NFL Draft

The first round of the 2022 NFL draft came and went without a single running back being selected, the first time that's happened since 2014. 

NFL teams have continued to devalue running backs as the years have gone by, and high-volume passing offenses have become the trend. But there are still solid options at the position for teams in need of an upgrade, with Iowa State's Breece Hall and Michigan State's Kenneth Walker III the biggest backfield names on the board.

So, which teams would be a logical suitor for each player?

We'll assume Hall is the first running back off the board. The Houston Texans would make sense with the No. 37 overall pick, but they feel like a sneaky candidate to select quarterback Malik Willis, so we'll pass on them. 

That means Hall very well could fall all the way to Buffalo Bills at No. 57. The Bills need an upgrade at the position over Devin Singletary, Zack Moss and Duke Johnson. 

Hall would immediately fill that void and improve an already scary offense, as he can run between the tackles and is a versatile enough weapon in the passing game to play snaps on third down.

Defenses dared the Bills to run the ball last year, and Hall would punish them for taking that gamble with his balance and ability to churn out yards after contact.

The Bills can afford to use a second-rounder on a running back. They are in win-now mode, so it wouldn't be a reach from a value standpoint as it's a major need. If Hall falls to Buffalo, the Bills likely wouldn't think twice.

Another win-now team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, could then nab Walker with its second second-round pick, the No. 60 overall selection. Walker's ability to work between the tackles—combined with his home-run speed—would pair nicely with the versatile Leonard Fournette, giving the Bucs a clear upgrade on the departed Ronald Jones II.

Fournette would likely remain the starter, but Walker would give them a change-of-pace option, leaving defenses with one more playmaker to fret over. 

Former Liberty quarterback Malik Willis is the biggest name remaining on the board after he wasn't selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft on Thursday.

A team will likely land a gem on Day 2 if they pick Willis. But the question is who will take a chance on him as the draft rolls on.

The teams at the top of the second round have veteran quarterbacks in place already, but picking Willis would secure their future under center while giving him time to develop.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Minnesota Vikings and Tennessee Titans don't have a pressing need to select a quarterback, but any of them would be wise to snag Willis in preparation for life without their current starter.

If Willis gets past those teams, the prime position for him to get drafted would be with the Seattle Seahawks, who own the 40th and 41st picks. After trading Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos this offseason, Seattle is a team in transition. Drew Lock clearly isn't the long-term answer at quarterback, so the Seahawks will likely be looking to use one of their second-rounders on Willis.

But just two picks after the Seahawks sit the Atlanta Falcons at No. 43. Atlanta traded veteran quarterback Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts and brought in Marcus Mariota as a placeholder. The Falcons will be sweating it out to see if Willis falls to them, or they can trade up to try to jump ahead of Seattle. Willis would be worth the gamble as Atlanta's rebuild continues.

The lowest Willis would fall will likely be the Detroit Lions at No. 46 or the Washington Commanders at No. 47. Both teams have veterans in place in Jared Goff and Carson Wentz, respectively, but neither of those players represent long-term building blocks. Willis would solve that problem for either franchise.

HEIGHT: 6'3 3/4"

WEIGHT: 241

HAND: 9 1/4"

ARM: 32 5/8"

WINGSPAN: 6'7 7/8"

40-YARD DASH: 4.52

3-CONE: DNP

SHUTTLE: DNP

VERTICAL: 32"

BROAD: 10'2"

POSITIVES

— Quick feet. Navigates condensed spaces very well.

— Comfortable playing tight behind his DL and attacking the line of scrimmage.

— Good block deconstruction. Knows when to take them on versus when to slip by them.

— Good eyes versus the run. Occasionally gets too aggressive and keys early but generally flows well with the play.

— Reliable tackler. Physical mentality with sound technique.

— Sound coverage defender. Great understanding of how to re-route as well as how to find and sink into throwing windows.

NEGATIVES

— Build is on the thinner side. Could become more of an issue in the NFL.

— Play strength comes and goes. He is a physical player but sometimes does not have the power to match.

— Middling speed. Often made up for it with good technique and instincts, but that will be harder at the next level.

— Change of direction in space can be lacking. Does not explode out of his steps.

— Not a particularly useful blitzer.

2021 STATISTICS

65 TOT, 5.5 TFL, 1.5 SK, 1 FR, 3 PD

NOTES

— Two-year starter.

— 4-star and top-50 recruit in 2018.

OVERALL

Quay Walker spent the past two seasons as a sort of stabilizing factor for the Georgia defense, particularly in pass coverage.

