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The 2022 NFL Draft team rankings of all 32 teams, from the college perspective. Which NFL teams had the best and worst drafts?
2022 NFL Draft Team Rankings, 1 to 32 From The College Perspective
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As the line goes, you’ll never know how good a draft class was until several years from now.
But that’s not quite fair, and it’s not quite right. We actually do know.
We know that almost all of the late picks won’t work – no matter how good they seemed to be – and we know most of the first round picks will be fine starters, especially in a year with just one quarterback selected early.
So how do you do this? How do you rank who had the best 2022 NFL Draft weekend before any of these guys step on the field?
1. Again, assume every pick after the fourth round was a waste of time, because historically and statistically, it almost certainly was. More credit is given to teams who had a ton of picks – more picks, more chances to get a starter. And, to be fair, kickers, punters, and occasionally running backs are the best late value gets.
2. Is the guy good, and does he have the tools? If that sounds totally obvious it’s because it is. Leave the hoo-ha analysis out of it – was he a good football player in college, and does he have NFL measurables?
3. Value. That’s all relative – your worth is what the NFL draft says it is – but in general, everyone is working from the same set of beliefs and rankings. There are fluctuations, but it’s rare when the collective scouting world isn’t close to agreement on most of the prospects.
Whether or not a pick works is usually up to random dumb luck, especially when it comes to the all-timers and All-Pros – otherwise, Aaron Donald, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers would’ve been drafted a whole lot earlier. The skill is getting a prospect at a relatively cheap draft slot.
And finally …
4. Were the needs filled? Did teams address their problems and get good parts to help the cause?
And with that, the 2022 NFL Draft Rankings from 1 to 32.
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 13, 2020: 4, 2019: 27, 2018: 30
Tyreek Hill. That’s the 2022 Miami draft, so nothing else here matters.
The ranking is awful because Miami didn’t really have any picks after giving them to Kansas City. Even so, landing Georgia LB Channing Tindall in the third round was good, and adding something to the receiving corps with Texas Tech Erik Ezukanma in the fourth was interesting.
However, with just four picks, two of them in the seventh round, and one of them Kansas State QB Skylar Thompson, this was a year off after having so many selections in 2021.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: Miami
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 8, 2020: 32, 2019: 1, 2018: 27
The problem wasn’t with taking UT Chattanooga OG Cole Strange. It’s that the Patriots took him about two rounds early and with a whole lot of fantastic prospects there at the 29.
It was a horrible value draft overall, but it was mission accomplished when it came to throwing picks at the problems.
There was a desperate need to boost up the offensive interior, and two guards were selected late to go along with the pick of Strange.
Corner was must with two good mid-round draft picks, and the eternal New England problem of drafting wide receivers will try to be solved with a second round reach call in Baylor’s Tyquan Thornton – taken just before George Pickens, Alec Pierce, Skyy Moore, and TE Trey McBride went within the next five picks. Thornton can stretch the field, but he’s not a No. 1 target.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: New England
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 17, 2020: 29, 2019: 29, 2018: 20
There’s not a ton here, and it’s not just because the 49ers didn’t have a first rounder.
USC pass rusher Drake Jackson was a decent selection, but he was the first pick coming late in the second round. The problem is how this all played out – the late selections were stronger than the earlier ones.
Since we all know sixth rounders have almost no chance of making a big impact, that’s a problem. Even so, UCF DT Kalia Davis and Penn State CB Tariq Castro-Fields were good calls in the sixth.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: San Francisco
Cleveland Browns
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 20, 2020: 7, 2019: 19, 2018: 26
Deshaun Watson. That’s it. That’s this draft. The Browns didn’t have a pick until the early third round, but they did okay with what they had. They needed help for the defensive front and picked up three ideas, Purdue WR David Bell was a great idea in the third, and Cincinnati RB Jerome Ford could work in the fifth.
LSU PK Cade York in the fourth round was a bit cheeky, though. The Browns needed a kicker, but they could’ve used a tight end. Several strong ones were right there for the taking.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: Cleveland
Indianapolis Colts
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 30, 2020: 5, 2019: 6, 2018: 7
There are a whole lot of picks happening here – eight in all – but nothing really moves the needle. The Colts got parts for some needs, but they have to crank up the receivers and Cincinnati’s Alec Pierce in the second round isn’t really a No. 1 target.
