Expert Analysis
3/30/22
4 min read
2022 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings
Jump straight to our 2022 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings
The 33rd Team is proud to announce our annual prospect rankings for the 2022 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings. We have studied, graded, written reports, and ranked over 230 NFL Draft prospects to date and will continue to add reports daily until the NFL draft, which will be held in Las Vegas on Thursday, April, 28th. We eventually hope to have over 350 players ranked and graded.
What does our scouting process look like? Using the rosters compiled by the NFL Combine, Senior Bowl, College Gridiron Showcase, Hula Bowl, NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, and East-West Shrine Bowl, we are able to create a list of potentially-draftable prospects. These lists serve as the base, and we can add one-offs and advanced analytics darlings who were not invited to any of the above bowls.
From that point, we split our 21 scouts into 13 different positions groups. These scouts are responsible for watching at least three games on each prospect at their position, then writing a full report and compiling appropriate statistics on the player. We grade 12 attributes at every position related to size/durability, mental processing, and athletic ability on a ten-point scale.
Each number on the scale is differentiated by a certain word or phrase. For example, a grade of “8” indicates “outstanding” ability at that trait, while a grade of “3” indicates “poor” ability. The full scale can be seen on each of our reports. Additionally, we also grade eight attributes that we consider position-specific. This includes arm strength and accuracy for a QB, initial burst for a DE, or velocity and rotation for a long snapper.
Once the traits are graded and the reports are written, the scouts are responsible for working with others at their position group to rank their prospects against each other. Should Aidan Hutchinson or Kayvon Thibodeaux be the top edge defender? We ask those who have studied the prospects the most to decide.
With each position ranked, we bring all of our scouts together periodically to work on our overall rankings. From a lengthy debate about whether Kyle Hamilton’s injury history should prevent him from being the top prospect to relatively smaller quibbles about how to rank prospects who are elite in some traits yet poor in others. If a prospect was relatively undervalued yet put together superb advanced statistics, how do they compare to others at their position? Together, we holistically set our big board independent of positional value.
Weekly, we meet to watch film and review the top prospects at a specific position with the advice and expertise of an expert in the field. This gives us a chance to each improve our ability by learning from longtime NFL personnel, as well as improve our rankings.
On the big board itself, feel free to sort by position or school. We’ve included a search bar to more quickly jump to your favorite prospects. Confused by the height? The four-digit code starts with feet, then gives two digits to inches, and the final digit to eighths of an inch. So “6071” would be 6 feet and 7 and 1/8 inches.
Here are the scouts who have graciously donated their time to bring these 2022 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings to fruition:
Mike Tannenbaum, ESPN: Senior Advisor
Peter Engler, UMASS Amherst & Charlotte Thunder: QBs & Cross Checks
Ben Elsner, UMASS Amherst: RBs & CBs
Isaiah Watson, Marist RBs Coach: RBs
Brian Friedland, UMASS Amherst: WRs
Scoop Reed, Buffalo Bills: WRs
Dak Brown, Michigan: WRs
Stephen Dranoff, NFL Films & Villanova: TEs
Azzaam Kapadia, Virginia: TEs
Jack McCarthy, Hillsdale All-Conference C: OTs
David Michels, RIT: OTs
Luke Carr, @TD4LC: IOL
Nathan Pratt, EPCC & UTEP: IOL
Tolbert Nance, South Carolina: IDL
Brandon Tamres, Maryland: EDGE
Jamie Kelly, British Premier League: EDGE
Sales Pinckney, Sport Info Solutions & Rhodes College: LBs & Specialists
Tanner Martin, Texas: LBs
Isaiah Wingfield, Wake Forest & Harvard: CBs
Jared Hammond, UMass Amherst: Safeties
Luke Strnad, Marist: Safeties
Christopher Gonzalez, Rowan DBs Coach: Safeties
Cyril Penn, Winnipeg Blue Bombers: Scouting Advisor
We look forward to continuing to provide value to all 32 NFL teams and the general public – follow along for information and reports on the prospects who will lead the NFL for the next decade!
The 33rd Team is the premier football Think Tank. Its contributors are former NFL Executives and Coaches with over 550 combined years of experience in the NFL. Providing first-hand insight and knowledge unavailable anywhere else, The 33rd Team transcends traditional football analysis and offers a behind-the-scenes perspective on the latest news and analysis, as well as life in the NFL, on and off the field.
