NFL draft 2022 preview for the college football season: Kiper, McShay pick players, teams and storylines to watch

Is it 2022 NFL draft season already? Well, sort of. To kick off Week 1 of the college football slate, ESPN senior draft analysts Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay talk you through all of the teams and prospects you should be watching this week and this fall, because draft season never stops for them.

You should have already studied up on their preseason rankings -- here's Kiper's Big Board and McShay's top 50 prospects -- but they're here to answer 10 big questions for every football fan. Could a non-quarterback be the No. 1 pick? Which quarterbacks after Spencer Rattler and Sam Howell do you need to know? Who are the under-the-radar prospects who could rise? And what's the deepest position in the class of 2022? We have you covered.

Kiper & McShay will update their rankings and check in on the biggest topics often throughout the season. Be honest: How many of you knew who Zach Wilson was at this time last year? Things change quickly when you're scouting college prospects. And finally, McShay's next mock draft is set for mid-December, with the ESPN Football Power Index projecting the Texans to pick No. 1 next April. Let's get into the questions.

Is there a clear No. 1 overall prospect in the 2022 class?

Kiper: There's no Trevor Lawrence in this class, no surefire top guy. My highest-graded prospect -- right now -- is Oregon edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux. He's the prototype NFL teams want from their pass-rushers, a 6-foot-5 defensive end in the mold of Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney, who both were No. 1 picks. Where do you have Thibodeaux, Todd?

McShay: He's No. 4 in my early rankings, and he's a phenomenal pass-rusher. But I would actually lean toward Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler at No. 1 right now. He has all the tools to be a franchise QB, from his mobility in the pocket to his big arm and quick release to his ability to make off-platform throws on the move.

Kiper: I'm a big fan of Rattler's game -- he's No. 2 on my Big Board. His arm talent is elite. Really excited to see him in Year 2 as a starter.

Overall, how does this QB class look heading into the season?

McShay: This isn't the 2021 class that saw five quarterbacks go in the first 15 picks, but it could get close to that level by January. When I rolled out my preseason top 50, I had six among my top 31 prospects: Rattler, North Carolina's Sam Howell, Liberty's Malik Willis, USC's Kedon Slovis, Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder and Nevada's Carson Strong.

Kiper: I don't see a first-rounder when I watch Slovis' tape, and you're higher than I am on Ridder and Strong.

McShay: Yeah, I see Slovis as a little underrated right now. Remember, he completed 71.9% of his passes and threw 30 touchdown passes against a tough Pac-12 slate as a true freshman in 2019 before a shortened 2020 campaign. A hot start to this season will see him get more hype. Right now, I think Rattler, Howell, Willis and Slovis are all in the discussion for Round 1.

Kiper: It really looks like a pretty deep class at this point, but remember that it's still incredibly early. No one saw Zach Wilson becoming the No. 2 pick at this time last year. Baker Mayfield and Joe Burrow had meteoric rises to the top of the board in their classes. And there almost certainly will be quarterbacks in that group you listed who'll take a step back.

McShay: So wait, Mel -- who do you have ahead of Ridder and Strong?

Kiper: The guy I want to see more of is Arizona State's Jayden Daniels, who got only a four-game season in 2020. He threw 17 touchdown passes and just two interceptions as a true freshman in 2019. Daniels needs more mass on his 6-foot-3 frame, but I wouldn't be shocked to see him rise in this class, though he could also be one of the top QBs in the 2023 draft. I have Daniels at No. 4 and Ole Miss' Matt Corral at No. 5 in my quarterback rankings, ahead of Slovis, Ridder and Strong.

Seven of the past 10 No. 1 picks have been QBs. Would you take QBs or the field being the top pick in 2022?

Kiper: Isn't it time for a non-quarterback to go No. 1? We've had four straight QBs since the Browns took Garrett at the top in 2017. There have also been nine QBs taken in the first round in the past two drafts. I think I'm going to take the field, with Thibodeaux, who was also the top-ranked recruit in the ESPN 300 in 2019, as my pick.

McShay: Quarterback all the way here, and my early call is Rattler at No. 1. There are too many talented passers in the class, and there will always be plenty of teams at the top of the board desperately in need of one. ESPN's Football Power Index projects two teams with a better-than-10% chance of landing the top spot next April: the Houston Texans and Detroit Lions. Either could very well be looking for a QB.

Which Week 1 game should I watch for draft prospects?

McShay: I'll be at the Alabama vs. Miami game in Atlanta on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC), and I'm going with that one -- if for no other reason than the Crimson Tide will be stacked to the brim with draft prospects once again.