Getting two tight ends was interesting, but … Virginia’s Jelani Woods was selected one pick ahead of Cincinnati QB Desmond Ridder (Atlanta) and with a loaded group of prospects flying off the board right after.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: Indianapolis
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 18, 2020: 18, 2019: 13, 2018: 10
This has to be framed in one way – did Tampa Bay get the guys who can take the team over the top? That’s asking a lot considering the first pick came with the opener in the second round.
Washington TE Cade Otton was a good value selection in for fourth, but from Arizona State RB Rachaad White in the third, to drafting a punter – Georgia’s Jake Camarda – in the fourth – ehhhhh. It was all okay, but it might not be the difference-maker if Houston pass rusher Logan Hall doesn’t rock right away.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: Tampa Bay
Dallas Cowboys
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 4, 2020: 2, 2019: 15, 2018: 29
The players the Cowboys picked up were okay, but there was a whole lot of reaching.
Tulsa OT Tyler Smith is a strong prospect, but that was a reach at the 24. Ole Miss pass rusher Sam Williams is a nice idea, but that was a reach at the 56. Outside of taking a great chance on a possible superstar – if he can get healthy – in LSU LB Damone Clark in the fifth, the Cowboys overpaid in draft value at just about every turn.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: Dallas
New Orleans Saints
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 31, 2020: 31, 2019: 31, 2018: 28
Traditionally a weak-drafting team – at least in terms of value at the time – this class isn’t all that bad considering here were just five picks. Ohio State WR Chris Olave at the 11 was an easy call, but getting Northern Iowa OT Trevor Penning – the tackles went FAST – was fantastic. There’s no quarterback, but with just three picks before the fifth round, there weren’t many chances.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: New Orleans
Arizona Cardinals
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 10, 2020: 1, 2019: 18, 2018: 5
For not picking until the 55 and with only three selections until the sixth round, the Cardinals did a wonderful job. They wanted more of a pass rush, and they got Cameron Thomas out of San Diego State and Myjai Sanders from Cincinnati – they win if one of those third rounders pans out.
Getting the best tight end in the draft in the second round was a steal, but overall, there just weren’t enough decent early picks to do much of anything.
2022 NFL Draft Analysis
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: Arizona
Denver Broncos
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 11, 2020: 16, 2019: 3, 2018: 3
Did the Broncos help out Russell Wilson? Ehhh, not really – it would’ve been nice to get an offensive tackle to keep Wilson from getting rocked, but that type of starter would’ve been impossible to find where the Broncos picked overall.
They only had two picks before the 115 and didn’t have a selection until the last pick in the second round. Third round TE Greg Dulcich out of UCLA will be a factor, Oklahoma pass rusher Nik Bonitto was a wonderful pick at the 64, and Pitt CB Damarri Mathis was a good find in the fourth.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: Denver
Los Angeles Rams
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 29, 2020: 17, 2019: 11, 2018: 15
For a team that gave away its upcoming drafts to win a Super Bowl, this isn’t awful.
The first pick wasn’t until the 104th – OG Logan Bruss, Wisconsin – and getting Notre Dame RB Kyren Williams in the fifth and UCLA S Quentin Lake in the sixth was terrific. The Rams wanted defensive backs, and they took four late round fliers. That’s how you do it – if one turns into a good starter, they did their job.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: LA Rams
Las Vegas Raiders
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 23, 2020: 12, 2019: 17, 2018: 13
The Raiders had just six picks and didn’t get going until the 90th overall, so this is graded on a curve – it was a great draft for what they had to work with. It started with the need get of Memphis OG Dylan Parham and a tone-setting thumper in Georgia RB Amir White in the fourth. Two O linemen, two defensive tackles, two RBs – strength in numbers, even if the numbers weren’t huge.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: Las Vegas
Los Angeles Chargers
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 22, 2020: 11, 2019: 22, 2018: 6
It’s like the Chargers actively avoided a few needs – wide receiver, tight end, offensive tackle – but they gave Justin Herbert a bodyguard in Boston College’s Zion Johnson. They paid for him at the 17 – passing up Northern Iowa OT Trevor Penning – and that was about it.
Baylor S JT Woods at the 79 was a good get, and Texas A&M RB Isaiah Spiller was a strong fourth rounder, but too much of the class came after the 123.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: LA Chargers
Carolina Panthers
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 6, 2020: 20, 2019: 26, 2018: 30
If it’s possible to love a draft with just one pick before the 94 and just three selections before the sixth round, here you go.
