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3 ways the 2022 NFL Draft changed the NFL’s approach to QBs

By Michael Johnson

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MAR 02: Kenny Pickett #QB11 of the Pittsburgh Panthers speaks to reporters during the NFL Draft Combine at the Indiana Convention Center on March 2, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MAR 02: Kenny Pickett #QB11 of the Pittsburgh Panthers speaks to reporters during the NFL Draft Combine at the Indiana Convention Center on March 2, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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2022 NFL Draft, New York Jets
Apr 28, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett is announced as the twentieth overall pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft at the NFL Draft Theater. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

3. NFL teams weren’t willing to reach in the 2022 NFL Draft

A year after three quarterbacks went back-to-back-to-back, we didn’t get a quarterback drafted until No. 20 overall.

Kenny Pickett was the lone quarterback in the first round. The last time we had a draft with only one quarterback taken was in 2013. Malik Willis was the other quarterback prospect aficionados thought was going in round one because of his arm talent and athletic traits.

Not only did he not go in the first round, but he wasn’t the second quarterback taken. That honor belonged to Cincinatis’s Desmond Ridder, who was the second quarterback taken.

Every quarterback went where they were supposed to go in terms of draft value. Kenny Pickett was a late Day 1 or early Day 2 prospect, so going No. 20 is about right.

The same happened for both Ridder and Willis, both of whom went in the third round. Matt Corral wasn’t far behind as he heard his name called on late Day 2.

Meanwhile, Bailey Zappe and Sam Howell heard their names called in the fourth and fifth round, respectively.

We saw three other quarterbacks get drafted in the seventh round: Chris Oladokun, Skylar Thompson, and Brock Purdy. This was not the year for the quarterbacks. However, these quarterbacks were made better for it.

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