The RotoUnderworld community will be partaking in a series of 12-team, five-round rookie mock drafts, running through the spring and summer. Today we bring you 2022 Rookie Mock Draft Recap #4. The mock drafters will be comprised of PlayerProfiler writers/analysts, our friends in the Patreon community, and our good friends over at The Breakout Finder. While these pieces will include quick-hitting notes from the drafters about why they made their selection, our writers will take turns recapping the festivities and adding their own unique perspectives.
2022 Rookie Mock Recap No. 4 – (SuperFlex)
The fourth edition in the second season of the fabled PlayerProfiler Rookie Mock Drafting Series Extravaganza is upon us. Disclaimer: This draft was finished before the NFL Combine. This Superflex rookie mock draft had five rounds, 12 drafters, and started on February 14th.
- 1. Cody Carpentier – 2. Matt Desrosiers – 3. Stephen Murphy
- 4. Britt Sanders – 5. Nick James – 6. Jay Peters
- 7. Ferris Ganzman- 8. Robert Rowlinson – 9. Taylor Williams
- 10. Ryan Cummings – 11. Ray Ray Marz – 12. Andrew Quinn
Note: I did not participate in this mock draft, so this article will be written from an outside perspective.
It’s no secret that QBs are at a premium in SuperFlex leagues. Having two top-tier QBs can basically make any losing team into, at the very least, a playoff team. As such, getting your QB in the rookie draft is a chance to drastically improve your squad without truly breaking the bank. These upcoming QBs could conceivably have the same ceiling as premier QBs like Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. And drafting them gives you the opportunity to get studs at their floor price instead of having to send multiple picks and players to even dream of the chance to get one of the aforementioned. So without further ado, let’s take a dive into this SuperFlex rookie mock draft.
1.01- Malik Willis, QB, Liberty
Cody: “Showed out the most in Mobile, proving that he has ALL the intangibles. It may take a week, a year or two years. But if Willis lands in the correct spot, he will be a Fantasy STUD!”
1.02- Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State
Matt: “Has the size and ability to be an all purpose back in NFL. Logged a 43.9-percent College Dominator Rating (95th-percentile among qualified running backs) per PlayerProfiler. TDs are not a good stat to measure skill, but Hall’s 56 collegiate tuddies are certainly encouraging.”
1.03- Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas
Stephen: “Burks has great size at 6-3, 230-pounds. He is great after the catch and has good speed for his size.”
1.04- Kenneth Walker, RB, Michigan State
1.05- Isaiah Spiller, RB, Texas A&M
1.06- Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh
Jay: “At the Senior Bowl, NFL scouts and the media spoke of Pickett as QB1 of this class. It remains to be seen if he can maintain this throughout the draft process. With my top two RBs and WR1 off the board, I grab the second QB in this first round.”
1.07- Drake London, WR, USC
Ferris: “Produced as a freshman with Michael Pittman and Amon-Ra St. Brown on the team. People saying he can’t separate simply cannot ignore that he put up a 44-percent TPRR vs man coverage this year. And only 21-percent of his catches were contested (fears of being N’Keal Harry are ignoring data). He is my WR1 in this class and I will gladly trade down if someone wants Burks to get London here every time.”
1.08- Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State
Robert: “Pure technician, elite prospect.”
1.09- Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss
Taylor: “Corral posted elite College QBR and YPA numbers, broke out as a sophomore, racked up over 1,000 rushing yards between his last two seasons, and is a good bet to go in the first round.”
1.10- Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina
Ryan: “Not a great scenario, but I think Howell has the tools to produce in the right situation. If he lands in the first round, he will get his chance to become a franchise QB. And those are always valuable in SuperFlex.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=193KZ9UpQL0
1.11- Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State
1.12- Kyren Williams, RB, Notre Dame
Andrew: “At a tier break at the end of Round 1, I’m taking a shot on Williams due to his receiving profile. He could be a PPR machine for years to come.”
Round 1 Takeaways
To hammer home the point made earlier in the introduction, let’s take a look at the players taken in our 1QB rookie mock draft this season.
