2022 NFL Draft: Taking a look at the DL this year and in past 10 drafts

Quarterbacks have gone first overall in the past four drafts. The last draft without a quarterback at the top was in 2017, when defensive end Myles Garrett went first. There won’t be a quarterback at the top of the 2022 NFL Draft, but there could be a defensive end.

Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson is considered perhaps the leading contender to go first overall, to the Jacksonville Jaguars. And without a sure-fire star quarterback available, it seems exceedingly unlikely that anyone would want to trade up to pick first overall.

Hutchinson would be the fifth defensive end this century to go in the top spot, joining Penn State’s Courtney Brown in 2000, NC State’s Mario Williams in 2006, South Carolina’s Jadeveon Clowney in 2014 and Garrett in 2017.

Some are listing Hutchinson as an “edge,” and while his pass-rush skills certainly are the reason he could go No. 1 overall, we are using the end, tackle and edge designations from NFL.com’s 2022 NFL Draft Tracker prospects list; we will include the edge group when we look at linebackers.

We have produced a consensus top six list of defensive linemen in this draft using the rankings of draft analysts Dane Brugler of The Athletic and Lance Zierlein of NFL.com as well as the ESPN consensus (from among analysts Mel Kiper, Todd McShay, Matt Miller and Jason Reid). We also take a look at the defensive linemen in the past 10 drafts.

This is part 6 of an eight-part draft series leading into the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, which is Thursday, April 28 in Las Vegas. We looked at quarterbacks last Wednesday, running backs Thursday, wide receivers and tight ends Friday, offensive tackles on Saturday and interior offensive linemen on Sunday, with linebackers coming Tuesday and defensive backs Wednesday.

As a refresher, here are the underclassmen who are available in the draft. And if you want to look into the recruiting rankings of those taken in the past few drafts, you can have fun with the On3 NFL Draft by Stars database.

Consensus top 6 in this draft

(Again, we are using the end, tackle and edge designations from NFL.com’s 2022 NFL Draft Tracker. Four of these guys were on the same defense at Georgia in 2019 and ’20.)

1. E Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan

The skinny: On3 Consensus four-star prospect, from Dearborn (Mich.) Divine Child, in the 2018 recruiting class. Hutchinson finished second in the Heisman voting in 2021 and was the third defender to finish second in the history of the award. Michigan has had a player go in the first round in each of the past three drafts and five of the past eight. The last Wolverines player to go No. 1 overall was OT Jake Long in 2008.

2. E Travon Walker, Georgia

The skinny: On3 Consensus five-star prospect, from Thomaston (Ga.) Upson-Lee, in the 2019 recruiting class. Walker was just a one-year starter at Georgia, but he made a significant impact in 2021 after two productive seasons as a reserve. Georgia has had a first-rounder in each of the past four drafts and the Bulldogs should have at least four players drafted in the first round this year.

3. E Jermaine Johnson, Florida State

The skinny: On3 Consensus unranked prospect, from Eden Prairie (Minn.) High, in the 2017 recruiting class. Johnson had grade issues in high school and had to attend Independence (Kan.) CC; he was a four-star junior college recruit in the 2019 class and signed with Georgia. He played two seasons with the Bulldogs before transferring to Florida State for his final season in 2021. He led the ACC and was tied for seventh nationally with 11.5 sacks. He will be the third FSU player (all defenders) to go in the first round in the past five drafts.

4. T Jordan Davis, Georgia

The skinny: On3 Consensus four-star prospect, from Charlotte Mallard Creek, in the 2018 recruiting class. Davis was a three-year starter for the Bulldogs after starting part-time as a true freshman. He won the 2021 Outland Trophy as the nation’s best interior lineman. The last Georgia defensive lineman to go in the first round was Johnathan Sullivan in 2003.

5. T Devonte Wyatt, Georgia

The skinny: On3 Consensus four-star prospect, from Decatur (Ga.) Towers, in the 2017 recruiting class. Wyatt signed with Georgia out of high school as part of the 2017 signing class but had to attend junior college for a year. He re-signed with the Bulldogs as part of the 2018 class out of Hutchinson (Kan.) CC. Wyatt was a key rotation player in 2018 and ’19, then started the past two seasons. Georgia never has had two defensive linemen go in the first round in the same draft.

6. T Travis Jones, Connecticut

The skinny: On3 Consensus three-star prospect, from New Haven (Conn.) Wilbur Cross, in the 2018 recruiting class. He was a three-year starter for the Huskies (UConn opted out of the 2020 season). Jones seems likely to go in the second round. The last Huskie to go that early was DB Obi Melifonwu in 2018; the last UConn DT to go that early was Kendall Reyes in 2012.

First-round DL in past 10 drafts

+ There have been 61 defensive linemen (again, tackles and those designated as ends in the NFL.com draft trackers) in the first round of the past 10 drafts.

+ Sixteen (that’s 26.2 percent) were On3 Consensus five-star recruits. The 16: Arik Armstead, Nick Bosa, Derek Brown, Malcom Brown, Jadeveon Clowney, Dominique Easley, Shariff Floyd, Myles Garrett, Rashan Gary, Dexter Lawrence, Robert Nkemdiche, Ed Oliver, Jeffery Simmons, Solomon Thomas, Christian Wilkins and Chase Young.

