Combine Interviews with Top 2022 NFL Draft Prospects (Defense)

Recapping Combine interviews with some of the 2022 NFL Draft's top defensive talent.

Author:
Robert Gregson
Publish date:
Mar 6, 2022 10:23 AM EST

In this story:

This year's draft class is touted for the talent on the defensive side of the football. With depth at edge rusher, interior defensive line, corner, and linebacker, there are a variety of body types and players to fit all defensive schemes. Here is a look inside the mind of some of this draft's most noteworthy defenders.

Ahmad “Sauce" Gardner, Cornerback, Cincinnati

One of the most important positions in of all football is the cornerback position thanks to the development of pass game concepts in today’s NFL. That leaves Gardner in high regard, including the potential as the first corner selected come April’s draft. When asked about what makes the best corner in the draft, Gardner said, “You know just me being able to come on the field and change the team. My presence. People being able to look up to me even if they're older than me know and my love for the game. You know me being able to just be competitive, you know so I can eliminate the best receiver on the field.” His point is a valid one as evident by his zero touchdown receptions allowed in man coverage over his collegiate career. At some point, this stat has to run its course, but Gardner has no intentions saying, “I don't have plans on giving one up in the NFL,” when referring to touchdowns. A strong Combine performance could solidify Gardener as cornerback number one come draft night.

Aidan Hutchinson, Defensive Line, Michigan

The competition for the first pass rusher selected in the draft is an intense one, with the Combine being a pivotal point in the development of draft positioning. Hutchinson has done his due diligence on the field as one of the country's most dominant defensive forces. He led the Wolverines to a College Football Playoff appearance and was a Heisman Finalist. He wasn’t always this force and when asked about the development of his game, Hutchinson noted, “I think I've gotten a lot more mature and in my game, I mean, it's I'm a completely different player from what I was freshman year. Yeah, I mean, you can't really compare 2018 Aidan to this Aiden now, because I'm completely different. I'm way more confident in my game and you know, I'm just, I'm ready to go.” Hutchison was with the Wolverines when many were questioning the ability of head coach John Harbaugh and saying the team was devoid of talent. When asked about what it was like to flip the narrative and become a Big-10 champion, Hutchinson said “Yeah, it's been a journey at Michigan with, you know, with a lot of adversity. And finally my senior year we came out on top and won a championship so I think it was a great story with me and you know, I'm glad and I'm happy by all the adversity that I went through because I think it's made me the man who I am today.”

Kayvon Thibodeaux, Defensive End, Oregon

When building a defense, the edge rusher position is one of utmost importance. That means having traits that stand out is usually a mainstay amongst top prospects. Thibodeaux shows the required athleticism and strength to dominant opposing linemen for seasons to come. When asked why these traits should make him the first pass rusher selected, he said, “My mindset. Not only do I have a great skill set, great athletic ability, but I'm really hungry for knowledge. Not only do I watch film, and I watch NFL film, I steal it. Not only do I see it, but then I try to go implement it at practice. And then I have confidence if I don't do a move, I want to learn how to work that move and I'm gonna learn how to get better at it. I'm gonna implement it in practice, and then I'm going to translate it to the game.” Many point to the upside of Thibodeaux’s game as a reason for selecting him as the first pass rusher in the draft. When asked about how he transformed his game once before he stated, “When you talk about speed, speed, speed when I first got to Oregon, it was speed, speed, speed, and you saw a lot of blow-bys, you saw a lot of merry go rounds, you see me going around the quarterback, and then I learned how to use my hands, I learned how to use leverage and I learned how to use angles, I was able to bring in the power and I was able to see things, it starts to slow down.” With such visible dominance and an upside, look for Thibodeaux’s name to be called early come April.

Devin Lloyd, Linebacker, Utah

Some think the linebacker position has gone by the wayside in terms of importance in today’s NFL, but with the play of young stars like Devin White and Darius Leonard, the ability to be versatile and fast is game-changing, Luckily for Lloyd, this is where he excels. Pair that with his 6-foot-3 frame, and you can see why he is being deemed a potential top 15 pick and immediate impact. When asked about how he could help a team immediately, Lloyd said, I'm somebody who hunts, I get to the ball, but also, I'm very calculated in my moments and you know, somebody who's just an instinctual player, that plays with physicality, you know, plays with instincts. Somebody who just really smart and nasty.” The middle of the field has become a key piece in modern pass game concepts, as offensive coordinators try and exploit defenses with specific alignments and route concepts. This puts more emphasis on coverage ability at the linebacker position. When asked how he prepares for coverage he said “I think that's where the film study comes in. You know, and understanding what type of route concepts teams like and understanding where to be, how to beat them to that point. And also athletic ability helps as well. But understanding you know, angles just like football, you know, that's one thing I've come to realize over the last few years is it's angles, angles, angles, understanding how to beat your opponent to the angle understanding who can get the quickest and the most violently. But then, also really just being athletic and making athletic plays.”

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