2022 Bears draft: Breaking down NFC North rivals’ drafts

You’ve heard a lot about the Bears’ performance in the 2022 NFL Draft to this point, but what about the rest of the NFC North?

Every team in the division found themselves with favorable draft capital, with two teams possessing multiple first-round picks, and the other non-Bears team acquired plenty of draft picks by trading back. Truthfully, none of them had a bad haul, though some of them were better than others.

Here is a quick breakdown on what the rest of the NFC North came away with in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Green Bay Packers

Round 1: Quay Walker, LB, Georgia

Round 1: Devonte Wyatt, DL, Georgia

Round 2: Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State

Round 3: Sean Rhyan, OL, UCLA

Round 4: Romeo Doubs, WR, Nevada

Round 4: Zach Tom, OG, Wake Forest

Round 5: Kingsley Enagbare, EDGE, South Carolina

Round 7: Tariq Carpenter, LB, Georgia Tech

Round 7: Jonathan Ford, DL, Miami (FL)

Round 7: Rasheed Walker, OT, Penn State

Round 7: Samori Toure, WR, Nebraska

All told, the Packers sadly put together a pretty impressive draft.

Walker and Wyatt are two uber-explosive athletes who could prove to be high-upside additions to Green Bay’s defense. Watson is a perfect fit in their offense as a lengthy, super fast deep threat, even though they still lack a true WR1. Rhyan and Tom are very good depth for the offensive line, and Doubs could develop into a solid rotational weapon. Enagbare and Walker stand out as good value picks for when they were selected, too.

Detroit Lions

Round 1: Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Michigan

Round 1: Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama

Round 2: Josh Paschal, EDGE, Kentucky

Round 3: Kerby Joseph, S, Illinois

Round 5: James Mitchell, TE, Virginia Tech

Round 6: Malcolm Rodriguez, LB, Oklahoma State

Round 6: James Houston IV, EDGE, Jackson State

Round 7: Chase Lucas, CB, Arizona State

The Lions took an aggressive approach to the 2022 draft, and it looks like it could pay off tenfold.

Hutchinson was my top overall player in the class, and Williams likely would’ve been my WR1 if he didn’t tear his ACL. The class would be a success if those two players hit alone, but Paschal is another powerful and refined edge rusher, and Joseph is a rangy and intelligent ballhawk. Keep an eye on Houston on Day 3, who had 16.5 sacks and 24.5 tackles for a loss as arguably the most productive HBCU defender in the nation this past year.

Minnesota Vikings

Round 1: Lewis Cine, S, Georgia

Round 2: Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson

Round 2: Ed Ingram, OG, LSU

Round 3: Brian Asamoah, LB, Oklahoma

Round 4: Akayleb Evans, CB, Missouri

Round 5: Esezi Otomewo, DL, Iowa State

Round 5: Ty Chandler, RB, North Carolina

Round 6: Vederian Lowe, OT, Illinois

Round 6: Jalen Nailor, WR, Michigan State

Round 7: Nick Muse, TE, South Carolina

It’s clear that the Bears aren’t the only team in the NFC North that values trading down.

The Vikings added an intriguing secondary tandem in Cine and Booth, the latter of whom being stellar value with the No. 42 pick if he recovers well from his sports hernia surgery. Ingram is a pro-ready prospect who could push for a starting role from Day 1, while Asamoah is an athletic linebacker with very long arms. On Day 3, Minnesota acquired a physical boundary corner in Evans and a versatile defensive lineman in Otomewo, among others.