The Best Under The Radar Players At Each Position In The 2022 NFL Draft: Defense
The diamonds in the rough.
Defense
Defensive Tackle
Perrion Winfrey Jr., Oklahoma: Potential; that is what Winfrey has. He has an immense amount of upside in the NFL and that's what makes him so enticing. The Senior Bowl MVP made 23 tackles and 5.5 sacks in 2021 with the Sooners and his burst and quickness at 290 pounds is the reason why. He'll be a good fit as a three tech or pass rushing defensive tackle that can pin his ears back and make plays. While he needs to improve in the run game, he has all the intangibles to be a solid rotational piece for a defense in need.
Edge Rusher
Nik Bonitto, Oklahoma: BACK TO BACK BOOMER SOONERS. Playing defense in the Big 12 won't usually get you a lot of notoriety and that's why Bonitto and Winfrey aren't being discussed a ton. Bonittos build makes him a Haason Reddick style player where he can do it all off the edge. Want him to bull rush a tackle, he'll do it. Want him to spill on a trap, he's your guy. Need someone to peel blitz on a running back; better call Bonitto. Much like Lindstrom, Bonitto needs to add weight to be more successful in the NFL. In an edge rusher loaded class, Bonitto is a true diamond in the rough.
Linebacker
Leo Chenal, Wisconsin: Leo Chenal is a dog. His build and play style match that of Dont'a Hightower when he was younger and that just means there is room to grow. One concern is that he's too heavy at 250, but that didn't prevent him from running a 4.5 40 at the combine. Chenal is a violent yet controlled player that will fill A, B, or C gap with out an issue. Something about his game that sticks out is his longer arms make it tough for offensive lineman to get their hands on which makes Chenal an effective blitzer.
Cornerback
Tariq Wooden, Texas-San Antonio: Big corners are like a unicorn in the NFL; you rarely see them. Woolen stands at 6'4 and is a flyer that ran a 4.26 40 yard dash. The one drawback of Woolen is his height though as he struggles to keep his pads low, but he's very good in bump and run coverage because of his long strides. Woolen as a good feel for the field which many young defensive backs struggle with. Watch a team like the Vikings, Jets, or Seahawks make a move on the UTSA alum to add corner depth and eventually evolve into a starting corner.
Safety
Jalen Pitre, Baylor: When I watch Pitre play, I see a lot of Budda Baker in him; he's like a Swiss army knife. Pitre shines when he blitzes because he bends the edge better than some edge rushers in this draft and that's almost unheard of. With 2 interception and 7 pass breakups in 2021, he showed off his ball hawking abilities. There's a reason he was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year over players like Winfrey, Bonitto, and Siaka Ika.