Consider this: I already have Alabama with 15 draftable prospects for 2022, and there will probably be more by the end of the season. That's wild considering the Tide have produced 41 draft picks over the past four years. It's a draft-prospect machine in Tuscaloosa. Watch for safety Jordan Battle, defensive tackle DJ Dale, receiver John Metchie III, linebacker Christian Harris and offensive tackle Evan Neal to lead the pack this year.

Miami, meanwhile, has five players with draftable grades, starting with offensive tackle Zion Nelson and safety Bubba Bolden. Both of them could fall in the Rounds 2-4 range. And quarterback D'Eriq King is looking like a Day 3 prospect with potential.

Kiper: Give me the weekend's top-five matchup: Georgia vs. Clemson in Charlotte on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC).

Both teams are loaded with NFL talent, even if there likely won't be a top-15 pick in next April's draft on the field. Clemson has quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei, who is the early favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft. It has wide receiver Justyn Ross, who was on a first-round trajectory until he missed all of last season with a congenital fusion in his spine. I'm excited to see him return to the field. Braden Galloway is an ascending tight end, while defenders Xavier Thomas (DE), Bryan Bresee (DL), Tyler Davis (DT), Andrew Booth Jr. (CB) and Sheridan Jones (CB) are all future draft picks primed for big years.

For Georgia, quarterback J.T. Daniels has a chance to open some eyes. He's going to get drafted. Running back Zamir White is a really good player, and he has guards Jamaree Salyer and Justin Shaffer creating holes in front of him. On defense, Adam Anderson (OLB) could be a first-round pick, and I really like Nakobe Dean (ILB) and Jordan Davis (DT). This is going to be a great game -- with huge implications for the College Football Playoff.

What's the one game you have circled on your calendar this fall?

Kiper: OK, I get first pick this time. For me, it's Alabama at Texas A&M on Oct. 9 in College Station. It's going to be an unbelievable atmosphere. I expect this to be a matchup of two top-five teams (apologies to the Miami and Florida fans who think their team is going to take down the Crimson Tide before this game).

Can DeMarvin Leal create havoc against the Bama offensive line and get to young quarterback Bryce Young? Could Aggies tailback Isaiah Spiller and weapon Ainias Smith go wild? This is Texas A&M's best team in years, probably since it upset the Tide in 2012 behind Johnny Manziel. And we know that Bama reloads every year. This is a huge test for Young & Co. on the road.

McShay: I'm going to be boring here and agree with you, Mel. Any other answer would be a lie: This Alabama-Texas A&M game makes tape study easy, with more than 25 draft prospects all on one field. (I have 11 of them for the Aggies, in addition to the Tide's 15.)

The trench battles will give us some great best-on-best looks, too. I want to see Leal -- who will play both outside and inside -- go head-to-head with Alabama's Neal.

Looking at your early rankings, what's the deepest position in this class?

McShay: We already talked about quarterback, but it has to be my answer here, too. As I mentioned, four QBs already look like first-rounders -- but there are more in the mix who could either rise into that group or be solid Day 2 selections.

But another group that certainly has depth is edge rusher. My highest-ranked edge rusher for 2021 was Kwity Paye at No. 18, and Miami's Jaelan Phillips ended up being the only true edge rusher drafted in the top 20 picks. This year, Thibodeaux headlines nine edge prospects in my preseason top 50.

Nik Bonitto (Oklahoma) is a little on the lighter side at 238 pounds, but he's disruptive and has good bend off the edge. Kingsley Enagbare (South Carolina) is all about power, while Adam Anderson (Georgia) will beat you with his speed. Some others to watch: Zach Harrison (Ohio State), Will McDonald IV (Iowa State), Aidan Hutchinson (Michigan), Myjai Sanders (Cincinnati), George Karlaftis (Purdue) and Brenton Cox Jr (Florida).

Kiper: The 2022 class is really solid at running back. I'm not sure if there is a first-round pick, but there are some tremendous Day 2 picks. I mentioned Spiller (Texas A&M) and White (Georgia), but Breece Hall (Iowa State) could be the No. 1 back off the board if he has a stellar season. Tyler Goodson (Iowa), Leddie Brown (West Virginia), Rachaad White (Arizona State) and Jerrion Ealy (Ole Miss) are nice players. Kennedy Brooks (Oklahoma) opted out of last season, and he has a chance to rise. There will be some steals outside of the first round next April.

Who's a prospect who could make a big move up draft boards this season?

Kiper: There's a wide receiver at South Alabama who might be getting top-15 buzz if he were playing for Alabama. Jalen Tolbert is a 6-foot-3, lean pass-catcher who averaged 17 yards per catch and scored eight touchdowns on his way to a 1,085-yard season. He explodes out of routes and is a big play waiting to happen. He'll be catching passes from former South Carolina and Utah quarterback Jake Bentley.

