2022 NFL First-Round Re-Draft: Where Do QB Brock Purdy, WR George Pickens Go

 

Hindsight, as the old adage goes, is 20-20.

With that in mind, we asked Yardbarker NFL writers to re-do the 2022 NFL Draft first round. That draft, of course, included Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy as “Mr. Irrelevant,” the 262nd and final selection of the seven-round event.

Who knew then that Purdy — now a star with the San Francisco 49ers and an NFL MVP candidate — would be so good? Not ESPN, which had him as the 14th-best QB in the draft. And not NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein, who wrote of Purdy, “He’s a scrappy runner but not dynamic enough to make up for his shortcomings as a passer.”

Jacksonville, you’re on the clock (again). 

1. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: Travon Walker, Edge, Georgia | RE-DRAFT: Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan | In taking Walker, the Jaguars were clearly aiming to upgrade their pass rush. Despite their sack numbers being similar this season (10 for Walker to 11.5), Detroit’s Hutchinson has by far been the more productive pass-rusher the past two seasons, besting Walker in every major statistical category, including sacks (21 to 13.5). — Michael Gallagher
2. DETROIT LIONS: Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan | RE-DRAFT: Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati | With Hutchinson off the board, the Lions grab arguably the best cornerback to add to a pass defense ranked 27th (247.4 YPG) in the NFL. Gardner (Jets) is a shoo-in to earn his second All-Pro nod in as many seasons and has already gained the reputation as an elite shutdown defender. — Mike Santa Barbara
3. HOUSTON TEXANS: Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU | RE-DRAFT: DaRon Bland, CB, Fresno State | Taking Stingley Jr. over Sauce Gardner was a decision questioned by many at the time, and given a re-do, there’s no way Houston makes the same mistake and doesn’t come away with a top cornerback. Dallas’ Bland is having an All-Pro-caliber season, leading the league in interceptions (nine) and defensive touchdowns (five). — Michael Gallagher
4. NEW YORK JETS: Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati | RE-DRAFT: Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State | With Gardner off the board, the Jets pivot to Wilson, who was originally selected 10th overall by the team and has flashed elite potential despite dealing with arguably the NFL’s worst quarterback situation. The 2022 Offensive Rookie of the Year has caught 178 passes for 2,145 yards and seven touchdowns since debuting, making him the first wideout in franchise history to start his career with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. — Colum Dell
5. NEW YORK GIANTS: Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE, Oregon | RE-DRAFT: Brock Purdy, QB, Iowa State | He won’t have San Francisco’s weapons, but with Purdy in the building, New York won’t need to pay Daniel Jones $160M to run the league’s most irrelevant passing offense. Only Dak Prescott (36) and Jordan Love (32) had more touchdown passes this season than Purdy (31), who threw for 4,280 yards. — Bruce Ewing
6. CAROLINA PANTHERS: Ikem Ekwonu, OL, N.C. State | RE-DRAFT: Rasheed Walker, OL, Penn State | The Panthers need plenty of help, and while it would be tempting to add wide receiver Chris Olave (Saints) with the No. 6 pick, Carolina still adds to its offensive line. However, instead of Ekwonu — who allowed 10 sacks this season per Pro Football Focus and acknowledged recently the 2023 season was humbling — the Panthers select Packers seventh-rounder Rasheed Walker, who ranked second in ESPN’s pass-rush win-rate rankings among offensive tackles. — Eric Smithling
7. NEW YORK GIANTS: Evan Neal, OT, Alabama | RE-DRAFT: Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE, Oregon | Thibodeaux’s Giants career got off to a slow start, but he finished 2022 with 33 solo tackles (including six for losses) and four sacks. This season, he led the team with 11.5 sacks and added three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. — Bruce Ewing
8. ATLANTA FALCONS: Drake London, WR, USC | RE-DRAFT: Travon Walker, DE, Georgia | Walker’s free-fall ends with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft coming home. The Georgia native hasn’t lived up to his draft potential, but he’d be a welcome addition to a defense that only has 63 sacks since the start of the 2022 season. — Eric Smithling
9. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS: Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State | RE-DRAFT: Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame | Hamilton would be the impact safety Seattle was hoping to get when it traded for Jamal Adams in 2020. Hamilton has the athleticism to cover (four interceptions and 18 passes defensed in his career) and the size (6-foot-4 and 220 pounds) and strength to stop the run (14 tackles for loss in two seasons). Plus, he is a lights-out pass rusher (five career sacks and nine quarterback hits). — Adam Gretz
10. NEW YORK JETS: Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State | RE-DRAFT: Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU | New York lands a cornerback in Stingley, the original No. 3 overall pick of the Texans. The LSU product has been effective when healthy, ranking as Pro Football Focus’ 10th-highest-graded cornerback this season for racking up five interceptions in 11 games and allowing a 47.9% completion rate. — Colum Dell
11. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State | RE-DRAFT: Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State | The Saints hit a home run with their first pick of the 2022 draft, so there’s no need for a do-over. The former Buckeyes wideout has 2,165 career receiving yards, 20 more than former college teammate Garrett Wilson. — Eric Smithling
12. DETROIT LIONS: Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama | RE-DRAFT: Drake London, WR, USC | The 22-year-old has shown tremendous ability with the Falcons despite the team’s inconsistent play at QB, having surpassed two-time All-Pro Julio Jones for the most receptions (141) by a receiver through his first two seasons in franchise history. He’d become another explosive weapon for QB Jared Goff and likely impact an already dangerous Lions offense from day one. — Mike Santa Barbara
13. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia | RE-DRAFT: Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia | Analyst Brian Baldinger, a former NFL player, isn’t a fan, but a 6-foot-6, 336-pound defensive tackle with 4.78 speed is still too hard for the Eagles to resist. Even in a down year, Davis offers plenty of upside for a team that believes in building out from the trenches. — Bruce Ewing
14. BALTIMORE RAVENS: Kyle Hamilton, Safety, Notre Dame | RE-DRAFT: Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa | The Ravens stole Linderbaum with pick No. 25 but will gladly take him here with Kyle Hamilton already off the board. Linderbaum, who has allowed zero sacks this season, is already one of the NFL’s best centers and rightfully just earned his first Pro Bowl selection. — Aaron Becker
15. HOUSTON TEXANS: Kenyon Green, Guard, Texas A&M | RE-DRAFT: Cole Strange, Guard, Chattanooga | The interior offensive line is still an issue for the Texans, who’ve gotten just one season out of Green since drafting him (he was placed on season-ending injured reserve in August with a shoulder injury). Strange has allowed fewer pressures (45 to 47) and QB hits (four to 12) in two seasons with the Patriots than Green allowed in one with the Texans, and he’s only surrendered two more hurries and four more sacks despite playing in 12 more games. — Michael Gallagher
16. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS: Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State | RE-DRAFT: Bernhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan | After allowing the second-most sacks (65) in 2023, Washington desperately needs help along the offensive line. Rated by Pro Football Focus as the NFL’s fourth-best tackle and best from the 2022 draft, Raimann (a third-round pick of the Colts) would be a substantial upgrade over left tackle Cornelius Lucas. — Bruce Ewing
17. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS: Zion Johnson, OL Boston College | RE-DRAFT: Isaiah Pacheco, RB | The Chargers are 25th in the league in rushing yards (96.6), and Austin Ekeler had a career-low 3.5 yards per carry. Taking Pacheco -— whom the Chiefs selected with the 251st pick — would be smart; he had 935 yards rushing this season for Kansas City. — Clark Dalton
18. TENNESSEE TITANS: Treylon Burks, WR Arkansas | RE-DRAFT: George Pickens, WR, Georgia | Burks was supposed to be A.J. Brown 2.0, but thanks to a battle with asthma and a series of injuries, he has only 49 receptions and one touchdown. Pickens, meanwhile, has blossomed into a No. 1 WR for the Steelers, averaging close to 17 yards per reception. He is just 59 yards away from reaching 2,000 yards receiving, making him the perfect complement to DeAndre Hopkins in the Titans passing attack. — Michael Gallagher
19. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: Trevor Penning, OT Northern Iowa | RE-DRAFT: Tyler Smith, OL, Tulsa | Penning has disappointed through two seasons, limited by injuries in his first season and then benched this season after a rough start. The Saints were correct to pick an offensive lineman here, but they get the much more productive Smith, who effortlessly moved from left tackle to left guard this season for the Cowboys and only allowed one sack and 17 total pressures, per Pro Football Focus. — Eric Smithling
20. PITTSBURGH STEELERS: Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh | RE-DRAFT: Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State | Although Pickett has shown flashes of being a capable NFL quarterback, the Steelers opt out of drafting him as he has just 13 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions in 25 games. Instead, with George Pickens off the board, they’ll add to their future franchise quarterback’s arsenal with Dotson, who has 84 catches for 1,041 yards and 11 touchdowns through his first two seasons. — Aaron Becker
21. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington | RE-DRAFT: Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington | Kansas City made the right choice when it selected McDuffie, who’s becoming one of the best CBs in the league. Pro Football Focus gave him an 82.9 grade in 17 games this season, sixth at his position. — Clark Dalton