There was a time when Cade Mays was considered a possible first rounder. He fell off and went in the sixth, but that’s a nice late value shot for the stars. However, all that matters is 1) the gift of everyone passing on a franchise OT in NC State’s Ikem Ekwonu before the six and 2) Ole Miss QB Matt Corral being there for the taking late in the third.
Here’s the downside. If Corral isn’t soon the starter, there’s a shot this draft was Ekwonu and nothing else.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: Carolina
Minnesota Vikings
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 7, 2020: 6, 2019: 16, 2018: 31
The Vikings sort of lucked into their big break of getting a top corner to slide to them, but it worked out with Clemson’s Andrew Booth there in the second round.
There’s no beef with getting a tone-setting hitter in Georgia S Lewis Cine at the 32, but they traded with in-division Detroit to move down – now the Minnesota secondary has to deal with Jameson Williams – and, essentially, passed on Notre Dame S Kyle Hamilton and Georgia DT Jordan Davis.
There wasn’t anything stellar about this draft, and the team filled a whole slew of needs, but overall it was about those two defensive backs early, hoping LSU’s Ed Ingram rocks at guard, and potentially finding a little depth after that.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: Minnesota
Chicago Bears
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 2, 2020: 25, 2019: 30, 2018: 12
The Bears had a lot of picks, but there wasn’t a first rounder and just three before late in the fifth. Give the new GM and coaching staff credit for doing what you’re supposed to in this exact situation – you throw bulk picks at the needs.
They went defensive back in the second round – CB Kyler Gordon out of Washington and S Jaquan Brisker out of Penn State – and took another DB late. They needed offensive line help, so they took four prospects.
It would’ve been nice to do more at receiver outside of Tennessee’s Velus Jones in the third, but overall it was a good three days for what they had to work with.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: Chicago
Tennessee Titans
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 14, 2020: 24, 2019: 10, 2018: 14
Obviously Tennessee didn’t want to pay AJ Brown $100 million but trading him to Philadelphia means first round pick Treylon Burks out of Arkansas has to be fantastic for the offense to merely maintain the status quo.
The Titans didn’t do anything to boost up the interior of the offensive line unless they think Ohio State’s Nicholas Petit-Frere will kick inside. Second round CB Roger McCreary out of Auburn was a good pick, but there wasn’t much for the defensive depth. And then there’s the real story.
Get ready for the drama to start yesterday as PHENOMENAL value third round pick Malik Willis will be expected to take over the starting quarterback gig as soon as humanly possible.
Long-winded ramble short, this seemed like a rebuilding draft instead of a final-pieces-of-the-puzzle one for a team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: Tennessee
Jacksonville Jaguars
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 1, 2020: 8, 2019: 23, 2018: 23
Dog Urban Meyer all you want for the utter disaster he was as the Jacksonville head coach, but that guy knows talent. He did a good job of helping to build up the base of players last year in a total rebuild, and now the new staff kept it going.
However, they had better be right on Travon Walker.
For a team that still needs to figure out how to put together the best 22 possible, the production from the No. 1overall pick needs to match the tools considering the talent passed over on a bit of a projection.
Utah LB Devin Lloyd might just be every bit as strong a defensive pick, and he went at the 27.
There weren’t a ton of sections with just four before the fifth round, but LB Chad Mama from Wyoming is going to be a keeper from the third round, and quarterback for the O line might be set for the next ten years with Luke Fortner out of Kentucky.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: Jacksonville
Cincinnati Bengals
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 15, 2020: 14, 2019: 2, 2018: 21
Start with this. I dogged the Bengals for taking a kicker in the fifth round last year, and Evan McPherson turned out to be … that. I also questioned the call of Ja’Marr Chase over Penei Sewell. At least for right now – Sewell is and will be excellent – oops. So feel free to blow off anything negative here …
It’s like the Bengals didn’t feel like addressing needs. They were obviously worried about safety – taking three of them – and they didn’t do anything for the interior of the offensive line or cornerback. With all of that said, all six picks were good for the value at the time, starting with Michigan S Daxton Hill at the 31. Also, that D just got a whole lot faster.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: Cincinnati
Pittsburgh Steelers
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 3, 2020: 30, 2019: 8, 2018: 2
This is a good draft class, but in the division it’ll be lost in what rival Baltimore did to improve itself.
