2022 NFL Position Rankings: Top 30 Guards

()=2021 ranking

+=Unranked or not eligible in 2021 

30.(18) Gabe Jackson (Seahawks)

29.(+) David Edwards (Rams)

28.(16) Graham Glasgow (Broncos)

27.(+) Nate Davis (Titans)

26.(+) Ezra Cleveland (Vikings)

25.(+) Jonah Jackson (Lions)

24.(21) Isaac Seumalo (Eagles)

23.(+) Dalton Risner (Broncos)

22.(19) Mark Glowinski (Giants)

21.(13) Andrew Norwell (Commanders)

20.(+) Alijah Vera-Tucker (Jets)

19.(24) Austin Corbett (Panthers)

18.(23) James Daniels (Steelers)

17.(28) Alex Cappa (Bengals)

16.(+) Trey Smith (Chiefs)

15.(14) Michael Owenu (Patriots)

14.(+) Cody Whitehair (Bears)

13.(9) Rodger Saffold (Bills)

12.(+) Matt Feiler (Chargers)

11.(25) Connor Williams (Dolphins)

10.(20) Laken Tomlinson (Jets)

9.(11) Kevin Zeitler (Ravens)

8.(15) Chris Lindstrom (Falcons)

7.(6) Brandon Scherff (Jaguars)

6.(8) Wyatt Teller (Browns)

5.(4) Joe Thuney (Chiefs)

4.(7) Shaq Mason (Buccaneers)

3.(3) Joel Bitonio (Browns)

2.(1) Quenton Nelson (Colts)

1.(2) Zack Martin (Cowboys)

2022 NFL Position Rankings: Top 30 Tackles

()=2021 ranking

+=Unranked or not eligible in 2021

30.(+) Jonah Williams (Bengals)

29.(22) Taylor Lewan (Titans)

28.(+) Donovan Smith (Buccaneers)

27.(+) Andrew Thomas (Giants)

26.(26) Charles Leno Jr. (Commanders)

25.(30) Brian O'Neill (Vikings)

24.(23) Rob Havenstein (Rams)

23.(+) Penei Sewell (Lions)

22.(+) Elgton Jenkins (Packers)

21.(+) Jordan Mailata (Eagles)

20.(13) Orlando Brown Jr. (Chiefs)

19.(18) Taylor Decker (Lions)

18.(+) Kolton Miller (Raiders)

17.(16) Dion Dawkins (Bills)

16.(+) La'el Collins (Bengals)

15.(14) Braden Smith (Colts)

14.(6) Garrett Bolles (Broncos)

13.(8) Jake Matthews (Falcons)

12.(9) Laremy Tunsil (Texans)

11.(+) Rashawn Slater (Chargers)

10.(5) Jack Conklin (Browns)

9.(7) Ronnie Stanley (Ravens)

8.(12) Taylor Moton (Panthers)

7.(21) Tyron Smith (Cowboys)

6.(4) Terron Armstead (Dolphins)

5.(11) Lane Johnson (Eagles)

4.(15) Tristan Wirfs (Buccaneers)

3.(1) David Bakhtiari (Packers)

2.(2) Ryan Ramcyzk (Saints)

1.(3) Trent Williams (49ers)

Tom Cruise Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted related superlatives. This week, I'm profiling the work of Tom Cruise, whose latest project "Top Gun: Maverick" opens in theaters tomorrow.  

Tom Cruise's Filmography Ranked:

26.Rain Man (D)

25.Mission-Impossible 2 (C-)

24.Jack Reacher (C-)

23.Cocktail (C)

22.Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (C)

21.The Mummy (C+)

20.Knight and Day (C+)

19.The Last Samurai (B-)

18.American Made (B-)

17.Days of Thunder (B-)

16.Collateral (B-)

15.Minority Report (B-)

14.Top Gun (B-)

13.Eyes Wide Shut (B-)

12.Risky Business (B-) 

11.Mission-Impossible: Rogue Nation (B)

10.Jerry Maguire (B)

9.Oblivion (B)

8.Mission-Impossible (B)

7.Mission-Impossible III (B)

6.The Outsiders (B)

5.War of the Worlds (B+) 

4.Mission-Impossible: Ghost Protocol (B+)

3.Tropic Thunder (B+)

2.Mission-Impossible: Fallout (B+)

1.Edge of Tomorrow (aka Live, Die, Repeat) (B+)

Top Dog: Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

While it's far from the only great blockbuster Cruise has toplined, sci-fi action flick Edge of Tomorow is the most subversive one he's ever been part of. Cruise plays a cowardly military PR officer that is forced onto the frontlines ahead of a major battle in France against an invading alien race known as Mimics, the most celebrated solider that holds the key to defeating the Mimics is a woman (Emily Blunt) who has to extensively train Cruise's character before he can become a hero and despite having a time loop-driven narrative, the film uses a pragmatic, trial-and-error approach that prevents the scenes from unfolding in the same way each time the day resets-particularly in the latter stages of the film. The unpredictability, intelligence and wit that subversion brings out is what makes Edge of Tomorrow such an entertaining ride.      

Bottom Feeder: Rain Man (1988)

Rain Man tells the story of an egotistical jackass (Cruise) that runs a sketchy, cash-strapped luxury car sales operation out of an airplane hangar in Souther California who is disgusted, confused and infuriated by the autistic brother (Dustin Hoffmann) that his father left his entire fortune to until he demonstrates the ability to masterfully count cards in Vegas and helps him win enough money to pay off his debts and continue his business. To put it mildly, the tearjerker "Actually, I love my brother very much!!!" ending that soon follows the Vegas scene is unearned and exceptionally phony.  

Most Underrated: War of the Worlds (2005)

The relative lack of respect War of the Worlds receives in the pantheon of Steven Spielberg blockbusters remains stunning to me. Is it because it wasn't a cute, whimsical alien movie like E.T. or Close Encounters of the Third Kind? The fact that Cruise jumped on the couch on Oprah during the press tour? A refusal to accept Miranda Otto in a role that was outside of the Lord of the Rings trilogy? While the ending definitely could've been a bit better, War of the Worlds is a spectacle-heavy blockbuster that boasts a vintage charismatic Cruise performance, an ample amount of suspense and CGI that has aged really well. 

Most Overrated: Rain Man (1988)

This boring, emotionally manipulative melodrama winning Best Picture is a peak representation of the Academy's long-standing tradition of giving out their top prize to the most shameless piece of awards-baiting trash in the field.  

Top Killer of An Entire Planned Franchise: The Mummy (2017)

The string of connected monster movie reboots (Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, The Wolfman, Dracula) known as "The Dark Universe" that Universal had planned on building until The Mummy faceplanted its way to $80 mil at the domestic box office (Absurd fact: its $140.7 mil opening internationally remains the highest of Cruise's career) is an infamous failure that the film community has regularly lampooned and memed for the past 5 years. As for The Mummy itself, I don't think its anywhere near as bad as its reputation. It's one of those disjointed, directionless and blatantly meddled with major studio messes that is so relentlessly dumb that it's kind of fun to watch. If the entire Dark Universe was just Cruise talking to zombie Jake Johnson, sick yet completely random plane stunts and Universal jamming iconic monsters that have nothing to do with the movie's titular monster into the plot for some inexplicable reason, I would've happily watched 1 of these stupid fucking movies every few years. 

Most Unexpected Use of Cruise: Tropic Thunder (2008)

The odds of Cruise doing something like Tropic Thunder ever again are pretty much zero. I'm not just talking about his actual scene-stealing role as the bald, foul-mouthed studio executive Les Goodman either, Cruise is at a point in his career where he seems to have no interest in taking on unannounced supporting roles (which is why the false rumors of him making cameo as an alternate version of Iron Man in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness were so hard to believe). After The Mummy and Rock of Ages tanked, Cruise shifted his focus to big action projects that revolve around his magnetism, daredevil stuntwork and passion for blockbuster filmmaking and as long as this arrangement continues to make him happy (and a boatload of money), that stance isn't going to change until he reaches the point where his body prevents him from doing that kind of work. 

