This new section highlights which players have improved or worsened their 2022 NFL Draft stock as the draft approaches.
By Charlie Campbell.
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2022 NFL Draft Stock Up
Demarvion Overshown, LB, Texas Overshown could be one of the top linebacker prospects for the 2022 NFL Draft, and he played like it against Oklahoma. On the first third down for the Texas defense, Overshown blitzed up the middle to sack Sooners quarterback Spencer Rattler and get his defense off the field. On the very next play, Overshown exploded through the line again to block a punt that set up Texas at the Oklahoma two-yard line.
Things wern’t all good for Overshown, as the next drive saw Kennedy Brooks run through him, and that missed tackle allowed Oklahoma to run for the first down. Overshown came back to make a tough tackle in the hole on Brooks. Midway through the second quarter, Overshown was around the ball and was in place to pounce on a fumble by Rattler to pick up a big turnover for the Longhorns.
In the second half against Oklahoma, Overshown made a nice run tackle near the line of scrimmage, and he later flew to the flat to make an open-field tackle on a wide receiver screen. Inside the Texas 20, Overshown flew to the perimeter to get a tackle for a loss.
Overshown’s performance against the Sooners will help his draft stock, as he showed the speed to fly around the field, quality diagnostic skills to read his keys to flow to the ball, and instincts for some big plays. Overshown could stand to get stronger to defend downhill runs straight at him because he is better in pursuit rather than stacking in the box. Team sources have said some of Overshown’s tape includes ugly plays on which he was run over in the ground game with downhill runs coming at him. Overshown, however, has some pass-coverage ability and could become a three-down starter in the NFL. Overall, the tape against Texas could help Overshown end up as an early-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas Burks is one of the top receiver prospects for the 2022 NFL Draft, and he showed why with a huge second half against Ole Miss over the weekend. The Rebels did a nice job of holding him to shorter receptions for gains that totaled in the 20s early on, but the Razorbacks finally started giving Burks opportunities in the second half, and he rewarded his quarterback with a trio of huge catches.
In the third quarter on back-to-back plays, Burks made superb leaping catches over the cornerback to set up an Arkansas touchdown. Those two receptions were each for 37 yards and showed his combination of size, strength and agility, which combine to help him make circus catches along the sideline. Shortly later, Burks found the end zone on a 20-yard touchdown. He caught a wide receiver screen at the line of scrimmage and turned the corner to run down the sideline for the score. Burks finished with seven receptions for 136 yards and a touchdown against Ole Miss.
For the next level, Burks is more of a possessional receiver. He has mismatch size to out position defensive backs, is tough after the catch, runs good routes, and has strong, massive hands to help him control the ball on acrobatic catches. While he is not a blazer, he has the ability to get some late separation at times. Separating from NFL defensive backs what concerns evaluators, but Burks has starter ability for the next level. He could be a pick in the back half of the first round or the second round in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Kenneth Walker III, RB, Michigan State Walker has been on fire to open 2021, and his season of domination continued against Rutgers last Saturday when he ripped off 232 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries. Thus far in 2021, he is averaging 7.1 yards per carry for 913 yards and has nine touchdowns. He has four receptions for 30 yards and a score as well. Walker could help himself by displaying more receiving ability. Walker had three receptions as of early October, which matched his reception totals from each of the previous two seasons. Beyond the pass-catching question, there is no doubt that Walker has a strong build alongside some quickness and is enjoying a breakout year.
Jayden Reed, WR, Michigan State Along with Walker, Reed is having a breakout season for the Spartans. Reed has been a steady source of big plays for Michigan State, putting together a ridiculous 21.4 yards-per-reception average over 23 catches – via 492 yards – and scoring five touchdowns. The 6-foot, 185-pounder has shown the speed to break off long receptions and has been a weapon on special teams, as well, taking two punt returns to the house. Reed is putting himself on the radar of scouts with his 2021 season.
Wil McDonald IV, DE, Iowa State Team sources rave about McDonald’s pass-rush ability and his natural skills at getting after the quarterback. McDonald is fast and athletic at getting past blockers and puts steady heat on the signal-caller. NFL evaluators, however, say McDonald (6-4, 245) is terrible versus the run and even bad opponents can destroy him in the ground game. Thereby, he might end up more of a designated pass rusher as a pro. In 2021 has 10 tackles and 3.5 sacks so far this season. In 2020, he collected 10.5 sacks and 33 tackles after recording six sacks in 2019. Despite his weak run defense, McDonald’s pass-rush ability has him rising into second-day consideration for the 2022 NFL Draft.
