New regimes often take over situations that need an injection of fresh blood and talent. One of the safest bets entering the draft was the Minnesota Vikings exploring trades in the first round.
The most shocking free fall was that of Liberty quarterback Malik Willis. He fits the mold of recent high draft picks such as Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson as incredible athletes with great arm strength.
The Arizona Cardinals needed to solidify their receiving corps. And they did just that with a sure thing. Trading for Marquise "Hollywood" Brown and the No. 100 overall pick in exchange for the No. 23 overall pick was a home run.
In 2021, the Detroit Lions lacked playmakers on both sides of the ball beyond their running backs and rookie receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. This draft haul clearly focused on changing that.
The Kansas City Chiefs justly received criticism for their lack of free-agency moves. Losing star receiver Tyreek Hill and cornerback Charvarius Ward without acquiring similarly talented players afterward created uncertainty as to whether the Chiefs were going to take a sizable step backward.
No one should be surprised to see the New York Jets named as the 2022 NFL draft's biggest winner after pulling off a haul with four players often mocked in the first round. General manager Joe Douglas addressed key needs on both sides of the ball without giving up future assets.
The other hands-down winner of the 2022 draft along with the New York Jets was the Philadelphia Eagles. The first round started well enough with a trade up (from No. 15 to No. 13) to secure massive defensive tackle Jordan Davis from Georgia.