The best value pick for all 32 teams from the 2022 NFL Draft
Andrew Booth Jr., Minnesota Vikings
Position: CB
College: Clemson
Drafted No. 42
The Vikings got one of the most talented cornerbacks in the draft in Andre Booth Jr. Booth was pushed down a lot of draft boards due to concerns about his health.
He had to have his hernia repaired in April 2021 and another procedure in March 2022, according to the Vikings. The March procedure kept him from being a participant in the NFL Scouting Combine, so it left some teams leery of drafting him without knowing what his current status is.
The Vikings feel good about Booth being a huge upside pick after doing a lot of background on him and talking with his college coach, Dabo Swinney.
Marcus Jones, New England Patriots
Position: CB
College: Houston
Drafted No. 85
Jones is listed as a cornerback, but ESPN projects him to be most utilized as a punt returner and kick returner. His explosive 4.28 40-yard dash was the third-best of any player in the draft class.
Expect Head Coach Bill Belichick to develop Jones and get the most out of his many physical gifts and athletic abilities.
Trevor Penning, New Orleans Saints
Position: OT
College: Northern Iowa
Drafted No. 17
The New Orleans Saints are trying to rebuild on the fly and got excellent value by drafting one of the biggest offensive tackles in the 2022 NFL Draft in Trevor Penning.
The 6’7″ Northern Iowa player registers at 325 lbs and looks to immediately make life easier for QB Jameis Winston and the talented pool of Saints running backs.
Penning’s combination of size, speed, and strength made him a no-brainer for a team that had a lot of holes to fill.
Kayvon Thibodeaux, New York Giants
Position: DE
College: Oregon
Drafted No. 5
Kayvon Thibodeaux may end up being the best player to come out of this entire class. He’s that good and has that many skills.
If he had not missed time at Oregon with an injury, he would have had a strong case to be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Thibodeaux has one of the fastest first steps of any defensive player in the draft. Getting him at No. 5 may look like a steal a year or two from now.
Breece Hall, New York Jets
Position: RB
College: Iowa State
Drafted No. 36
The Jets go out and grab the highest rated back in the 2022 NFL Draft in Breece Hall. The talented Iowa State back was seen by many as a first-round talent, so getting him early in round two provides great value.
Hall takes care of the ball and will be able to develop alongside second-year QB Zach Wilson.
Nakobe Dean, Philadelphia Eagles
Position: Edge
College: Georgia
Drafted No. 83
Most people will agree when I say that Nakobe Dean falling all the way to the third round is absurd. The man was ranked as the top linebacker prospect in the entire draft class.
Linebackers aren’t valued like they used to be, but this man has the skills, leadership, and championship pedigree to be an immediate impact player for the Philadelphia Eagles.
He’s a little undersized, but I’ll take a player with Dean’s resume over a similar player who’s a couple of inches taller or a few pounds heavier who has accomplished less.