2022 NFL Draft QB rankings: Top-10 prospects heading into Week 5
A new QB in the top-10, Kedon's meteoric fall from the top, and another week where people overlook Grayson McCall
Well, three of my top six QBs had a BYE last week, so I’m not going to make many changes right now. Let’s continue to monitor the changes as more conference play begins in Week 5. There should be some fantastic, game-changing matchups for these players in October.
For now, no changes at the top — or much elsewhere — but there’s nevertheless been plenty of development.
QB Rankings
1. Grayson McCall, Coastal vs UMass (10-of-14, 162y, 2 TD, 0 INT, 1 rush TD)
Previous: 1
Once again, I could point to two or three players that actually cost McCall even better numbers than what he finished with; and McCall still leads the nation in at least three HUGE passing categories: comp%, AY/A, and passer rating. He’s also giving Coastal Carolina a real chance to make an historic bowl game — if not the CFP.
Season stats: 56/73, 76.7%*, 901 yards, 8 TD, 1 INT, 13.9 AY/A*, 213.8 rating*, 2 rush TD
*leads nation
2. Malik Willis, Liberty vs Syracuse (14-of-19, 205y, 3 TD, 0 INT, 17 rush, 49 yards, 13 rec yards)
Previous: 2
The NFL loves to do whatever just worked yesterday, so I expect the name “Kyler Murray” to come up a lot during the 2022 draft season. Malik Willis very well could be billed as “the next Kyler Murray” in the leadup to the draft and honestly that is the type of potential he’s putting on tape this year.
Season stats: 63/88, 71.6%, 818 yards, 11.6 AY/A, 10 TD, 0 INT, 187.2 rating, 274 rushing yards, 4 TD
3. Carson Strong, Nevada (BYE)
Previous ranking: 3
Season stats: 83/122, 68%, 955y, 8.2 AY/A, 7 TD, 2 INT, 149.4 rating
4. Sam Howell, UNC vs Georgia Tech (25/39, 64.1%, 306y, 2 TD, 0 INT, 1 rush TD)
Previous ranking: 4
Season stats: 77/121, 63.6%, 1,173y, 10 AY/A, 11 TD, 4 INT, 168.5 rating, 55 rush, 259 yards, 3 TD
5. Matt Corral, Ole Miss (BYE)
Previous ranking: 5
Season stats: 66/96, 68.8%, 997y, 12.3 AY/A, 9 TD, 0 INT, 33 rush, 158y, 5 TD
6. Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati (BYE)
Previous ranking: 6
Season stats: 54/83, 65%, 748y, 9.6 AY/A, 7 TD, 2 INT, 163.8 rating, 2 rush TD
7. Kenny Pickett, Pitt vs New Hampshire (24/28, 403y, 5 TD, 0 INT, 1 rush TD)
Previous ranking: 7
I saw the name “Dan Marino” brought up this week alongside Kenny Pickett. Yes, they both played at Pitt, so that’s the main reason why. But c’mon folks… Pickett has 11 passing touchdowns over the last two weeks, having faced Western Michigan and New Hampshire. Forget about forgetting that New Hampshire is a college…who among us didn’t forget that it is even a state!
I’m skeptical that Pickett will even face any elite defenses in the ACC this season. Better ones than New Hampshire though. He might still put up some more insane numbers, but will that translate into being a top-rated 2022 draft prospect?
Season stats: 98/132, 74.2%, 1,342y, 12.1 AY/A, 15 TD, 1 INT, 195.6 rating, 113 rush yards, 2 TD
8. Spencer Rattler, Oklahoma vs West Virginia (26-of-36, 72%, 256y, 1 TD, 1 INT)
Previous ranking: 8
A brutal reminder that you can’t just hand the Oklahoma offense over to a top-ranked prospect and expect it to automatically work.
Season stats: 100/135, 74%, 1,017y, 7.7 AY/A, 8 TD, 3 INT, 152 rating, 2 rush TD
9. Brennan Armstrong, Virginia vs Wake Forest (33/59, 56%, 407y, 2 TD, 1 INT, 17 rush/33y)
Last week: 10
Armstrong is already closing in on 2,000 passing yards this season. He has a huge left arm, can he do the improbable and become a starting lefty in the NFL?
Season stats: 120/180, 66%, 1,705y, 10.2 AY/A, 13 TD, 3 INT, 166.7 rating, 2 rush TD
10. Jake Haener, Fresno State vs UNLV (30/42, 71%, 378 yards, 5 TD, 1 INT)
Last week: N/R
While I remain skeptical of Haener’s chances to translate his college heroics to the NFL level, why not highlight a player who is the hottest thing in NCAA football and turning people into believers by going blow-for-blow against superior competition?
Season stats: 136/186, 73%, 1,842y, 11 AY/A, 15 TD, 2 INT, 3 rush TD
Dropped Out:
Kedon Slovis, USC vs Oregon State (31/49, 355y, 1 TD, 3 INT)
It’s been a frustrating year for Slovis, a quarterback who has potentially gone from being seen as a top-15 pick to maybe entering the transfer portal by year’s end.
The next 15 (not in any order)
Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland vs Kent State (31/41, 384y, 3 TD, 1 INT)
Tanner McKee, Stanford vs UCLA (19/32, 293y, 3 TD, 0 INT, 42 rush yards)
Jayden Daniels, ASU vs Colorado (18/25, 236y, 0 TD, 0 INT, 2 rush TD)
Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA vs Stanford (18/29, 251y, 2 TD/0 INT, 2 rush TD)
Brock Purdy, Iowa State vs Baylor (22/33, 263y, 1 TD, 1 INT)
Will Levis, Kentucky vs South Carolina (15/22, 102y, 0 TD, 1 INT, 30 rush yards)
Chase Garbers, Cal vs UW (30/41, 319y, 2 TD, 2 INT, 71 rush y, 1 TD)
Jack Coan, Notre Dame vs Wisconsin (15/29, 158y, 1 TD, 0 INT)
D’Eriq King, Miami (BYE)
Tanner Mordecai, SMU vs TCU (17/28, 245y, 4 TD, 3 INT, 1 rush TD)
Dustin Crum, Kent State vs Maryland (19/33, 308y, 1 TD, 0 INT)
Aqeel Glass, Alabama A&M vs Tuskegee (27/39, 405y, 4 TD, 2 INT)
Jack Plummer, Purdue vs Illinois (12/21, 95y, 0 TD, 0 INT)
*J.T. Daniels, Georgia vs Vandy (9/10, 129y, 2 TD, 0 INT)
*Bailey Zappe, Western Kentucky vs Indiana (31/44, 365y, 3 TD, 0 INT)
*New this week
And 5 More…
Payton Thorne, Michigan State vs Nebraska (14/23, 183y, 1 TD, 1 INT)
Levi Lewis, Louisiana vs Georgia Southern (17/28, 249y, 3 TD, 0 INT)
Logan Bonner, Utah State vs Boisa State (11/25, 173y, 0 TD, 2 INT)
Sam Hartman, Wake Forest vs Virginia (17/29, 270y, 3 TD, 0 INT)
Sean Clifford, Penn State vs Villanova (19/26, 401y, 4 TD, 1 INT)
Dropped out:
Jared Bernhardt, Ferris State - Bernhardt is apparently dealing with a sore knee and has missed the last two games. He is the former lacrosse superstar at Maryland who hasn’t played football since 2015 but was turning heads early in the season.
Bo Nix, Auburn - He’s been so bad as a QB, he’s not much of a QB prospect.
Bo Nix vs Georgia Southern (13/27, 156y, 0 TD, 0 INT)