NFL Betting: Top 5 Pass Rusher Prospects In 2022 NFL Draft

The NFL draft is often a paradise for quarterbacks and receivers who expect to get paid handsomely for the plays they can make on offense. This year, however, is different. This will be a draft in which the defensive playmakers rise to the top of the board and get the biggest dollars in the first round. The pass rusher role is the splashiest spot on a defensive roster. We could have a situation in which the top two picks in this draft are both pass rushers, so let’s get right to it:

1 – Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan

The No. 1 pick in the draft is likely to be Hutchinson. We saw Chase Young get taken by Washington a few years ago, and it became clear how imposing a physical specimen he is. Nick Bosa was a top-three pick, and he has added so much value and heft to the San Francisco 49ers’ defense. When an elite and supremely physical pass rusher is there for the taking, teams cannot pass up the opportunity. Hutchinson dominated his matchups throughout the Big Ten season. Hutchinson played a central role in getting Michigan its first Big Ten championship in more than a decade and a half, leading coach Jim Harbaugh to the College Football Playoff for the first time. Hutchinson elevated Michigan so much in 2021 that it’s hard to deny him the first pick in this draft. The other player who will battle him in the pursuit of top-pick status is next on our list:

2 – Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon

The reason Thibodeaux will be behind Hutchinson is that he battled injuries for much of the 2021 season. It’s obvious and natural for NFL teams to prefer a less-injured star player than an oft-injured star player. None of this means Thibodeaux won’t be an excellent pro player; it’s just that Hutchinson has fewer questions. Thibodeaux shows amazing range and quickness in his pass-rushing responsibilities but also in the larger realm of covering a lot of territory on the field. He flies to the ball and works around blockers in very impressive ways. Hutchinson offers power with enough speed. Thibodeaux is more a guy who offers speed with enough power. Both are great, but we’ll slot in Thibodeaux at No. 2.

3 – Jermaine Johnson, Florida State

The Hutchinson-Thibodeaux battle will get top billing at this draft, but don’t forget about Johnson, who enabled Florida State’s defense to soundly defeat NFL quarterback prospect Sam Howell and North Carolina in the 2021 ACC football season. Johnson won’t be a top-15 pick on the draft board, but he an important new piece of a roster for an NFL team in need of pass-rushing help this season/

4 – George Karlaftis, Purdue

The impact of Karlaftis is felt in a number of ways, one being that while Purdue returns most of its 11 defensive starters from last season, Karlaftis is one of the few starters who is not coming back. That loss is leading pundits to worry about how well Purdue can compete in the Big Ten this year. When a unit returns nearly all of its starters but its overall quality is highly questioned, that’s an indicator that the few departing players made a huge, huge difference. So it is with Karlaftis, who often carried his Purdue defense in 2021. He’s a beast who will make a terrific pro.

5 – Travon Walker, Georgia

The Georgia defense was the very best in college football last season, and Walker was part of that effort. He has received elite coaching and development under Kirby Smart, and that should make him fully ready to transition into the NFL.