The Gridiron Geniuses — 2022 Draft Recap

Year four. New strategies, old rivalries, one vacant throne.

Jay H entered the draft as defending champion and immediately became the most carefully watched drafter in the room. When you've won with a contrarian approach, everyone wants to know if you're going to do it again.

He did not do it again. He drafted RB-heavy in round 1. "Adaptation," he said. The league took notes.

Stefan D unveiled what he's calling his "Diggs-centered universe" — a receiver stack built around elite routes and the belief that targets are more predictable than touchdowns. It's a theory. It is a deeply held theory.

Brock P has officially abandoned last year's strategy and adopted a new one. He will not tell anyone what it is. This is either tactical or he doesn't know what it is yet. Both are plausible.

Kyler M drafted aggressively — top-10 picks at four positions, no depth whatsoever. The floor is somewhere near the earth's core. The ceiling is interesting.

Hillary T rebuilt from scratch, taking a different philosophical approach: consistency over upside. Every pick was a high-floor play. The group chat called it "boring." Hillary T called it "adaptive." She is 2-1 in championships she has been in. Her track record is not boring.

The Stefan D Bet

The most interesting under-the-radar pick of the draft: Stefan D's TE selection in round 5. Either this is the year it clicks or the fourth consecutive year of TE regret. The spreadsheet has a dedicated tab for this one.

Four years in. The Gridiron Geniuses know each other's tendencies now. That makes winning harder. And more satisfying.