NFL Draft 2022: Biggest winners
The NFL Draft has come and gone and many teams have really strengthened their rosters. This list not only includes teams, but also people and groups that benefited from the draft.
1. Jalen Hurts & the Philadelphia Eagles
We could have easily just listed the Eagles here. They got a top-ten prospect in this draft in Jordan Davis and a top-ranked linebacker in Nakobe Dean. Both players are out of Georgia. They also got a long-term replacement for Jason Kelce in Nebraska’s Cam Jurgens, a situational pass-rusher and likely special teams fixture in Kansas’ Kyron Johnson and a crafty pass-catching number two tight end in SMU’s Grant Calcaterra.
That would be a pretty good haul already, but then you add in the trade for Titans receiver A.J. Brown. When available, Brown is easily a top-ten player in his position in the league.
While giving up picks 18 and 101 are certainly worth it for a talent like that, there are some questions about moving up two spots to grab a nose-tackle by giving up three picks between 124 and 162. Davis is a special player who allows them to play all the two-high shell coverages under Jonathan Gannon and if that’s the player they needed, they couldn't sit there and hope the Ravens wouldn’t snatch him up.
"Message received. It's my team. I'm ready to go"
Jalen Hurts on the continuous commitment from Howie and Sirianni in the offseason.
#Eagles https://t.co/o1bhwVihyK
While the defensive additions are big, depending on the health status of Dean, the biggest beneficiary from the moves they made this draft is Jalen Hurts. They gave him a top-flight wide receiver and now Devonta Smith will be better as well, being able to play off the ball. Maybe even more importantly, they passed on drafting a quarterback on several occasions.