You'll see a lot of trait-specific breakdowns in 2022 NFL draft class prospects' scouting reports this month. That means evaluations for all kinds of skills, from accuracy and pocket mobility for quarterbacks, speed and body control for receivers, and range and tackling ability for defenders. But who is truly the best in the class at each individual skill? In other words, which quarterback displays the best arm talent? Which wide receiver is the top route runner of the class? Who is the best run-blocker -- and run-stopper? And how about the best ball-hawking defensive back?
To get a sense of which prospects stand out in each particular area, I put together my annual list of the best at everything -- the skill superlatives of this year's draft class -- for 51 different categories. This is the area where top prospects separate themselves from the rest of the class. Of course, every prospect on this list excels in multiple areas, but this list helps identify their best trait -- where they are better than everyone else in the entire 2022 class. And to top it off, I picked out three under-the-radar prospects with upside.
Jump to:
QB | WR | RB | TE | OL
DL | LB | CB | S
Under the radar
Best arm talent: Malik Willis, QB, Liberty
In addition to his dual-threat ability -- which will bring an added dimension to a pro offense -- Willis has the upper-level arm talent to hammer the ball on second-level throws and challenge defenses vertically. The ball explodes out of his hand on the tape. The team that drafts him should set him up early in his career with defined throws and watch him rip the ball from the pocket. He can drive it to any spot on the field. Willis had a 96.9 QBR on throws at least 25 yards downfield last season, and 10 of those passes went for touchdowns (tied for fifth in the FBS).
Best field vision/accuracy: Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh
Pickett has enough power in his arm to make third-level throws, and the mobility is there for him to work the edge or escape/extend when things go south. His best trait, however, is the ability to read it out from the pocket and deliver the ball with accuracy. With experience throwing full-field concepts at Pitt, Pickett is a pro-ready prospect who can develop quickly as a starter in the NFL. Last season, Pickett completed 67.2% of his passes and was off-target on just 9.3% of his throws.
Quickest release: Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss
Corral has a compact and efficient release, with the short-to-intermediate juice to pepper the ball inside the numbers. He's a very rhythmic pocket thrower, with the accuracy to deliver the ball to the upfield shoulder of wide receivers. There are catch-and-run opportunities, too, so the quick game with spread elements should be a key part of Corral's pro offense.
Best footwork: Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati
A pace-and-touch thrower who can generate velocity when needed, Ridder has the poise and composure of a pro quarterback. And the footwork pops on the tape. It's clinic-worthy, as he shows the detail of a well-schooled passer when it comes to his lower-body mechanics.
Best pocket mobility: Sam Howell, QB, UNC
Howell can climb and move in the pocket to search for second- and third-level targets, and he will use his legs on second-reaction plays. An aggressive thrower with a vertical mindset, Howell has coachable traits that will appeal to NFL clubs.
Most explosive receiver: Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama
Williams has game-changing ability, with the vertical juice to fly past the top of the secondary and the instant acceleration to turn an in-breaker into an explosive play. He can roll in the open field and the receiving traits I see on the tape fit the modern NFL game. Williams' 24 receptions gaining at least 20 yards tied for seventh in the nation last season.
Best overall route runner: David Bell, WR, Purdue
Bell lacks high-end explosive traits, but his route running is clean. He's a savvy player in the route stem, with a set-up plan to beat both press and off-coverage. He also has solid zone awareness and will find open windows. A prospect with a tough demeanor to work the dirty areas of the field, Bell simply gets open.
Best after-the-catch ability: Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State
I compare Wilson to Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs due to his dynamic ability and play-making skills after the catch. He is elusive and sudden in space with electric stop/start speed, and Wilson can get loose in the open field. Wilson averaged 6.1 yards after the catch per reception in 2021.
Best ball skills: Drake London, WR, USC
With his long 6-foot-4 frame and the leaping ability to play high above the rim, London showcased his ball skills at the college level. He projects as a boundary X receiver with plenty of upside as a vertical slot target in a pro offense. London has the strong hands and catch radius to win on contested one-on-one matchups.
Best separation speed: Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State
An easy mover on tape, Olave can glide past corners on verticals, and his fluid hips allow him to separate at the top of the route on intermediate concepts. I see Olave as a perimeter target in the NFL who can work the second level and test you deep.
Best body control: George Pickens, WR, Georgia
You could make an argument that Pickens is the most complete receiver in this class, but we are focusing on his body control here at the catch point. It allows Pickens to adjust to back-shoulder balls or locate and finish on throws outside of his frame. He has the profile of a volume target in the NFL with big-play juice.
Best red zone ability: Alec Pierce, WR, Cincinnati
Pierce caught six of his eight touchdowns this past season in the red area of the field. He's a boundary target to the backside of 3x1 sets in a pro system. With a 6-foot-3 frame and plenty of play strength, Pierce can win isolation matchups in scoring position. Throw the fade balls or cater to his foot quickness to uncover against press coverage on slant routes.
Most powerful receiver: Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas
A powerful mover at 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, Burks is sudden with the play speed to be schemed as a motion/movement player on manufactured touches, including screens, fly sweeps and backfield carries. And I believe he has the skills to develop into a three-level target with pro coaching. Burks can be deployed from multiple alignments and has the versatility to create schematic advantages for playcallers.
Best slot receiver: John Metchie III, WR, Alabama
A route technician who played all three wide receiver spots in Alabama's pro passing game, Metchie has the short-area separation speed to win inside the numbers. He is more explosive than given credit for and can create after the catch. And he has a detailed plan to shake loose against press coverage. I like him as slot receiver in the NFL with formation variance.
Most deep-ball target: Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State
A linear route runner with developing traits, Watson can be utilized in his rookie season as a vertical stretch target. His game is similar to what we see from Kansas City Chiefs receiver Marques Valdes-Scantling, and Watson has the 4.36 speed to run past the top of the secondary.
Best change-of-direction ball-carrier: Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State
A running back with three-down ability, Hall reminds me of former Chicago Bears star Matt Forte when he gets to the second level. It's the lateral movement ability and the smooth cuts to slip past defenders. His 58 evaded tackles were second in the FBS last season. And when Hall gets loose, he has the 4.39 speed to rip off explosive plays, too.
Best pass-catching back: James Cook, RB, Georgia
Cook can be deployed in the pass game like the New Orleans Saints' Alvin Kamara. He can release out of the backfield to beat linebackers or flex to slot/wide alignments where he can become an underneath target on money downs. A sudden mover with the short-area burst to uncover, Cook has the receiving traits to produce as a rookie -- in addition to what he brings as a perimeter runner. He caught 27 passes last season.
Best contact balance: Kenneth Walker III, RB, Michigan State
At 5-foot-10 and 210 pounds, Walker has a compact, pro frame with the lower-body power and contact balance to bounce off defenders. Walker is a strong volume runner with the speed to hit the edge, and he has the physical traits of a No. 1 back in the pros. He averaged 3.8 yards per rush after first contact and was credited with 39 broken tackles (tied for eighth) last season.
Best straight-line juice: Pierre Strong Jr., RB, South Dakota State
Strong clocked in with a 4.37 40-yard dash at the combine, and you can see that straight-line speed on the tape. He hits the gas and goes. Strong has big-play chops and the receiving traits that can be utilized more in a pro offense.
Best power runner: Dameon Pierce, RB, Florida
A downhill hammer who plays with urgency and quick feet at 5-foot-10 and 215 pounds, Pierce will seek out contact with the ball in his hands. It's all about pad level and lower-body juice. Better tighten those chin straps when he gets to the second level. Pierce broke 20 tackles last season.
Best pass-catching/blocking combination: Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State
At 6-foot-3 and 259 pounds, McBride fits here as a pass-catching tight end who can play inline to work the middle of the field or flex as an outside target in 11 and 12 personnel. And with his ability to sustain as a blocker, McBride impacts the run game in a pro offense.
Best short-to-intermediate target: Charlie Kolar, TE, Iowa State
Kolar is a chain-mover who can create leverage to the ball with his 6-foot-6 frame, and he plays with some nuance in the short-to-intermediate route tree. He can create enough separation or post up linebackers and defensive backs to get open on third downs. Kolar's 51 catches on passes thrown 1-15 yards downfield last season tied for third among all FBS tight ends.
Most pass-catching upside: Jelani Woods, TE, Virginia
I'm really intrigued with Woods, who has the size at 6-foot-7 and 259 pounds and the 4.61 speed to get separation. From a traits perspective, Woods has the traits to work the seams and in-breakers, and defenders struggle to tackle him in the open field. I see scoring upside in the low red zone, with Woods flexed from the formation or attacking split-safety coverage in the middle of the field.
Best pass-blocker: Evan Neal, OT, Alabama
Neal is technically sound at 6-foot-7 and 350 pounds. His broadness, length and movement traits allow the Alabama star to anchor against power rushers and redirect in space against speed and counters off the edge. In my opinion, he is the best overall prospect in the class. Neal allowed just one sack on 621 pass block snaps last season.
