Top Position Players 2022 NFL Draft

Background: ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - NOVEMBER 16: Matt Seybert #80 of the Michigan State Spartans and Aiden Hutchinson #97 of the Michigan Wolverines exchange words during the first half of a college football game at Michigan Stadium on November 16, 2019 in Ann Arbor, MI.

Based on my film studies and background research, here are the players whom I think could have the best and most productive careers at their position in the 2022 NFL Draft. I am catering the lineups to the Cardinals’ 11 personnel on offense and to the base 34 defense.

11 Personnel:

• QB: Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati
• RB: Kenneth Walker III, Michigan St.
• TE: Greg Dulcich, UCLA
• LT: Charles Cross, Mississippi St.
• LG: Kenyon Green, Texas A&M
• C: Tyler Linderbaum, Iowa
• RG: Zion Johnson, Boston College
• RT: Ikem Ekwonu, North Carolina St.
• WR1: Jameson Williams, Alabama
• WR2: Chris Olave, Ohio St.
• SWR: Treylon Burks, Arkansas

34 Base:

• SOLB: Trevon Walker, Georgia
• SDE: Devante Wyatt, Georgia
• NT: Jordan Davis, Georgia
• WDE: Aiden Hutchinson, Michigan
• WOLB: Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon
• SILB: Devin Lloyd, Utah
• WILB: Nakobe Dean, Georgia
• LCB: Sauce Gardner, Cincinnati
• SS: Daxton Hill, Michigan St.
• FS: Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame
• RCB: Trent McDuffie, Washington

Special Teams:

• P: Jordan Stout, Penn St.
• K: Cade York, LSU
• LS: Jordan Silver, Arkansas
• PR/KR: Marcus Jones, Houston

Which position players would you add and remove? I can tell you in each case why I picked these players, if you would like to know.

For example, I think QB Desmond Ridder has all of the makeup of a winning QB in the NFL. Josh Allen had some accuracy concerns coming into the league and I would expect Desmond Ridder to improve the consistency of his accuracy they way Josh Allen has.

I am also not nearly as high on CB Derek Stingley Jr. as I am on Sauce Gardner and Trent McDuffie. Once a player shows you he has an “off” button, no matter how talented he is, it creates some doubt as to whether his, at times, lackluster efforts will continue in the NFL.

Annual Favorite Picks for Cardinals on Offense and Defense (realistically based on where the Cardinals pick in the 1st round):

The Kingsbury Era:

• 2019: #1 —- QB Kyler Murray, Oklahoma, DT Quinnen Williams, Alabama
• 2020: #8 —- T Jedrick Wills, Alabama, OLB K’Lavon Chaisson, LSU (I didn’t think Isaiah Simmons would be available at #8, otherwise he would have been my choice).
• 2021: #16 —- RB Najee Harris, Alabama, S/Slot CB Trevon Moehrig, TCU
• 2022: #23 —- G Zion Johnson, Boston College, CB Trent McDuffie, Washington

Question of the Day: what is your version of the Gambo 5 at pick #23. In order of preference, which players do you want the Cardinals to pick?

I will be posting mine tomorrow in an expanded draft wish/mock article.

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