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Projecting Where Breece Hall, Walker III Will Be Drafted After 2022 NFL Draft Day 1
April 29, 2022
The first round of the 2022 NFL draft came and went without a single running back being selected, the first time that's happened since 2014.
NFL teams have continued to devalue running backs as the years have gone by, and high-volume passing offenses have become the trend. But there are still solid options at the position for teams in need of an upgrade, with Iowa State's Breece Hall and Michigan State's Kenneth Walker III the biggest backfield names on the board.
So, which teams would be a logical suitor for each player?
We'll assume Hall is the first running back off the board. The Houston Texans would make sense with the No. 37 overall pick, but they feel like a sneaky candidate to select quarterback Malik Willis, so we'll pass on them.
That means Hall very well could fall all the way to Buffalo Bills at No. 57. The Bills need an upgrade at the position over Devin Singletary, Zack Moss and Duke Johnson.
Hall would immediately fill that void and improve an already scary offense, as he can run between the tackles and is a versatile enough weapon in the passing game to play snaps on third down.
Defenses dared the Bills to run the ball last year, and Hall would punish them for taking that gamble with his balance and ability to churn out yards after contact.
The Bills can afford to use a second-rounder on a running back. They are in win-now mode, so it wouldn't be a reach from a value standpoint as it's a major need. If Hall falls to Buffalo, the Bills likely wouldn't think twice.
Another win-now team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, could then nab Walker with its second second-round pick, the No. 60 overall selection. Walker's ability to work between the tackles—combined with his home-run speed—would pair nicely with the versatile Leonard Fournette, giving the Bucs a clear upgrade on the departed Ronald Jones II.
Fournette would likely remain the starter, but Walker would give them a change-of-pace option, leaving defenses with one more playmaker to fret over.