Ranking 5 players with the highest ceiling in 2022 NFL Draft ft. Chris Olave, Malik Willis and more

Chris Olave has a lot of the requisite tools to become an elite wide receiver
Chris Olave has a lot of the requisite tools to become an elite wide receiver

#3 - Jordan Davis, Defensive Tackle, Georgia

Defensive coordinators in the NFL can't wait to get hold of Davis' athletic talent
Defensive coordinators in the NFL can't wait to get hold of Davis' athletic talent

Jordan Davis shouldn’t be able to move as quickly as he does given his frame. He is the personification of a freight train, and what makes him such an exciting draft prospect is that these tools are natural, they can’t be taught.

You can coach a guy to learn how to tackle efficiently and make the most of his strength, but you can’t teach a 342lbs man to run a 40-yard dash in 4.78 seconds.

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That is superhuman, it’s downright freaky and it makes Davis one of the most interesting prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Davis isn’t the purest defensive lineman, he doesn’t have the cleanest tackling dynamics and he can often get dragged out of position by creative offenses, but he will be the most physically domineering player in his position whenever he enters the field.

Teams can leave Davis to develop for a year, nobody really expects him to hit the ground running right away, but when you have the physical skills, he does, once he learns some more fundamental nuances of his position, you’re looking at a serial Pro Bowl participant.

If Davis learns how to maximize his handwork and read offensive schemes, how is anyone going to stop his body? It’s just not feasible. How good an NFL career this unique athlete has depends entirely on his work ethic and the quality of coaching he receives.

If both are of a good standard, Davis can be the best defender in the NFL, he has that much natural ability.

#2 - Malik Willis, Quarterback, Liberty

Malik Willis has Lamar Jackson written all over him
Malik Willis has Lamar Jackson written all over him

Malik Willis is the wildcard quarterback in the 2022 NFL Draft class, with his physical attributes giving him something that few of his contemporaries have.

If you’re looking for a quarterback who has the speed of a running back, as well as the cutting moves, Willis is the player for your team.

NFL teams are looking at the Liberty star and don’t want to miss out on a player who could be the next Lamar Jackson.

Teams turned their noses up at Jackson and Kyler Murray because they were too small, too lightweight or too much like a running back.

Nobody wants to make the same mistake with Willis, and to boost his chances of success he already has a cannon of an arm.

New Orleans, Pittsburgh and Seattle are all already in the mix to draft Malik Willis, and he won’t last beyond the top-15 of the 2022 NFL Draft.

He needs polishing and may need a year to learn a playbook, but the ceiling on this kid is so high.

He can be as good as Jackson in the right system, and whichever team selects him on draft night needs to know how they want to utilize his unique talents.

#1 - Chris Olave, Wide Receiver, Ohio State

Expert opinions on the 2022 receiver class are mixed, with some favoring the smash-mouth physical style of Drake London and others looking for playmaking ability and longevity siding with Garrett Wilson.

However, the wideout with the most potential in the NFL Draft is Ohio State’s other offensive weapon, Chris Olave.

Olave has steadily grown during his time with the Buckeyes, racking up 936 receiving yards and scoring 13 touchdowns in the 2021 college season.

His athleticism is impressive, as is to be expected of a track athlete, and he has homerun potential on long passes, given his propensity for going down the field.

Olave’s intelligence is his real gift. It sets him apart from other receivers in this class. He can time his routes to perfection and defenders just can’t get a jump on him

If you’re not running double-coverage against Chris Olave, then good luck, you’re going to need it.

Justin Fields adored playing with him before being selected by the Chicago Bears, and whichever NFL QB he works with will love him too.

Chris Olave will be drafted before pick #20, he will be a day-one starter, that’s a given. However, it is his potential to hone and master all of the skills he possesses that give him perhaps the highest ceiling of anyone in the 2022 NFL Draft.

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