The Jaguars play at Tennessee in November, which will be a great test: to see Tolbert against SEC defensive backs.

McShay: I'm sticking in the QB lane. I know you aren't as high on him, but Nevada's Carson Strong has the arm talent to fly up the board this fall and put himself in the first-round conversation. He gets through his progressions with fast eyes and then has the arm strength to hit tight windows or air it out vertically.

What under-the-radar school has a bunch of prospects to keep an eye on?

McShay: Fourteen players from Iowa State's roster have draft-worthy grades from me heading into the season, and three of them broke into my top 50.

Inside linebacker Mike Rose could honestly start for an NFL team as a rookie, thanks to his versatility, length and range. He had five interceptions last season, the most for any non-DB. Then there is Will McDonald IV. His 10.5 sacks were tied for first nationally in 2020, and his pass-rush move arsenal is diverse. And sticking with statistical leaders, running back Breece Hall's 1,572 yards on the ground paced the FBS last season. I think he could be a three-down back in the NFL, with good burst, speed and contact balance.

An early-season showdown with Iowa will be a good test for the Cyclones. The in-state rivals face off on Sept. 11 at 4:30 p.m. ET (ABC).

Kiper: OK, this school might not count because it just produced two first-rounders, but it's the first one that came to mind because of the sheer volume of potential 2022 draft picks. I counted 15 draft-eligible prospects worth watching at Penn State this season. That's a ton.

I won't list all of them, but edge rusher Brandon Smith could make a big jump this season, while wide receiver Jahan Dotson and offensive tackle Rasheed Walker both rank in my top 10 at their positions. Two transfers, defensive end Arnold Ebiketie (Temple) and running back John Lovett (Baylor) have a chance to rise. The Nittany Lions' season starts Saturday with a big one at Wisconsin (Saturday at noon ET, Fox).

OK, plant your flag for the 2022 draft: Who's going to be your guy throughout the process?

Kiper: Texas A&M defensive lineman DeMarvin Leal. He can be a dominant player -- in any scheme. He had only 2.5 sacks last season, but he could end up as a 3-technique tackle and interior penetrator at the next level. Leal is extremely gifted physically, and I love the way he plays and approaches the game. Plus, he can plug holes and impact the outcome in the run game. Where do you have Leal ranked, Todd?

McShay: Leal is a good one. I have him as my No. 9 prospect right now, and I really like his versatility, takeoff speed and power at the point of contact.

I'm going with LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., my No. 3 prospect. Long, fast and physical, he is the best cover corner I've seen come out of college over the past few years. Stingley makes plays on the ball -- 20 passes broken up over the past two seasons and six interceptions in 2019 -- and is versatile enough to play all over. You'll see him play press-man and off-coverage, along with taking snaps at free safety or the overhang position.

Who is the most explosive prospect in this class, the guy who could light up the combine next March?

McShay: Ohio State receiver Chris Olave. His game is all about speed, short-area quicks and explosion. In high school, he ran a 10.8-second 100-meter dash and posted a 23-foot, 6-inch long jump. Olave bursts off the line of scrimmage and then separates immediately -- he's among the best in the nation at generating vertical separation -- and I'm expecting some eye-popping numbers from him at the combine.

Kiper: I'll go the other side of the ball and pick Notre Dame's Kyle Hamilton, my top-ranked safety. At 6-foot-4, he has rare physical traits, and he plays all over the field for the Fighting Irish. You and I both have him ranked No. 5 overall, Todd, and I think he'll test extremely well for NFL scouts. Safeties go a little bit under the radar in most drafts, but most great defenses have a great safety. Hamilton is a fantastic prospect.

Bonus! What are your early College Football Playoff and Heisman Trophy picks?

Kiper: For the Heisman, I always look for a quarterback of a team that has a great chance to go undefeated in the regular season. That's Spencer Rattler, whose Sooners don't have an SEC schedule yet. My four teams for the CFP are mostly chalk, but that's the way college football has gone the past decade:

1. Oklahoma

2. Alabama

3. Georgia

4. Clemson

McShay: Remember when I mentioned 15 draftable prospects for Alabama? That sort of thing normally makes you really hard to beat, and I have the Crimson Tide winning the national title again this season. Here's my top four for the CFP:

1. Alabama

2. Clemson

3. Ohio State

4. Georgia

And as for the Heisman, I'm also going with my No. 1 team's quarterback: Bryce Young. The Crimson Tide's new starter was a five-star recruit and has some excellent ball placement. He is going to light it up this season. Of the past 15 Heisman winners, 12 of them were quarterbacks. Alabama produced none of those 12, but it was responsible for all three of the non-QBs. Young will break that trend.