2022 NFL Draft Grades: Jets leave rest of AFC East in their dust

By Rob Rang
FOX Sports NFL Draft Analyst

Grading a draft immediately after it concludes is like giving your compliments to the chef before the meal has been served. Sure, the food might sound good (or bad) based on the description on the menu, but the true evaluation won't come until after the product has been tested.

It will be at least three years before we can truly assess how the 32 teams fared in the 2022 NFL Draft. But what is readily apparent is the different approaches that were taken, from going for the best available talent to focusing on team needs to gambling on character concerns and long-term potential.

Over the next few days, I’ll be taking a closer look at each team’s rookie class, including a few of the undrafted free-agent signings that I believe could surprise.

Now, let's dig into the AFC East.

New York Jets
Grade: A

GM Joe Douglas selected a class deserving of first class, while the rest of this division was either squeezed into aisle seats or even left on at the gate on standby. Of course, it's much easier to make splashy picks when a club boasts multiple first-round selections, but New York's first-round trio of Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner (No. 4 overall), Garrett Wilson (No. 10) and Jermaine Johnson II (No. 26) is about as luxury liner at it gets in the NFL. 

Gardner boasts so many of the traits Richard Sherman showed in San Francisco and Seattle that it is difficult to imagine a scenario in which this lanky, playmaking cornerback does not earn rave reviews on Broadway. His unbelievable track record of not allowing a single touchdown reception in three years as a starter at Cincinnati will be challenged early and often in the NFL. 

Gardner will even be challenged in training camp, with Wilson offering exceptional body control, hands and straight-line speed as the perfect security blanket for second-year quarterback Zach Wilson. The two Wilsons should be lockstep by the time the regular season kicks off. As a rookie, the Jets' quarterback flashed the precision that warranted his No. 2 overall selection, and with key members of the offense (such as Mekhi Becton and Corey Davis) returning healthy this season, one can expect Zach Wilson's play to skyrocket in 2022. 

With all due respect to Wilson and Wilson on offense, it is Gardner and Johnson on defense who could have coach Robert Saleh most excited. Johnson was the most dominant player at the Senior Bowl, and his slipping to the late portion of the first round will only make Douglas’ bold trade back up to get him that much more of a coup.

Breece Hall — the most explosive and consistent runner in this class — was similarly a steal, which is saying something, given that he was the first running back selected at No. 36 overall. The Jets are also likely to receive more value in the middle rounds than some of their divisional opponents. Tight end Jeremy Ruckert, offensive tackle Max Mitchell and edge rusher Micheal Clemons are all plug-and-play candidates with projected long NFL careers ahead of them.

The Jets left the rest of this division on the tarmac, putting together one of the elite classes in the NFL this year. 

New England Patriots
Grade: B-

The Patriots' first-round selection of UT-Chattanooga interior offensive lineman Cole Strange might have seemed odd, but I liked his tape and was even more impressed with how he held up at the Senior Bowl. I won’t quibble too much about the fact that I viewed him as more of a Day 2 value. 

Similarly, while I viewed speedster Tyquan Thornton as more of a Day 3 candidate than a top-50 prospect, I can appreciate the shocking early run on wide receivers among the first 54 picks, which might have forced New England’s hand. Further, one of the reasons I thought Mac Jones was worthy of top-10 consideration a year ago was that I loved his accuracy on the deep ball, and Thornton possesses not only the speed but also the tracking ability to excel in this role. 

It was in the middle rounds, however, that I thought Bill Belichick and the Patriots enjoyed their greatest success. Former Houston cornerback/returner/receiver Marcus Jones certainly earned the Paul Hornung Award as the nation’s most versatile player last season, and the same pure athleticism and ball skills that stand out on his tape are just as clear with Jack Jones, selected nearly 40 picks later. Further, while I believe New England already boasted a well-rounded running back corps, none of the Patriots’ backs can match the breakaway ability offered by Pierre Strong, who clocked 4.37 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the combine at a rock-solid 5-foot-10 and 207 pounds. 

Because we’re on the topic of turning good positional groups into great ones, why not add a savvy, quick-trigger passer such as Western Kentucky QB Bailey Zappe to keep Jones from resting on his laurels? Zappe isn’t likely to overtake Jones as the Patriots’ starting quarterback anytime soon, but his production and precision are undeniable — and those traits will only expand in value if he can show them during preseason games at the NFL level. 

