Top 5 Guard Prospects For 2022 NFL Draft

The NFL draft will be here before you know it. NFL free agency comes first in March, but then comes the draft in April. Let’s look at the offensive line and, more particularly, the guard position, identifying the top guards on the board.

1. Bernhard Raimann, Central Michigan

The Chippewas didn’t get much attention this season. Any team which plays in the MAC won’t make a big national splash unless it wins the MAC title and makes at least some noise in the Group of Five conversation. Central Michigan didn’t rise to that standard, although it did win the Sun Bowl in an upset over Washington State. Raimann was the best offensive lineman on the team by far. Central Michigan was able to run the ball well in the first half against a Pac-12 defensive line which had played fairly well in previous weeks. Raimann led that charge for Central Michigan, increasing his draft stock and building on the quality regular season he put together. Central Michigan got involved in plenty of shootouts. That’s a testament to a highly functional offense which needed solid offensive line play in order to hum with efficiency.

2. Kenyon Green, Texas A&M

The Aggies suffered injuries at quarterback this past season, which led to a bumpy ride for A&M in the month of September, but when Zach Calzada – the second-string QB to start the season – finally found a groove in October when A&M upset Alabama, Green was an anchor for the Aggies’ offensive line. That point certainly got noticed, and it’s a central reason Green should go fairly high in the draft. Being the second-best guard on the draft board should translate to a top-85 selection at the very least.

3. Darian Kinnard, Kentucky

The Wildcats had noticeable limitations at the skill positions. They didn’t have an especially strong quarterback and were contained by the better teams they faced in 2021. Yet, Kentucky made a January bowl game and had a very successful season, taking care of business against weaker opposition. This is in part because Kinnard played with a nasty edge and a winning attitude at guard to shore up the Wildcats’ offensive line. Kentucky had a very solid November and an authoritative finishing kick to its season because Kinnard increased the margin for error at the other four spots on UK’s offensive front. He is a name to watch for in the top 100 and the first three rounds of the draft.

4. Jamaree Salyer, Georgia

The Georgia Bulldogs won the national championship and had the most physical linemen in college football. On the offensive side of the ball, Salyer stood out. Georgia’s strength and conditioning program is second to none in the sport. Salyer received first-rate development which should translate into immediate readiness to contribute as a professional football player.

5. Lecitus Smith, Virginia Tech

The Hokies have developed NFL-ready linemen. Last year, they sent offensive lineman Christian Darrisaw to the NFL as a first-round pick for the Minnesota Vikings. Smith won’t go in the first round, but he is still one of the top guards on the board and could give a team value in the fourth round, maybe the back end of the third if the draft goes really well for him.