The 2021 calendar just flipped to December and there’s still a number of weeks left in the NFL regular season, but it’s never too early to talk about the upcoming 2022 draft. With the college football season coming to an end, save for bowl games and the College Football Playoff, analysts are taking stock of the group of players set to turn pro.
However, this incoming NFL draft class is a bit strange in the sense that there’s one notable position that seems to be lacking top-end talent: quarterback.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, there is belief around the league that the 2022 NFL Draft might not have a quarterback selected in the top 10 picks. The last time that happened was in 2013.
“This could be a draft people around the league believe that could not have a QB picked in the top 10 picks for the first time since 2013,” Schefter said on ESPN’s NFL Countdown on Sunday. “Some of the top prospects, Matt Corral, Malik Willis, Kenny Pickett, but the fact of the matter is players like Aidan Hutchinson at Michigan and Kayvon Thibodeaux at Oregon are expected to be some of the top picks in this draft, driving down the value of the quarterbacks, which is rare.”
"This could be a draft people around the league believe that could not have a QB picked in the top 10 picks for the first time since 2013."
—@AdamSchefter on the 2022 NFL draft pic.twitter.com/gmsEGK3zJo
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) December 5, 2021
Over the past few months, there’s been increasing speculation about NFL teams being hesitant about this year’s quarterback class. However, the notion that no signal callers would be taken in the top 10 is still fairly shocking.
Fans and media members tried to make sense of Schefter’s 2020 NFL Draft update on Sunday. While many concurred that this quarterback class is fairly weak when it comes to top options, others found it hard to believe that all of the team with picks in the top 10 would let this year’s group of signal callers pass them by.
This is absolutely true. There isn’t a “franchise” QB prospect in the class. If evaluators/team builders aren’t influenced by need, there shouldn’t be a QB rated as a top 10 player in this class. Scouts need to keep it 💯 in meetings to avoid over-drafting a good, not great QB https://t.co/ymMkWg0TK8
— Bucky Brooks (@BuckyBrooks) December 5, 2021
Not great for the #Jets if true, but we’ve got a long time between now and the #NFLDraft to build up hype for QBs! https://t.co/6iOUAB4yG6
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) December 5, 2021
As I have been saying for a while now, the 2022 QB class is very watered down. #Steelers #NFL https://t.co/gZ29eA20V2
— Steelers Depot 🎅🎄🎁 (@Steelersdepot) December 5, 2021
Will be surprised if I even give out more than 1 round one grade.
Still would bet quite a bit of money that at least 3-4 go in the first round, though. Too many teams need them. https://t.co/mDFB0h5JAv
— Derrick (@Steelers_DB) December 5, 2021
It’s worth noting that a number of NFL teams will need to address the quarterback position once the 2021 season is out, which will certainly affect the thought processes for the clubs picking in the top 10. With months still to go until the 2022 NFL Draft, there’s plenty of time for the hype around the quarterbacks to build.
Time will tell how the situation develops before next April.
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