Projecting The Where For Notre Dame's 2022 NFL Draft Picks
With the NFL Draft just one day away, the rumors and smoke screens we are all accustomed to this time of year are in full swing. It makes it difficult to weed through and find the truth, leaving a million different possibilities on the table.
For the Notre Dame prospects eligible for this draft cycle, there has also been a ton of high variance of draft slots, due partially to some uneven draft processes and an unusual volume of 2022 prospects. With only limited time left to speculate, let’s do our final effort to predict where these former Irish stars could land.
Of course, mock drafts are never perfect. The range of outcomes is more what these predictions strive for. Here are some spots that make sense:
8. Atlanta Falcons: Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame
Depending on the mock drafts you frequent, Kyle Hamilton has been projected anywhere in the top ten, including as high as No. 2 overall to the Detroit Lions. The floor appears to be somewhere around the No. 11 selection to the Washington Commanders. The potential fit with the Atlanta Falcons makes a ton of sense from several vantage points.
I’d like to be an optimist and put Hamilton as high as possible (which he deserves by the way) but some realism is needed, especially with the devaluation of the safety position in today’s NFL. A Georgia native, Hamilton would present the perfect face for a Falcons defense that is starved to impact talent. There are more questions than answers at safety for the team currently and the 6-4, 220-pound Hamilton brings a lot of what they need.
Quarterback has been a position that has been linked to the Falcons recently but that would be a major reach at this spot. There is a legitimate argument that Hamilton is the most outstanding prospect in the class regardless of positional value. The Falcons land the face of their defense for the long term.
87. Arizona Cardinals: Kyren Williams, RB, Notre Dame
With the Cardinals saying goodbye to Chase Edmonds this off-season, the running back unit does not have much dynamic ability to win in space. With James Conner leading the position, there is no massive need to find a high-volume runner. Finding a niche weapon in the passing game, however, is definitely a need on the roster. That’s what Williams brings.
For as much as people made a massive deal over his less than impressive showing at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine, Williams brings a baseline as a pass receiver and pass protector that brings a massive floor to a team. He is also a much better runner than given credit for, bringing a nice combination of patience, vision, and contact balance.
Despite being an Air Raid team, Kliff Kingsbury and Co. do want to run the football at a high success rate. They also would like to have a running back who can affect the passing game to a high degree. Williams checks those boxes.
127. New England Patriots: Kevin Austin Jr., WR, Notre Dame
In a recent update on the site, there was some insight that the “massive rise for Kevin Austin Jr.” might not be nearly as tangible as many have been led to believe. There are a majority of late-round grades for Austin but we have seen that teams have a history of reaching for perceived upside after dynamic testing.
The old adage that it “only takes one team” could not be more true in this instance. Ultimately I believe that a team does take a chance on Austin somewhere early on day three. As far as prospects go, Austin is somewhere between Chase Claypool and Miles Boykin in terms of projection. A team like the New England Patriots has been begging for an influx of talent at wide for some time now.
While they need a player who can produce now, the prospects of the 6-2, 210-pound Austin is a good throw at the dartboard at this point in the draft.
204. Tennessee Titans: Jack Coan, QB, Notre Dame
I have been pretty consistent here and I’ll reiterate again, I will be very, very surprised if Jack Coan is not drafted at this point. Coan has been rock solid throughout the process, winning the award as the best quarterback in attendance at the East-West Shrine Game. He then followed that up with a rock-solid performance at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine.
The 6-3, 220-pound signal-caller has checked boxes throughout the process and has a good baseline as a preferred backup on the next level. There may be limitations to project as a starter long term but that baseline gives Coan a very good opportunity to get drafted. With how Tennessee utilizes the play-action passing game, Coan seems like an ideal fit for the offense. He just strikes me as a player who never receives much attention but you are very comfortable with his role.
The most notable player missing from the list is defensive lineman Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, who has been present in some seven-round mock drafts throughout the process. The intel speaks to the fact that “MTA” is liked in NFL Draft cycles but his perceived low ceiling and tweener style could cause him to fall in the draft. Add that in with an unusual volume of prospects in 2022 and he could be a victim of the numbers game.
The 2022 NFL Draft is set to begin on Thursday, April 28th beginning at 8 PM eastern time. The event will turn through Saturday, April 30th in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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