In 2021 especially, Walker was Georgia's coverage backer. They often aligned him to the passing strength and put him on the field in favor of either Nakobe Dean or Channing Tindall on passing downs whenever possible. Though only an average athlete in space, Walker has an excellent understanding for zone coverage. He knows how to re-route players into different zone defenders, and he knows exactly where he needs to flow to after passing off routes. Walker seldom gave up air around pass-catchers in coverage and consistently triggered quickly to play the ball or make a tackle.

Walker is a competent run defender as well. Like all Georgia defenders, Walker has a nasty demeanor towards contact and is willing to get scrappy in traffic. His strength wavers at times, but he always finds himself near the action, thanks in part to comfortable movement skills in tight spaces and reliable run game diagnoses. He also shows a full toolbox for being able to deconstruct or avoid blocks, even if his physical profile makes it tough to capitalize on all the time. The flip side is that Walker's average speed and clunky redirection can get him caught in space a bit too often, which could become more of an issue in the pros.

Walker has the high-floor run defense traits and zone coverage chops to stick around for a long time, either at MIKE or WILL. He clearly gets how to play the position and has the aggressive mindset teams should love. Walker's average athletic profile may hold him back from reaching Pro Bowl caliber play, but it is tough to imagine Walker being anything less than a good backup, and he may well end up as a solid starter.

GRADE: 7.6 (Potential Impact Player - 2nd Round)

OVERALL RANK: 49

POSITION RANK: LB5

PRO COMPARISON: Anthony Walker Jr.

Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

Arkansas wide receiver Treylon Burks is heading to the Tennessee Titans after being selected with the 18th overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft on Thursday in Las Vegas.

Tennessee moved up into the 18th pick after trading A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Burks showcased steady improvement across three years with the Razorbacks. He wrapped up his career with 66 catches for 1,104 yards and 11 touchdowns across 12 appearances as a junior in 2021.

His strong production against SEC defenses combined with his NFL-ready frame (6'3, 225 lbs) makes him a likely instant-impact addition for the Titans. Here's how the team's offensive depth chart shapes up following his arrival:

QB: Ryan Tannehill, Logan Woodside, Kevin Hogan

RB: Derrick Henry, Dontrell Hilliard, Trenton Cannon, Jordan Wilkins

WR: Treylon Burks, Racey McMath, Josh Malone

WR: Robert Woods, Dez Fitzpatrick, Mason Kinsey

WR: Nick Westbrooke-Ikhine, Cody Hollister

TE: Austin Hooper, Geoff Swaim, Tommy Hudson, Ryan izzo, Austin Fort, Briley Moore

LT: Taylor Lewan, Christian DiLauro, Derwin Gray

LG: Aaron Brewer, Jamarco Jones

C: Ben Jones, Daniel Munyer

RG: Nate Davis, Jordan Roos

RT: Dillon Radunz, Brandon Kemp

Burks' route running is still a work in progress and he must still become a more consistent blocker in the run game in order to become an every-situation player in the NFL.

That said, the nose for the end zone he displayed while catching 18 touchdowns over his final two college seasons can't be overlooked, and his ability to beat one-on-one coverage on the perimeter will make him a major weapon in the red zone and on third down.

Bleacher Report's Nate Tice wrote in his predraft scouting report that Burks is a high-upside prospect with room for improvement:

Burks flashes body control and the ability to win on vertical and straight-line routes but is inconsistent on his shorter route breaks. He also lacks attention to details on plays where he isn't highlighted, often listlessly running his route or giving inconsistent effort blocking knowing that the ball isn't coming his way. Overall, Burks is a raw talent who has the potential to be a No. 1-type option at the NFL level, but he is far from a finished product. He will need to improve his effort to make the most of his ability, which makes his floor to be an every-down contributor a bit lower when he starts his professional career.

So, while the 22-year-old Arkansas native arrives with plenty of hype, it could take him a couple of years before he starts producing at his peak level.

It's a worthwhile investment for the Titans, who didn't waste any time to line up a succession plan for the outgoing Brown. His role should steadily increase throughout his debut campaign as he builds a rapport with quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

The long-term question is whether he'll ever become a top-end No. 1 receiver in Tennessee.

HEIGHT: 6'6 3/8"

WEIGHT: 341

HAND: 10 3/4"

ARM: 34"

WINGSPAN: 6'9 1/8"

40-YARD DASH: 4.78

3-CONE: DNP

SHUTTLE: DNP

VERTICAL: 32"

BROAD: 10'3"

POSITIVES

— Rare body type and length. Will be bigger than almost every offensive lineman he faces off against, even at the NFL level. Long arms help keep offensive linemen out of his frame.

— Off-the-charts strength. Has a thick lower body that supports a great anchor. Also has plenty of pop in his hands when he takes on blockers. Can hold his own against double-teams.

— Controls blocks well when engaged. Strong hands that fire inside at blockers' chests. Does well to cross face and play a secondary gap when asked to.