2022 NFL Position Rankings: Top 20 Tight Ends

()=2021 ranking

+=Unranked or not eligible in 2021

Note: Due to the strong possibility that they'll retire, Rob Gronkowski and Jared Cook were excluded from inclusion. 

20.(+) Gerald Everett (Chargers)

19.(+) C.J. Uzomah (Jets)

18.(+) Cole Kmet (Bears)

17.(+) David Njoku (Browns)

16.(18) Logan Thomas (Commanders)

15.(+) Dawson Knox (Bills)

14.(+) Pat Friermuth (Steelers)

13.(13) Noah Fant (Seahawks)

12.(16) Zach Ertz (Cardinals)

11.(14) Tyler Higbee (Rams)

10.(+) Dalton Schultz (Cowboys)

9.(6) Hunter Henry (Patriots)

8.(11) Mike Gesicki (Dolphins)

7.(5) T.J. Hockenson (Lions)

6.(+) Kyle Pitts (Falcons)

5.(7) Dallas Goedert (Eagles)

4.(3) Darren Waller (Raiders)

3.(4) Mark Andrews (Ravens)

2.(2) George Kittle (49ers)

1.(1) Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

Movie Review: Men

In typical Alex Garland fashion, Men is going to incite a lot of strong takes on both ends of the spectrum. It's a strange movie that manages to be overt and abstract with its messaging on a wide array of toxic behavior that men display towards women and how these things are weaved into the fabric of societies across the globe and culminates in a grisly final act that will likely be at the centerpiece of the vast majority of the conversations about the film. As confounding as Men has been and will continue to be, its visceral approach to horror made most of the movie work very well for me.

To set it up as simply as possible, Men tells the story of a woman named Harper (Jessie Buckley) who takes a vacation to a secluded village in the English countryside to try and get her life back on track after her husband (Pappa Essiedu) committed suicide in their London apartment. Shortly upon Harper's arrival to the village, she encounters several different men (all played by Rory Kinnear) who leave her feeling everything from slightly uncomfortable to fearful for her safety. Things escalate further in the following days when the town's priest implicates her as the reason her husband killed himself and a nude man follows her out of the woods then tries to break into her house-which sets the stage for a night of terror that will further change Harper's life forever.

Garland spoke at length ahead of Men's release about how he wanted to make it a "gut-level" movie and by all accounts, he succeeds. That's not to say the film has nothing on its mind-there's plenty of discussion to be had over its use of religious symbolism, why all the men of in the village look pretty much the same and what the meaning behind the aforementioned wild finale (and a certain not exactly human character that factors prominently into it) really is-it's just that the terror Harper is facing is coming from very visceral, internal place and Men does an incredible job of giving these fears a tangible form. 

Harper travels to this seemingly tranquil place to try and heal from the unspeakable pain she's facing, but instead she's faced with the physical embodiments of the feelings she's been haunted by. The uneasy atmosphere Garland and cinematographer Rob Hardy build with their use of silence, out of focus shots and dim yet often fluorescent-tinged lighting paired with Buckley and Kinnear's commanding performances creates a feeling of all-consuming terror that can't be escaped. It feels like a direct connection into the depths of Harper's mind as the feelings of guilt, doubt and shame that have consumed her for months are reinforced by the men in the village as they dehumanize her in a similar fashion that her late husband did. Despite being subjected to this brutal gauntlet of terror that pushes her mind and body to their limits, Harper eventually comes out on the other side of it. Grief that's coupled with abuse is an unspeakably difficult thing to live with, but once someone is able to figure out how to put a stop to the power their abusers have over them, they're able to find a freeing sense of peace within themselves that gives them the strength they need to live a life free from the stranglehold of someone that tormented them and I believe that's what Garland was implying in the brief final scene that follows the buzzy, gross-out sequence that precedes it.

While Men has more flaws than either Ex Machina or Annihilation, it does continue Garland's trend of making movies that get people talking. He's a filmmaker that values the importance of challenging an audience to interpret his work in their own way and that results in fearless films that are liberated from the sometimes-restrictive concepts of fully formed linear storytelling.  At a time where the future of the film industry couldn't possibly be murkier, directors like Garland that are more concerned with creating compelling films than perfect or easily digestible ones are more valuable than ever.     

Grade: B+

Movie Review: On the Count of Three

Part of what makes Jerrod Carmichael such a force as an artist is the fearlessness, honesty and vulnerability that sits at the center of his work. This gift that is typically seen on stage during his standup sets carried over to his film directorial debut On the Count of Three, which finally received a proper (but still far too limited) release in the United States last Friday after debuting at Sundance back in January 2021. 

On the Count of Three boasts a premise that doesn't exactly scream comedy: Two lifelong friends (Carmichael, Christopher Abbott) agree to kill themselves after spending one final day bonding and attempting to gain closure with the people that they've wronged or been wronged by (Tiffany Haddish, JB Smoove, Henry Winkler, Lavell Crawford, Jared Abrahamson). Behind Carmichael's careful vision and the similarly fearless Abbott-who continues to be at the top of the list of most unheralded veteran actors working today-acting his ass off alongside him, On the Count of Three is able to find humor and heart in the dark voids of depression, trauma and loneliness without glossing over the severity of the pain they cause the people that live with the burden of them every day.

At its core, On the Count of Three is more or less a buddy movie that's set into motion by a bleak set of circumstances. Val (Carmichael) and Kevin (Abbott) are two guys at the end of their rope with the world and their planned final day among the living is their way of trying to leave the world with at least some degree of peace and clarity. Their journey for answers provides them with much more than they bargained for as they're forced to reflect on the people/situations that pushed them into a situation where they felt like they couldn't continue living. 

The variety of curveballs this quest for closure gives them leads to a script that is occasionally underdeveloped, but honestly those imperfections make the film more realistic and powerful. Human beings and the relationships that often define our existence are too messy to lead to clean endings most of the time and On the Count of Three acknowledges that with the lack of easy resolutions that it provides to the bulk of the character's fractured relationships and long-term vendettas. Even with most of their problems ultimately not being resolved by the somewhat unexpected climax of the film, Val and Kevin do develop a degree of acceptance towards these things that have tormented them for years and a greater appreciation for their relationship with each other- which makes their adventure far sweeter and more optimistic than expected. When the feelings of melancholy are mixed in with joy at the end of a movie that has a really edgy premise means the delicate dance between comedy and tragedy was pulled off with an impressive degree of grace, which is a hell of a feat for a first-time filmmaker who doesn't even a ton of acting experience under his belt to pull off.

Grade: B+

A24 Horror Movies Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst and hand out assorted superlatives. In honor of the release of "Men" in theaters on Friday, I'm profiling A24's horror movies. 

A24 Horror Movies Ranked:

13.Tusk (D-)

12.Slice (D)

11.Hereditary (D)

10.False Positive (D+)

9.It Comes at Night (B-)

8.Saint Maud (B)

7.Climax (B)

6.The Witch (B)

5.The Killing of a Sacred Deer (B+)

4.X (B+)

3.Midsommar (B+)

2.The Lighthouse (B+)

1.Green Room (A-)

Top Dog: Green Room (2016)

Green Room has so much adrenaline rushing through its veins that it makes Jeremy Saulnier's other films look like a relaxing weekend at a beach house. For roughly the final 75 minutes, Green Room is a brutally relentless thrill ride that masterfully uses its confined space (A Nazi-owned club nestled deep in the rural Oregon woods) and dangerous antagonists (murderous Nazis) to create a visceral atmosphere where an overwhelming sense of danger is always present. 

Lowlight: Tusk (2014)

Here lies the current rock bottom of Kevin Smith's disheartening post-Zack and Miri Make a Porno decline. Tusk tries embarrassingly hard to be funny, weird and gross and that abundant desperation shockingly backfires as the film only succeeds at being an insufferable, obnoxious slog that overstays its welcome by about 90 minutes.   