Whatever. On its own, the Steeler draft did the job with a whole lot of help. Start with the franchise-changing call of Pitt QB Kenny Pickett at the 20, and getting Texas A&M’s DeMarvin Leal for the D line was wonderful.
The receiving corps needed work, and Georgia WR George Pickens in the second round was a decent call, and the speedy Calvin Austin from Memphis should work. However, there wasn’t much done for the offensive line, the secondary was ignored, and considering where the other quarterbacks went, there’s a shot the team overpaid for Pickett.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: Pittsburgh
Buffalo Bills
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 16, 2020: 13, 2019: 4, 2018: 8
It’a the dream to draft when you don’t need anything. Then you can just take depth, the best players available, and build up the possibilities. Buffalo did need a corner, and it took two with Florida’s Kaiir Elam going with the 26. That was a call with a few other great options still around.
Getting Georgia RB James Cook was strong, Boise State WR Khalil Shakir was a find in the fifth, and in terms of long-term value as one of the few late round picks in the draft who’ll start for ten years, P Matt Araiza out of San Diego State with the first selection in the sixth was outstanding.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: Buffalo
Philadelphia Eagles
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 26, 2020: 27, 2019: 7, 2018: 32
If you can crush it with just five picks and two of them in the sixth round, Philadelphia just did it – AND, it got AJ Brown from Tennessee.
Georgia DT Jordan Davis at the 13 was ridiculously great, but passing on Notre Dame S Kyle Hamilton (Baltimore) is going to be interesting.
The team paid retail for a center – Nebraska’s Cameron Jurgens in the second round – and nailed the value call with Georgia LB Nakobe Dean at the the 83. Fine, so Dean slid because he’s too small, too slow, and hurt, but the shot at a massive win there is fantastic.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: Philadelphia
Green Bay Packers
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 25, 2020: 22, 2019: 20, 2018: 17
Blow off all of the late picks that probably won’t work – five after the fourth round – and you can see the plan come together. Big-time defensive talent in the first round – LB Quay Walker and DT Devonte Wyatt out of Georgia – get Aaron Rodgers two receivers, and help with a versatile lineman – Sean Rhyan out of UCLA – to help fill in the gaps.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: Green Bay
Washington Commanders
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 27, 2020: 15, 2019: 5, 2018: 9
Penn State WR Jahan Dotson at the 15 over Treylon Burks of Arkansas – that’s a call. Taking Dotson over Pitt QB Kenny Pickett (Pittsburgh) would’ve been a big deal if the – smell the fart face at this nickname – Commanders didn’t crush the value with North Carolina’s Sam Howell at the first pick in the fifth. It’s not crazy to think they got five starters – or, at least, four – with their first five picks.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: Washington
Kansas City Chiefs
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 12, 2020: 23, 2019: 32, 2018: 18
Everyone wanted Kansas City to replace Tyreek Hill, but that was never going to happen. Western Michigan’s Skyy Moore in the second round doesn’t have that skill or speed, but he’ll help.
Overall, the Chiefs needed to boost up the secondary and they did that in a big way – starting with Washington CB Trent McDuffie at the 21 – and they got Purdue pass rusher George Karlaftis at just the right spot at the 30. There’s a chance KC got its leading tackler in the third round with Wisconsin LB Leo Chenal.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: Kansas City
Atlanta Falcons
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 19, 2020: 21, 2019: 24, 2018: 22
There’s a whole lot to like here. It wouldn’t have been crazy if the Falcons took a quarterback at the 8, but they REALLY needed a receiver and made a call on USC’s Drake London. That had better work, though, with the wideout talent that went right after him.
Back to quarterback, Cincinnati’s Desmond Ridder flew up through the process. To get him at the 74 was wonderful. The combination of Penn State’s Arnold Ebiketie and Montana State’s Troy Andersen in the second round might solve the pass rushing concerns.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: Atlanta
Seattle Seahawks
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 32, 2021: 32, 2020: 28, 2019: 14, 2018: 19
After years of despising Seattle’s drafts, this one was … great?!
As it turned out, the offensive tackle lot emptied out FAST in the first round. On the fly it seemed like Charles Cross from Mississippi State was a little high at the 9, but after the fact the Seahawks were dead-on right.
