2022 NFL Draft grades for every Round 1 pick: Two A’s for Giants and a D for the

Welcome to our pick-by-pick first-round grades of the 2022 NFL Draft. From Aidan Hutchinson to Kayvon Thibodeaux to Jordan Davis, we’ll analyze every single selection as the action unfolds Thursday night.

For those of you who think we should wait a few years before grading the picks, we disagree. NFL teams have to make decisions under uncertainty. So we should evaluate them based on what we know at the time of the pick. The grades below will reflect not only the quality of the prospects but also the process — in other words, whether it’s a wise use of resources given the state of the franchise.

Having said that, feel free to report me to Old Takes Exposed in a couple years when these look foolish.

Stats are courtesy of The Beast or Pro Football Focus unless otherwise noted.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Travon Walker, Edge, Georgia

There’s no denying Walker’s upside. He is 6-foot-5, 272 with 35½-inch arms. He ran 4.51 and is the best athlete among edge defenders in this class. Walker has the tools to be dominant against the run. The question is how he’ll develop as an edge pass rusher. Walker totaled 9.5 sacks in 36 games (15 starts), and the advanced stats were unkind.

It’s fair to question the Jaguars’ process here. Their No. 1 goal this offseason should have been to position Trevor Lawrence for success. They could have very easily spent this pick on a high-ceiling left tackle to protect Lawrence for the next four to five years. Instead, they decided to retain Cam Robinson, who has been average to below-average, signing him to a three-year, $54 million deal.

If Walker hits, it’s easy to see his path towards becoming one of the NFL’s top defensive players. But given the lack of pass-rush production and the fact that he didn’t line up as a pure edge in college, there are more questions about him than we typically see with No. 1 picks.

As usual, the Jaguars made this more complicated than it needed to be. This grade has more to do with their process than about Walker’s potential as a prospect.

Grade: C

2. Detroit Lions: Aidan Hutchinson, Edge, Michigan

The Lions might not have been expecting him to be there at No. 2, but when the Jaguars went with Walker, this probably became an easy decision.

Hutchinson (6-foot-7, 260), a Michigan native, was a highly productive college player with 14 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss last season. He projects as someone who should be able to line up at different spots and rush the passer while also being disruptive against the run.

Hutchinson might not be as bendy as some of the edge rushers who usually get drafted this high, but given his athletic testing, it’s probably a mistake to suggest that he has a low ceiling. His three-cone time at the combine ranked in the 99th percentile for edge rushers.

This is a great outcome for the Lions. They just need blue-chip players. Hutchinson plays a premium position and fills a big need area for them.

Grade: B+

3. Houston Texans: Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU

Stingley (6 feet, 190) made 25 starts for the Tigers, although he was limited to just three games last year because of a Lisfranc injury. He totaled 26 passes defended and six interceptions, and opposing quarterbacks completed just 41.1% of their passes when targeting him.

The Athletic’s Diante Lee made a strong case for Stingley as the top corner in the draft. He has elite cover skills and isn’t even 21 years old.

The Texans are another team that just needs blue-chip players. They shouldn’t be drafting for Lovie Smith’s scheme because, let’s be honest, there are no guarantees beyond 2022 for Smith.

Drafting Stingley carries some risk, given that last year didn’t go great for him. But I have no issue with swinging for a home run at a premium position here.

Grade: B

4. New York Jets: Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, CB, Cincinnati

The Jets could have gone in a number of different directions — offensive tackle, edge, corner. In the end, they settled on Gardner (6-foot-3, 190).

He started 28 games in three seasons for the Bearcats. Opposing quarterbacks rarely threw his way, and when they did, Gardner made them pay. He had nine interceptions and 27 passes defended and never allowed a touchdown! According to Sports Info Solutions (SIS), Gardner allowed 0.1 yards per coverage snap last season — by far the best mark in the country.

Gardner has size, speed, competitiveness and production. He has a chance to emerge as one of the best players from this draft class. This is a fine selection by the Jets and fills a major need at a premium position.

Grade: B+

5. New York Giants: Kayvon Thibodeaux, Edge, Oregon

Thibodeaux (6-foot-4, 254) was a productive college player with 19 sacks and 35.5 tackles for loss in 32 games. He’s a plus athlete and was a team captain last year.

SIS tracks quick pressure rate (how often a pass rusher produces pressure in 2.5 seconds or less) and true pressure rate (how often a pass rusher produces pressure on straight…