The 2022 NFL Draft won't hang a banner for its quarterback class, but teams will still chase multiple names in the first round. Liberty's Malik Willis headlines the group for now. North Carolina's Sam Howell and Desmond Ridder are set at No.s 2 and 3.
1. Malik Willis, Liberty
BIG BOARD RANK: 30
Willis is an electric playmaker. However, the Liberty quarterback is still far too much of a roller coaster from game to game. He did, however, have the second-highest big-time throw rate we've ever charted (11.0%).
2. Sam Howell, North Carolina
BIG BOARD RANK: 34
Howell may have taken a step back as a passer, but he proved to be a legitimate threat as a runner this season. He broke an absurd 63 tackles and ran for 1,072 yards in 2021.
3. Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati
BIG BOARD RANK: 41
Ridder's four years at the helm of the Bearcats offense make him one of the most experienced passers in the class. He improved every year en route to a career-high 90.7 grade in 2021.
4. Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh
BIG BOARD RANK: 42
The single biggest riser at the quarterback position, Pickett didn't earn a single sub-70.0 game grade all year. After managing only 10 big-time throws in 2020, Pickett totaled 29 this season. In his fourth year as a starter, Pickett looked decidedly different.
5. Matt Corral, Ole Miss
BIG BOARD RANK: 53
Corral lost his top weapons from 2020 but didn't see his game slip this fall. He also protected the ball a lot better, recording only 10 turnover-worthy plays all season.
6. Carson Strong, Nevada
BIG BOARD RANK: 68
No quarterback in this top-100 shouldered a bigger load as a passer. Strong had a six-game stretch toward the end of the season where he dropped back to pass over 50 times every game. Still, he finished with a career-high 90.3 passing grade this season.
7. Bailey Zappe, Western Kentucky
BIG BOARD RANK: 107
Zappe broke the record for passing yards and passing touchdowns in a season during his only year of FBS play. The NFL will be quite a steep transition, though, as Zappe was under pressure on just 12% of his dropbacks last season.
8. Brock Purdy, Iowa State
BIG BOARD RANK: 165
9. Kaleb Eleby, Western Michigan
BIG BOARD RANK: 216
10. Skylar Thompson
BIG BOARD RANK: 255
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