Deonte Banks, Maryland 5. Jalen Moreno-Cropper, Fresno State Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Miami ET on ESPN, ABC, ESPN App). Carrington Valentine, Kentucky I appreciate my colleagues, particularly the production staff and my fellow commentators, for their support and flexibility. I am looking forward to being part of the 2022 NFL Draft, my 39th for ESPN pic.twitter.com/C5ea9NjdqK. Jeffery Johnson, Oklahoma, 1. 24. Ethan Evans, Wingate Matt McDonald, Bowling Green Jaleel McLaughlin, Youngstown State 32. He was unblockable. The decision to forgo vaccination is "specific to my own personal medical history," the longtime NFL commentator said. 81 in this draft). Levis has a rocket launcher for an arm and makes some "wow" throws. Mel Kiper and Todd McShay, ESPN's dueling duo of the NFL Draft aren't working together this weekend. Stroud, Ohio State That's the biggest question I try to answer. Overall, if Murphy develops into an every-down player, we could be looking at an A class in a few years. Top needs entering the draft: CB, C, WR, DT, ILB. Derius Davis, TCU 46. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. 75. I wouldn't love it, but I'd get the logic. If Atlanta was a Super Bowl favorite? Siaki Ika, DT, Baylor Check out the best highlights that contributed to a great college career for Alabama safety Brian Branch. Not necessarily about the value -- Johnston is No. Tanner McCalister, Ohio State Amari Burney, Florida 18. Ben Sims, Baylor I had a fourth-round grade on safety JL Skinner (183), so the Broncos got good value on Day 3. But when I went through and watched all of his starts at Kentucky, I was really impressed with his game. McClendon Curtis, Chattanooga And still, getting my top-ranked wideout, Zay Flowers (22), a few hours later had to have made Jackson even more happy. Steve Avila, TCU Flowers, who had 200 catches and 31 touchdowns in his college career, is one of my favorite prospects in this entire class. I'll also be making minor tweaks right up until the draft begins, based on late-breaking reports and calls. 24. Mel Kiper Jr., the longtime ESPN draft analyst, said earlier this month that he will not travel to Las Vegas because he is unvaccinated against the coronavirus. video for When should Pirates fans buy into this team? Antonio Moultrie, Miami Sam LaPorta, Iowa The biggest issue with this class is: Where's the offensive tackle? 2 wideout behind Justin Jefferson. Javon Williams Jr., Southern Illinois Xavier Gipson, SF Austin I love what Ballard did on Day 3 -- and grabbing Downs in the third round -- but this class will be defined by Richardson and how the quarterback's career goes. Evan Hull, Northwestern Mel Kiper Jr. on the set of SportsCenter in Nashville, Tenn.,on April 24, 2019. Broderick Jones, Georgia Michael Ayers, Ashland 12. Aron Cruickshank, Rutgers 22. Wideout Tre Tucker (100) went a round early. NFL draft: Biggest potential steals in this year's class. Now that we've been through all 259 picks, it's time for my favorite exercise of the year: grading how all 32 teams fared. He has to get better when he's off schedule and when plays break down. He had a lot of fans inside the NFL. For the past couple of mock drafts that I did, as I studied depth charts and free agent and trade additions, I found it really hard to identify clear needs for the Lions. Top needs entering the draft: TE, RB, WR, DT, K. After another early playoff exit that saw the offense sputter late in the season, the Cowboys fired coordinator Kellen Moore and promoted Brian Schottenheimer. 10, they could have made the move up one spot to get Jalen Carter, like the Eagles did, and fill their biggest hole. He is powerful between the tackles. Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame Justin McGriff, Utah State The Commanders went back to the secondary in Round 2, picking my fourth-ranked safety Jartavius Martin (47), who played a lot as a nickel. 9. Can street race king Perez challenge Verstappen for the title? That's impressive stuff from general manager Joe Schoen. Camerun Peoples, Appalachian State Kayshon Boutte, WR, LSU I was surprised he dropped that far. With tight end Dalton Schultz leaving in free agency and running back Ezekiel Elliott getting cut, Dallas had holes at both positions heading into the draft, and I thought it could address each of them on the first two days. Kiper, one of the most recognizable figures in NFL draft media, has been providing coverage around the event for ESPN since 1984. Schefter and Herbstreit wont be involved in the broadcast at all, but Kiper Jr. will still be on the broadcast, just not from Las Vegas. 