— Powerful off the ball with his first step. Allows him to stay ahead of blocks away from him and take on blocks coming at him with force.

— Impressive flexibility and light feet for his size. Allows him to more freely work to and through gaps in the run game than other players his size.

— More positional flexibility than his size suggests. May be pigeonholed at 0-tech based on size alone, but can play anywhere between 0-tech and 3-tech, both head-up or in a gap.

NEGATIVES

— Can get overly excited coming off the ball and get too far upfield at times. Not a detrimental weakness, but something to monitor as he gets comfortable in the NFL.

— Needs to develop a more dynamic pass-rushing plan. Approach lacks depth right now. Hand usage is lackluster, and his leg drive can die out if he does not win right away.

— Questions about why he played as few snaps as he did. Played fewer than half of Georgia's defensive snaps.

2021 STATISTICS

14 G, 32 TOT, 5 TFL, 2 SK

NOTES

— Only a 3-star recruit in 2018. Not a typical blue-chip SEC recruit coming into Georgia.

— Four-year contributor. Davis logged over 200 snaps in all four seasons.

OVERALL

Jordan Davis is a rare prospect based on his measurables alone. There aren't many 6'6", 340-pound players period, let alone those as athletically gifted as he is.

Davis gets out of his stance with power and snaps right onto opposing linemen, giving him the immediate upper hand on almost every block he takes on. He can play a primary to secondary gap in the run game when faced with single blocks and hold his ground against double-teams.

Davis also has the side-to-side mobility to shoot off the ball into another gap for stunts, twists, etc., to let the defense play games up front, as Georgia often did. His positional flexibility makes him valuable, too. Davis can play anything from 0-tech over the center to 3-tech in the B gap, serving as either a two-gap or one-gap player.

However, Davis' limited snap count (even though that's true for all of Georgia's front-four players) and middling pass-rushing traits could hurt his value in the draft. He's an exceptional run defender, but his pass-rushing reps leave something to be desired, especially since it's clear that he has the athletic traits to do it effectively.

Davis' middling pass-rushing traits and the general value of defensive tackles may scare some teams off in the top 10, but he will be a force multiplier in the run game right away.

GRADE: 8.9 (Impact Player - First Round)

OVERALL RANK: 6

POSITION RANK: DL1

PRO COMPARISON: John Henderson

Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

The New Orleans Saints selected Ohio State wide receiver Chris Olave with the No. 11 overall selection in the 2022 NFL draft on Thursday in Las Vegas.

Olave is coming off a strong senior season with the Buckeyes that saw him tally 65 receptions for 936 yards and 13 touchdowns in 11 games. He found the end zone at least once in nine different contests.

The 21-year-old California native showcased a consistent ability to score touchdowns during his time at OSU, putting up 35 scores in 38 appearances at the college level. That's the most TD receptions in the storied history of the program.

He'll look to carry that success to the NFL with the Saints. Here's a look at where he'll initially fit on the team's offensive depth chart:

WR 1: Michael Thomas

WR 2: Chris Olave

WR 3: Marquez Callaway, Tre'Quan Smith, Deonte Harris

Olave opted out of the Buckeyes' Rose Bowl clash with Utah on New Year's Day to begin his draft preparations, but he still traveled to the game to support his teammates.

"I feel like I'm still part of the team," he told reporters. "I didn't want to leave my guys. I just wanted to support them. I was a starting receiver. Just to be able to be there with them playing on the field. It was huge for them, it was huge for me. I'm a team-first guy. Just to be here and support them."

The 6'0'', 187-pound wideout features an NFL-ready skill set that should allow him to make a smooth transition to the next level. He's shown the ability to play either outside or in the slot, which should also help him get on the field right away as a rookie.

Bleacher Report's Nate Tice praised the receiver's route-running and ability to find soft spots in the coverage as part of his pre-draft scouting report:

Olave is a great route-runner with polish. He shows an understanding of not only the routes he runs but the concept that the offense is running and will tempo his routes accordingly.

Olave plays with balance and body control, which allows him to battle through contact and also attack defenders vertically before running by them or uncovering on a route. His understanding of space is on display when he's asked to run more 'advanced' routes and also during scramble drills, where he has to find unoccupied areas of the field.

Tice noted the one area where the two-time First Team All-Big Ten selection could improve is run blocking.

Olave has all the playmaking tools necessary to eventually become a No. 1 receiver in the NFL. His rise toward stardom in New Orleans may come via a steady incline rather than the direct leap enjoyed by someone like the Cincinnati Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase last season, though.

At the outset, he'll handle work in three-wide sets alongside Michael Thomas and Marquez Callaway in the Saints passing game while trying to build a rapport with quarterback Jameis Winston.