Most Underrated: The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)

Being wedged between the particularly controversial The Lobster and major awards player The Favourite has made The Killing of a Sacred Deer the odd film out in Yorgos Lanthimos' current trio of English-language releases. This relegation to the back burner is really hard to grasp since it's a really great, deeply unnerving film that fits nicely into the boundary-pushing Greek auteur's filmography. The performances from Colin Farrell as the patriarch who's finally forced to confront his past demons and Barry Keoghan as an awkward, inquisitive teen boy who has a hidden sinister agenda are awe-inspiring and Lanthimos' trippy, unusual shot selections paired with the wise decision to have the seemingly perfect family at the center of the story slowly unravel gives this film an uneasy surrealist atmosphere that forces the viewer into an increasingly tight vice grip. 

Most Overrated: Hereditary (2018)

If Hereditary was solely a psychological drama about a family struggling to come to terms with their grief after experiencing a shocking loss for the duration of its runtime, it would've been a pretty decent movie. Pretty much as soon as it takes a hard left into the realm of supernatural horror, the movie collapses in stunningly abrupt and monumental fashion. The horror elements feel like they were aimlessly forced into a very human story, which sets up an atrocious final act that is deeply disjointed, nonsensical and unintentionally hilarious.    

Probably the Most Unsettling Movie I've Ever Seen: Midsommar (2019)

On the other side of the Ari Aster spectrum from Hereditary, lies Midsommar. Ironically, Midsommar also blends meditations on grief with horror-except this time the scary stuff is completely rooted in reality and the film is a cohesive, cathartic nightmare that ends with an unforgettable bang. Cults scare the shit out of me and having this particular group be a largely affable bunch of individuals that carry out their gross/violent rituals during an extended period of continuous daylight in Sweden amplified the horror of their actions to the point where I don't want to ever visit the countryside in any Nordic nation.       

2022 NFL Position Rankings: Top 50 Wide Receivers

()=2021 ranking

+=Unranked or not eligible in 2021

Note: Due to a season-long suspension and the high probability that he's burned every bridge he had in the league respectively, Calvin Ridley and Antonio Brown were excluded from inclusion on this list. 

50. (+) Gabriel Davis (Bills)

49. (+) Mecole Hardman (Chiefs)

48. (33) DeVante Parker (Patriots)

47. (27) JuJu Smith-Schuster (Chiefs)

46. (8) Julio Jones (Free Agent)

45. (+) Kendrick Bourne (Patriots)

44. (19) Jarvis Landry (Saints)

43. (+) Amon-Ra St. Brown (Lions)

42. (+) Michael Gallup (Cowboys)

41. (47) Russell Gage (Buccaneers)

40. (+) A.J. Green (Cardinals)

39. (46) Jakobi Meyers (Patriots)

38. (+) Christian Kirk (Jaguars)

37. (32) Tyler Boyd (Bengals)

36. (28) Corey Davis (Jets)

35. (23) Kenny Golladay (Giants)

34. (38) Brandon Aiyuk (49ers)

33. (+) Marquise Brown (Cardinals)

32. (22) Odell Beckham Jr. (Free Agent)

31. (+) Jaylen Waddle (Dolphins)

30. (+) Darnell Mooney (Bears)

29. (25) Robert Woods (Titans)

28. (34) Courtland Sutton (Broncos)

27. (+) Hunter Renfrow (Raiders)

26. (+) Michael Pittman Jr. (Colts)

25. (+) Dionate Johnson (Steelers)

24. (4) Michael Thomas (Saints)

23. (35) Tee Higgins (Bengals)

22. (21) Amari Cooper (Browns)

21. (24) Brandin Cooks (Texans)

20. (48) CeeDee Lamb (Cowboys)

19. (7) Adam Thielen (Vikings)

18. (6) Allen Robinson (Rams)

17. (40) Mike Williams (Chargers)

16. (15) Terry McLaurin (Commanders)

15. (20) D.J. Moore (Panthers)

14. (13) Mike Evans (Buccaneers)

13. (14) D.K. Metcalf (Seahawks)

12. (17) Tyler Lockett (Seahawks)

11. (42) Deebo Samuel (49ers)

10. (9) Keenan Allen (Chargers)

9. (10) Chris Godwin (Buccaneers)

8. (+) Ja'Marr Chase (Bengals)

7. (11) A.J. Brown (Eagles)

6. (1) DeAndre Hopkins (Cardinals)

5. (18) Justin Jefferson (Vikings)

4. (5) Stefon Diggs (Bills)

3. (16) Cooper Kupp (Rams)

2. (6) Tyreek Hill (Dolphins)

1. (2) Davante Adams (Raiders)

2021-22 NBA Year-End Awards

MVP: Joel Embiid (76ers)

Not even the arrival of the ball-dominant James Harden in Philly at the trade deadline could derail the magic of Embiid's unbelievable 2021-22 campaign. By posting 11.7 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, 1.1 steals, 4.5 assists (more than double his previous career best) and a league-leading 30.6 points per game while appearing in a career-high 68 games, Embiid was able to gracefully overcome playing on a team with questionable depth, a starting lineup that was in flux for most of the year and a full blown off-court circus courtesy of the Ben Simmons saga to have the best season of his career thus far and silence anyone that questioned his competitiveness/leadership ability.    

Honorable Mentions: Nikola Jokic (Nuggets), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks), Luka Doncic (Mavericks) 

Defensive Player of the Year: Robert Williams (Celtics)

Marcus Smart has been the best defensive guard in the league for about 5 years now, so his DPOTY win is long overdue and much deserved. That being said, I believe that Robert Williams was more integral to the Celtics defensive success this year. The constant switching system that Ime Udoka installed when he got to Boston was largely predicated on Williams' unicorn status as a center who possesses the wingspan, toughness and athleticism to guard guys from the perimeter to the paint. This sneak attack Swiss Army Knife role Udoka put him in led to him posting career-highs in blocks (2.2) and steals (0.9) per game and most importantly, gave the Celtics another widely feared defensive specialist to put alongside Smart.  

Honorable Mentions: Jaren Jackson Jr. (Grizzlies), Marcus Smart (Celtics), Dejounte Murray (Spurs)

Most Improved Player: Dejounte Murray (Spurs)

Ja Morant won the real award by a wide margin and while he undeniably improved, I feel his star status was too solidified prior to this season and the Grizzlies played too well without him in the lineup (21-6 in the games that Morant missed) to qualify him for this honor. Murray, on the other hand, blossomed into a legit star on a Spurs team that otherwise doesn't have much in the way of real firepower. The long-awaited emergence of a consistent offensive game (21.1 PPG, 9.2 APG, 46.2 FG%- all new career highs) paired with his reliably elite defense (a league-high 2 steals per game) and terrific rebounding output for a 6'4 point guard (8.3 per game, which ranked #2 among guards and tied for #26 overall in the league) helped power him to his 1st career All-Star appearance.

Honorable Mentions: Darius Garland (Cavaliers), Desmond Bane (Grizzlies), Jordan Poole (Warriors)

Rookie of the Year: Scottie Barnes (Raptors)

Barnes emerging and contributing as a day 1 starter was a huge reason why the Raptors found themselves back in the playoffs after a very underwhelming 2020-21 campaign. As solid as his numbers were (15.3 PPG, 49.2 FG%, 7.5 RPG, 1.1 SPG, 0.7 BPG), Barnes' most important contribution was his role in bringing a level of energy and physicality on both ends of the floor that helped the Raptors regain some of the vaunted wiry, hard-nosed presence that made them a fixture at the top of the Eastern Conference for much of the past decade. 

Honorable Mentions: Evan Mobley (Cavaliers), Cade Cunningham (Pistons), Jalen Green (Rockets)

Sixth Man of the Year: Tyler Herro (Heat)

With his career-best scoring output (20.9) on shooting percentages of 47.7% from the field and 39.9% from 3 (also both career-bests), Herro provided the steady, efficient scoring off the bench the sometimes bucket-challenged Heat needed to ensure they secured the top seed in the Eastern Conference.  

