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Special Interest: NFL Offseason: The Draft

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Spotlight Image: Special Interest: NFL Offseason: The Draft

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Written by Newspaper Staff Reporter Derek Oliveros

The NFL offseason is an ongoing process throughout the months of March and April. One of the major components of the offseason is the NFL Draft, where teams use intelligence gathered from months' worth of scouting and whatever draft capital they have accumulated to add top college prospects to their team.

The first important event for the draft happened on February fifth, when the Senior Bowl took place. The Senior Bowl is a game where NFL Draft prospects at the end of their college eligibility can show off their skills in front of NFL coaches. The next important event that has happened is the NFL Scouting Combine. Taking place from March first to the seventh, the NFL Combine is an event where the top NFL draft prospects are invited to Lucas Oil Stadium to show off their physical abilities in front of an audience of NFL scouts and coaches. 

Now that the combine has concluded, this upcoming draft class looks to have many prospects that can impact the game right when they step on the field, with most of the best being defensive players. The two top prospects in this class are Kayvon Thibodaux from Oregon and Adien Hutchinson from Michigan, both extremely athletic edge rushers. There are also many versatile defensive backs in the upcoming draft class, with some of the top players being Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton, Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, and LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. A defensive back that’s stock has raised since the combine is Baylor’s Kalon Barnes, who ran a 4.23 second 40-yard dash, the second fastest time in NFL Combine history. The University of Georgia’s historical 2021 defense is reflected in how many top defensive prospects they have in this year's draft, with the best being edge rusher Trayvon Walker and defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Devontae Wyatt.

On the offensive side, there is another strong duo of draft prospects coming from the other side of the trenches, with the two offensive tackles Evan Neal from Alabama and Ikem Ekwonu from North Carolina State showing traits similar to that of the top tackles in the league. Wide receiver is another position to look out for, with the top few being Treylon Burks from Arkansas, Drake London from USC, Jameson Williams from Alabama, and Chris Olave and Garret Wilson, both from Ohio State. Although this draft class does not have the flashy quarterback as those in draft classes over the past few years, Liberty’s Malik Willis, Pitt’s Kenny Pickett, Ole Miss quarterback Matt Coral, and North Carolina’s Sam Howell could all be taken somewhere in the first round by quarterback needy teams. The teams that could take a shot for one of these quarterbacks are the Steelers, the Panthers, and after a shock trade of long-time quarterback Russel Wilson, the Seahawks.

The NFL Draft is always exciting, and with the caliber of prospects in the 2022 draft class, this one looks to be no different. The 2022 NFL Draft will start on Thursday, April 28th with the first round, and continue until Saturday, April 30th.


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