1.01 – Breece Hall, RB / 1.02- Treylon Burks, WR / 1.03 – Kenneth Walker, RB
1.04 – Garrett Wilson, WR / 1.05 – Isaiah Spiller, RB / 1.06 – Drake London, WR
1.07 – Chris Olave, WR / 1.08 – David Bell, WR / 1.09 – George Pickens, WR
1.10 – Kyren Williams, RB / 1.11 – Jahan Dotson, WR / 1.12 – Jameson Williams, WR
That’s right, not a single QB was taken in Round 1. Whereas here in our SuperFlex draft, we’ve had four QBs taken already: Malik Willis, Kenny Pickett, Matt Corral, and Sam Howell. These guys are pretty much the consensus top four QBs anywhere you look. I usually find myself firmly planted in the idea that you should shoot for the ceiling with your fantasy players. With that in mind, I agree with Cody’s reasoning behind taking Willis first. His dual-threat capabilities are tantalizing, especially since this QB class is widely regarded as “weak.” However, he needs development, and a fairly good landing spot to be a truly valuable fantasy asset.
Beyond the QB position, being a SuperFlex draft has provided great positional value to the drafters at the end of the round. Robert and Ray secured the Ohio State WR tandem of Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave near the round’s end. I can easily see these guys being Day 1 starters and providing flex value early on in the fantasy season. There’s still lots of talent on the board, so let’s take a look at how Round 2 went down.
2.01- George Pickens, WR, Georgia
Cody: “Prior to a knee injury in Spring 2021, Pickens was considered the best wide receiver in the upcoming 2022 class. He still belongs in that conversation, and getting him at 2.01 is a slam dunk.”
2.02- David Bell, WR, Purdue
Matt: “Rumors that the NFL doesn’t like Bell as much as the analytics community does create hesitation. But Bell is a gamer. I will bet on a kid like him. Averaged 156 receiving yards against ranked opponents in 2021. Gotta love that.”
2.03- Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama
Stephen: “The injury will cause him to slip a little in rookie drafts, but you can’t deny the talent. A great value at this point in the draft.”
2.04- Jerome Ford, RB, Cincinnati
Britt: “Coming in under 220 isn’t a problem. Neither is missing the senior bowl game for the birth of his daughter. His blend of athleticism and production at Cincy makes him a solid pick here in the early second.
hot off the presses over at @breakout_finder is my latest rushing efficiency piece. come find out if the guy who left alabama to backup gerrid doaks is built ford tough: https://t.co/4JLYjzGFsl
— noah hills (@noahmoreparties) February 7, 2022
2.05- Carson Strong, QB, Nevada
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nYNgvwOHh0
2.06- Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State
Jay: “Concerns about size since the Senior Bowl has dropped Dotson’s stock. I’m banking on the PSU WR still getting first or early second round NFL draft capital.”
2.07- Rachaad White, WR, Arizona State
Ferris: “Workhorse size and produced in the receiving game, which we love to see for RB prospects. There aren’t many RBs in this class that have produced both on the ground and through the air. Coming in as an older player which I usually don’t like. But I think he has a chance to give us a few good seasons depending on landing spot.”
2.08- Brian Robinson, RB, Alabama
Robert: “Not super explosive, but could get the draft capital to produce early. And production early is miles better than production two years from now.”
2.09- Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State
Taylor: “McBride has the size, Breakout Age, one of the highest College Dominators ever for a TE, and is starting to get mocked in the first round. Sign me up.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyqoS1zUddA
2.10- Zamir White, RB, Georgia
Ryan: “White has the size and pedigree I like in my RBs. Wasn’t forced into a major work load at UGA. But I think he has the chops to lead a committee backfield at the NFL level.”
2.11- Jalen Wydermyer, TE, Texas A&M
2.12- Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan
Andrew: “Landing spot-dependent, but he has the college pedigree that could mean years of upside.”
Round 2 Takeaways
Rounds 2 and 3 are where you can really find some value in these SuperFlex rookie drafts. This mock is no different. Jameson Williams, while injured, will more than likely still produce in the NFL- and at a high level. George Pickens will no doubt go in the first round in most rookie drafts. Seeing him here in the second highlights the point that you can still get some studs outside of Round 1.
Trey McBride has all the measurables that you look for in a tight end. Depending on his landing spot, he could be a really valuable dynasty fantasy asset for years to come.
Trey McBride TE #ColoradoState – “run blocking came first and I love being physical in the run game” pic.twitter.com/hU3wk7dqSO
— ᴄᴏᴅʏ ᴄᴀʀᴘᴇɴᴛɪᴇʀ (@CarpentierNFL) March 2, 2022
Carson Strong goes here in the second purely because he’s a QB. His measurables are okay, with a 66.1 QBR in college and a 21st-percentile hand-size. If he does go to a team like the Falcons, he could sit behind Matt Ryan for a year. And who knows how he’d turn out. While on the QB topic, there’s still some talent on the board like Bailey Zappe and Desmond Ridder, Let’s see where they fall.
