The Most Likely Week 1 Starters in the 2022 NFL Draft
For the most part, the NFL draft is about the four-year outlook of every prospect. It takes most players a few years to acclimate to the talent and lifestyle of being in the NFL.
However, elite prospects have the potential to make an immediate impact as well.
Rashawn Slater, Ja'Marr Chase and Micah Parsons didn't have to wait to make their presence felt last season. They were starters from Day 1 and didn't take long to grow into important roles.
While it's unclear if this class has rookies who will contribute to that same extent, it does contain some surefire Week 1 starters. Based on their level of production in college, physical traits and how well-rounded they are as prospects, these are the most pro-ready players in the 2022 NFL draft.
DT Jordan Davis, Georgia
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At the bare minimum, Jordan Davis (scouting report) is going to be a dominant run-stuffing nose tackle on first and second downs. He'll be able to step into that role immediately thanks to his incredible combination of size, strength and athleticism.
Davis has been a darling of the predraft process. He turned in one of the most impressive combine performances of all time with a relative athletic score of 10.0, second only to former Detroit Lions star wide receiver Calvin Johnson, according to Kent Lee Platte of Pro Football Network.
That athleticism shows up on tape. At George, he often held up the point of attack and ate up double-teams for the best defense in college football.
Most prospects in the trenches need some time to adjust to the size and strength of NFL competition, but Davis won't. He should step in as a team's starting nose tackle right away.
Davis' ceiling will be determined by his ability to play a larger share of snaps and develop a pass rush. Those things may or may not come in time, but they won't keep him from being an immediate starter.
OT Ikem Ekwonu, North Carolina State
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Evan Neal is the No. 1 offensive tackle on Bleacher Report's big board, but North Carolina State tackle Ikem Ekwonu (scouting report) isn't far behind.
Ekwonu came to NC State as a 3-star prospect, whereas Neal was the No. 1-ranked offensive tackle in his recruiting class. However, Ekwonu transformed himself into a dominant run-blocker with improving pass-blocking technique.
According to Pro Football Focus, Ekwonu had seven more "big-time run blocks" than any other Power Five offensive lineman last season. He also went from giving up seven sacks and 18 combined hits and hurries in 2020 to only three sacks and 10 combined hits and hurries last year.
That massive improvement should make him an elite zone-run blocker from Day 1 while he continues to develop into an elite pass protector.
That's enough to make him a high-floor top-10 pick who will be penciled in as a starter right away.
CB Sauce Gardner, Cincinnati
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Sauce Gardner's (scouting report) final game with the Cincinnati Bearcats put an exclamation mark on his pro-ready resume.
Going against a possible first-rounder in Jameson Williams, Gardner allowed only one catch to the Tide's best receiver for minus-two yards, per Stuckey of the Action Network. That performance helped bring legitimacy to the rest of the numbers that Gardner produced while at Cincinnati.
Gardner started three seasons for the Bearcats and didn't allow a touchdown pass in any of them, per PFF. He gave up a passer rating of 39.4 or less every year. Regardless of the quality of competition that he faced, that's dominance.
At 6'2¾" and 190 pounds, Gardner has an ideal long frame for a cornerback and has shown the ability to work in a zone or man-heavy scheme. Whichever team drafts him will be getting an immediate starter and a potentially elite corner early in his career.
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RB Breece Hall, Iowa State
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Running back Breece Hall (scouting report) might slide a bit during the draft, as teams are often reluctant to spend a first-round pick on a running back. But he'll be a contender for Rookie of the Year wherever he winds up.
There isn't much to dislike about Hall's game. He's a big back (5'11¼", 217 pounds) who can run with power but also has the moves to make defenders miss in space. He's adept at pass protection and proved he could be a receiving threat out of the backfield with 82 catches for 734 yards in his three seasons with Iowa State.
Kene Nwangwu impressed in last year's predraft circuit by running a 4.32-second 40-yard dash and registering a 9.89 relative athletic score, per Kent Lee Platte of Pro Football Network. Then he showcased his immense athleticism with two kick returns for touchdowns with the Minnesota Vikings this past season.
Despite all that athleticism and explosiveness, Nwangwu averaged only 39 carries per year in his final three seasons at Iowa State because the Cyclones didn't want to take Hall off the field. That's a testament to how good Hall is.
That's why he will not only be a starter in Year 1, but he should be a team's bell-cow back.
S Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame
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Kyle Hamilton (scouting report) is a unicorn. Like an NBA big who can shoot and run the floor, Hamilton is huge (6'4⅛", 220 pounds) for his position and does things he shouldn't be able to do.
While at Notre Dame, Hamilton played snaps in the slot, deep, in the box and even on the defensive line. He spent most of his time in the slot this past season, while the Irish primarily utilized him as a deep safety in 2020, per PFF.
Hamilton held opposing passers to a 25.9 passer rating over his collegiate career, which was the lowest among all FBS safeties, per PFF. He has a legitimate shot at being the first safety taken in the top five since Eric Berry in 2010.
Positional value might be the only argument against taking Hamilton that high, but his versatility should negate that. He could be paired with just about any safety and should thrive in a starting role in 2022.
Edge Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan
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If the debate between Aidan Hutchinson (scouting report) and Kayvon Thibodeaux (scouting report) comes down to who will make a bigger impact as a rookie, then the Michigan pass-rusher has a big advantage.
While Thibodeaux's speed around the edge are tantalizing, Hutchinson has all of the tools you'd like to see in a starter from Day 1.
Many edge prospects have the flashy athletic testing numbers and pass-rushing chops to be situational pass-rushers. Few have the combination of run-stopping and pass-rushing that Hutchinson brings to the table.
Hutchinson was an elite run defender as a sophomore with 10 tackles for loss. By his final year at Michigan, he became an elite pass-rusher with 14 sacks and another 16.5 tackles for loss.
Even if he follows a similar developmental path in the NFL, he'll be a high-end starter in Year 1.
C Tyler Linderbaum, Iowa
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There are only two knocks on Tyler Linderbaum that will impact his draft stock: the positional value of centers and the fact that he's fairly scheme dependent.
But in the right situation, he'll have Pro Bowl potential early in his career.
Linberbaum makes the blocks asked of him in gap schemes. He can create some vertical movement, but he thrives as a zone blocker, where his athleticism and lateral movement are allowed to shine.
In a zone-heavy team, he would be a tone-setter up front who is capable of sealing defenders in the run game. His pass protection is elite despite his shorter-than-average arms. He allowed only two sacks across three seasons at Iowa, per PFF.
There has not been a center taken in the top 15 since Mike Pouncey in 2011. Linderbaum is good enough that could change, but he should be a Day 1 starter even if he slides to the back half of the first round.
OT Evan Neal, Alabama
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It isn't easy for a rookie to be a starting offensive tackle in the NFL. However, both Rashawn Slater and Tristan Wirfs stepped in on Day 1 and played at an elite level.
Slater was named an All-Pro, while Wirfs only gave up one sack on the season, per PFF. Evan Neal (scouting report) could be the next example on that list.
Neal is an incredible combination of otherworldly athleticism and elite technical prowess. There aren't many people who come in at 6'7½" and 337 pounds yet look as slim as Neal does.
Playing at Alabama certainly won't hurt Neal's pro-readiness. He saw plenty of impressive pass-rushers in the SEC. He started three years at Alabama and played three different positions (left tackle, right tackle and left guard) while giving up only five career sacks, per PFF.
Developing under a coaching staff that has sent a number of linemen to the NFL, Neal is ready to be a franchise cornerstone up front immediately.
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