The 2022 NFL Draft was one of the most exciting draft weekends in recent memory. With so many big trades and surprise selections, there was bound to be some teams that performed exceedingly well. With that being said, let's get into the five biggest winners of the 2022 NFL Draft.

5. The New York Giants

This is the first time in years that the Giants have made a list like this. They've had a couple of horrific NFL Drafts recently, but their 2022 class is the complete opposite. New general manager Joe Schoen did a fantastic job of not reaching for positions of need, and it played out beautifully.

The Giants were able to select edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux at fifth overall, a selection that could end up being the steal of the draft. Thibodeax was in consideration to be the first overall pick, so he's great value at fifth overall. New York then drafted offensive tackle Evan Neal seventh overall. This was another great value pick. He fills a position of need and was looked at by some as the best offensive lineman in this draft. The only reason he didn't go higher was because some people questioned his footwork. Any big man that can do this though should not have such concerns.

 

While most of the Giants' success came in the first round, they were solid throughout the entirety of this NFL Draft. Kentucky wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson should immediately start as a second-round pick, and third rounder Joshua Ezeudu adds much needed depth to the offensive line. Even without late-round steals, this draft class stands out as one of the best in the NFL.

4. The Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City did a great job of addressing their needs. First round cornerback Trent McDuffie is the only player in this class who could be considered a reach, but it doesn't matter all that much. McDuffie will almost certainly be starting for the Chiefs when Week 1 rolls around, making the selection worthwhile. Getting George Karlaftis at the end of the first round was another great selection. He should net himself a starting role sooner rather than later. Both guys are tremendously talented, and both will start for the Chiefs by midseason at the very latest.

General manager Brett Veach's work on the second day of the draft was arguably the best in the NFL. Kansas City managed to snag Skyy Moore in the second round, a speedy receiver who is the perfect fit for the Chiefs' offense. Moore easily could've been selected in the first round, as his combination of physical traits and route-running made him an incredibly appealing prospect.

Fellow day two defenders Bryan Cook and Leo Chenal will also play big roles in Kansas City. Chenal could easily start at middle linebacker to begin the season Overall, this Chiefs class is loaded with potential long-term starters, and those starters were not only selected in the first round, but on day two as well.

3. The New York Jets

It's a huge, but welcome, surprise to see both New York teams make this list. The Jets had an outstanding NFL Draft. They scored premier talent in the early rounds while adding key depth pieces in round four. Selecting cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner fourth overall was something of a no-brainer, as he was easily the best defensive back in this draft class. It helps that he fit a position of need, as the Jets had perhaps the worst cornerback room in football last season.

Ohio State receiver Garrett Wilson should step in as the best pass-catcher on the team, giving quarterback Zach Wilson some much needed help. Both guys were taken exactly where they should have been, and both will be instant contributors for head coach Robert Salah.

Things didn't stop there for the Jets. They smartly traded back into the first round for edge rusher Jermaine Johnson II, a player many people thought could go inside the top ten. Instead, New York landed him at pick 26. Johnson will be one of the bigger steals of the 2022 NFL Draft. He should give the Jets instant production at a key position. Running back Breece Hall wasn't the best pick in the early second round, but it wasn't the worst. New York desperately needed help at running back, and Hall was the best back in this entire class. Overall, it wouldn't be surprising to see four rookies start in Week 1 for the Jets.

2. The Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles' draft didn't start well, but things quickly improved. Philadelphia reached on defensive tackle Jordan Davis at thirteenth overall, taking a player with little positional value at a position Philly didn't need any help in. However, the Eagles did a great job with the 18th overall pick. General manager Howie Roseman managed to trade the pick to the Tennessee Titans for star wide receiver AJ Brown. Brown had a down year in 2021, but he's still a top-ten receiver in the NFL. Acquiring him addressed a huge need at wide receiver for a relatively low price.

Philadelphia also had success outside of the first round. Nebraska center Cam Jurgens was taken at pick 51, and he should develop into a quality starter within a year.

Former Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean fell all the way to the third round after being projected as a first rounder. Philly was happy to stop his slide. There are some injury concerns around Dean, but he was well worth a third-round selection. It would be a surprise to see him anywhere but the starting lineup when the regular season rolls around.

1. The Baltimore Ravens

Another year, another fantastic Ravens draft. Baltimore easily had the best draft in the NFL. They landed premier players without spending huge amounts of draft capital to trade up for them. Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton fell to them at pick 14, another huge draft steal. Hamilton was a top-five talent in this class, but a weak combine shot down his draft stock. The NFL Combine is essentially meaningless, and Hamilton will show that when he starts on one of the league's best defenses as a rookie.

General manager Eric DeCosta quickly traded back into the first round to select Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum. Linderbaum was easily the best interior offensive lineman in the class, and now he'll immediately start for a Baltimore offense that desperately needed a center.

The success didn't stop there for the Ravens. They managed to land David Ojabo, an edge rusher from Michigan, in the second round. Ojabo tore his Achilles at the combine, which is the only reason he was available that late in the draft. Offensive tackle Daniel Faalele from the University of Minnesota was another good pick, as he was one of the most underrated offensive linemen in the 2022 NFL Draft. Overall, this Ravens class is packed with immediate starters and guys who will make an impact within a season or two. That's more than every other team can say about their own draft classes.