RECORD-TYING RECEIVERS: 13 wide receivers were selected in the first two rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft, tied with the 2020 NFL Draft for the most in the first two rounds in the common-draft era (since 1967), while the 17 wide receivers selected in the first three rounds were tied with the 2007 and 1994 NFL Drafts for the most in the first three rounds since 1967.
WIDE RECEIVERS SELECTED IN THE FIRST THREE ROUNDS OF THE 2022 NFL DRAFT
PLAYER | COLLEGE | NFL TEAM | ROUND (PICK) |
Drake London | Southern California | Atlanta | 1 (8) |
Garrett Wilson | Ohio State | New York Jets | 1 (10) |
Chris Olave | Ohio State | New Orleans | 1 (11) |
Jameson Williams | Alabama | Detroit | 1 (12) |
Jahan Dotson | Penn State | Washington | 1 (16) |
Treylon Burks | Arkansas | Tennessee | 1 (18) |
Christian Watson | North Dakota State | Green Bay | 2 (34) |
Wan’Dale Robinson | Kentucky | New York Giants | 2 (43) |
John Metchie | Alabama | Houston | 2 (44) |
Tyquan Thornton | Baylor | New England | 2 (50) |
George Pickens | Georgia | Pittsburgh | 2 (52) |
Alec Pierce | Cincinnati | Indianapolis | 2 (53) |
Skyy Moore | Western Michigan | Kansas City | 2 (54) |
Velus Jones | Tennessee | Chicago | 3 (71) |
Jalen Tolbert | South Alabama | Dallas | 3 (88) |
David Bell | Purdue | Cleveland | 3 (99) |
Danny Gray | SMU | San Francisco | 3 (105) |
NINE THROUGH THREE: After a record five defensive players from Georgia were selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, four additional Bulldogs were selected on Day 2: WR GEORGE PICKENS (No. 52, Pittsburgh), RB JAMES COOK (No. 63, Buffalo), LB NAKOBE DEAN (No. 83, Philadelphia) and LB CHANNING TINDALL (No. 102, Miami).
The seven defensive players from Georgia are the most by a single school in the first three rounds of a single NFL Draft since 1967, surpassing the previous high of six from Alabama (2017) and LSU (2013).
Georgia’s nine selections in the first three rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft are tied with Alabama (nine players in 2017 and 2020) for the second-most players in the first three rounds by a single Draft in the common-draft era. Only LSU in 2020 (10 players) and Ohio State in 2016 (10) had more in the first three rounds.
GEORGIA PLAYERS SELECTED IN THE FIRST THREE ROUNDS OF THE 2022 NFL DRAFT
POS. | PLAYER | NFL TEAM | ROUND (PICK) |
LB | Travon Walker | Jacksonville | 1 (1) |
DT | Jordan Davis | Philadelphia | 1 (13) |
LB | Quay Walker | Green Bay | 1 (22) |
DT | Devonte Wyatt | Green Bay | 1 (28) |
DB | Lewis Cine | Minnesota | 1 (32) |
WR | George Pickens | Pittsburgh | 2 (52) |
RB | James Cook | Buffalo | 2 (63) |
LB | Nakobe Dean | Philadelphia | 3 (83) |
LB | Channing Tindall | Miami | 3 (102) |
HOMEWARD BOUND: Seven players selected in the first three rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft were drafted by a team in the same state as their college football program.
PLAYERS DRAFTED BY AN NFL TEAM IN SAME STATE
AS THEIR COLLEGE FOOTBALL PROGRAM
POS. | PLAYER | ROUND (PICK) | NFL TEAM | COLLEGE |
DE | Aidan Hutchinson | 1 (2) | Detroit Lions | Michigan |
T | Ikem Ekwonu | 1 (6) | Carolina Panthers | North Carolina State |
G | Kenyon Green | 1 (15) | Houston Texans | Texas A&M |
QB | Kenny Pickett | 1 (20) | Pittsburgh Steelers | Pittsburgh |
DB | Jalen Pitre | 2 (37) | Houston Texans | Baylor |
DE | Drake Jackson | 2 (61) | San Francisco 49ers | Southern California |
T | Abraham Lucas | 3 (72) | Seattle Seahawks | Washington State |
FOOTBALL IS FAMILY: Many of the prospects chosen in the 2022 NFL Draft have family members with NFL experience, including:
- RB JAMES COOK (No. 63, Buffalo): Brother, Dalvin, is a three-time Pro Bowl running back for the Minnesota Vikings and is one of three players with at least 1,250 scrimmage yards in each of the past three seasons (2019-21).
- RB BREECE HALL (No. 36, New York Jets): Cousin, Roger Craig, was selected in the second round by San Francisco in the 1983 NFL Draft and was a four-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time Super Bowl champion.
- DB DAXTON HILL (No. 31, Cincinnati): Brother, Justice, plays for the Baltimore Ravens after being selected in the fourth round in the 2019 NFL Draft.
- DB ROGER MCCREARY (No. 35, Tennessee): Uncle, Angelo James, played for the Philadelphia Eagles during the 1987 season.
- T EVAN NEAL (No. 7, New York Giants): Uncle, Cleveland Gary, was selected in the first round in the 1989 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams and a six-year NFL veteran; Uncle, Jimmie Jones, was drafted by Dallas in the third round of the 1990 NFL Draft and was an eight-year NFL veteran and two-time Super Bowl champion.
- DB DEREK STINGLEY JR. (No. 3, Houston): Grandfather, Darryl, was selected in the first round by New England in the 1973 NFL Draft and a five-year NFL veteran.
- WR CHRISTIAN WATSON (No. 34, Green Bay): Father, Tim, was selected by Green Bay in the sixth round in the 1993 NFL Draft and a five-year NFL veteran.
- QB MALIK WILLIS (No. 86, Tennessee): Uncle, James Anderson, was selected in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft by Carolina and a 10-year NFL veteran.
INTERNATIONAL NFL: Five players selected in the first three rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft were born outside of the United States.
- DE ARNOLD EBIKETIE (No. 38, Atlanta) was born in Yaounde, Cameroon.
- DE GEORGE KARLAFTIS (No. 30, Kansas City) was born in Athens, Greece.
- WR JOHN METCHIE (No. 44, Houston) was born in Taiwan, moved to Ghana, and emigrated to Canada with his family at age six.
- LB DAVID OJABO (No. 45, Baltimore) was born in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, and his family moved to Aberdeen, Scotland in 2007.
- T BERNHARD RAIMAINN (No. 77, Indianapolis) was born in Steinbrunn, Austria.