Honorable Mentions: Cameron Johnson (Suns), Kevin Love (Cavaliers), Jordan Clarkson (Jazz) 

Coach of the Year: Taylor Jenkins (Grizzlies)

All of the potential that the Grizzlies have flashed over the past couple years when they finished on the wrong side of the playoff bubble finally materialized as the team shot up to the #2 seed in the Western Conference this season. While the lift that having Jaren Jackson Jr. back in the fold for an entire season and Ja Morant continuing his natural superstar progression brought them was undeniably significant, Jenkins' steady hand on the bench was at the forefront of their ascent. His belief that young players like Desmond Bane and Brandon Clarke could handle the challenge of increased roles, strong in-game adjustments and success in instilling a selfless, aggressive attitude on this team that allowed them to overcome adversity when it was presented to them (ex: going 21-6 without Morant in the regular season and taking the Warriors to 6 games in a series where they got absolutely eviscerated at times) helped make the Grizzlies truly great for the first time since the peak of the Conley/Gasol-era 7-8 years ago. 

Honorable Mentions: Ime Udoka (Celtics), Monty Williams (Suns), Willie Green (Pelicans)

2022 NFL Position Rankings: Top 50 Running Backs

()=2021 ranking

(+)=Unranked or not eligible in 2021

50.(+) Rex Burkhead (Texans)

49.(+) Darrel Williams (Free Agent)

48.(+) Mark Ingram (Saints)

47.(+) Boston Scott (Eagles)

46.(30) Alexander Mattison (Vikings)

45.(+) Khalil Herbert (Bears)

44.(27) Gus Edwards (Ravens)

43.(42) Darrell Henderson Jr. (Rams)

42.(24) Kenyan Drake (Raiders)

41.(15) Ronald Jones (Chiefs)

40.(49) Sony Michel (Dolphins)

39.(20) J.K. Dobbins (Ravens)

38.(+) Rashaad Penny (Seahawks)

37.(18) Chris Carson (Seahawks)

36.(36) Devin Singletary (Bills)

35.(44) Jamaal Williams (Lions)

34.(+) Rhamondre Stevenson (Patriots)

33.(32) Nyhiem Hines (Colts)

32.(25) Clyde Edwards-Helaire (Chiefs)

31.(39) D'Andre Swift (Lions)

30.(+) Michael Carter (Jets)

29.(+) AJ Dillon (Packers)

28.(26) Cam Akers (Rams)

27.(43) Chase Edmonds (Dolphins)

26.(+) Elijah Mitchell (49ers)

25.(19) Miles Sanders (Eagles)

24.(50) Tony Pollard (Cowboys)

23.(+) Javonte Williams (Broncos)

22.(9) Saquon Barkley (Giants)

21.(+) Cordarrelle Patterson (Falcons)

20.(17) Antonio Gibson (Commanders)

19.(34) James Conner (Cardinals)

18.(22) Kareem Hunt (Browns)

17.(23) Leonard Forunette (Buccaneers)

16.(11) Josh Jacobs (Raiders)

15.(14) Melvin Gordon (Broncos)

14.(+) Najee Harris (Steelers)

13.(10) James Robinson (Jaguars)

12.(7) Ezekiel Elliott (Cowboys)

11.(13) David Montgomery (Bears)

10.(21) Damien Harris (Patriots)

9.(3) Christian McCaffery (Panthers)

8.(16) Austin Ekeler (Chargers)

7.(6) Aaron Jones (Packers)

6.(4) Alvin Kamara (Saints)

5.(12) Joe Mixon (Bengals)

4.(5) Nick Chubb (Browns)

3.(8) Jonathan Taylor (Colts)

2.(2) Dalvin Cook (Vikings)

1.(1) Derrick Henry (Titans)

Album Review: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard-Omnium Gatherum

It was seemingly inevitable that the non-stop musical output machine otherwise known as King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard would do something special to commemorate the ridiculous landmark of putting out their 20th album since September 2012. This occasion became even more noteworthy as it was the first time since 2019's Infest the Rats' Nest that the Australian sextet were able to write and record a project together in their Melbourne studio. What became a two-pronged celebration for the Gizzard gang resulted in the creation of their first ever double album Omnium Gatherum-which operates as a sprawling experimentation grab bag that provides longtime fans with exactly the kind of abstract nuttiness that they want/expect when they sit down to listen one of their records while also giving the uninitiated a pretty comprehensive look at what the empire of madness they've built up over the last decade is all about.

Although King Gizzard has always committed themselves to being an experimental band, they'll typically only stick to one sound on a given record. On Omnium Gatherum, this tradition has been thrown out the window in favor of a full-throated embrace of relentless musical anarchy. Bizarre, breezy 3-minute folk tunes ("The Garden Goblin") follow fuzzy, 7-minute psychedelic pop opuses ("Evilest Man"). Massive stoner metal riffs ("Gaia"), soothing freeform jazz rock that could easily accompany a brunch at a fancy hotel ("Presumptuous") and abstract hip hop-influenced tunes that sound like Fred Durst jumping on a King Crimson track ("The Grim Reaper") can be experienced in a 15-minute span. 18-minute opener "The Dripping Tap" shakes up the whole concept of acid rock by adding shredding guitars and forceful bass grooves into an otherwise loose, hypnotic song structure. On top of all that, no matter how spacey, strange or prolonged their instrumental sections get, there's always a dedication to crafting hooks in their songs that allows them to bridge the gap between the poppier and more inaccessible, jam-based strains of psychedelic music.   

Some listeners will argue that this track-by-track genre shifting leads to a record that lacks cohesion and they certainly have a point. Of the 16 songs that make up Omnium Gatherum, there's barely any successive tracks that sound like they're from the same project, let alone the same musical act. However, I believe employing such a wide-spanning approach on this record is why it's such a pure, effective reflection of who King Gizzard is as a band. Their dedication to playing around with different sounds is a huge part of their identity/appeal and making a record that shifts gears at such a rapid, consistent clip adds a layer of surprise and spontaneity to the fold that really highlights how stunningly adventurous their songwriting is. This is King Gizzard at their most brazen, free and bizarre and it's fucking incredible that they seem to be heading down a path where they develop an even deeper embrace of their freewheeling sensibilities. Let those freak flags fly King Gizz, your music is better off for it.

Grade: A-      

Standout Tracks:

1.Presumptuous 

2.Gaia

3.The Dripping Tap   

2022 NFL Position Rankings: Top 25 Quarterbacks

Over the next several weeks, I'll be dropping my picks for the best players at every NFL position heading into the 2022 season. Naturally, Quarterbacks are up first, and the special teams' guys (kickers/punters) will close things out in late June/early July. Before we get to down to business, here's the criteria I use to create these lists:

1.Rookies are excluded from inclusion

2.Players are judged on where they currently stand in my opinion, not the player they once were or potentially could be.

3.Each player is listed as a member of the team that they're currently rostered by. If they're not under contract with a team for 2022 at the time of posting, they'll be listed as a free agent.

Hope you enjoy and please check back regularly to see all 15 sets of 2022 NFL Position Rankings.    

Note: Due to his impending suspension for the 22 alleged acts of sexual misconduct that he was "acquitted" of in March and absence for the entirety of the 2021 season, Deshaun Watson was excluded from this list.

()=2021 ranking

+=Unranked or not eligible in 2021

25.(+) Davis Mills (Texans)

24.(+) Mitch Trubisky (Steelers) 

23.(+) Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins)

22.(17) Carson Wentz (Guardians)

21.(22) Jameis Winston (Saints)

20.(15) Jared Goff (Lions)

19.(+) Mac Jones (Patriots)

18.(+) Jalen Hurts (Eagles)

17.(11) Baker Mayfield (Browns)

16.(21) Jimmy Garoppolo (49ers)

15.(7) Ryan Tannehill (Titans)

14.(14) Kyler Murray (Cardinals)

13.(9) Matt Ryan (Colts)

12.(16) Derek Carr (Raiders)

11.(8) Kirk Cousins (Vikings)

10.(6) Lamar Jackson (Ravens)

9.(12) Dak Prescott (Cowboys)

8.(13) Justin Herbert (Chargers)

7.(18) Joe Burrow (Bengals)

6.(3) Russell Wilson (Broncos)

5.(10) Matthew Stafford (Rams)

4.(5) Josh Allen (Bills)

3.(4) Tom Brady (Buccaneers)

2.(2) Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)

1.(1) Aaron Rodgers (Packers)

Rebel Wilson Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted superlatives. This week, I'm profiling the work of Rebel Wilson-whose latest project "Senior Year" arrives on Netflix this Friday.  

Rebel Wilson's Filmography Ranked:

12.How to Be Single (C+)

11.Pitch Perfect 3 (B-)

10.The Hustle (B-)

9.Bachelorette (B-)

8.Cats (B)

7.Isn't It Romantic (B)

6.The Brothers Grimsby (B)

5.Pitch Perfect (B)

4.Pitch Perfect 2 (B+)

3.Bridesmaids (B+)

2.Pain & Gain (A)

1.Jojo Rabbit (A)

Top Dog: Jojo Rabbit (2019)

Even a full 2 and a half years after its initial theatrical release, I remain in awe of Jojo Rabbit. With the help of an outstanding cast toplined by Roman Griffin Davis, Scarlett Johansson, Thomasin McKenzie and Sam Rockwell who deliver dynamic, moving performances, Taika Waititi is able to create a hilarious, tragic and powerful film that skillfully pokes fun at the absurdity of prejudice while reenforcing the immense devastation the Holocaust brought the people of Germany and the surrounding countries that were the most impacted by Hitler's reign of terror.     

Lowlight: How to Be Single (2016)

Dakota Johnson proving she's really adept at roles that rely on charm and humor with her great lead performance is almost enough to bail out How to Be Single, but some insufferable supporting characters (Alison Brie, Leslie Mann, Nicolas Braun, Jake Lacy), inconsistent humor and pretty rough tonal shifts are enough to overshadow Johnson's efforts and ensure this is nothing more than a slightly above average romantic comedy.  

Most Underrated: Pain & Gain (2013)

A second opportunity to pump up Pain & Gain in less than a month?!?!?! What a world! Michael Bay found tremendous success deviating from his typical action fare with this twisted satire about the lengths some people will go to achieve the "American Dream". The script-which shockingly was penned by MCU regulars Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely-is full of venom-soaked wit, the performances from Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson and Anthony Mackie as the three idiot bodybuilders who cook up scams to achieve the opulent lifestyles they've always wanted to live are hilarious and tragic, and Bay is able to use his signature chaotic energy behind the camera to help hammer home just how demented these guys were.      

Most Overrated: None 

This probably should've temporarily shifted to overhated since about a third of Wilson's filmography comprises of movies that got torched (Cats, The Hustle, The Brothers Grimsby, the very disappointing but still functional Pitch Perfect 3) that I sincerely don't think are bad. Wilson has been in exactly three beloved projects (Jojo Rabbit, Bridesmaids, Pitch Perfect) and all of them are varying degrees of delightful to me. 

An Endorsement of an Infamous Musical: Cats (2019)

Enjoying Cats-which is arguably the most maligned mainstream movie of the past 5 years-is the kind of take that is met with some combination of disgust, confusion and disbelief when it's said aloud. The reasons why I liked it probably aren't the kind of things that Tom Hooper or the bulk of the other people that were responsible for making it would appreciate hearing, but that doesn't change the fact that I'm completely about the Jellicle lifestyle. Between the regularly over-the-top horny musical numbers, unholy CGI/human hybrid design of the actual Jellicle Cats and the plot itself (a group of Cats compete in a singing competition in which the winner gets killed and subsequently reborn), there's a volume of bizarre absurdity present in this film that honestly makes me feel like Cats is a great unintended satire of the entire musical genre that only the silliest weirdos on Earth would appreciate.         

10 Most Anticipated Albums of Summer 2022

10.Jack White-Entering Heaven Alive (Release Date: July 22)

9.Post Malone-Twelve Carat Toothache (Release Date: June 3)

8.Machine Head-Of Kingdom and Crown (Release Date: August 26)

7.A$AP Rocky-All $miles (Release Date: TBD)

6.Municipal Waste-Electrified Brain (Release Date: July 1) 

5.Kendrick Lamar-Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers (Release Date: May 13)

4.Dance Gavin Dance-Jackpot Juicer (Release Date: July 29)

3.Coheed and Cambria-Vaxis-Act II: A Window of the Waking Mind (Release Date: June 24)

2.Moon Tooth-Phototroph (Release Date: May 13)

1.SZA-TBD (Release Date: TBD)

Also Looking Forward To:

The Black Keys-Dropout Boogie (Release Date: May 13)

Florence and the Machine-Dance Fever (Release Date: May 13)

Cave In-Heavy Pendulum (Release Date: May 20)

Septicflesh-Modern Primitive (Release Date: May 20)

Origin-Chaosmos (Release Date: June 3)

Greg Puciato-Mirrorcell (Release Date: June 17)

Megadeth-The Sick, the Dying and the Dead (Release Date: July 8)

Arch Enemy-Deceivers (Release Date: July 29)

Maggie Rogers-Surrender (Release Date: July 29)

Stick to Your Guns-Spectre (Release Date: July 29)

Rae Sremmurd-Sremm4Life (Release Date: TBD)

Benedict Cumberbatch Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked"-a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted related superlatives. This week, I'm profiling the work of Benedict Cumberbatch-whose latest project "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" is in theaters today.

Benedict Cumberbatch's Filmography Ranked:

17.Tinker Tailor Solider Spy (D+)

16.War Horse (C-)

15.The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (C)

14.The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug (C)

13.Zoolander 2 (C+)

12.The Mauritanian (B-) 

11.1917 (B-)

10.Black Mass (B)

9.The Grinch (B)

8.Spider-Man: No Way Home (B)

7.12 Years a Slave (B)

6.Doctor Strange (B+)

5.Star Trek Into Darkness (B+)

4.The Power of the Dog (B+)

3.Avengers: Endgame (A-)

2.The Imitation Game (A-)

1.Avengers: Infinity War (A)

Top Dog: Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Avengers: Infinity War is an epic, doom-laden ride where it's abundantly clear that the heroes will not prevail at the end, which makes it a bit of a dangerous outlier in the play it safe MCU. Endgame may've ultimately undone almost all of the bad shit that happened here, but the spellbinding apocalyptic magic Infinity War produced in those 2 and a half hours can never be erased. 

Lowlight: Tinker Tailor Solider Spy (2011)

By ramping up the intensity of the incomprehensible storytelling that is often found in the genre and eviscerating any presence of the inherent excitement that comes with espionage work, Tinker Tailor Solider Spy cements its legacy as the head-splittingly dull unicorn of spy movies.   

Most Underrated: The Power of the Dog (2021)

Yep, that's right I think a movie that was nominated for 12 Oscars and was expected to win Best Picture until CODA barged onto the scene and snatched the trophy right out of Netflix's hands is underrated. Why, might you ask? Well, a sizable amount of people in online film circles have been constantly railing against it over the past few months and despite not being among my top-tier favorites of 2021 (it ranked #21 on my year-end list and remains in that spot today), I strongly disagree with the bulk of the criticisms its faced. Jane Campion's psychological drama is an effective, brilliantly acted (Cumberbatch, Kristen Dunst and Kodi Smit-McPhee are all in top form) slow burn character study that examines resentment, family dynamics and toxic masculinity in the 1920's American West in a really haunting fashion.     

Most Overrated: 1917 (2019)

Save for the seamlessness of its stitched-together single take style and the uniquely tense, visually striking battle sequence that this approach birthed, 1917 is a deeply flawed, largely underwhelming movie that just might be the most overrated war movie of the 21st century thus far. The acting from the leads (George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman) is really shaky, the script is exceptionally cold and underdeveloped for something that's intending to honoring the faceless forgotten heroes that fought in World War I and the CGI-which remarkably was awarded the Oscar for Best Visual Effects-looks like it was slapped together at the last minute by a team of disengaged novices that were only interested in finishing the job as quickly as humanly possible.      