03.01- Christian Watson, WR, NDSU
Cody: “No better place than the 3.01 to take the hyper athletic, 6-4 big body out of North Dakota State. Watson is a different small school standout, dominating at the best FCS school in the country, and taking after the likes of Mike Evans while growing up in Tampa, FL.
03.02- Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati
Matt: “Wanted Watson, thanks Cody. Ridder is a solid pivot given the SF format. He is coming off of a good season at Cincy and should get round 1 or 2 draft capital. I’ll take that in the third round of a rookie draft.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKJrD4cotwg
03.03- Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson
03.04- Tyler Allgeier, RB, BYU
Britt: “So freaking pumped about this one. A workhorse size with good production given the circumstances. Thrilled to take him at this spot.”
03.05- Wan’Dale Robinson, WR, Kentucky
03.06- Dameon Pierce, RB, Florida
Jay: “Played in a RBBC at UF, so NFL scouts wanted to see more of Pierce at Senior Bowl. He didn’t disappoint. Was one of the most impressive RBs from the week.”
03.07- John Metchie, WR, Alabama
Ferris: “Between Tolbert and Metchie, I prefer going for the early declare and someone who produced reasonably well in the SEC. Hit the threshold his sophomore year for adjusted receivig yards per team pass attempt that I like to see. Though he slightly missed on that in his junior year with Jameson coming in and taking over. Just looking for upside here. Metchie has more potential than others here to produce a backend WR2 season at some point.”
03.08- Jalen Tolbert, WR, South Alabama
Robert: “Looked great at Senior Bowl. Has the size, ball skills, and YAC potential. Some mocks have him going in first round.”
03.09- Sincere McCormick, RB, UTSA
Taylor: “McCormick is a small school early declare that was very productive from his freshman season. His 20 catches in each of his three seasons bodes well for his fantasy potential.”
03.10- Tyler Badie, RB, Missouri
Ryan: “Badie has the requisite speed and could be a big play waiting to happen. In the right system I think he could carve out a nice role.”
03.11- James Cook, RB, Georgia
Rookie RB Efficiency: James Cook – Georgia 🔥
➡️ https://t.co/Ps7aAkMsNq pic.twitter.com/VEoppRLq8z
— THE BREAKOUT FINDER (@breakout_finder) January 29, 2022
03.12- Zonovan Knight, RB, North Carolina State
Round 3 Takeaways
Again, Round 3 is a great chance to get some good value on skill players. In this case, it wasn’t even just the skill players, as Matt got great SuperFlex value in Desmond Ridder. He may have struggled against Alabama in the playoffs, but he still has solid college career stats and a solid profile.
Christian Watson, John Metchie, Jalen Tolbert, and James Cook could be true alphas in the right landing spots. Watson and Tolbert in particular have the athleticism. Both have over a 90th-percentile College Dominator Rating, even if it was against smaller schools. Metchie and Cook are the opposite. They never truly dominated at their level, but they at least looked good against good opponents. Metchie has a chance to follow in the footsteps of fellow Alabama alum in Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, and Jaylen Waddle. Cook has a chance to try to follow in his older brother Dalvin’s footsteps.
04.01- Calvin Austin, WR, Memphis
Cody: “Looking to become the fastest man at the 2022 NFL Combine. Austin was uncoverable in Mobile at the Senior Bowl, creating separation on every single route run.”
04.02- Ty Chandler, RB, North Carolina
Matt: “Over 1,000 rushing yards at UNC with 14 TDs. Shows good cutting ability. Didn’t have a lot of receptions in 2021, but displayed some skill in the pass game. Strong third/fourth round target in rookie drafts.”
04.03- Jerrion Ealy, RB, Ole Miss
04.04- Keaontay Ingram, RB, USC
Britt: “My fav sleeper. Size, pass catching abilities, and decent production. Biggest concern is pass blocking, but that’s why they call them fliers!
04.05- Kennedy Brooks, RB, Oklahoma
04.06- Kevin Harris, RB, South Carolina
04.07- Pierre Strong, RB, South Dakota State
Ferrris: “Happy to keep taking Pierre here. Good production profile and has shown receiving ability. Testing numbers and DC will matter for anyone I take here. But for now, he is my go to sleeper pick.”
04.08- Max Borghi, RB, Washington State
Robert: “Shifty receiving back with an 86-catch sophomore season.”
