1 of 5 | Michigan's David Ojabo (55) is one of the top remaining prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft. File Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI |
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LAS VEGAS, April 29 (UPI) -- Defenders Nakobe Dean and David Ojabo, running back Breece Hall and several quarterbacks are among UPI senior sports writer Alex Butler's top available prospects on Day 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft on Friday in Las Vegas.
Second-round coverage will start at 7 p.m. EDT on ESPN, NFL Network and ABC. Third-round coverage will follow on the same networks. The final four rounds of the draft will air Saturday.
Trades highlighted the first day of the draft Thursday and reshuffled the selection order in the second round.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers now have the No. 33 overall selection and are scheduled to launch the second round. The Minnesota Vikings, Tennessee Titans, New York Giants and Houston Texans also have Top 5 picks in the second round.
Just one quarterback, Kenny Pickett from Pittsburgh, was selected in the first round. Malik Willis from Liberty, Matt Corral from Mississippi and Desmond Ridder from Cincinnati were among the other quarterbacks who were expected first-round selections.
Several of those top passers should be picked in the second or third round.
No running backs were picked on Day 1. Iowa State's Breece Hall, Michigan State's Kenneth Walker III, Texas A&M's Isaiah Spiller and Georgia's James Cook are among the top prospects at the position.
Western Michigan's Skyy Moore, North Dakota State's Christian Watson, Georgia's George Pickens and Alabama's John Metchie III are among the top wide receivers still available. Six wide receivers were selected in the first round.
Here are my top overall targets for Day 2:
Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia
The 5-foot-11 linebacker was an expected Day 1 selection, but slipped out of the first round. Dean, an All-American at Georgia, could be a great fit as the second pick in the second round due to the Minnesota Vikings needs at linebacker.
The Tennessee Titans, New York Giants, Houston Texans and New York Jets also pick early and need depth at the position.
David Ojabo, Edge, Michigan
The 6-foot-4, 250-pound pass rusher was considered an easy first-round pick before he tore his Achilles at his pro day last month at Michigan. The second-team All-American played alongside No. 2 overall pick Aidan Hutchinson while with the Wolverines.
He totaled 11 sacks and a school-record five forced fumbles last season.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Minnesota Vikings, Texans, Chicago Bears and Seattle Seahawks are among the teams I expect to consider picking Ojabo on Friday.
Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State
Breece Hall is my favorite running back of the draft class. He drew comparisons to former Bears playmaker Matt Forte during the pre-draft process. The 5-foot-11, 217-pound running back would be a great fit for the Atlanta Falcons, Arizona Cardinals or Cincinnati Bengals on Friday or Saturday.
Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss
Corral drew first-round projections throughout the draft process, but didn't hear his name called Thursday in Las Vegas.
The 6-foot-2, 212-pound passer will likely compete with former Liberty quarterback Malik Willis to be the first quarterback taken Friday.
Corral would be undersized as an NFL quarterback, but his production in college made him into a stellar prospect.
The Lions, Texans, Panthers, Falcons and Seahawks all pick in the Top 10 on Friday and each team needs a quarterback.
Malik Willis, QB, Liberty
I expected Willis to be the first quarterback selected Thursday, but the former Liberty star slipped out of the first round. Willis is arguably the most athletic quarterback in the class, with great movement as a runner and a strong arm.
The 6-foot, 219-pound quarterback also is a bit undersized, but his athletic upside could provide a great boost for any offense.
I think his best landing spot would be with the Seahawks, but several other franchises will likely target Willis in the second round.
Bernhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan
Raimann, a 6-foot-6, 303-pound offensive tackle, should be the first offensive lineman to come off the board Friday.
The Jaguars, Jets, Steelers, Titans, Packers, Cardinals and Colts are among the teams I expect to target Raimann in the second round.
Honorable mentions: Boye Mafe, Edge, Minnesota; Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson; Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington; Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State; Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State; Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan
Draft order
Second round
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2. Minnesota Vikings
3. Tennessee Titans
4. New York Giants
5. Houston Texans
6. New York Jets
7. Chicago Bears
8. Seattle Seahawks
9. Seattle Seahawks
10. Indianapolis Colts
11. Atlanta Falcons
12. Cleveland Browns
13. Baltimore Ravens
14. Detroit Lions
15. Washington Commanders
16. Chicago Bears
17. New Orleans Saints
18. Kansas City Chiefs
19. Philadelphia Eagles
20. Pittsburgh Steelers
21. Green Bay Packers
22. New England Patriots
23. Arizona Cardinals
24. Dallas Cowboys
25. Buffalo Bills
26. Atlanta Falcons
27. Green Bay Packers
28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
29. San Francisco 49ers
30. Kansas City Chiefs
31. Cincinnati Bengals
32. Denver Broncos
Third round
1. Jacksonville Jaguars
2. Minnesota Vikings
3. New York Giants
4. Houston Texans
5. Tennessee Titans
6. Jacksonville Jaguars
7. Chicago Bears
8. Seattle Seahawks
9. Indianapolis Colts
10. Atlanta Falcons
11. Denver Broncos
12. Baltimore Ravens
13. Minnesota Vikings
14. Cleveland Browns
15. Los Angeles Chargers
16. Houston Texans
17. New York Giants
18. Atlanta Falcons
19. Philadelphia Eagles
20. Pittsburgh Steelers
21. New England Patriots
22. Las Vegas Raiders
23. Arizona Cardinals
24. Dallas Cowboys
25. Buffalo Bills
26. Tennessee Titans
27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
28. Green Bay Packers
29. San Francisco 49ers
30. New England Patriots
31. Cincinnati Bengals
32. Denver Broncos
33. Detroit Lions
34. Washington Commanders
35. Cleveland Browns
36. Arizona Cardinals
37. New York Jets
38. Miami Dolphins
39. Kansas City Chiefs
40. Los Angeles Rams
41. San Francisco 49ers