+ Here’s how the other 45 first-rounders were ranked. The former On3 Consensus four-star prospects were Derek Barnett, Joey Bosa, Michael Brockers, DeForest Buckner, Taco Charlton, Kenny Clark, Quinton Coples, Fletcher Cox, Clelin Ferrell, Melvin Ingram, Datone Jones, Dion Jordan, Shaq Lawson, Barkevious Mingo, Daron Payne, Nick Perry, Danny Shelton, Jerry Tillery, Vita Vea, Leonard Williams and Quinnen Williams. Bruce Irvin (as a linebacker) and Sheldon Richardson were four-star junior college prospects. The former On3 Consensus three-star recruits: Josh Allen, Taven Bryan, Vernon Butler, Bradley Chubb, L.J. Collier, Aaron Donald, Dee Ford, Javon Kinlaw, Takk McKinley Whitney Mercilus, Sheldon Rankins, Shane Ray, Marcus Smith, Payton Turner and Bjoern Werner. Star Lotulelei and Sylvester Williams were three-star junior college recruits. Marcus Davenport, Chandler Jones (as a tight end), Shea McClellin and Dontari Poe were two-star prospects. Ziggy Ansah, who arrived at BYU in 2008 as a track athlete from Ghana, was an unranked football prospect.

+ The conference breakdown of the 61: 20 were from the SEC; there were 12 each from the ACC and Pac-12; six from the Big Ten (two from the same family!); three each from the Big 12 and Conference USA; two each from the AAC and the independent ranks; and one from the Mountain West. (Note: Memphis DT Dontari Poe was a first-rounder in 2012; at the time, Memphis was in Conference USA, so that counts for C-USA).

+ Four defensive linemen went in the top 10 in 2019, the most in the past 10 drafts.

+ There was just one defensive lineman taken in the first round in 2021. There were 10 in 2012 and 2019 and nine in 2013.

Total DL taken in past 10 drafts

+ There have been 388 defensive linemen selected in the past 10 drafts, with a high of 51 in 2013 and a low of 24 in 2020.

+ The biggest draft for tackles was 24 in 2018; the lowest was 18 in 2013 and ’20. The biggest draft for ends was 33 in 2013; the lowest was five in 2020. (The NFL started differentiating between “end” and “edge” in the 2018 draft.)

+ Alabama has had 11 defensive tackles selected in the past 10 drafts, the most of any school. Florida is second with eight. Surprisingly low numbers at tackle: Georgia, Oregon and Wisconsin with one each. Georgia could have two go in the first round this year.

The 5-star defensive linemen

There were 86 five-star defensive linemen in the 2009-19 recruiting classes (those in the ’09 class were eligible for the first time in the 2012 draft and those in the ’19 class are eligible for this draft).

+ As noted earlier, 16 of those five-star linemen went in the first round.

+ In addition, seven other five-star defensive linemen were drafted as linebackers by NFL teams. Three of those went in the first round: Dante Fowler from the 2012 class, Jaelan Phillips from the 2017 class and Micah Parsons from the 2018 class. The other four: Devon Kennard from the 2009 class, Ronald Powell from the 2010 class, Carl Lawson from the 2013 class and Terrell Lewis from the 2016 class.

+ Here are the other 29 former five-star linemen who have been drafted. From the 2010 class: Ego Ferguson (second round), William Gholston (fourth) and Osa Odighizuwa (third). From the 2011 class: Timmy Jernigan (second), Aaron Lynch (fifth) and Stephon Tuitt (second). From 2012: Jonathan Bullard (third), Mario Edwards (second), Eddie Goldman (second), Noah Spence (second) and Adolphus Washington (third). From 2013: Montravius Adams (third), Chris Jones (second) and Eddie Vanderdoes (third). From 2014: Andrew Brown (fifth), Lorenzo Carter (third), DaShawn Hand (fourth) and Chad Thomas (third). From 2015: Terry Beckner (seventh), Byron Cowart (fifth), Rasheem Green (third), Daylon Mack (fifth), Khalil McKenzie (sixth) and Josh Sweat (fourth). From 2016: McTelvin Agim (third), Marlon Davidson (second), A.J. Epenesa (second), Joshua Kaindoh (fourth) and Rashard Lawrence (fourth).

+ There were 18 five-star defensive linemen who completed their eligibility and weren’t drafted: Gary Brown, Chris Davenport, Jacobbi McDaniel and Donte Moss (known as Donte Paige-Moss by then) from the 2009 class; Jackson Jeffcoat from the 2010 class; Ray Drew and Anthony Johnson from the 2011 class; Darius Hamilton and Ellis McCarthy from the 2012 class; Kenny Bigelow from the 2013 class; CeCe Jefferson, Canton Kaumatule, Keisean Lucier-South and Trenton Thompson from the 2015 class; Ed Alexander, Oluwole Betiku Jr. and Benito Jones from the 2016 class; and Marvin Wilson from the 2017 class

+ There are six former five-star linemen available in this draft: Antonneus Clayton and Shane Simmons from the 2016 class; LaBryan Ray from the 2017 class; and DeMarvin Leal, Kayvon Thibodeaux (will be drafted as an edge player) and Travon Walker from the 2019 class.

+ Eight former five-star linemen will be playing this fall: UT-Martin’s Eyabi Anoma, Florida’s Brenton Cox, Clemson’s K.J. Henry and Xavier Thomas and Ohio State’s Taron Vincent from the 2018 class; and Georgia’s Nolan Smith, Ohio State’s Zach Harrison and South Carolina’s Zacch Pickens from the 2019 class. The playing status this fall of five-stars Aubrey Solomon, from the 2017 class, and Antonio Alfano, from 2019, is unknown. Alfano, Anoma, Cox and Solomon transferred from their original schools.