The 2022 NFL draft stood out as being dominated by defensive players in an era where top picks are primarily used on offensive talent. The first five picks were defensive players, and this trend of prioritizing defense continued throughout the first round and the next six rounds. Although talents like WRs Drake London, Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Jameson Williams were taken in the first round and turned out to be great players in the league, most of the success that came from the 2022 NFL draft ended up being from the defensive side of the ball. Of the nine quarterbacks selected, only one was taken in the first round (Kenny Pickett to Pittsburgh), and only one has managed to secure a starting job (Brock Purdy). The rest are either out of the league or clinging to backup or practice squad roles. In addition to the lack of legitimate offensive options available in the 2022 draft, the recent influx of highly talented offensive players from previous drafts served as motivation for this overwhelmingly defensive draft. Teams found it necessary to pick the best talent available on the defensive side of the ball in order to be able to contain players taken in the last couple of drafts. Electric players such as Trevor Lawrence, Jaylen Waddle, Ja’marr Chase, Devonta Smith, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, and Justin Jefferson are what make a good defense so necessary. The best way to contain these QBs and WRs is to have a lockdown secondary. The safeties and cornerbacks are what make up the secondary, or defensive backfield, with each having unique and equally important responsibilities on the field. Corners are assigned to cover an offense’s WRs or TEs, and safeties act as a last line of defense and play farther back in order to help out on the long balls or stop minimal gains from turning into house calls. Historically great secondaries were able to take over games and effectively shut down the passing game in any offense. The Seahawks’ “Legion of Boom” and the Broncos’ “No Fly Zone” were famous for stifling even the best offensive units in the league. These dynastic defensive backfields featured superstar DBs, with the “Legion of Boom” consisting of Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, and Kam Chancellor, and the “No Fly Zone” having players such as Aquib Talib, Chris Harris Jr., and Darian Stewart. Each of these DBs’ styles of play formed the dominant secondaries that were so key in both the Broncos (2016) and Seahawks (2014) winning a championship. In the 2022 NFL draft, especially in the first round, it was clear that teams felt that in order to create a championship team, an improved secondary would need to be established. Four CBs were chosen by four different teams in the first round. Each of these corners was taken by their team with the hopes that they would be the next piece in creating their own version of the Legion of Boom or the No Fly Zone. When considering the urgency and motivation with which each team selected these top prospects, it is highly relevant to look, in hindsight, if these selections paid off and had the desired effect on these teams’ secondaries and defences as a whole.

 

DEREK STINGLEY JR-Taken with the third overall pick, the Houston Texans were in desperation mode to improve a defence that was at the bottom of the league in terms of any meaningful defensive statistic (yards allowed, points surrendered). They had been the bottom feeders of the AFC South for the past couple of years despite efforts to improve the defense through free agent acquisitions of Desmond King II (CB) and Terrance Brooks (S). Stingley Jr. was thought to likely have an immediate impact on the team. However, any promise of potential in his rookie year was overshadowed by injuries, limiting him to only nine games. Since then, Stingley Jr. has proved his worth as the third overall pick. The potential that the Texans saw in him during his time at LSU and in bits and pieces in his rookie season came to fruition in the next two years of his career (2023/24). In each of these campaigns, the corner grabbed five interceptions. Stingley Jr. was named AP First-Team All-Pro in 2025, along with being selected as a starter in the Pro Bowl. These two years of ascension directly coincide with the team’s success as the Texans won the AFC South in both 23 & 24. When Stingley Jr. is having success, the team is having success. In this case, it is clear that a third overall draft pick was well worth the production and effect of Derek Stingley Jr. 

