PurplePTSD: Diamonds In The Rough: Stars That Have Fallen Down The 2022 NFL Draft Board

Press release from the PurplePTSD:

Josh Frey

2022-02-15

The NFL Draft is always filled with unknown players that go on to shine in the NFL. Tom Brady was famously the 199th overall pick and a sixth rounder out of Michigan. However, there are also players that go into their final collegiate seasons as big stars only to fall down the draft boards by the time April rolls around. That is the area of the 2022 NFL Draft that will be discussed today. There are a number of these types of players at every position, but can they return to their former glory in the NFL?

LB Christian Harris (Alabama)

Following the 2020 season in which Christian Harris helped lead the Alabama Crimson Tide to another national championship, he seemed like the clear cut LB1 in 2022’s draft class. It remained that way through that summer going into the 2021 season. He didn’t even really disappoint in the 2021 season, recording a career-high 11.5 TFLs and 5.5 sacks.

What it really comes down to is the fact that Nakobe Dean and Devin Lloyd played such insanely good football that they just surpassed the Alabama linebacker. Additionally, some undesirable habits like missed tackles and some lapses in pass coverage. That said, Harris is still an extremely talented LB, and he shouldn’t last on the draft board that long into Day Two. Still, being a mid-second round pick when he seemed to be a top-20 guy at this time last year is significant. He has the potential to be a Day Two steal for whoever picks him up.

EDGE Zach Harrison (Ohio State)

Coming out of high school, Zach Harrison was one of the most highly touted college football prospects in 2019. He was a five-star recruit and the 12th ranked prospect, per 247 Sports. However, since that time, he’s failed to live up to the hype.

In three years at Ohio State, Harrison has struggled to make a lasting impact. He’s never recorded more than 3.5 sacks in a season, and he’s only recorded 2.0 in each of the past two seasons. However, there are still things to like about his game. He’s explosive off the line of scrimmage and brings some high potential with his power moves. He uses his hands well to create leverage, but he just needs to find more consistency. He projects as a Day Three pick right now and seems to be a project pick going into the NFL.

WR Justyn Ross (Clemson)

Justyn Ross’ football career nearly came to a sudden halt following the 2019 season when a severe neck injury caused him to miss the entirety of his 2020 campaign. However, he was able to defy the odds and come back for the 2021 season with the Clemson Tigers. The numbers were not nearly to the usual standards of his 2018-19 seasons, but this could be due to a few things:

The recent stretch of injuries for Ross is certainly a concern, but the talent is also very much there. Ross recorded 800+ yards and 8+ TDs in each of his first two seasons with Clemson as a dominant WR1. If he comes back healthy, he could be another major steal for any NFL team this spring.

This press release was produced by the PurplePTSD. The views expressed here are the author’s own.