2022 NFL Draft Prospects: Consensus big board, rankings, and more

We’ve made it to the 2022 NFL Draft, and our final ranking of the top prospects is here. It’s something we take very seriously at Pro Football Network. Our draft process isn’t just crafted in the NFL’s offseason, nor is it thrown together based on one facet or grading system. Instead, the PFN Big Board of the Top 300 NFL Draft prospects is the culmination of a carefully thought-out process of player rankings, starting as early as five years ago when these players first set foot on college campuses.

The PFN Big Board takes into account everything a draft prospect has to offer, including on-field performance, off-field character, and everything in between. It also takes into account rankings from PFN’s team of analysts — Cam Mellor, Ian Cummings, Oliver Hodgkinson, and Tony Pauline — to create one consensus 2022 NFL Draft Big Board.

Who should your team target? What positions are the most stacked? Browse our full database, complete with scouting reports for the prospects the PFN Draft Team has studied at an even more in-depth level.

PFN’S Consensus Top Five NFL Draft Prospects

Here are our consensus top five players in the 2022 NFL Draft as of April 27, 2022. This consensus has been decided based on the average rankings from our team of analysts.

1) Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame

There’s a new top player on our big board as Kyle Hamilton takes over the top spot. Safeties usually aren’t coveted at the top of drafts, so the likelihood he is selected in the top five picks remains slim. That is no indictment of his talent, as Hamilton is an elite prospect. He flies around in coverage, closes space in the air, and brings the lumber in the run game. Hamilton can play a bevy of positions in the NFL and brings an elite level of play to any role. A movable chess piece on defense, Hamilton will transform his NFL defense.

2) Jermaine Johnson II, EDGE, Florida State

Bah Gawd, that’s Jermaine Johnson II‘s music! Johnson enters the top five in dramatic fashion as he vaults all the way to No. 2 overall. The Florida State prospect rallied in his lone year in Tallahassee, winning ACC Defensive Player of the Year and wowing in the process. Johnson has the class’ best motor and tremendous upside. His wear and tear is far less than the others in this class, and his lone season as an impact pass rusher was among the most dominant we’ve seen in some time.

3) Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon

Remaining in the top five, Kayvon Thibodeaux continues his place at or near the top of prospect rankings in the 2022 NFL Draft. Thibodeaux possesses every trait you’d expect a violent pass rusher to have. He also has terrific instincts in all facets and an ability to crash down the line of scrimmage in run defense. Thibodeaux is an athletic monster with vicious power, a truly rare combination.

4) Evan Neal, OT, Alabama

In an era of football where left tackles are coveted, Evan Neal is a rare breed. Neal comes fully equipped with fast, strong hands, a massive frame, and a better base. He’s huge at  6’7″, 337 pounds, but he moves like a nimble linebacker. The top tackle on the board, Neal is destined for a decade-plus of All-Pro caliber play at an integral position in today’s NFL.

5) Ikem Ekwonu, OT, NC State

A powerful man, NC State’s Ikem Ekwonu vaults into the fifth spot on our consensus board. It seems like a lifetime ago that he was considered a guard for the 2022 NFL Draft. After a dominant 2021 season, Ekwonu more than showcased his ability to stymy pass rushers and maul defenders in the run game. He’s a violent blocker who plays ultra-light on his feet and possesses intense technical skills.

[Director’s Note] The late offseason injury to Michigan EDGE David Ojabo shook up our latest draft big board. However, the job of draft analysts is to study the prospects for their future play in the NFL, not just their place on mock drafts.

As such, Ojabo still lands in our top 10, as his untapped potential and linear growth since he started playing the game in 2017 is perhaps the best in this class. Ojabo will be a dominant professional football player once he returns to form, and for that reason, he remains one of our top prospects available in the 2022 NFL Draft. 

2022 NFL Draft Big Board | PFN Consensus