until the third round after trading away picks to land veterans, including quarterback Matt Stafford. Of the eight picks they had, two will enter the season as starters, one might be and two others are backups. The listed starters are running back Kyren Williams (fifth) and safety-nickel Quentin Lake (sixth). Corner Cobie Durant (fourth), corner Derion Kendrick (sixth) and tackle A.J. Arcuri (seventh) are the backups, although Durant could start and has started a lot.
How I did: I liked the pick of Durant, who has been a solid player for them as he enters the final year of his contract. I liked Williams as a player, but questioned if it was a need. They were right. I also said they had to hit on the late-round picks, which they did.
New Grade: B-
2022 Grade: C
The Skinny: This is the draft in which they traded three picks from this draft — a first, second and fourth — to get Tyreek Hill from the Chiefs. They had just four picks in this draft — and none are starters. Third-round linebacker Channing Tindall has been a major disappointment and will fight for a roster spot this summer. The rest of the draft produced very little, other than two more backups.
How I did: I liked the trade to get Hill, but now even that’s in question with his antics from last season. I loved the pick of Tindall, which has proven to be way wrong. I didn’t like the pick of receiver Erik Ezukanma in the fourth, and he’s been a backup with little production. Hill’s play has saved this grade.
New Grade: C-
Minnesota Vikings
2022 Grade: C
The Skinny: General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was on the job for just a short time when he handled his first draft this year. It wasn’t good. The Vikings traded down a few times and tried to get more picks, but the top two are no longer on the roster. First-round safety Lewis Cine never started a game and suffered a major ankle injury in his rookie season. He’s now with the Eagles after being released. Second-round corner Andrew Booth was traded to the Cowboys last year after starting two games for the Vikings. There is not a true starter from the draft, although sixth-round pick Jalen Nailor is the third receiver. Sixth-round running back Ty Chandler has done some good things in his career.
How I did: Third-round linebacker Brian Asamoah was the captain of my Better-Than Team that year, so I loved the pick. He has been little more than a special-teams player. I questioned the pick of guard Ed Ingram in the third, and he’s now with the Texans after struggling with the Vikings as a starter. I questioned all the moves made by Adofo-Mensah this year.
New Grade: F
New England Patriots
2022 Grade: C-
The Skinny: They had 10 picks in the draft and two are still with the team. That’s awful. First-round guard Cole Strange is one of those, although he has missed a lot of time with injuries and will need to win a job at center or left guard in camp. Nickel corner Marcus Jones, who was taken in the third, is the other starter heading into the season. They whiffed on a bunch of other players, which is why this team is in rebuild mode right now.
How I did: I loved the pick of receiver Tyquan Thornton in the second, and he didn’t work out and is now with the Chiefs. I questioned the pick of Strange, but who didn’t? I liked the pick of Jones and wondered why they took quarterback Bailey Zappe in the fourth.
New Grade: F
New Orleans Saints
2022 Grade: B
The Skinny: They had five picks in the draft and four are still with the team, but just two are definite starters heading into the 2025 season. They traded up to take receiver Chris Olave, who has been good when he’s healthy but he missed time last season. The Saints did pick up his fifth-year option. First-round tackle Trevor Penning hasn’t lived up to the expectations and could be moved inside to compete at guard with the recent drafting of tackle Kelvin Banks in the first round. They did not pick up his fifth-year option. Second-round corner Alontae Taylor is a good starter.
How I did: I liked the pick of Penning, which is a miss. I also questioned taking Taylor, which has been proven wrong. I also liked the move up to get Olave and said to keep an eye on fifth-round linebacker D’Marco Jackson, who has been a backup.
New Grade: C
2022 Grade: B+
The Skinny: They had 11 picks and the first nine are still on the roster. That’s good drafting. But the problem is they missed on their second first pick, tackle Evan Neal. He has struggled in his career after being the seventh player picked that year. They did get starters in edge Kayvon Thibodeaux, who was taken fifth overall in the draft, slot receiver Wan’Dale Robinson (second) and linebacker Micah McFadden (fifth). They also have a lot of backups from that draft who have played, including third-round offensive lineman Josh Ezeudu, who has 10 starts, corner Cor’Dale Flott (third), tight end Daniel Bellinger, who came in the fourth and defensive lineman D.J. Davidson, who was taken in the fifth.
How I did: I loved the pick of Neal, which clearly hasn’t worked out. I thought he could be among the best in football. That’s a whiff. I liked the class because of Neal and Thibodeaux and Robinson. I didn’t like the pick of Ezeudu in the third.
New Grade: B
New York Jets
2022 Grade: A
The Skinny: They had seven picks and all seven are still on the roster, with four as starters. Three of those starters came in the first round. They are corner Sauce Gardner, receiver Garrett Wilson and edge Jermaine Johnson. Running back Breece Hall was taken in the second. They had a heck of a draft.