131. The Eagles had two first-rounders thanks to last year's trade with New Orleans, and they were able to maneuver the board for two prospects in my top 12, including the No. XFL semifinals: Defenders roll Sea Dragons, set up title showdown with Renegades. 22. Instead, he will broadcast live. Jerron Cage, Ohio State Kaevon Merriweather, Iowa I went long on the Titans' Day 2 in my Friday night "winners" column, so go there if you don't want to see me repeat myself. Trevor Downing, Iowa State He is going to be the starter in 2023, though the deal he signed gives the team an out after a year if he doesn't star again. He can maneuver the pocket and throw on the run. That's a coup for dropping down just three spots and still getting an offensive tackle who could start as a rookie. Ryan Miller, Furman 102. Bigsby is a physical runner, but does he have the speed to rip off chunk yardage? 8 overall. That left the first draft picks of the Payton era falling at the top of Round 3, though they ended up packaging together selections to take wideout Marvin Mims Jr. (63) at the end of Round 2. 42 and 207 plus a conditional second-rounder in 2024 (that likely will be a first-rounder). A year later, all the Seahawks had coming into this draft was four more picks in the first two rounds, thanks to the last of the Russell Wilson trade haul. Mekhi Garner, LSU Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State Top needs entering the draft: CB, OT, ILB, WR, DT. Kendre Miller, TCU We're going to find out a lot more about Love and his future in a few months. 10. This draft includes so much intrigue . Tyrique Stevenson, Miami He forced 25 missed tackles last season, the third most in the country for a wideout. 8. 41. 13. Kiper could not be reached for additional comment Tuesday. Roschon Johnson, Texas Israel Abanikanda, RB, Pitt 32 Ronnie Bell, Michigan 38. Matt Hembrough, Oklahoma State Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU 12. On the field, he is a fantastic prospect. 18, with top running back Bijan Robinson still on the board. 27. Mazi Smith (26) is the best run-stuffing defensive tackle in this class, a 323-pounder who will instantly improve their run defense. I'm a fan of whom general manager Joe Douglas opted for; edge rusher Will McDonald IV (15) can fly to the football. Zach Charbonnet, UCLA Siaki Ika (98) is a 335-pound run-plugger of a defensive tackle. Did Pats make Mac Jones happy? Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State ESPN NFL draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. changes his mind in more ways than one regarding the Buffalo Bills in his final mock ahead of the 2023 NFL draft. Schoonmaker will turn 25 as a rookie, so the question is about how much more room he has to develop. As for the rest of this class? Darrious Gaines, Western Colorado 12. Many of Levis' turnovers came when he tried to use his arm to force throws, and he's going to be punished for mistakes at the next level. Clark Phillips III, Utah But this year, it will not be the case. ET): HT: 6-foot-3 | WT: 314 pounds | Previously: 1. Travis Vokolek, Nebraska Jake Witt (236) is an intriguing dart throw in Round 7; he is my 17th-ranked offensive tackle. Mel Kiper Jr. career timeline at ESPN. Art Green, Houston Austin Stidham, Troy Some see him as a great left tackle; others believe he could be an All-Pro guard. 16. Addison had 100 catches for 1,592 yards and 17 touchdowns at Pitt in 2021. Quavian White, Georgia State ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper graded the Saints rookie class a B-minus, criticizing them for 'a few significant reaches' in Rounds 2 and 3. . Jalen Redmond, Oklahoma Peter Skoronski, Northwestern Jakorian Bennett, CB, Maryland It's a good fit for Mims, who has upside as a deep threat, though Denver has a deep depth chart for now. 69. Khalan Laborn, Marshall Impressed yet? Keeanu Benton, DT, Wisconsin The NFL Draft is the highlight of my year and I am looking forward to taking part in my 39th this month on ESPN. The Georgia Tech transfer was dynamic for the Yellow Jackets in 2021, putting up 1,805 all-purpose yards. Everything else was overshadowed by the news that the quarterback would be back. 145. That's where the Cardinals could have found value. Zach Harrison, Ohio State He started 42 games in college, playing both tackle spots and right guard for the Vols. I appreciate my colleagues, particularly the production staff and my fellow commentators, for their support and flexibility. 5 22 Related Topics ESPN Sports journalism Sports 22 comments Best Add a Comment 4t9rman 1 yr. ago 36. He is quite simply a fantastic thrower of the football. Let's say there were mixed results, as I wrote Thursday night. 