NFL draft: 5 first-round picks entering tricky situations in Year 1 – Yahoo Sports

Fit is critical when it comes to the NFL draft.

Sure, there are myriad factors that determine whether players will find NFL success. But the matching of talent, scheme, surrounding cast and expectations can be a massive determinant on whether players work out or dont.

Landing spots are simply crucial to the equation. Some prospects just seem to end up in tough spots. Maybe the team drafting them thinks they know how best to employ them but ultimately dont. Perhaps the head coach and/or general manager is/are on the hot seat, and the next regime wont be as high on their ability.

Its not always an indictment of the players themselves. Although thats also a possible factor in how they develop or dont.

So lets examine a few higher picks from the 2022 NFL draft to see which ones might be entering trickier situations to navigate, and whether theyll be hurt by the situations in which they landed.

It starts right at the top with Walker, who was the unconventional pick at No. 1 over Aidan Hutchinson and the field. This was not a draft class with a clear-cut option at one, but Walkers combination of thrilling athletic traits and minimal production will make this whether he fails or succeeds a fascinating draft litmus test for years to come.

Walkers performance also will be scrutinized against what Hutchinson does with the Lions, fairly or not. Even if theyre different players with varying skill sets, and they might not even play similar roles on their prospective units.

Which brings us to how the Jaguars plan to use Walker. Its interesting because they clearly valued his length and versatility, and the plan appears to be using him as a stand-up rusher opposite Josh Allen and perhaps kick Walker to the interior in pass-rush situations.

"He played all the way up and down the line of scrimmage, anywhere from a 0-technique all the way to a 7-technique, Jaguars GM Trent Baalke said recently. (He also) played in the two-point (stance) off the edge, which he's going to be used a lot in our scheme."

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Travon Walker could face outsized expectations as the No. 1 overall pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

Walker was known to stand up in Georgias system. But he was almost always a rusher in those situations. On occasion when he dropped into coverage, maybe two or three plays per game, the results were inconclusive. The Kentucky game in particular was one where Walker looked less than fully comfortable when asked to cover instead of rush.

For a young player such as Walker, it will be important for him to use his rookie season to grow as much as possible as a playmaker and make tangible strides. But there will be a lot of pressure on him early on even some unfair pressure.

This should be viewed as a two- or three-year development period, but we all know that wont be how Walker is judged this season if hes not filling up box scores the way he seldom was able to in college. Occupying blocks for others to make plays is noble, valuable work, but its not typically how No. 1 overall picks are judged.

Just as Walker will be judged against every other highly rated defender, London will be compared to the top receivers in the 2022 draft and the next three off the board just so happened to be picked almost immediately after he was at No. 8 overall.

London was a bit of a surprise to some as the top wideout selected. That always tends to skew public perception a bit, and that tends to slant toward more pressure on the player to prove his worth in that spot, even if thats a pretty tough way to view it. After all, the team made that pick, not the player.

And realistically, he should be a pretty good fit, scheme-wise, in Atlantas offense. Theres a WR1 void he steps into immediately, and having Kyle Pitts on the field should help ease the coverage attention that London will receive.

Head coach Arthur Smith appears to want to use London similarly to how he was used in college, both inside and out, not too vastly different from what Smith asked of A.J. Brown as a rookie when they were together with the Tennessee Titans. Brown surpassed the 1,000-yard receiving mark, scored nine total TDs and finished third in the Offensive Rookie of the Year balloting.

Expectations must be managed for Falcons first-round WR Drake London early on. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)

At split end, London could be used as a 50-50 ball winner and on slants and deep outs; in the slot, he might be featured more on hitches, crossing routes and screens. Hell also be asked to block in the run game. All are areas where the gifted London can win.

But just how prolific will Marcus Mariota and the passing game be? Thats hard to say. And if you go back to 2019 (the last time we really saw the QB in any extensive action) and look at how Mariota worked with Brown, the relationship took time to brew.

Mariota started the first six games of the season, and Brown averaged 2.3 receptions per game (on 3.8 targets) for 45.5 yards and 0.3 TDs. Over the Titans final 10 games that year, all with Ryan Tannehill at QB, Browns per-game averages went up noticeably: 3.8 receptions (on 6.1 targets), 77.8 yards and 0.6 TD catches.

With Mariota starting early on, he targeted Corey Davis and Adam Humphries (27 targets apiece) more than he did Brown (23), with journeyman Dion Lewis and 35-year-old Delanie Walker not far behind on the pecking order (21).

We also must remember that London wont turn 21 years old until July. Not every rookie is JaMarr Chase or Justin Jefferson, after all. After all, look no further than another 21-year-old (Jerry Jeudy) as an example of a highly productive college producer who endured a somewhat frustrating rookie season, for different reasons.

London has the chops to be good right away. But it also wouldnt be shocking if his QB situation and some unrealistic expectations could mar his Year 1 experience.

The Saints behavior this offseason largely has pointed toward a belief that management views this team as a contender. You could argue that allowing Terron Armstead to walk belies that notion a bit, but they aggressively positioned themselves to fill their biggest immediate holes including and especially left tackle.