They didn’t get a quarterback, but they crushed at corner with Cincinnati’s Coby Bryant and UTSA’s Tariq Wooten in the mid-rounds, Boye Mafe from Minnesota was a great get in the second round, and Kenneth Walker one pick later? Boom.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: Seattle
Houston Texans
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 28, 2020: 26, 2019: 25, 2018: 11
Forget about positions. The Texans had five of the first 75 picks, and they needed to get as many good players no matter where they played. They might have been a smidge too early to take LSU CB Derek Stingley Jr. at the 3, and taking a guard – Kenyon Green from Texas A&M – at the 15 was a wee bit of a reach.
However, two sides here – they didn’t make any sort of head-scratching pick through the whole process, BUT, they could’ve had one of the great offensive lineman at the 3 and had a good corner at the 15.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: Houston
New York Giants
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 24, 2020: 19, 2019: 9, 2018: 1
It’s hard to do anything too bad when you’ve got the 5th and 7th picks overall, but even with the prime spots the Giants got even more fantastic picks than expected.
They didn’t desperately need a pass rusher, but Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux was there at the 5 – perfect. They needed offensive line help, and Alabama’s Evan Neal slid right into the 7.
Everything else is about strength in numbers – no sure things – with 11 picks in all, but for a team that needs more depth and more bodies, this was fine.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: NY Giants
Detroit Lions
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 5, 2020: 10, 2019: 21, 2018: 24
What’s not to like? Getting Aidan Hutchinson at the 2 was everything the franchise could’ve asked for, and ending a great receiver run with Jameson Williams at the 12 – trading with Minnesota to do it, too – will get the base fired up.
Getting a few good-idea-right-time prospects like Virginia Tech TE James Mitchell in the fifth and Oklahoma State LB Malcolm Rodriguez in the sixth might help.
The one big thing Detroit didn’t do with any of its eight picks – quarterback. It had the chances, and it didn’t take one to develop.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: Detroit
New York Jets
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 9, 2020: 3, 2019: 28, 2018: 25
All seven of their picks came in the first 117, and after a whole lot of moving and shaking, yeah, the Jets just got a whole lot better.
Even as the second corner off the board, Sauce Gardner was a huge, HUGE call at the 4 with all the top offensive tackles there along with pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux.
However, they more than made up for the pass rushing aspect with a phenomenal value get of Florida State’s Jermaine Johnson at the 26.
Iowa State RB Breece Hall as the first running back off the board? In the second round … BOOM.
Ohio State WR Garrett Wilson at the 10 – after Atlanta took Drake London at the 8 … POW, but that’s a call over Chris Olave and Jameson Williams.
There’s going to be plenty of second-guessing, but it was all fine. There wasn’t a crazy draft pick in the bunch.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: NY Jets
Baltimore Ravens
CFN Draft Rankings
2021: 21, 2020: 9, 2019: 12, 2018: 16
Forget about whether or not these prospects actually pan out. When it comes to how to do this, where to get value, and when to get what appears to be the right player at the right moment, it’s almost impossible to crush an NFL Draft harder than what the Baltimore Ravens did.
Okay, okay, we know how this works. At least half of the 11 picks will be total busts, a few will be okay, and the others will be okay starters with one breaking out and being great. That’s for later. For now, this was performance art drafting.
Find any analyst who thinks Notre Dame S Kyle Hamilton wasn’t one of the five best football players in this draft, if not No. 1. Baltimore took him at the 14.
Fine ANY NFL type who thinks Iowa C Tyler Linderbaum doesn’t start somewhere in an interior almost immediately. He slid to the 25 because other teams had holes to fill.
Injured Michigan LB David Ojabo would’ve been a top 15 pick before tearing his Achilles, but at the 45 that was a terrific call, and getting UConn DT Travis Jones with the 76th overall pick was illegal.
It didn’t stop.
Minnesota OT Daniel Faalele could’ve been a first rounder and no one would’ve blinked. He went in the early fourth round, and from tight ends Charlie Kolar (Iowa State) and Isaiah Likely (Coastal Carolina) in the fourth, to sneaking in Missouri RB Tyler Badie in the sixth, to getting two corners to boost the position, the Ravens had a phenomenal three days.
CFN 2022 NFL Draft Analysis: Baltimore
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