28. Robert Beal Jr., Georgia I'm just curious to see how much Blackmon can play as a rookie, because Minnesota has available snaps for him. When it comes to the NFL Draft, no one has been doing it better or longer than Mel Kiper Jr. I wrote about Wilson in our draft notebook in November, and my guy Jordan Reid has been on him since he watched the 2021 tape. Gonzalez has excellent length and has the recovery speed (4.38-second 40-yard dash at the combine) to make up for mistakes in his technique. 8. He ranked first in the country in yards per dropback (8.9), second in QBR (88.9) and third in yards per attempt (9.5). Jadon Haselwood, Arkansas He doesn't make many mistakes. Micah Baskerville, LSU Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State Antoine Green, North Carolina Aidan O'Connell, Purdue 1. Alama Uluave, San Diego State, 1. He was used out of the slot more at Pitt -- he had 76 catches and 14 touchdowns when lined up there in 2021 -- but could play anywhere at the next level. Running back Israel Abanikanda (143) likely is insurance for Breece Hall returning healthy, but Abanikanda was productive in college, tallying 21 scores last season. He had a stunning 130 pressures over the past two seasons, which is 45 more than the second-best defender (San Jose State's Viliami Fehoko). We'll start with the best grades and go to the worst, with teams that have identical grades listed in alphabetical order: Jump to a team: Brenton Strange, TE, Penn State He is a technician who can bend. And though I didn't love giving up the future draft capital, I do think Anderson has All-Pro potential. 79. Richardson is still very raw -- his mechanics and footwork need a lot of work. 41. Demario Douglas, Liberty 15. He had an up-and-down season, throwing 17 touchdown passes and nine interceptions while running for nine scores. 34. Of Saturday's picks, I like defensive backs Carrington Valentine (232) and Anthony Johnson Jr. (242) the most. Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN Grade (overall): B-"What a strange class to try to grade. Smith had just 6.5 sacks over the past two seasons, but an NFL team could fall in love with his traits. 19. In a recent article by Kiper, he graded every team's draft class after the conclusion of the 2023 NFL Draft. Todd Centeio, James Madison Demario Douglas, Liberty Mekhi Blackmon, USC In my two-round mock -- which came out just before Detroit dealt cornerback Jeff Okudah -- I gave this team a luxury pick at No. 12. Trenton Simpson (86) could be a steal; I had him ranked No. Dylan Horton, TCU George Tarlas, Boise State 15. 37. Nick Broeker (230) is a decent guard prospect who is definitely worth a Round 7 flier. He joins two other anchors who wont be in attendance for ESPN, as Adam Schefter will miss the draft altogether to attend his sons college graduation in Michigan. 16. Check out this show of force in the SEC title game against LSU. 4. Mel Kiper Jr, the famous ESPN draft analyst, has made headlines recently after he announced that he will not be traveling to Las Vegas for the upcoming NFL draft. 19. 9. He should be on preseason Rookie of the Year watchlists. Charlie Jones, Purdue Tyler Barnes, NC Central ESPN's top draft analyst Mel Kiper won't attend the 2022 NFL draft in Las Vegas, instead logging into the broadcast from his home in Maryland. While I like Gibbs' game, this is too high. It was just a little high for me. 6. He can make up ground with late bursts to track the ball. 50, Man United in pole position for top four, but can't take their eyes off Liverpool, The VAR Review: Red cards for Jota, Skipp; Richarlison penalty claim, Zags, Vols have gained spots in men's WTE Top 25, Titans quarterback Will Levis opens up about emotional draft day, After hoopla of going No. DeMarcco Hellams, Alabama Potter, Clemson I also liked the value for edge rusher Yasir Abdullah (136) and safety Antonio Johnson (160) on Day 3, but I would have gone with running back Roschon Johnson over Tank Bigsby (88) in the third round. 2. 3. This class is lifted up by those first three picks, which all fit positions of need. Health. John Ojukwu, Boise State Joshua Pryor, Bowie State I have write-ups for the top 25 guys then lists for the rest. 61. That's almost identical to Kyler Murray's measurements at the 2019 combine (5-foot-10, 207), but Young doesn't have the same lower-body build as Murray. Wright is the best right tackle in this class, a 333-pound lineman who started 42 games in college. Hendon Hooker, Tennessee Nehemiah Shelton, San Jose State Mel Kiper Mel Kiper Jr. is known as an American football analyst on ESPN. Another thing I like about Robinson's game: He catches passes with his hands, not his body.