How I did: My favorite move was trading back into the first round to take Johnson. I didn’t love waiting to pick an offensive lineman until they took Max Mitchell, who is a backup, in the fourth. I thought they killed this draft — which they did.
New Grade: A+
Philadelphia Eagles
2022 Grade: B+
The Skinny: They only had five picks, but the first two are starters. They took defensive tackle Jordan Davis in the first and followed that by getting starting center Cam Jurgens in the second. Third-round linebacker Nakobe Dean would be considered a starter, but he’s coming off a major injury that could keep him out for a while this season. Even so, that’s impressive drafting. Sixth-round tight end Grant Calcaterra is a backup. This is also the draft they used picks to acquire receiver A.J. Brown from the Titans.
How I did: I liked the pick of Davis, stating he could be much more than just a run player. I didn’t like the Dean pick, and he proved to be better than I thought before his injury.
New Grade: A
2022 Grade: B
The Skinny: Of their seven picks, one is a starter heading into the season, that being fourth-round receiver Calvin Austin. Second-round receiver George Pickens would have been a starter, but they traded him to the Cowboys for a third-round pick two weeks ago. They whiffed on first-round quarterback Kenny Pickett, who is now with the Browns, his third team. The rest of the draft didn’t produce much, either. They are chasing a quarterback because of the Pickett miss.
How I did: I was as bad as the Steelers. I liked the pick of Pickett, stating this was the best quarterback in the class. I didn’t love the Pickens pick, but I did like the Austin pick.
New Grade: D-
2022 Grade: C
The Skinny: This draft was really bad, but they got lucky. They ended up getting quarterback Brock Purdy in the seventh to save it from being a complete failure. They traded their first-round pick to move up the year before for quarterback Trey Lance. Not good. He’s now in Dallas. Of the nine picks, the only projected starter is Purdy, who just got a mega contract from the team last week. There are three backups. Purdy is the only thing that saves this draft.
How I did: I thought third-round receiver Danny Gray had a chance because he could run, but that didn’t work out and he had one catch for the 49ers in his career. I questioned taking running back Tyrion Davis-Price in the third, and he was just recently let go by the Eagles after the 49ers cut him. I said second-round pick Drake Jackson had talent, and he showed it early, but a major knee injury in 2023 has forced him to miss every game since then and he was let go last week after a failed physical.
New Grade: D-
Seattle Seahawks
2022 Grade: C
The Skinny: They had nine picks and five go into the season as projected starters — depending on health — and one is a key reserve in second-round edge Boye Mafe. The starters are first-round tackle Charles Cross, third-round running back Kenneth Walker III, third-round right tackle Abraham Lucas (if healthy), fourth-round safety Coby Bryant and fifth-round corner Tariq Woolen. That’s a nice draft for John Schneider.
How I did: I liked the pick of Bryant, but thought he would be a corner, and he’s developed into a quality safety. I questioned taking Walker because of other needs. I liked the picks of the two tackles and also said Mafe had talent, but was raw.
New Grade: A
2022 Grade: B
The Skinny: They had eight picks and four go into this season as a starters and another — running back Rachaad White — is a big contributor and has started. That’s great drafting. First-round defensive tackle Logan Hall, second-round offensive tackle Luke Goedeke, fourth-round tight end Cade Otten and fifth-round corner Zyon McCollum are the starters — and all are good ones.
How I did: I loved the pick of Goedeke in the second and he’s developed into a quality right tackle. I liked the pick of Hall and also said Otten could be a starter. I didn’t like the pick of White in the third, saying they had more pressing needs.
New Grade: A
Tennessee Titans
2022 Grade: B-
The Skinny: They had nine picks and just three are still with the team and two are starters. The starters are second-round corner Roger McCreary as their nickel and fourth-round tight end Chig Okonkwo. That’s it. First-round receiver Treylon Burks has been a backup for most of his career and third-round tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere was recently let go. This was not a good draft.
How I did: I liked the pick of McCreary in the second and questioned the move to trade A.J. Brown and pick Burks, who I said didn’t run that well. So I got that one right.
New Grade: D-
Washington Commanders
2022 Grade: B+
The Skinny: They had eight picks in the draft, and just one — third-round running back Brian Robinson Jr. — is currently listed as a starter. Just four are on the roster. They missed on first-round receiver Jahan Dotson — traded to the Eagles — and second-round defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis, who is now with the Jets. Other than that, they got very little from this draft, although fourth-round safety Percy Butler has 18 starts the past two years. He will compete for time this year.
How I did: I was almost as bad as the Commanders because I thought this was a decent draft. I liked the pick of Dotson and quarterback Sam Howell in the fifth. Howell is now with the Vikings. I didn’t like the pick of Robinson.
New Grade: F
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