Sure, they moved up first for WR Chris Olave, another player facing some pressure to contribute in a fairly big way immediately. But the pressure on Penning to step right on the all-important blind-side spot could have a pretty big say on how New Orleans season will pan out.

Plus, both of their first-round picks came collectively at a very steep price.

Trevor Penning, who was drafted by the New Orleans Saints, is expected to fill some big shoes early at left tackle. (Photo by Jeff Speer/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The jump in competition is another factor for Penning that cant be glossed over. Sure, he held his own at the Senior Bowl against higher-level prospects after spending college at the FCS level. But theres a jump beyond that when facing rushers such as Brian Burns and Shaq Barrett multiple times per season.

Pennings gnarly style should make him a popular player with Saints fans at some point. Heck, he could develop into the next Kyle Turley in time for all we know. But hes also a penalty-prone player until further notice, and the first time hes guilty of a 15-yard personal foul (and God forbid it wipes out a touchdown or big gain), Penning will come into the crosshairs.

Its been said that with the best offensive linemen, the less you hear about them, the better. We dont wholly believe thats true, but when it comes to pass-block whiffs and yellow hankies, it certainly is.

Penning doesnt profile as a player whom well not notice; whether thats a good or a bad thing remains to be seen. We can envision him being an instant hit or a player who suffers some fairly big hiccups as a rookie. The middle ground doesnt feel all that likely.

From the first time we laid eyes on Smiths ups and downs in two big games last season against Oklahoma State and Ohio State.

The two biggest takeaways after those initial viewings: 1. Wow, this kid is talented. 2. But, boy, hes raw.

Once the 2021 college season was over and we were able to view Smith in later games (albeit against lesser competition), we did feel as if Smith had improved markedly. For one, cut way down on his penalties from 15 flags in the first eight games to only one in the final four games. And after struggling as a pass blocker (especially against Oklahoma State), we thought Smith was far, far more confident and dominant in that regard later in the year.

Still, there is a whole lot of projection involved with Smith, especially in Year 1. In addition to dealing with quicker rushers and stronger run defenders, he likely will be asked to kick inside to guard a position where he played exactly two game snaps at Tulsa.

The Dallas Cowboys say they're thrilled to have drafted Tyler Smith, even if there are potential causes for concern. (Amanda McCoy/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Guard might end up being Smiths best home in the long run. He was taxed by edge speed more than once, struggled with balance on the outside and might be better able to harness his raw power in more of a phone-booth role. Having Tyron Smith on his outside hip cant hurt, either.

But learning a new position is tricky business for some offensive linemen, especially those as young (21 years old) and raw as Smith is. Plus, grabbers tend to be grabbers whether theyre playing inside or out; some of that feels like habitual muscle memory when you watch Smith panic and divert to that tactic. Ditching that habit will be key to his development.

On top of everything, playing in the cauldron of Dallas isnt for the faint of heart. If Smith struggles out of the gate (or worse yet, cant win the wide-open left guard job initially), the wolves will come out in packs.

The surprising trade of A.J. Brown left the Titans in a tricky spot for this season. It could end up hurting Burks as much as anyone in Tennessee.

Robert Woods addition from the Rams certainly helps deaden the blow a bit, but hes coming off a torn ACL and is expected to miss part of the offseason. Plus, the situation with Ryan Tannehill is getting a bit awkward. Its clear theres some tension between team and quarterback, and thats never a great thing.

But the worst thing that could have happened to Burks was being compared (by some) to A.J. Brown during the pre-draft process, mostly for size comparisons, and then landing in the void the team created by trading Brown.

Comparing Burks to Brown isnt fair or accurate, from our vantage point. Brown entered the NFL having played more outside in college (34.9% of his snaps) than Burks was (14.2%) and being used more on vertical routes. Theyre just different players, as we see it, even if their dimensions are somewhat similar. Brown was also a measurably more dynamic athlete coming out.

How the Titans plan to use Treylon Burks early could define whether he's successful long term or not. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

Expecting a one-for-one replacement for Brown is just thoughtless wishcasting, and we hope the Titans show some patience with his early expectations. There was a reason Burks was slotted inside its where the Arkansas coaches felt he was best. Maybe this is how the Titans must use him, as well as on his patented trick plays. Wed absolutely sign up for a backfield formation with Burks, Derrick Henry and Malik Willis and see how defenses respond.

But simply handing the underdeveloped Burks a starting role outside and asking him to master it in Year 1 might be the worst imaginable version of throwing the kid in the deep end of the pool as a way of teaching them to swim. Thats one way you can ruin a talented player.

Will Titans coaches and fans exercise some patience for Burks Year 1 returns after the team earned a No. 1 conference seed and crashed and burned in the playoffs? If not, Burks could be made into a scapegoat if the results dont come close to matching what Brown did early on.

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NFL draft: 5 first-round picks entering tricky situations in Year 1 - Yahoo Sports