EDGEs Drafted in the 2022 NFL Draft

Which EDGEs were drafted in the 2022 NFL Draft? Which teams drafted those EDGEs, and how does the 2022 class compare to previous years?

Which EDGEs Were Drafted in the 2022 NFL Draft?

Let’s take a look at the EDGEs drafted in the 2022 NFL Draft. The position got off to a fast start, with three players selected inside the top five picks. However, we then surprisingly had to wait for 21 selections for the next player to come off the board at the position.

Travon Walker, Georgia | Round 1, Pick 1 | Jacksonville Jaguars

A few weeks prior to the event, on our show Draft Insiders, Tony Pauline told Trey Wingo and me that the Jaguars were seriously considering taking Travon Walker at No. 1 overall.

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Caesars Sportsbook later admitted to Wingo that that report moved the odds in Walker’s favor, making him the favorite to be selected first overall. It was the right call, as the Jaguars called his name out to kick off the 2022 NFL Draft.

Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan | Round 1, Pick 2 | Detroit Lions

Aidan Hutchinson had been the betting favorite to go first overall throughout the pre-draft process. Ultimately, he would be the second player selected in the draft, staying in the state of Michigan to play for the Detroit Lions, where he would finish second in the Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.

Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon | Round 1, Pick 5 | New York Giants

Kayvon Thibodeaux was the consensus best player in the draft during the 2022-2023 college football season. His stock slipped a bit during the pre-draft process as reports about his work ethic and maturity began to trickle out. He became the third edge rusher taken in the top five picks of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Jermaine Johnson II, Florida State | Round 1, Pick 26 | New York Jets

The fall we saw from Jermaine Johnson II on Day 1 of the 2022 NFL Draft was reported by Pauline as something to look out for, and it came to fruition. Johnson was someone expected to go in the top part of the first round and a player with top-10 talent. Various reasons led to his slide until the Jets selected him at the bottom of the first round.

George Karlaftis, Purdue | Round 1, Pick 30 | Kansas City Chiefs

George Karlaftis experienced a bit of a slide of his own during the first round. He was not an elite athlete, but he was considered a high-motor player, giving 110% effort on every rep, game, or practice. That may have made up for his lackluster final two seasons of college football, getting him drafted at the bottom of Round 1.

Round 2-7

6) Arnold Ebeketie, Penn State
Round2, Pick38 | Falcons

7) Boye Mafe, Minnesota
Round 2, Pick 40 | Seahawks

8) David Ojabo, Michigan
Round 2, Pick 45 | Ravens

9) Josh Paschal, Kentucky
Round 2, Pick 46 | Lions

10) Sam Williams, Ole Miss
Round 2, Pick 56 | Cowboys

11) Drake Jackson, USC
Round 2, Pick 61 | 49ers

12) Alex Wright, UAB
Round 3, Pick 78 | Browns

13) Cameron Thomas, San Diego State
Round 3, Pick 87 | Cardinals

14) Myjai Sanders, Cincinnati
Round 3, Pick 100 | Cardinals

15) Micheal Clemons, Texas A&M
Round 4, Pick 117 | Jets

16) Tyreke Smith, Ohio State
Round 5, Pick 158 | Seahawks

17) Esezi Otomewo, Minnesota
Round 5, Pick 165 | Vikings

18) Dominique Robinson, Miami (OH)
Round 5, Pick 174 | Bears

19) Kingsley Enagbare, South Carolina
Round 5, Pick 179 | Packers

20) Kyron Johnson, Kansas
Round 6, Pick 181 | Eagles

21) Amaré Barno, Virginia Tech
Round 6, Pick 189 | Panthers

22) Isaiah Thomas, Oklahoma
Round 7, Pick 223 | Browns

23) Daniel Hardy, Montana State
Round 7, Pick 235 | Rams

24) Jeffrey Gunter, Coastal Carolina
Round 7, Pick 252 | Bengals

25) Jesse Luketa, Penn State
Round 7, Pick 256 | Cardinals

How Many EDGEs Were Drafted In 2022?

25 EDGEs were drafted during the 2022 NFL Draft. It is hard to compare this number historically, as players are often classified as defensive ends or linebackers. Edge defenders are a premium position in the NFL as teams look to stack pass rushers. The 2022 NFL Draft lacked quarterbacks, so it was the EDGEs that filled the void.

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With five EDGE prospects selected in the first round and three in the top five, it was the second time that feat had occurred in the past five years. However, it just fell short of the six defensive ends selected in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft.