2022 NFL Draft: Behind the Numbers

Edge rushers picked in the top 3 since 2013
The Jaguars have multiple options at #1, but it does appear as if the edge rushers have dominated much of the conversation surrounding the top picks. How have teams fared in recent years with taking edge rushers high?
Year | Team | Player | Still with team? |
2013 | Miami Dolphins | Dion Jordan (3rd overall) | No |
2014 | Houston Texans | Jadeveon Clowney (1st overall) | No |
2015 | Jacksonville Jaguars | Dante Fowler (3rd overall) | No |
2016 | San Diego Chargers | Joey Bosa (3rd overall) | Yes |
2017 | Cleveland Browns | Myles Garrett (1st overall) | Yes |
2017 | San Francisco 49ers | Solomon Thomas (3rd overall) | No |
2019 | San Francisco 49ers | Nick Bosa (2nd overall) | Yes |
2020 | Washington Commanders | Chase Young (2nd overall) | Yes |
Record of teams in the year following taking Edge Rusher in top 3:
- 2013 Miami Dolphins: 8-8
- 2014 Houston Texans: 9-7
- 2015 Jacksonville Jaguars: 5-11
- 2016 San Diego Chargers: 5-11
- 2017 Cleveland Browns: 0-16
- 2017 San Francisco 49ers: 6-10
- 2019 San Francisco 49ers: 13-3
- 2020 Washington Football Team: 7-9
Drafts in which QB’s did not selected in top 10 (since 1980)
While it is very much possible a QB (or two?) goes in the top 10, most of the hype has been away from the QB position. With this in mind, let’s take a look at some drafts in which a QB did not make it in the first 10 selections.
Year | First QB taken | Overall pick | Games started for drafted team |
2013 | EJ Manuel | 16th | 16 |
2000 | Chad Pennington | 18th | 61 |
1997 | Jim Druckenmiller | 26th | 1 |
1996 * | Tony Banks | 42nd | 43 |
1991 | Dan McGwire | 16th | 4 |
1988 | Tom Tupa | 68th | 13 |
1985 | Randal Cunningham | 37th | 107 |
1984 | Boomer Esiason | 38th | 123 |
1980 | Marc Wilson | 15th | 50 |
There’s only 3 positions to look at with 1st overall pick
- Since 1997, the only positions that have produced #1 picks are QB, DE, OT
- Last time a WR went 1st overall: 1996 (Keyshawn Johnson)
- Last time a RB went 1st overall: 1995 (Ki-Jana Carter)
- Last time a DT went 1st overall: 1994 (Dan Wilkinson)
- Last time a ILB went 1st overall: 1979 (Tom Cousineau)
- A DB has never been selected 1st overall
Eight teams have multiple first round draft picks in 2022:
- Detroit Lions (#2, #32)
- Houston Texans (#3, #13)
- NY Jets (#4, #10)
- NY Giants (#5, #7)
- Philadelphia Eagles (#15, #18)
- New Orleans Saints (#16, #19)
- Green Bay Packers (#22, #28)
- Kansas City Chiefs (#29, #30)
Combined record of teams in the season following a draft where they have multiple first rounders (since 2017):
157-214-1
Teams without a first round pick in 2022:
- Chicago Bears (First pick #39)
- Indianapolis Colts (First pick #42)
- Cleveland Browns (First pick #44)
- San Francisco 49ers (First pick #61)
- Denver Broncos (First pick #64)
- Las Vegas Raiders (First pick #86)
- Miami Dolphins (First pick #102)
- Los Angeles Rams (First pick #104)
Most selections in the draft: Jacksonville Jaguars and Kansas City Chiefs (12)
Fewest selections in the draft: Miami Dolphins (4)
Jaguars once again picking #1
- 6th team to pick #1 overall back-to-back years (1936-37 Eagles, 1939-40 Cardinals, 1976-77 Buccaneers, 1986-87 Buccaneers, 1994-95 Bengals, 1999-00 Browns, 2017-18 Browns)
- Jaguars have picked in the top ten in 13 of the last 14 drafts
Notable numbers from 15 top prospects
- EDGE Aidan Hutchinson: 14 sacks and 2 forced fumbles in 2021 (3.5 sacks in college career before 2021)
- EDGE Travon Walker: 5 sacks, 20 hurries, and 9 QB hits in 2021
- QB Kenny Pickett: Threw more touchdowns in 2021 (42) than he did in previous 4 years at Pitt (39)
- QB Malik Willis: Combined stats against Power 5 programs (5 games): 79 for 126 (62% completion percentage) with 1,279 total yards, 12 total touchdowns, and 6 interceptions
- CB Sauce Gardner: Allowed 0 touchdowns in 3 years at Cincinnati
- CB Derek Stingley: Allowed 2 receptions in 76 coverage snaps in 2021
- OT Ickey Ekwonu: 93.8 run block grade in 2021 according to PFF
- OT Evan Neal: 4 sacks allowed in the past two seasons
- WR Garrett Wilson: Last 3 games of 2021: 27 receptions for 371 yards (13.7 yards per catch) and 6 touchdowns
- WR Jameson Williams: 19.9 yards per reception (79 receptions) in 2021
- S Kyle Hamilton: 227 snaps at slot corner in 2021 (114 snaps at deep safety)
- WR Drake London: Recorded at least 100+ receiving yards in 6 of 8 games played in 2021
- EDGE Jermaine Johnson: Led the ACC in sacks for 2021 (11.5)
- EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux: 19 sacks in 30 career college games
- DT Jordan Davis: Started 33 games at Georgia
What stats and trends are you looking for in this draft? Any prospects you think are being slept on? Let me know on Twitter @James_Costanz.