There doesn’t seem to be a Trevor Lawrence-caliber quarterback prospect in the 2022 NFL draft, but a lot can change between now and next April.
Around this time last year, the likes of Jamie Newman and Brock Purdy were being mocked in the first round of 2021 mock drafts. Zach Wilson was merely a blip on the radar, and Mac Jones had yet to prove himself as a first-round talent. Lawrence, Justin Fields and Trey Lance were all still seen as Round 1 passers, but the overall dynamic of the quarterback class was much different from how the class would actually be selected.
The general consensus leans slightly towards Oklahoma’s Spencer Rattler as the QB1 in the 2022 draft, but he has far from run away with that top spot at this point. There are a handful of other quarterbacks who could project as the top player at his position, and each of them stake a reasonable claim to that title.
Here is the case for and against some of the top QB1 candidates in the 2022 NFL draft:
