2022 NFL draft update: 5 seniors generating buzz post-Week 6

Each week during the season, On3 teams up with Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy to identify senior 2022 NFL draft prospects generating buzz in the NFL scouting world.

Here are five who fall into that category for Nagy and the Senior Bowl staff coming out of Week 6.

Pitt QB Kenny Pickett

Nagy’s take: “National media hype around Pickett is starting to build and rightfully so. The biggest improvement we’ve seen this season from Pickett has come in decision-making areas. During junior tape study, Pickett did a good job scanning and processing, but he still was prone to some overaggressive mistakes that often resulted in turnovers. Bottom line, he seemed to be forcing the issue and trying to make too much happen. The four-year starter entered this season with a TD-INT ratio of 39-25, and that has staggeringly improved to 19-1 through the first five games of this season. After extending Pickett a Senior Bowl invitation last year, we spoke to him about the pros and cons of returning for another year. Through our own staff’s grades and reliable feedback we gathered from friends around the NFL, we shared with Pickett that he would most likely have been a fourth- or fifth-round pick had he entered the 2021 draft. As it stands now in mid-October, he has worked his way up into Day 2 conversations. Needless to say, no quarterback in college football has helped his draft stock more than Pickett so far this season.”

Appalachian State LB D’Marco Jackson

Nagy’s take: “Another prospect making a nice final year jump is Jackson, who has a big opportunity tonight (against Louisiana) on ESPN to introduce himself on a national stage. Jackson had good-enough junior tape to earn a spot on our 2022 Senior Bowl Watch List, but he’s taken his game to another level this season. We started getting calls about Jackson from NFL scouts after the first couple of games this season, and he’s consistently impressed us with his instincts, physicality and relentless playing style. Jackson, who also is a violent player on special teams, has quickly become a Senior Bowl staff favorite at linebacker.”

Nebraska CB Cam Taylor-Britt

Nagy’s take: “The Texas A&M duo of defensive end Micheal Clemons and safety Leon O’Neal Jr. earned our Co-Defensive Player of the Week honors this week after a disruptive performance in the Aggies’ upset win over No. 1 ranked Alabama, but Taylor-Britt was a strong runner-up after playing his best game of the season in the Huskers’ narrow 32-29 loss to Michigan. Taylor-Britt is one of the most physical run-support corners in this draft class, which could make him a safety projection for some NFL teams. But he showed up most in the passing game last Saturday. The former high school quarterback and current Nebraska team captain finished with three pass breakups, not panicking and making difficult plays on deep balls and also in the end zone. We should also mention that Taylor-Britt also does good work (on special teams), which will help his cause when teams are stacking the DB group leading up to the 2022 NFL Draft.”

Texas LB DeMarvion Overshown

Nagy’s take: “Similar to how Taylor-Britt shined in a losing effort, Overshown also helped himself last week despite the Longhorns falling to Oklahoma. Overshown was disruptive right off the bat in the first quarter with numerous impactful plays, and he ended up finishing with eight tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, two quarterback hurries and one fumble recovery. During a trip to Austin this summer, the UT staff prepped us for a possible breakout season by Overshown, and they were right. Overshown has the combination of length (he’s listed at 6-4 and 233 pounds) and speed that NFL teams covet in cover linebackers, and he is standing out on tape this season with more run-and-hit plays. The other main area where our staff has seen improvement from junior tape is Overshown’s instincts. He is processing things quicker in his second year as a starter, and he seems more confident in what he’s being asked to do in UT’s new defensive scheme. Our Senior Bowl scouts in the Southeast have two more live looks at Overshown this season, and we expect him to continue to ascend.”

Baylor RB Abram Smith

Nagy’s take: “One of the coolest stories at the midway point of the season is Smith, Baylor’s linebacker-turned-running back. Few players in college football have created as much buzz among NFL scouts as Smith, who led Baylor in tackles in all four of his starts at linebacker last season and is now among the national leaders in rushing. Last week against West Virginia, Smith had 11 carries for 87 yards and he scored his seventh rushing touchdown in just six games. Listed at 221 pounds, Smith could be a uniquely versatile player at the next level as a running back/fullback/linebacker/special teams player, and we would look to showcase him at all those spots if he made it to Mobile. Perhaps the thing we and NFL scouts like most about Smith is how people at the school talk about his toughness. Based off everything you hear, Smith is exactly what NFL teams are looking for from a football makeup perspective.”

The 2022 NFL draft will be April 28-30 in Las Vegas.

Jim Nagy has been the executive director of the Reese’s Senior Bowl, the nation’s premier college all-star game, since 2018 after 18 years as an NFL scout. For interesting feedback and information on senior NFL draft prospects throughout the year, follow Jim on Twitter. For information on the Senior Bowl, follow both Jim and the Reese’s Senior Bowl main account.