Mel Kiper Jr. says Kayvon Thibodeaux is No. 1 prospect for 2022 NFL Draft

The 2022 NFL Draft is still a year away, but there are already mocks being constructed and top prospects being identified.

One of the most knowledgeable draft experts in the game, Mel Kiper Jr., revealed who his way-too-early No. 1 overall prospect will be for next year’s draft: Kayvon Thibodeaux.

The soon-to-be third-year defensive end was once the top prospect in the 2019 recruiting class and has lived up to the hype ever since. He’s even hoping to inject himself into the Heisman Trophy conversation but many experts believe he’s almost a lock to be a top-five pick and he would be Oregon’s third top-10 pick in as many years.

Here’s what Kiper Jr. had to say about Thibodeaux as his No. 1 overall prospect for the 2022 draft cycle:

Kiper Jr. had nothing but good things to say about Kayvon, including putting him in the same group as Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney in terms of all-world prospects.

Thibodeaux has more than enough talent to be the No. 1 overall pick and he would be a much less controversial top pick than Walter Football’s projection of Tyler Shough going first — yes, I know how crazy that sounds.

Kayvon Thibodeaux could make Oregon history

With a storied program like Oregon seemingly producing first-round talent every year, it’s kind of shocking that the Ducks have had just one No. 1 overall pick ever. And that pick came all the way back in 1955 when George Shaw was selected by the Baltimore Colts. He went on to be an NFL champion three years later.

Thibodeaux would be no surprise at No. 1 overall and he would end a 66-year drought of not having a first overall selection and it would also give the Ducks a top-10 pick in three straight drafts — it would be the first such occurrence in school history.

All Kayvon needs to do is stay healthy and he’s almost a top-10 lock.