The dust has settled on the 2022 NFL Draft, and we’re all deep into our analysis of NFL rosters left and right as teams start shifting gears towards the summer. Since the quarterback position is such a premium position in the NFL, it’s always going to be under the microscope in the NFL Draft, and this year was no different despite this being a consensus “not good” quarterback class. Some called this class underwhelming, and ultimately, the draft played out as though the entire NFL found it underwhelming as well. I was shocked. I think there’s a ton of potential among this group – maybe they don’t all pan out, but I think there’s a good chance that at least a couple of these guys turn into solid starters at the NFL level.
Kenny Pickett was the only guy to go in the first round, and given the quarterback situation that the Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves in, I think it’s safe to assume that he’s got the inside track to the starting job. Logically speaking, he’s probably going to be the first guy out of this class to start, and I’d imagine we see him pretty early on in 2022 unless Mitchell Trubisky just lights the world on fire (and he could, but that’s a different hot take for a different day). We’re going to remove Pickett from this conversation and explore which of the following four quarterbacks selected will have the earliest shot at a starting role with his respective team (this is in alphabetical order, by the way).
Matt Corral – I love Corral’s game. I understand the apprehension in selecting him and hitching the wagon to him to be the future franchise guy because of his injury history and the offense he played in at Ole Miss. It was simple – a lot of one-read-and-go kind of stuff. But, there were examples of him making reads and throwing into NFL windows on tape, and that told me that he’s at least capable of such plays. I love his athleticism, and I love his moxie. He’s a tough guy that wants to win, and he has plenty of arm talent to do it. That’s why he was my QB1 in this draft class. He landed with the Carolina Panthers, where they still find themselves looking for the quarterback of the future. Corral’s biggest competition will be Sam Darnold. Yep.
Sam Howell – Howell sliding into the 5th round was a shock. I thought he had a chance to sneak into the back third of the first round, and yet the Washington Commanders got him late…great value. Howell might’ve had the most consistent arm in this class, and I thought he was the best touch passer among the bunch. He’s an underrated dual threat, and like Corral, he’s just a gamer. Howell’s entering a situation that feels a little more set in stone than Corral’s. Washington is going to give Carson Wentz ample opportunity, so it could be 2023 before we’re even remotely entertaining the idea of Howell pushing for a starting job.
Desmond Ridder – The Atlanta Falcons shocked the football world when they made Ridder the second quarterback selected in this draft class. Ridder was a guy who was rising up draft boards in the weeks approaching the draft for his intangibles and intelligence. While a lot of folks called him ‘NFL ready,’ I felt it more appropriate to qualify that statement by saying ‘NFL ready from the neck up.’ Here’s my hot take: the Falcons are going to be halfway decent, and Marcus Mariota landed in a situation with a coach in Arthur Smith who knows how to harness his strengths. He’ll hold onto the starting job longer than people think as Ridder takes the time to develop.
Malik Willis – I love the value that the Tennessee Titans got in selecting Willis in the third round, but of all these rookies, Willis has the most established guy in front of him. Ryan Tannehill isn’t the most popular guy in Nashville right now, but he’s still a damn good quarterback and gives the Titans the best shot at a Super Bowl in 2022. Willis most definitely has the highest ceiling of any of these quarterbacks, but he also has plenty to iron out. It could be 2024 before we see him in meaningful NFL action (barring an injury, of course).
Final verdict: I think all of these guys will get ample opportunity to push for a starting job on their respective teams at some point. For me, the answer as to who is going to get the first shot is pretty easily Corral. He’s heading into the least stable quarterback situation (I’m out on Darnold after being a Darnold defender in 2021) on a team that is going to lose early and look for a spark, such as a quarterback change, to turn their season around. Corral can do it – he’s more NFL-ready than people are giving him credit for, and he has a wealth of talent.
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Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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