#320: Dash To The Draft 2022 (EDGE Class Overview with Nick Kendell)

1. As of right now, the #1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft is widely expected to be Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson. And there is A LOT to like about him including his non-stop motor and freakish athleticism, which was illustrated by his 6.73-second three-cone drill at the Combine. However, one knock on him is his less-than-ideal, 32 and 1/8 “ arm length. The amount of pass rushers with arms that short who have found success in the NFL is very small. If you were GM of the Jaguars, assuming your OL needs are taken care of, would Hutchinson’s arm-length alone be enough for you to pass on him? 2. The best performer at the Combine, at least in my opinion, was Georgia’s Travon Walker. He ran a 4.51 40 and posted a 6.89-second three-cone at 272 pounds, and became a lock top-five pick. While they say you must bet on traits when it comes to EDGE rushers (and Walker has them in spades), there is one stat that has me a bit concerned about him. As Marcus Mosher pointed out, Travon Walker only averaged 0.58 TFL per game at Georgia and the hit rate for EDGE players who average less than 0.80 TFL/game in college is astonishingly low. That said, you countered by saying it was mainly due to how he was utilized in that Georgia defense. Are the stars aligned for Travon Walker to buck this trend? 3. Is there anything on tape that justifies the concerns about Kayvon Thibodeaux’s supposed lack of passion and love for the game? 4. An NFC scout told NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein that he thinks David Ojabo will have a more productive NFL career than his Michigan teammate Aidan Hutchinson. Would you be shocked or surprised if this eventually becomes the case? 5. Last year, Odafe Oweh was a first-round pick almost solely because of raw athletic traits. We could get an identical situation this year in Minnesota’s Boye Mafe, who posted a 41.5” vertical at his Pro Day this week. Just how high is the ceiling for Mafe and is he worth a top-20 pick in your view? 6. Despite his lack of length and athleticism, is George Karlaftis still worth a first-round pick? 7. Buy or Sell: Jermaine Johnson, Logan Hall, Arnold Ebiketie, Nik Bonitto, Sam Williams, Dominique Robinson, Joshua Paschal, Cameron Thomas, Myjai Sanders, Alex Wright 8. Best Landing Spots:     -Aidan Hutchinson: Jaguars, Lions     -Travon Walker: Seahawks, Giants     -Kayvon Thibodeaux: Seahawks     -David Ojabo: Chargers, Eagles, Cowboys, Cardinals     -Boye Mafe: Chiefs     -George Karlaftis: Lions     -Jermaine Johnson: Vikings     -Logan Hall: Ravens