5 knee jerk reactions to crazy first round of the 2022 NFL Draft
By Andrew Falce
Changing of the guard
There seem to be teams every year that fall flat on their face in the draft and in the offseason. These teams constantly make moves that are puzzling and set their franchise back for years.
As a result, these teams are almost always picking in the top half of the draft. This draft has shown that perhaps some teams are ready to make move into regular competitors.
Let’s start with New York, as both the Jets and Giants had great first rounds in 2022. The Giants addressed two of their biggest needs in terms of finding a capable pass rusher and a good offensive tackle.
Kayvon Thibodeaux and Evan Neal are two studs that should be cornerstones of this franchise.
The Jets added Ahmad Gardner, Garrett Wilson, and later traded up for Jermaine Johnson, a great haul for the team.
Add in two solid picks from the Jaguars and a good haul from the Lions and you have some teams seen as perennial losers now perhaps turning the corner.
The Lions got the best player in the draft and added the top receiver in a fantastically valued trade-up. These teams have been losers for a long time, but now may be the start of something new.