Quick Movie Reviews: The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, The Northman, Crush

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent: A comedy about the work and public persona of Nicolas Cage turning to be reasonably restrained is a bit of an unpleasant surprise. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is more of a broad buddy movie that just happens to feature Cage playing a somewhat heightened version of himself and a steady volume of references to his movies. To be clear, this approach does have its share of positives. The plot is a clever melding of the character-driven work that the real Cage is drawn to most and the big, dumb action movies that made him a household name in the 90's, the buddy dynamic between Cage and Pedro Pascal is delightful and its reverence for the craft of moviemaking and Cage himself is surprisingly heartwarming. The problem is that most of its best moments occur when it's poking fun at the over-the-top screen persona of Cage. There's a loopy energy and meta wit behind these scenes that makes the comedy feel truer to the spirit of the Cage we often see on screen and it's kind of a bummer that we'll never get to see the version of this film that had more frenzied magic behind it.  

Grade: B

The Northman: Leave it to Robert Eggers to turn both the Viking and revenge genres completely on their heads. Eggers turns a very basic premise (an Icelandic Viking prince vows to take back the kingdom that was stolen from him by his treacherous uncle who killed his father in cold blood and free his mother-who he kept as his bride-from his clutches) into a primal surrealist beast of a movie that effortlessly combines agonizing period detail with fantastical elements that align with the Vikings spiritual beliefs. Every battle sequence is an in-your-face marvel where every ounce of brutality is felt, this terrific ensemble cast (particularly Alexander Skarsgard, Nicole Kidman and Anya Taylor-Joy) beautifully convey the plights of their tortured yet fiercely determined characters with their impassioned performances and the breathtaking cinematography from Eggers' longtime DP Jarin Blaschke captures the harshness, mysticism and majesty that ruled over these people and the land they inhabited. The inclusion of a not particularly convincing romantic subplot and a slightly overlong runtime is enough to put this below The Lighthouse in my Eggers power rankings, but it's still a great flick that proves big budgets and major studio backing can't dull the bold singularity of Eggers' creative vision.     

Grade: B+

Crush: There's something refreshing about seeing a high school romantic comedy where the sexuality and gender identity of the lesbian, bisexual and non-binary characters that prominently populate the story is treated as a normal, mundane thing. Nobody is in the closet or being ostracized by their family, friends or teachers because they're gay or don't confirm to a set of gender pronouns, they're just average high school kids dealing with average high school problems. It's got to be nice (particularly for young people) in the LGBTQIA+ community to watch a movie where people are just accepted for who they are without having to go through a marathon of pain and intolerance to get to that comfortable place.  

Aside from that positive representation, Crush is just a pretty standard issue teen romcom that fits snugly into a streaming service's catalog of merely competent original titles. The one-liners hit at a passable rate, there's some real heart behind the relationships (both romantic and platonic) that are depicted here, and the happy ending comes in the form of an effectively cheesy, absurdly contrived encounter that of course takes place in front of a massive crowd of people who break out into applause when the obligatory reconciliatory kiss finally happens. Watching pleasant, relatively funny people find love and get one step closer to figuring who they really are as they creep towards adulthood is a pleasant enough way to spend 90 minutes, particularly at this regressive, garbage period in human history where lighthearted entertainment serves as an especially welcome escape.      

Grade: B-

10 Most Anticipated Movies of Summer 2022

10.The Gray Man (July 15 theaters/July 22 streaming):

I'm curious to see what a non-MCU Russo Brothers blockbuster looks like and a globetrotting spy action thriller with an absurd ensemble cast led by Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jessica Henwick, Rege Jean-Page and Indian megastar Dhnaush (in his Hollywood debut) indicates that this will at the very least be a project where the fruits of Netflix's zillion dollar investment will be visible on screen.  

9.Hustle (June 8):

2 and a half years after the release of Uncut Gems, Adam Sandler is heading back to dramatic acting with this Netflix basketball drama from We the Animals director Jeremiah Zagar. While Hustle undeniably has the framework of a relatively generic sports underdog story (Sandler plays a disgraced NBA scout that tries to revitalize his career by helping a talented Spanish player played by current Utah Jazz forward Juancho Hernangomez make into the league), Zagar and Sandler have more than enough talent and creativity between them to elevate this project beyond the familiarity of its premise.     

8.Bodies Bodies Bodies (August 5):

Critics and audiences went nuts for Bodies Bodies Bodies at its SXSW premiere back in March and the trailer that was released last week teased a bloody, pointed satire that gives its young female cast (Amandla Sternberg, Maria Bakalova, Rachel Senott, Chase Sui Wonders, Myha'la Herrold) ample room to shine.

7.Emily the Criminal (August 12):

If the Safdie Brothers comparisons that were frequently made following Emily the Criminal's Sundance premiere earlier this year are true, this could be in contention for my favorite movie of the entire summer. Aubrey Plaza's explosive intensity as a performer is wildly underrated (see Ingrid Goes West, Legion and Black Bear) and casting her as the lead in a scuzzy crime thriller is the type of masterful casting choice that could help propel Emily the Criminal to greatness.   

6.Men (May 20):

Surrealist sci-fi/horror mad scientist Alex Garland's (Ex Machina, Annihilation) stuff is always worth checking out and I'm stoked that he's giving budding industry heavyweight Jessie Buckley and underrated character actor Rory Kinnear an all-too-rare opportunity to anchor a project.   

5.The Black Phone (June 24):

Universal saw how well The Black Phone played on the horror festival circuit last fall and opted to push it to June from its initial late January/early February dates. The release of an excellent second trailer and another round of enthusiastic critical reactions following a screening at CinemaCon last week only further elevated the position of Scott Derrickson's latest on this list. Derrickson is terrific at creating tension/creepy atmospheres and if the trailers/early reactions are any indication, Ethan Hawke turned in one hell of a performance as the film's serial killer villain.     

4.On the Count of Three (May 13):

Hallelujah, Jerrod Carmichael's directorial debut is finally set to be released from whatever purgatory MGM/Orion/Annapurna has been holding it in for the past 15 months!!! On the Count of Three made a lot of waves at the 2021 edition of Sundance and its ballsy subject matter (suicide) feels like something that an artist that is as smart, sensitive and morbidly hilarious as Carmichael will do a terrific job at exploring.

3.Nope (July 22):

About all we know about Nope at this point is that aliens are somehow involved in the plot, the budget/scope is significantly larger than either of Jordan Peele's previous directorial entries and Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer and Steven Yeun play the main characters. This is all the information I need to be giddy about attending an opening weekend screening.      

2.Thor: Love and Thunder (July 8):

Thor: Ragnarok turned a bottom-tier MCU property into the belle of the ball and proved that a director is able to put their personal stamp on a movie that is part of a rigidly constructed franchise. With Taika Waitii returning to the director's chair, Christian Bale joining as the primary villain and Marvel being shockingly coy about the storyline, Love and Thunder could end up being a shockingly wild ride that shakes up what an MCU movie is capable of achieving.  

1.Bullet Train (July 29):

Experiencing the unhinged, chaotic genius of Ambulance in a theater was a glorious reminder of how incredible action movies play in that massive space. David Leitch's assassins doing battle on a speeding train picture has a great chance to further prop up the genre's depressingly small 2022 theatrical slate and potentially ensure its long-term survival if it enjoys the financial success that Ambulance failed to have. Even if it flops, watching Leitch's reliably electric fight scenes and an awesome ensemble cast (Brad Pitt, Brian Tyree Henry, Aaron-Taylor Johnson, Joey King, Andrew Koji, Zazie Beetz, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michael Shannon, Logan Lerman, Karen Fukuhara, Bad Bunny, Masi Oka, Sandra Bullock) engage in said fighting on the big screen should be a really fun time.  

