The 2022 NFL Draft is over, but every football pundit is still talking about the historic night. The past few days have been pretty much busy in the league. We’ve seen interesting trade deals and also a couple of draft steals.
The NFL betting world was rocked with huge surprises as high-ranking prospects like Nakobe Dean and Malik Willis had to settle for a third-round selection. Quay Walker was drafted 22nd overall by the Green Bay Packers, which was way higher than many pundits projected. And who was expecting to hear Cole Strange’s name in the first round? Not many
Now that April is behind us, it will be interesting to see which teams improved the most with their picks. We’ve compiled a list of the top 3 teams that made the best selections and improved their roster after the 2022 NFL draft. Our ranking is based on teams’ needs and solid early and late-round picks.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles earn the top spot here. They’re going into the 2022/23 season with an improved offensive and defensive roster.
Philly traded four picks to the Texans to earn the 13th overall selection. They drafted Jordan Davis, a defensive tackle from the Georgia Bulldog football team who played a pivotal role in the program’s CFP National Championship run in 2021.
Davis registered 32 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks, which earned him the Chuck Bednarik Award plus First-Team All-SEC and First-Team All-American selections. With Super Bowl Champions Brandom Graham and Fletcher Cox leading the defense, Davis’ addition is a big plus for the Eagles.
Linebacker Nakobe Dean was a surprise third-round selection and will be joining his fellow Bulldog on the team. Many expected Dean to be a first-round pick, so it could come off as a big steal, especially if he stays healthy and replicates his college success at the grand stage.
The Eagles also received an offensive boost after trading two picks to acquire wide receiver A.J Brown from the Tennessee Titans. Brown, now entering his fourth season in the league, made the Pro Bowl in 2020 and will join forces with Jalen Hurts, Dallas Goedert, and Devonta Smith in the offense.
Baltimore Ravens
There’s no better list of most improved teams without the Ravens. They had 11 selections and were able to make the most of it.
Baltimore looks like one of the top teams to beat on paper. Their picks and overall squad depth sets them on a different pedestal going into the regular season.
It’s safe to say that the Ravens currently have the best safety group in the league, with Marcus Williams, Chuck Clark, and now Kyle Hamilton, who was selected 14th overall in this draft. Hamilton was projected to be a top-5 pick by many.
Center Tyler Linderbaum will also be heading to Maryland after he was selected 25th overall by the Ravens. Baltimore has a flair for big centers, and although Linderbaum is only 6′ 2″, his talent is hard to ignore. He is quick and very physical.
The Ravens selected outside linebacker David Ojabo and defensive tackle Travis Jones as the 45th and 76th overall picks. Before tearing his Achilles on March 19, Ojabo was bound to be a first-round pick and could have possibly cracked the top 10.
Although his injury is a cause for concern, we know what a healthy Ojabo can do on the field. He registered 24 solo tackles, 12 for loss, 11 sacks, and five forced fumbles with the Michigan Wolverines last year.
Adding these two players to a defense that already has 6× Pro Bowler Calais Campbell makes the Baltimore Ravens a scary defensive team.
Ravens’ selections are 4th round picks Daniel Faalele (110th), Jalyn Armour-Davis (117th), Charlie Kolar (128th), Jordan Stout (130th), and Isaiah Likely (139th), Damarion Williams (141st), and 6th round pick Tyler Badie (196th).
New York Jets
After the NFL Draft, the 3rd most improved team on our list is the New York Jets. After a sub-par 4-13 record last season, the Jets went into the offseason knowing well that they needed a reconfigured roster. And this year’s draft was indeed a busy one for the franchise.
With seven early-round picks, the Jets were able to draft most of the important pieces they needed. Quarterback Zach Wilson now has enough support.
Cornerback Ahmad Gardner, wide receiver Garrett Wilson, and rusher Jermaine Johnson were first-round picks (4th, 10th, and 26th overall, respectively). The Jets also made two second-round picks: Breece Hall, widely regarded as the best running back prospect in this class and tight end Jeremy Ruckert.
Finally, the Jets added some depth by selecting offensive tackle Max Mitchell and edge rusher Michael Clemons in the fourth round.