Perrion Winfrey, DT, Oklahoma Winfrey is a talented defensive lineman, but the Sooners aren’t doing a good job of letting him show what he is capable of. Throughout this season, they had the speedy and athletic Winfrey playing a lot of nose tackle as a zero-technique, when he is at his best using his speed to fire a gap and cause havoc in the backfield. Against Texas, however, Winfrey was allowed to get upfield, and he was a disruptive force behind the line of scrimmage.
In the second quarter against Texas, Winfrey bull rushed through guard Derek Kerstetter to sack the quarterback. Winfrey followed that up with a couple of other pressures and near-sacks, showing off his speed to close, and one of his pressures forced a third-down throwaway that got the ball back for the Oklahoma offense.
In 2021, Winfrey has shown that he is a dangerous interior pass rusher, which is a tough commodity to find. If he continues to rack up sacks, he could rise high into the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft thanks to his rare interior rush ability.
Nick Bonitto, OLB, Oklahoma Bonitto is a dangerous edge rusher who has produced a lot of heat on the quarterback over the past couple of seasons. He has four sacks and 16 tackles so far this season. As a sophomore, Bonitto collected 32 tackles, 8.5 sacks and two passes batted. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Bonitto is a tweener who needs to get stronger and become a better run defender for the NFL. Team sources say Bonitto is fast, athletic, instinctive, and has serious pass-rush talent. He is not all that physical, however, and he doesn’t play the run well.
Area scouts say Bonitto is undersized and has to show he can play in the stack. Some area scouts say they expect him to test well, but they have concerns about his football I.Q. and background. They feel Bonitto is a tweener end/linebacker. Some scouts like Bonitto, but are not in love. Others think Bonitto might be a good fit to be a hybrid linebacker edge rusher, similar to Haason Reddick or Micah Parsons.
2022 NFL Draft Stock Down
Amaré Barno, DE, Virginia Tech Team sources said they have been disappointed with how Barno has played this year. They believe Barno may be protecting himself and think he is not playing with the same tenacity that he displayed in 2020. Barno has not been a good run defender this season, and his lack of strength is problematic for him to become a three-down starter at the next level. NFL sources call Barno a leggy guy who gets pushed around and doesn’t have power. He had first-round potential, but some teams are projecting him to Day 2 or possibly the mid-rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Jermaine Waller, CB, Virginia Tech Waller was a riser here a week ago, but after speaking with more NFL evaluators, Waller is a love/hate prospect from source to source. Those who love Waller see a corner with excellent ball skills, some length, and quickness. Those sources who don’t like Waller see a corner who is too thin, needs to get stronger, and gets pushed around and boxed out at the catch point. Waller has been among the nation’s leaders in interceptions and breakups, but playing tougher and getting stronger will be important for his draft grade.
Spencer Rattler, QB, Oklahoma Rattler’s play has underwhelmed this season, and that was given an exclamation point in the 2021 Red River Rivalry game. Rattler really struggled versus the Longhorns and was eventually benched for freshman quarterback Caleb Williams. The Texas game could be a crushing blow to Rattler’s draft stock for the 2022 or 2023 NFL Draft.
In the first quarter, Rattler scored a two-yard touchdown on a zone-read play where he dove into the end zone in front of a few defenders. On the next drive, Rattler had a miscommunication with his tight end, who broke to the outside when Rattler thought he was going to cut to the inside. That led to the ball floating to a safety for an interception.
Rattler’s next drive was ugly as well, as he missed an open receiver downfield with an overthrow and then took a coverage sack on third down. Rattler was pulled for Caleb Williams on fourth-and-1, and Williams raced for a long touchdown run. Rattler later came back to complete a big throw on a trick play. On that drive though, Rattler was lucky an interception was dropped, and on the next Oklahoma possession, Rattler was stripped of the ball on zone-read run, which set up Texas near midfield. Williams took over for the Sooners after that, leaving Rattler on the bench as Oklahoma put together a legendary comeback. Rattler came in to throw a two-point conversion that tied the game at 41 midway through the fourth quarter, but otherwise, Williams was the player who engineered the comeback while Rattler watched.
Against Texas, Rattler completed 8-of-15 passes for 111 yards and an interception. He also lost a fumble and rushed for a score. Overall, his performance against the Longhorns reinforces the ball-security concerns that appeared in other games this season. Rattler seemed to get rattled by Texas and didn’t respond well to playing from a deficit after Texas jumped out to a big lead with 38 points in the first half. Rattler did not seem to be seeing the field well as a passer and displayed poor ball security. Oklahoma was energized when Rattler was benched, and the way the Sooners responded without him is a real indictment of Rattler.
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