22. GREEN BAY PACKERS: Quay Walker, LB, Georgia | RE-DRAFT: Martin Emerson, CB, Mississippi State | The Packers already-suspect secondary could have a huge hole to fill with an $8 million roster bonus due to CB Jaire Alexander on March 20, and Emerson (Browns) fits the bill nicely as a replacement. In 2023, he was one of only seven corners to play 50 percent or more of their team’s snaps and allow zero touchdowns, and his 45.3 passer rating against was the second lowest in the NFL. — Mike Santa Barbara
23. BUFFALO BILLS: Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida | RE-DRAFT: Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State | Buffalo originally selected RB James Cook in the second round, but Hall’s superior talent warrants addressing the position earlier, especially since the team has averaged the fifth-most rushing yards in the NFL under OC Joe Brady (149.6). After suffering a torn ACL as a rookie, Hall (Jets) returned to form in 2023, amassing 1,584 all-purpose yards and nine total touchdowns while becoming the only NFL tailback with multiple 175-yard rushing performances. — Colum Dell
24. DALLAS COWBOYS: Tyler Smith, OT, Tulsa | RE-DRAFT: Tariq “Riq” Woolen, CB, Texas-San Antonio | Originally a fifth-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks, Woolen led the team with 16 passes defended in 2022 and tied for the NFL lead with six interceptions. His numbers were down in 2023 (two interceptions, 11 passes defended), but with 4.26 speed, the 6-foot-4 cornerback offers plenty of upside for defensive coordinator Dan Quinn’s defense. — Bruce Ewing
25. BALTIMORE RAVENS: Tyler Linderbaum, Center, Iowa | RE-DRAFT: Boye Mafe, Edge, Minnesota | The Ravens have invested a couple of second-round picks (David Ojabo and Odafe Oweh) in their defensive line over the past few years, but neither has panned out yet. Mafe would instantly become the team’s best pass-rusher — he had nine sacks this season for Seattle. — Aaron Becker
26. NEW YORK JETS: Jermaine Johnson II, DE, Florida State | RE-DRAFT: George Karlaftis, DE, Purdue | While Johnson has emerged as a key component of the stout Jets defensive line in his second season, Karlaftis has been more productive for the reigning Super Bowl champion Chiefs. The 6-foot-4, 263-pounder generated 64 pressures and 10.5 sacks this season, which ranked second and third, respectively, among second-year edge-rushers. — Colum Dell
27. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah | RE-DRAFT: Quay Walker, LB, Georgia | Lloyd has been solid in the middle of Jacksonville’s defense (242 tackles, 15 passes defensed, four fumble recoveries, three interceptions), but Walker (Green Bay) has been just as good and the more productive sacker (four to zero). Additionally, Walker is more versatile and better than Lloyd in coverage. — Michael Gallagher
28. GREEN BAY PACKERS: Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia | RE-DRAFT: Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State: Watson has only played in 23 of 34 games due to injury, but he’s flashed No. 1 wideout potential, which the Packers will need with the emergence of quarterback Jordan Love. Despite the small sample size, Watson — whom Green Bay selected in the second round in 2022 — ranks 12th in yards per reception (15) and 10th in touchdowns (12) among WRs who’ve played 23 or more games over the past two seasons, per Stathead. — Mike Santa Barbara
29. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: Cole Strange, Guard, Tennessee-Chattanooga | RE-DRAFT: Kyren Williams, RB, Notre Dame | The 2022 NFL Draft marked the fourth time in five years the Patriots selected at least one running back, but they’ll correct their mistakes of taking Pierre Strong and Kevin Harris by picking Williams. After an underwhelming rookie season, Williams broke out in 2023 for the Rams, finishing third in the NFL in rushing yards (1,114) and total touchdowns (15) despite playing just 12 games. — Colum Dell
30. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: George Karlaftis, DE, Purdue | RE-DRAFT: Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State | With Karlaftis off the board, Kansas City — which finished with the league’s most drops (44) — should select a dependable pass-catcher and find Travis Kelce’s successor. In 16 games, McBride — whom the Cardinals selected with the 55th pick — set career highs in receptions (81), receiving yards (825) and receiving TDs (three). — Clark Dalton
31. CINCINNATI BENGALS: Daxton Hill, Safety, Michigan | RE-DRAFT: Kenneth Walker III, RB, Michigan State | The Bengals may have already considered moving on from RB Joe Mixon, who has faced off-the-field issues and may be past his prime (he’ll be 28 in July). Drafting Walker III, who’s rushed for 1,955 yards and 17 touchdowns over the past two seasons for Seattle, will help them do exactly that and get cheaper at an undervalued position. — Aaron Becker
32. MINNESOTA VIKINGS: Lewis Cine, Safety, Georgia | RE-DRAFT: James Cook, RB, Georgia | Ranked 29th in rushing (91.4 YPG), the Vikings could use a dependable, versatile back who’s also adept as a receiver. The 24-year-old Bills RB earned his first 1,000-yard season (1,122) and Pro Bowl nod this season, ranked 10th in the NFL in touches (281) and sixth in scrimmage yards (1,567). — Mike Santa Barbara