 

SAUCE GARDNER-With Stingley Jr. off the board, the obvious next pick for the New York Jets was Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner. Like the Texans, defense had been a weakness for years for the Jets and had been part of the problem when it comes to the Jets' lack of success. They selected Gardner to join DJ Reed and Ashton Davis and, hopefully, prove himself as a cornerstone to their defense by consistently being their lockdown corner. He immediately proved himself to be just that. In Gardner's rookie year, he had 51 solo tackles, 24 assists, and two interceptions along with leading the NFL in passes defensed with 20. In his rookie year, Gardner earƒned the DROY award as well as a Pro-Bowl selection and was seen, broadly, as already being one of the top few CBs in the game. Further solidifying his position, Gardner made the Pro Bowl the next year and, again, put up stellar numbers. A key difference in the trajectory of Gardner and Stingley Jr. was the team's success in relation to the success of the individual. When Stingley Jr. plays well, the Texans play well. When Gardner plays well, there is no direct impact on the team's results. The Jets are in the midst of a 15-year playoff drought, and the play of Gardner has not made a playoff berth seem much closer(the team has not surpassed 7 wins since drafting Gardner). Criticism of Gardner has mostly come in his third year (2024) and has been focused on a lack of commitment to plays and his toxic off-the-field behavior (social media/press interviews). These reasons for criticism of Gardner have likely contributed to why team success has not followed his own personal success. Personal accolades don’t mean a thing if it doesn’t help the team to collectively find success. Under Doug Collins, Michael Jordan was force-fed the ball. While he won scoring titles and MVPs, MJ and the Bulls didn’t find success until Phil Jackson and Tex Winter implemented the triangle offence that spread the ball around and allowed Jordan to reach his greatness through the natural course of the game, with equal opportunities for him to excel in off-ball situations. The dynasty of the Bulls and the legend of Jordan were built because MJ learned how to operate in a way that best helped the team. Gardner has to learn how to do the same, both with his play on the field and his actions off of it. 

 

TRENT MCDUFFIE- The former Washington Husky was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs with the 21st overall selection. He was chosen in the offseason following a down year in the Chiefs' run of five Super Bowl appearances in six years. McDuffie joined a team that already had championship DNA, joining a defense with the likes of Chris Jones and L’Jarius Sneed. However, it was the key departures of CB Charvarius Ward and S Tyrann Mathieu that enticed GM Brett Veach and HC Andy Reid to invest in rebuilding the secondary. McDuffie was highly regarded coming out of college and remained so all throughout rookie training camp and preseason. Confidence was building that he could be a big part in bringing the Chiefs back to the Super Bowl. When week one finally hit, McDuffie suffered a hamstring injury against the Cardinals and had to miss six games. When he was able to return, he performed very strongly and proved himself to be very versatile within the Chiefs' defence. McDuffie could rush the passer (he recorded a sack in his rookie year), stop the run, and he showed glimpses of his precision and great technique when in coverage. He played a big part in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl victories both in 2023 and 2024 with several key PBUs and QB pressures. McDuffie earned a first-team All-Pro selection in 2023 and a second-team All-Pro in 2024, both years that the Chiefs won a Super Bowl. McDuffie has proven himself to be a top corner in the league and an invaluable asset for the perennially championship-bound Kansas City Chiefs. Given the mentors and supporting cast around him, McDuffie was given everything he needed to become the high-caliber player that he is. This is the effect that a winning organization and culture have. Success breeds more success, and positivity breeds more positivity. McDuffie was given the belief of the Chiefs organization, and he has lived up to all the expectations.

 

KAIIR ELAM- Elam’s career has been a downhill slide ever since being drafted in the first round of the 2022 draft (23rd overall) by the Buffalo Bills. He immediately struggled with basic concepts in offseason training, which led to him receiving limited playing time when the season started. In a talented Bills secondary with championship aspirations, there was very little patience for a player who routinely made mistakes in diagnosing routes and understanding and executing various coverages. Throughout his three years, Elam didn’t exhibit much growth in his game, which led to some ill feelings within the organization based on the high draft capital expended to select him. After filling in for the injured Christian Benford in the 2025 AFC Championship game and getting beat on routes and called for costly penalties, it was clear that the pairing was never going to work out. Following the AFC Championship game, Elam was shipped to Dallas for some day three picks/pick swaps. For Elam, this was all he could ask for. A change of scenery with little to no expectations is the fresh start that he needs. Elam possesses the physical gifts necessary to be a top corner, he just needs to continue grasping the game at a pro level and getting accustomed to the ways that the league differs from college. Now that he is free of all of the expectations that come with being a first-round selection, Elam can progress at his own pace and, hopefully, develop into the player that so many believed he could be coming out of college.