Also Looking Forward to Watching:

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (May 6)

Happening (May 6)

Montana Story (May 13)

Pleasure (May 13)

Emergency (May 20 theaters/May 27 streaming)

Top Gun: Maverick (May 27)

Crimes of the Future (June 3)

Watcher (June 3)

Jurassic World: Dominion (June 10)

Cha Cha Real Smooth (June 17)

Lightyear (June 17)

Spiderhead (June 17)

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (June 24)

The Forgiven (July 1)

The Princess (July 1)

Not Okay (July 29)

Resurrection (August 5)

Secret Headquarters (August 5)

Day Shift (August 12)

Beast (August 19)

Me Time (August 26)

Samaritan (August 26)

The Man from Toronto (TBD)

2022 NFL Draft Recap: Winners, Losers, Grades for All 32 Teams and More

Biggest Winners: Baltimore Ravens

Eric DeCosta hasn't been able to put together a signature draft class like his predecessor Ozzie Newsome did on the regular between 2002 and 2018. 2022 could very well change that. Every pick they made in rounds 1-3 netted them a potential high-impact player (Kyle Hamilton, Tyler Linderbaum, David Ojabo, Travis Jones) at a position of need, rounds 4-7 brought them a string of calculated dice rolls (Jayln Armour-Davis, Daniel Faalele, Isaiah Likely, Damarion Williams) with solid, if not significant upside as well a potential stud punter in Jordan Stout and they were somehow able to acquire a 1st round pick from the Cardinals-which was used to select Linderbaum-for the consistently inconsistent Hollywood Brown. If DeCosta goes out and swings a trade for Deebo Samuel, Terry McLaurin or another disgruntled young WR before the season starts, the Ravens will have to be taken seriously as top contenders in the AFC again.

Honorable Mentions: Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons

Biggest Losers: New England Patriots

Considering all of the potentially game-changing additions most of the other teams in the AFC have made this offseason, the Patriots needed to have strong draft to keep up with the pack. That didn't happen. What Bill Belichick, Matt Groh and Matt Patricia pulled off from Thursday to Saturday was an unintentional tutorial in how not to approach the draft. By repeatedly reaching for prospects (Cole Strange, Tyquan Thornton, Bailey Zappe), adding to positions that didn't need to be prioritized (running back, quarterback), failing to address positions that needed improvement/insurance (inside linebacker, edge rusher, tackle), selecting guys that don't fit their scheme (Marcus Jones as a non-special teams player, Thornton) and passing on guys that absolutely did (Trent McDuffie, Devin Lloyd, Skyy Moore), the Patriots brass assembled a draft class that showed no regard for the development of Mac Jones, their largely aging defense's ability to slow down the increasingly large number of fast, explosive offenses that are in the league or their overall standing within the NFL hierarchy.     

Dishonorable Mentions: Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints

Best Value Pick: Nakobe Dean, inside linebacker (Selected 83rd overall by the Philadelphia Eagles)

Even if the pec injury that caused him to plummet down the board eventually requires surgery that keeps him sidelined for at least some of the upcoming season, spending a 3rd round pick on Dean is unbelievable value. Dean reads offenses and covers ground from sideline-to-sideline better than any other linebacker prospect in this draft class and landing with a team that boasts reliably stout defensive line play should give him the opportunity to be fully unleashed right away. 

Honorable Mentions: Kyle Hamilton, safety (Selected 14th overall by the Baltimore Ravens), Devin Lloyd, inside linebacker (Selected 27th overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars), Skyy Moore, wide receiver (Selected 54th overall by the Kansas City Chiefs)

Worst Value Pick: Travon Walker, edge rusher (Selected 1st overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars)

Passing on a polished, high floor/ceiling prospect in Aidin Hutchinson to select Walker is a head-scratching decision that could come back to permanently haunt the Jaguars organization. Walker's athleticism is special and it's not completely out of the realm of possibility that he turns into a decent pro player but spending the 1st overall pick on what effectively amounts to an intriguing developmental prospect is nuts. The combination of his unrefined pass-rushing skills and lack of a defined role in college is likely going to set up a redshirt-type scenario and that's not something that the embattled Jaguars should be doing in the immediate aftermath of the Urban Meyer debacle that derailed Trevor Lawrence's rookie season.

Dishonorable Mentions: Tyquan Thornton, wide receiver (Selected 50th overall by the New England Patriots), Wan'Dale Robinson, wide receiver (Selected 43rd overall by the New York Giants), Sam Williams, edge rusher (Selected 56th overall by the Dallas Cowboys) 

Top Undrafted Free Agent: Carson Strong, quarterback (Signed by the Philadelphia Eagles)

While it's not quite comparable to the unexpected falls Malik Willis, Desmond Ridder and Sam Howell experienced over the weekend, Carson Strong falling into the undrafted free agent pool is still pretty surprising. The University of Nevada product is an old school pocket passer with a lively arm and knack for tight window throws who was consistently productive in a high-volume passing offense, which makes him a nice counter to Jalen Hurts and should give him a pretty decent chance of sticking around the Eagles QB room come September. 

Honorable Mentions: Kellen Diesch, tackle (Signed by the Philadelphia Eagles), Donhovan West, center (Signed by the San Francisco 49ers), Justyn Ross, wide receiver (Signed by the Kansas City Chiefs)

Overall Draft Grades for Each Team (Full Draft Classes Can Be Viewed Here: 2022 NFL Draft: Final quick-snap grades for all 32 teams)

Arizona Cardinals: B-

Atlanta Falcons: A

Baltimore Ravens: A+

Buffalo Bills: B

Carolina Panthers: B+

Chicago Bears: B-

Cincinnati Bengals: C

Cleveland Browns: B-

Dallas Cowboys: C-

Denver Broncos: B

Detroit Lions: A-

Green Bay Packers: B+

Houston Texans: B

Indianapolis Colts: B

Jacksonville Jaguars: B

Kansas City Chiefs: A

Las Vegas Raiders: B

Los Angeles Chargers: B

Los Angeles Rams: B-

Miami Dolphins: C+

Minnesota Vikings: B+

New England Patriots: D

New Orleans Saints: C

New York Giants: B

New York Jets: A

Philadelphia Eagles: A-

Pittsburgh Steelers: B+

San Francisco 49ers: B-

Seattle Seahawks: A-

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: B

Tennessee Titans: B

Washington Commanders: B+

2022 NFL Draft: Top 50 Prospects+Top 5 at Each Position (Updated with NFL Landing Spots)

Top 50 Prospects:

1.Aidan Hutchinson, edge rusher (Michigan), Selected 2nd overall by the Detroit Lions

2.Kyle Hamilton, safety (Notre Dame), Selected 14th overall by the Baltimore Ravens

3.Ikem Ekwonu, tackle (NC State), Selected 6th overall by the Carolina Panthers

4.Derek Stingley Jr, cornerback (LSU), Selected 3rd overall by the Houston Texans

5.Evan Neal, tackle (Alabama), Selected 7th overall by the New York Giants

6.Garrett Wilson, wide receiver, Selected 10th overall by the New York Jets 

7.Devin Lloyd, inside linebacker (Utah), Selected 27th overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars

8.Charles Cross, tackle (Mississippi State), Selected 9th overall by the Seattle Seahawks 

9.Jameson Williams, wide receiver (Alabama), Selected 12th overall by the Detroit Lions

10.Devonte Wyatt, defensive tackle (Georgia), Selected 28th overall by the Green Bay Packers

11.Kayvon Thibodeux, edge rusher (Oregon), Selected 5th overall by the New York Giants

12.Drake London, wide receiver (USC), Selected 8th overall by the Atlanta Falcons

13.Jordan Davis, defensive tackle (Georgia), Selected 13th overall by the Philadelphia Eagles

14.Trent McDuffie, cornerback (Washington), Selected 21st overall by the Kansas City Chiefs

15.Sauce Gardner, cornerback (Cincinnati), Selected 4th overall by the New York Jets

16.Nakobe Dean, inside linebacker (Georgia), Selected 83rd overall by the Philadelphia Eagles

17.Tyler Linderbaum, center (Iowa), Selected 25th overall by the Baltimore Ravens

18.David Ojabo, edge rusher (Michigan), Selected 45th overall by the Baltimore Ravens

