football-player football-score football-helmet football-ball Accuracy Arm-Strength Balance Ball-Security Ball-Skills Big-Play-Ability Block-Deconstruction Competitive-Toughness Core-Functional-Strength Decision-Making Discipline Durability Effort-Motor Elusivness Explosiveness Football-IQ Footwork Functional-Athleticism Hand-Counters Hand-Power Hand-Technique Hands Lateral-Mobility Leadership Length Mechanics Mobility Pass-Coverage-Ability Pass-Protection Pass-Sets Passing-Down-Skills Pocket-Manipulation Poise Power-at-POA Progressions RAC-Ability Range Release-Package Release Route-Running Run-Defending Separation Special-Teams-Ability-1 Versatility Vision Zone-Coverage-Skills Anchor-Ability Contact-Balance Man-Coverage-Skills Tackling Lifted Logic Web Design in Kansas City clock location phone email play chevron-down chevron-left chevron-right chevron-up facebook tiktok checkbox checkbox-checked radio radio-selected instagram google plus pinterest twitter youtube send linkedin search arrow-circle bell left-arrow right-arrow tdn-mark filled-play-circle yellow-arrow-circle dark-arrow-circle star cloudy snowy rainy sunny plus minus triangle-down link close drag minus-circle plus-circle pencil premium trash lock simple-trash simple-pencil eye cart
Drew Lock
Seattle Seahawks

Where Would Drew Lock Rank In 2022 NFL Draft QB Class?

  • Justin Melo
  • May 9, 2022
  • Share

The Seattle Seahawks disliked the 2022 NFL Draft’s class of quarterbacks. Despite entering the draft with what’s quite possibly the most questionable and concerning quarterback situation on paper across the league, Seahawks General Manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll decided against drafting a future signal-caller in favor of keeping QB Drew Lock atop the depth chart. 

The Seahawks drafted former Mississippi State offensive tackle Charles Cross in the first round and later spent back-to-back second-round picks on defensive end Boye Mafe and running back Kenneth Walker III. Perhaps most stunningly, the Seahawks drafted former Washington State offensive tackle Abraham Lucas with the No. 72 overall selection in the third round, deciding to once again pass on the likes of Malik Willis and Desmond Ridder, who both came off the board just moments later. The Seahawks possessed multiple opportunities to hand-select the quarterback of their choosing and passed every time.

The Seahawks appear prepared to enter training camp with Lock, Geno Smith, and Jacob Eason as their three main signal-callers. Lock, who the team acquired in the blockbuster trade that sent Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos, is the current favorite to begin the regular season as Seattle’s starting signal-caller. 

Carroll seems to genuinely believe in Lock as a starting-caliber talent. While making a radio appearance earlier this week on Sports Radio KJR, Seattle’s head honcho claimed that Lock would have been the first quarterback drafted in 2022.

“I think he’d [Lock] have been the first guy picked, of quarterbacks anyway,” Carroll said. “He’d have been the first guy in this draft. I don’t have any hesitation saying that.”

It represents a bold statement that is likely untrue. Lock was the fourth quarterback selected (No. 42 overall) in the 2019 NFL Draft after Kyler Murray, Daniel Jones, and Dwayne Haskins were first-round selections, and I would have personally ranked him as the fourth quarterback in this class behind Kenny Pickett, Ridder, and Willis. 

The 2019 class of signal-callers was admittedly viewed in a more favorable light compared to the 2022 class. When deciding where Lock would have ranked within the 2022 crop of quarterbacks, it’s important to remove recency bias from the evaluation process. Lock has developed into a middling quarterback with a less-than-desirable career completion percentage of 59.3%. However, this metaphorical case study isn’t about Lock the pro quarterback, it’s about Lock the 2019 draft prospect out of Missouri.

As a prospect, Lock showcased good arm strength and well-developed upper-body mechanics. At 6-foot-4 and 228 pounds, he featured desirable size, ideal physical tools, and enough athletic ability to navigate and extend the pocket. He played in a Missouri offense that allowed him to function as a gunslinger, and he did an excellent job keeping his eyes downfield while demonstrating a willingness to attempt tight-window throws. Lock threw the ball with good velocity and was poised in the pocket. 

Much like the quarterbacks featured throughout the 2022 class, Lock’s game was riddled with worrying warts, too. Inconsistent accuracy issues saw Lock routinely sail balls. He was also an inconsistent deep-ball thrower, a concern that limited his upside in today’s pass-happy league. 

Lock’s biggest issue was in regard to his reads. He often pre-determined his intended target pre-snap while staring them down post-snap. It’s a bad habit that’s gotten Lock in trouble throughout the early portion of his professional career as well.

It’s certainly plausible to believe that NFL decision-makers would have viewed Lock as being in the QB1 mix alongside Pickett based on recent history. General managers were clearly lower on Willis and Ridder than the pre-draft general consensus suggested they were, seeing that both promising signal-callers weren’t selected until the third round. I’m of the personal opinion that Pickett, Willis, and Ridder possess more upside than the collegiate version of Lock did, and that’s why the Missouri product would have ranked at QB4 for me. Willis’ raw athletic tools and electric arm talent make him a prospect with more upside than Lock possessed. Pickett’s outstanding 2021 campaign, clean mechanics, and sound decision-making undoubtedly make him a safer prospect. Ridder’s winning pedigree, experience as a leader that helped turn a program around, and exciting dual-threat ability make him worthy of a gamble.

There’s little reason to doubt Carroll and Schneider have more faith in Lock than they did in the 2022 crop of drafted quarterbacks. Their strategy and decisions throughout the draft back that sentiment. Carroll’s claims regarding Lock’s metaphorical draft positioning among the 2022 group of signal-callers is certainly up for debate, but his legitimate belief in Lock as a more advanced professional quarterback than the recent draftees is clear. Whether or not Carroll proves to be correct will be revealed in due time. An incorrect evaluation would undeniably set the Seahawks back.

Written By

Justin Melo