Best pass-pro hand usage: Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State
Cross' hand usage/technique shows up in pass pro and when locking onto defenders in the run game. He has been coached up to utilize his hands, striking through on contact to gain control of defenders.
Best run-blocker: Ikem Ekwonu, OT, NC State
Ekwonu plays with a finishing attitude in the run game in both zone and gap schemes. He is quick to reach block and climb to the linebacker level, and he can also drive defenders down on gap concepts. Ekwonu is a powerful mover at 320 pounds who looks to run defenders off the screen.
Best finisher: Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa
Linderbaum has the quickness to cut off defenders and play in space. But it's his pro demeanor that I am focused on here. He's a finisher at the point of attack -- he looks to bury his guy. The former Hawkeye has some nastiness to his game.
Best power rusher: Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan
Hutchinson's hands, hips and feet always work in coordination. He is balanced with body control, and he can generate some power as an edge rusher to fit in both three- and four-man fronts in the NFL. Hutchinson had 14 sacks and 64 pressures last season.
Most scheme versatility: Travon Walker, DE, Georgia
Similar to what we see with Za'Darius Smith in the pro game, Walker has the play strength and physical traits to play as a 7- or 5-technique. And we could see him aligned as stand-up defensive tackle in a pro front. He can impact an NFL defense with stunts, slants and interior matchups.
Best first-step quickness: Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE, Oregon
Thibodeaux launches off the ball with his initial first step, with the ability to attack the high side of offensive tackles or dip underneath. That's key to impacting the throwing platform of today's quick-passing games.
Best counter moves: George Karlaftis, DE, Purdue
Karlaftis can win with speed-to-power off the edge, but it's his counter moves that will put him in a position to compete with NFL talent early on, given his lack of explosive traits. That means swipe the hands, rip, long arm and more. He can use his technique to create a rush path.
Most explosive pass-rush traits: Boye Mafe, DE, Minnesota
Mafe will need more refinement to develop a deeper toolbox as an edge rusher in the pros, but his explosive traits pop on the tape. He's powerful at the point of attack with the short-area burst to close in a hurry. There is a lot of upside here.
Best motor: Jermaine Johnson II, DE, Florida State
Johnson is a rising talent with a 6-foot-5, 262-pound frame and 4.58 speed. And his effort level jumps on tape. He plays with a high-rev motor that allows him to make plays late in the down.
Most lower-body flex/bend: Nik Bonitto, OLB, Oklahoma
An extremely fluid pass-rusher who can really bend and flatten his path on the edge, Bonitto is a prime fit for today's loaded fronts in the NFL. You can scheme him up in one-on-one matchups or stunt him inside to use his short-area traits on his way to the quarterback.
Best interior defender: Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia
A gigantic nose tackle at 6-foot-6 and 340 pounds, Davis dropped a ridiculous 4.78-second time in the 40-yard dash at the combine. He is powerful at the point of contact and jams-up running lanes while using his strength to shed blockers and engulf ball-carriers. And given his size/length, Davis can be projected as a pocket-pusher to move the quarterback off the spot in passing situations.
Best run-defender at second level: Christian Harris, ILB, Alabama
The best true "stack" linebacker in the 2022 class, Harris will key and diagnose against the run game to create a downhill track to the ball, and his 4.4 speed shows up when he pursues to cut off runners on the edge. There's an old-school physical dimension to his game, too.
Best blitzer: Nakobe Dean, ILB, Georgia
With the speed to hit schemed gaps and the ability to beat running backs in protection, Dean produced in Georgia's pressures. He can close on the quarterback quickly, and that will continue in the pro game as a second-level blitzer out of sub-package fronts. He can disguise the look and time it up to hit the blitz with speed. Dean managed 6.0 sacks and 25 pressures in 2021.
Best tackler: Devin Lloyd, ILB, Utah
Lloyd is highly productive with the physical traits to make impact plays, and I see him as a three-down defender with inside/outside ability. And he's a long wrap-up tackler at the point of attack. He had 99 tackles last season, including 18 for loss.
Most second-level range: Quay Walker, ILB, Georgia
Walker can play early on in the NFL as a coverage linebacker in sub personnel with the second-level ability to impact passing situations. He's a rangy defender with the speed to close zone windows or match and carry tight ends up the pipe.