04.09- ZaQuandre White, RB, South Carolina
Taylor: “White has good size at 210-pounds and outperformed his teammates at South Carolina, notably with a +1.70 YPC+ metric per Noah Hills’ RB Efficiency series
04.10- Greg Dulcich, TE, UCLA
04.11- Bailey Zappe, QB, Western Kentucky
04.12- Abram Smith, RB, Baylor
Round 4 Takeaways
As a few of the drafters mentioned already, this is the time to get your fliers and sleepers. This round is where talent scouting really comes to fruition. The players you draft here are usually not landing spot dependent. And you have to just hope that their athleticism wins out no matter where they go.
Bailey Zappe finally went off the board. This is the guy that I think has the highest ceiling in this QB draft class. He threw for nearly 6,000 yards and 62 touchdowns last season. That is just absurd. Especially in SuperFlex, I see no argument as to why he isn’t at least worth a late-round flier. Sure he played for Western Kentucky. Sure he didn’t really impress at the Senior Bowl. But those two things are not disqualifying. Tim Tebow won a Heisman and, for all intents and purposes, didn’t produce at the NFL level. Zappe will be an interesting player to watch this year.
05.01- Isaiah Likely, TE, Coastal Carolina
Cody: “Uber-talented slight tight end, that considers himself a Darren Waller prodigy. I love that mindset, and think in the right offense he is correct.”
05.02- Dai’Jean Dixon, WR, Nicholls State
05.03- Romeo Doubs, WR, Nevada
05.04- Jeremy Ruckert, TE, Ohio State
Britt: “TE3 in this class for me. Reports out of the Senior Bowl were glowing.”
05.05- Tyler Goodson, RB, Iowa
05.06- Tyrion Davis-Price, RB, LSU
Jay: “A big-bodied RB with a 93rd-percentile Speed Score coming out of high school.”
05.07- Hassan Haskins, RB, Michigan
05.08- Kaleb Eleby, QB, Western Michigan
Robert: “Invited to Combine!”
05.09- Khalil Shakir, WR, Boise State
Taylor: “Shakir is an older prospect who played as a freshman and broke out as a sophomore. Likely won’t wow us at the Combine. But production matters more for WRs, which his 84th-percentile College Dominator Rating demonstrates.”
05.10- Jerreth Sterns, WR, Western Kentucky
Ryan: “Production was otherworldly at WKU, and I’ll bet on that this late. Could play a slot role for almost any team in the league.”
05.11- Leddie Brown, RB, West Virginia
there aren’t many players in this rb class with dominant production, workhorse size, quality efficiency, and prolific receiving usage.
leddie brown is one of them. a deep dive into his rushing efficiency profile over at @breakout_finder: https://t.co/fyNFTWiCiC
— noah hills (@noahmoreparties) February 26, 2022
05.12- Velus Jones Jr., WR, Tennessee
Round 5 Takeaways
Again, these later round picks are nothing more than hope and dart throws. However, Hassan Haskins seems to be slipping in a lot of mocks.
Heading into the College Football Playoffs, the media was touting him as a first-round talent. They even considered one of the best backs in the draft. This was after he ran for 169 yards on 28 carries against Ohio State. He also finished the year with 1,327 yards and 20 touchdowns. However, a poor showing against UGA brought his draft-stock to the floor, which is honestly about where his profile puts him anyway. As good as he was last season, his profile does not inspire confidence. Note: These are his HIGH SCHOOL measurables.
Conclusion
To echo many of the pundits in our football world, this draft class is fairly weak when it comes to the QB position. However, there is pretty deep talent everywhere else. As a result, you can get a solid piece for your dynasty squad in any round this year. This mock draft proved it with players like Hassan Haskins, Tyrion Davis-Price, Bailey Zappe, and Calvin Austin taken later. In the fantasy football draft world, there are a few camps in how you scout rookies. Whether that be drafting based on pure athleticism, landing spot, or past performance, you can find someone who fits that mold even in Round 5.
As far as SuperFlex goes, this QB draft class does leave a lot to be desired. However, these guys can feasibly provide a pretty solid ceiling. Historically speaking, this draft class doesn’t seem anywhere near as bad as 2013. The best QB from that class was Mike Glennon. Kenny Pickett, Matt Corral, and Malik Willis should all hopefully have at least better careers than him. But for now, we’re left with nothing more than speculation and college stats.
The Combine approaches! This will give us a few more data points to try to connect the dots on what players will truly be stars at the next level. It will be interesting to see what QBs rise and fall due to their Combine performance. Make sure you take a look March 1-7 on NFL Network.
But no worries if you can’t catch the Combine because we will continue to bring you actionable content daily at PlayerProfiler.com and BreakoutFinder.com through the entire draft process. Follow along on Twitter, YouTube, TikTok and everywhere else as we break down every 40-yard dash, every pro-day, and every draft pick in 2022.