I like that after trolling through the small schools in the middle rounds, New England came back to power programs with late-round picks on offensive linemen Chasen Hines (LSU) and Andrew Stueber (Michigan). The former ranking is a particularly intriguing developmental prospect. 

With all due respect to former Miami quarterback D’Eriq King and Texas safety Brenden Schooler, I don’t see this UDFA class packing enough punch to make a dent in the Patriots’ talented roster, though both have enough athleticism to offer intriguing positional versatility. 

With nearly half of their 10 draft picks spent on prospects from non-Power 5 teams, this felt like a class in which the Patriots wanted to show off their football IQ, and I’m not convinced this strategy will turn into roster spots. However, gambling on traits, smarts and toughness have worked well for Belichick and the Patriots in the past, so it will be fascinating to see which diamond in the rough in Foxborough surprises this year.

Buffalo Bills
Grade: C-

The Bills addressed one of their biggest positions of concern immediately with the selection of Florida cornerback Kaiir Elam in the first round. Elam possesses many of the traits to be a star in the NFL, though in college he was not the physical and reliable tackler that his 6-foot-2, 192-pound frame suggests. Given that they helped Tre’Davious White become more consistent as a tackler after he was selected in the first round back in 2017, coach Sean McDermott and his staff have earned a little leeway on this issue.

The rest of Buffalo's class requires a fair amount of projecting, which is disconcerting. I was lower on running back James Cook than most, and I’m doubly concerned about how he is an upgrade over similarly built and talented pass-catching specialists already on Buffalo’s roster, such as Devin Singletary, Duke Johnson and Taiwan Jones. Frankly, I would have rather seen general manager Brandon Beane nab more of a bulldozer to push Zack Moss. But Josh Allen is such a big, physical and hard-nosed runner at quarterback that clearly the club didn’t see this as a concern. Expecting the quarterback to handle that role seems unnecessarily risky, though. 

Similarly, I thought Baylor LB Terrel Bernard was a significant reach at No. 89 overall. In terms of fit and value, my favorite picks for Buffalo were the Day 3 selections of wideout Khalil Shakir and punter Matt Araiza. I also like the free-agent signings of UCLA offensive lineman Alec Anderson and Texas A&M tight end Jalen Wydermyer. 

Still, this was a disjointed class. On paper, at least, I fail to see how it helps Buffalo take the next step toward a title in 2022. 

Miami Dolphins
Grade: C-

Any analysis of the Dolphins' 2022 draft must recognize the fact that Miami gave up its first-, second- and fourth-round picks for wideout Tyreek Hill, arguably the most explosive player in the league. As such, the Dolphins made an NFL-low four draft picks over the weekend and, with former Georgia linebacker Channing Tindall a notable exception, I was not impressed with their actual draft haul. 

Even Tindall, at 6-foot-2, 228 pounds, was a curious selection, given that his best attributes are his range and closing ability — not the bulk and physicality most see as critical to playing inside linebacker in Miami’s 3-4 alignment. 

I do like the size and physicality of fourth-round wideout Erik Ezukanma, but receiver hardly seemed a position of need for a club already boasting Hill, Jaylen Waddle, free-agent addition Cedrick Wilson and Preston Williams, among others. Seventh-rounders Cameron Goode and Skylar Thompson also were curious selections.

The Dolphins did nab a couple of undrafted free agents who boost this year’s rookie class. Kellen Diesch from Arizona State ranked as my favorite offensive tackle in this year’s East-West Shrine Bowl, and Idaho State’s Tanner Conner is similarly built and as talented as big slot/tight end Mike Gesicki. 

With all due respect to Dolphins GM Chris Grier, this felt like an offseason in which Miami dedicated its greatest attention to veteran free agency and the trade for Hill. With Tindall a potential exception, I would be surprised if the Dolphins receive much production from the actual rookies of this draft class. 

One of the most recognized names in the industry, Rob Rang has been covering the NFL Draft for more than 20 years, with work at FOX, Sports Illustrated, CBSSports.com, USA Today, Yahoo, NFL.com and NFLDraftScout.com, among others.