Best press-coverage ability: Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati
Gardner has the 6-foot-3 frame, 33½-inch arms and swagger to contribute immediately as a boundary corner with lock-down traits. He will challenge opposing wide receivers, and he has the 4.41 speed to stay in phase on crossers. Gardner is an ideal fit for today's NFL defenses and can match to the backside receiver in 3x1 sets. He allowed just 60 yards -- and zero touchdowns -- as the primary defender in 2021.
Best ball hawk: Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU
Stingley's 2019 tape is filthy. He's sticky in coverage with the high-end ball skills to make plays. The LSU corner has played in only 10 games over his past two seasons, but I have to trust the traits here. He has high-level talent, as shown by his six interceptions and 13 pass breakups during that phenomenal freshman season.
Most urgency in coverage: Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington
McDuffie plays fast, with the coverage skills to impact the game in both man and zone schemes. He is competitive, sudden and dialed-in. McDuffie should be high on the draft board from a coaching perspective -- you want guys like this in secondary.
Best zone awareness: Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson
Booth has the ability to press up on wide receivers, but I also see the zone awareness for him to make plays on the ball. I call it "backfield vision," and Booth has plenty of it. That puts him in a position to read through to the quarterback to get a jump on the ball or to overlap throws up the seam.
Best transition speed: Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington
I define transition speed as the ability to plant and drive downhill on the ball. And we see it with Gordon, who also has the physical traits and versatility to play inside as a slot defender. He's a tough player.
Best physical traits: Tariq Woolen, CB, UTSA
At 6-foot-4, Woolen checked in with a 4.26-second 40 time and a 42-inch vertical jump at the combine. With those high-end testing numbers and the ability to match vertical routes and play the ball down the field, look for Woolen to come off the board early on Day 2 of the draft. He's loaded with upside.
Best forward ability: Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame
I use the term "forward ability" with safeties who drive top-down on the ball in a hurry. And this is where I see Hamilton using his rare combination of 6-foot-4/220-pound size and quickness to make impact plays. He will heat up receivers running crossers and in-breakers from two-deep alignments or slide down as a robber defender to patrol the middle of the field.
Best tone-setter: Lewis Cine, S, Georgia
A top-down defender who will run the alley and tackle at full speed, Cine has tone-setting traits to his game. He's a missile to the ball. I love the play style here.
Best hybrid safety: Daxton Hill, S, Michigan
With the length and coverage traits of a corner, plus 4.38 speed, Hill has the makeup of a hybrid nickelback/safety. He can match inside the numbers, drop in zone coverage with his fluid and sudden movement ability, or get home on pressures. Hill is a first-round talent with multidimensional traits.
Best hitter in the secondary: Bryan Cook, S, Cincinnati
Cook reminds me of Bills safety Jordan Poyer. At 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds, he will physically strike though ball carriers or receivers on contact. You have to keep your head on a swivel when he is on the field. He made 80 tackles in 2021.
Best split-field ability: Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State
Brisker can play multiple roles in an NFL secondary, and he even gets dirty against the run game as a physical tackler. But I see an easy controlled pedal in Quarters technique and the downhill burst to fit the split-safety coverages we see every Sunday in the pros. I think he's a top-three safety in this class.
Most center-field range: Kerby Joseph, S, Illinois
A true post defender with center-field range, Kerby logged five interceptions this past season for Illinois. He gets a jump on the ball and overlaps throws outside of the numbers, and he can be a single-high defender in the pros for teams that use a lot of Cover 1 and/or Cover 3.
UNDER-THE-RADAR PROSPECTS
Tyquan Thornton, WR, Baylor
Thornton can fly, with deep-ball speed and open-field gas. The 6-foot-2 wideout posted a 4.28 in the 40 at the combine, and it shows up on the tape. Plus Thornton has the route quickness to uncover, and he isn't shy about working into the middle of the field on in-breakers. He is an intriguing prospect who can attack the second and third level of the route tree.
DeAngelo Malone, OLB/DE, Western Kentucky
With the hip flexibility to realty bend off the edge, Malone flashes disruptive ability on the tape. He is physical at the point of contact and has the pursuit speed to track down ball carriers from backside alignments. Malone is a prospect who can be developed with more coaching and added play strength.
Dane Belton, S, Iowa
Belton brings immediate core special-teams value to the NFL, thanks to 4.43 speed. The instincts are there for him to find the ball as a zone defender underneath, and I see a fit as a Cover 2/quarters player. Belton logged five interceptions and seven passes broken up in his final season in Iowa City.