Two weeks before the start of the 2022 draft, the NFL has announced which prospects will attend the event in person, with NFL Media on Thursday unveiling a list of 21 college football stars set to be on hand at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada. Below, you’ll find a full rundown of those prospects, as well as takeaways from the list:
Prospects set to attend 2022 NFL Draft
- QB Malik Willis (Liberty)
- QB Matt Corral (Ole Miss)
- WR Garrett Wilson (Ohio State)
- WR Jameson Williams (Alabama)
- WR Drake London (USC)
- WR Chris Olave (Ohio State)
- OT Evan Neal (Alabama)
- OT Ikem Ekwonu (NC State)
- OT Charles Cross (Mississippi State)
- OG Zion Johnson (Boston College)
- DE Aidan Hutchinson (Michigan)
- DE Kayvon Thibodeaux (Oregon)
- DE Jermaine Johnson II (Florida State)
- DE George Karlaftis (Purdue)
- DT Jordan Davis (Georgia)
- DT Devonte Wyatt (Georgia)
- LB Devin Lloyd (Utah)
- LB Nakobe Dean (George)
- CB Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner (Cincinnati)
- CB Kyler Gordon (Washington)
- S Kyle Hamilton (Notre Dame)
Takeaways from list of attendees
- Just because someone is attending (by accepting the NFL’s invitation) doesn’t mean they are guaranteed to be a first-round pick. The NFL generally invites players expected to be picked early, but in-person prospects have waited until Day Two before.
- The most notable takeaway is probably the absence of one name: QB Kenny Pickett, from Pittsburgh. Plenty consider Pickett to be the most NFL-ready QB of the class, and he’s been a popular mock-draft selection of the Panthers, at No. 6 overall, but his omission suggests one of two things, or both: 1.) he’d rather celebrate his NFL entry at home; 2.) he and his team think it’s very possible he could slide down — or even out of — the first round.
- By contrast, Corral’s onsite presence could bode well for his chances of going early. In a QB class with such varied grades, the Ole Miss product at least appears confident he will be a Day One selection. CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson has Corral ranked as the top signal-caller of the class, and it’s possible he could go as high as No. 6 (Panthers) or No. 9 (Seahawks).
- Four different wide receivers and pass rushers is a good indication of the early-round depth at those positions.
- Kyler Gordon may deserve more buzz among mock drafts, being the only corner besides Sauce Gardner on the list. Other cover men, like LSU’s Derek Stingley Jr. and fellow Washington product Trent McDuffie, have been regular first-round projections, along with Clemson’s Andrew Booth.