19.Treylon Burks, wide receiver (Arkansas), Selected 18th overall by the Tennessee Titans 

20.Andrew Booth Jr., cornerback (Clemson), Selected 42nd overall by the Minnesota Vikings

21.Skyy Moore, wide receiver (Western Michigan), Selected 54th overall by the Kansas City Chiefs

22.Jermaine Johnson II, edge rusher (Florida State), Selected 26th overall by the New York Jets

23.Chris Olave, wide receiver (Ohio State), Selected 11th overall by the New Orleans Saints

24.Malik Willis, quarterback (Liberty), Selected 86th overall by the Tennessee Titans 

25.Travis Jones, defensive tackle (Connecticut) Selected 76th overall by the Baltimore Ravens 

26.Breece Hall, running back (Iowa State), Selected 36th overall by the New York Jets

27.Jaquan Brisker, safety (Penn State), Selected 48th overall by the Chicago Bears

28.Zion Johnson, guard (Boston College), Selected 17th overall by the Los Angeles Chargers

29.Boye Mafe, edge rusher (Minnesota), Selected 40th overall by the Seattle Seahawks

30.Lewis Cine, safety (Georgia), Selected 32nd overall by the Minnesota Vikings

31.Dax Hill, safety/cornerback (Michigan), Selected 31st overall by the Cincinnati Bengals

32.George Karlaftis, edge rusher (Purdue), Selected 30th overall by the Kansas City Chiefs 

33.Bernhard Raimann, tackle (Central Michigan), Selected 77th overall by the Indianapolis Colts 

34.Khalil Shakir, wide receiver (Boise State), Selected 148th overall by the Buffalo Bills

35.Travon Walker, edge rusher (Georgia), Selected 1st overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars 

36.Rodger McCreary, cornerback (Auburn), Selected 35th overall by the Tennessee Titans 

37.Sam Howell, quarterback (North Carolina), Selected 144th overall by the Washington Commanders

38.Trevor Penning, tackle (Northern Iowa), Selected 19th overall by the New Orleans Saints

39.Jalen Pitre, cornerback/safety (Baylor), Selected 37th overall by the Houston Texans

40.Jahan Dotson, wide receiver (Penn State), Selected 16th overall by the Washington Commanders

41.Arnold Ebiketie, edge rusher (Penn State), Selected 38th overall by the Atlanta Falcons 

42.Kenyon Green, guard/tackle (Texas A&M), Selected 15th overall by the Houston Texans

43.Nik Bonitto, edge rusher (Oklahoma), Selected 64th overall by the Denver Broncos

44.George Pickens, wide receiver (Georgia), Selected 52nd overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers 

45.Desmond Ridder, quarterback (Cincinnati), Selected 74th overall by the Atlanta Falcons

46.Kyler Gordon, cornerback (Washington), Selected 39th overall by the Chicago Bears

47.Drake Jackson, edge rusher (USC), Selected 61st overall by the San Francisco 49ers

48.Chad Muma, inside linebacker (Wyoming), Selected 70th overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars

49.Jalen Tolbert, wide receiver (South Alabama), Selected 88th overall by the Dallas Cowboys 

50.Kaiir Elam, cornerback (Florida), Selected 23rd overall by the Buffalo Bills 

Top 5 By Position

Quarterback:

1.Malik Willis (Liberty) NFL Team: Tennessee Titans 

2.Sam Howell (North Carolina) NFL Team: Washington Commanders

3.Desmond Ridder (Cincinnati) NFL Team: Atlanta Falcons

4.Matt Corral (Ole Miss) NFL Team: Carolina Panthers

5.Kenny Pickett (Pittsburgh) NFL Team: Pittsburgh Steelers

Running Back:

1.Breece Hall (Iowa State) NFL Team: New York Jets

2.Dameon Pierce (Florida) NFL Team: Houston Texans

3.Kenneth Walker III (Michigan State) NFL Team: Seattle Seahawks

4.Rachaad White (Arizona State) NFL Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

5.Tyler Allgeier (BYU) NFL Team: Atlanta Falcons

Wide Receiver:

1.Garrett Wilson (Ohio State) NFL Team: New York Jets

2.Jameson Williams (Alabama) NFL Team: Detroit Lions

3.Drake London (USC) NFL Team: Atlanta Falcons

4.Treylon Burks (Arkansas) NFL Team: Tennessee Titans 

5.Skyy Moore (Western Michigan) NFL Team: Kansas City Chiefs

Tight End:

1.Trey McBride (Colorado State) NFL Team: Arizona Cardinals

2.Greg Dulcich (UCLA) NFL Team: Denver Broncos

3.Jelani Woods (Virginia) NFL Team: Indianapolis Colts

4.Jeremy Ruckert (Ohio State) NFL Team: New York Jets

5.Isaiah Likely (Costal Carolina) NFL Team: Baltimore Ravens

Tackle:

1.Ikem Ekonwu (NC State) NFL Team: Carolina Panthers

2.Evan Neal (Alabama) NFL Team: New York Giants

3.Charles Cross (Mississippi State) NFL Team: Seattle Seahawks

4.Bernhard Raimann (Central Michigan) NFL Team: Indianapolis Colts

5.Trevor Penning (Northern Iowa) NFL Team: New Orleans Saints

Guard:

1.Zion Johnson (Boston College) NFL Team: Los Angeles Chargers

2.Kenyon Green (Texas A&M) NFL Team: Houston Texans

3.Dylan Parham (Memphis) NFL Team: Las Vegas Raiders

4.Cole Strange (Chattanooga) NFL Team: New England Patriots

5.Jamaree Salyer (Georgia) NFL Team: Los Angeles Chargers

Center:

1.Tyler Linderbaum (Iowa) NFL Team: Baltimore Ravens

2.Luke Fortner (Kentucky) NFL Team: Jacksonville Jaguars

3.Dohnovan West (Arizona State) NFL Team: San Francisco 49ers

4.Cam Jurgens (Nebraska) NFL Team: Philadelphia Eagles

5.Alec Lindstrom (Boston College) NFL Team: Dallas Cowboys

Defensive Tackle: 

1.Devonte Wyatt (Georgia) NFL Team: Green Bay Packers

2.Jordan Davis (Georgia) NFL Team: Philadelphia Eagles

3.Travis Jones (Connecticut) NFL Team: Baltimore Ravens

4.Logan Hall (Houston) NFL Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

5.Perrion Winfrey (Oklahoma) NFL Team: Cleveland Browns

Edge Rusher:

1.Aidan Hutchinson (Michigan) NFL Team: Detroit Lions

2.Kayvon Thibodeux (Oregon) NFL Team: New York Giants

3.David Ojabo (Michigan) NFL Team: Baltimore Ravens

4.Jermaine Johnson II (Florida State) NFL Team: Florida State

5.Boye Mafe (Minnesota) NFL Team: Seattle Seahawks

Inside Linebacker:

1.Devin Lloyd (Utah) NFL Team: Jacksonville Jaguars

2.Nakobe Dean (Georgia) NFL Team: Philadelphia Eagles

3.Chad Muma (Wyoming) NFL Team: Jacksonville Jaguars

4.Leo Chenal (Wisconsin) NFL Team: Kansas City Chiefs

5.Quay Walker (Georgia) NFL Team: Green Bay Packers

Cornerback:

1.Derek Stingley Jr. (LSU) NFL Team: Houston Texans

2.Trent McDuffie (Washington) NFL Team: Kansas City Chiefs

3.Sauce Gardner (Cincinnati) NFL Team: New York Jets

4.Andrew Booth Jr. (Clemson) NFL Team: Minnesota Vikings

5.Rodger McCreary (Auburn) NFL Team: Tennessee Titans

Safety:

1.Kyle Hamilton (Notre Dame) NFL Team: Baltimore Ravens

2.Jaquan Brisker (Penn State) NFL Team: Chicago Bears

3.Lewis Cine (Georgia) NFL Team: Minnesota Vikings

4.Dax Hill (Michigan) NFL Team: Cincinnati Bengals

5.Kerby Joseph (Illinois) NFL Team: Detroit Lions