NFL draft 2022 - Best traits and throws for top-six quarterbacks Desmond Ridder, Malik Willis, Matt Corral, Sam Howell, Kenny Pickett, Carson Strong

As the 2022 NFL draft gets closer and teams finalize their quarterback rankings, I want to look ahead to what makes the top signal-callers in this class stand out. No, it's not as talented as the 2021 class, which had five first-rounders. But this is still an intriguing group, and I wouldn't be surprised if one snuck into the top five picks.

Let's focus on the top traits for each of the top six quarterbacks in this class. From elite arm talent to a quick, compact release to the ability to go through full-field reads, these quarterbacks can check the critical factors needed to produce as starters in the NFL. That might not happened for all six in 2022, but each has something that teams love. We'll also include six video clips that show off these traits and explain how each quarterback can reach his ceiling.

We'll go in order of my ESPN draft colleagues' consensus quarterback rankings, highlighting what each player does best. Let's start with a super-talented thrower who needs some polish but has the skills to be a great player:

Jump to a QB:Corral | Howell | PickettRidder | Strong | Willis

Height: 6-foot | Weight: 219 poundsConsensus ranking: No. 1

Willis' best trait: Arm talent.

Willis has the natural arm talent to attack all three levels of the field. He can make every throw. He had 12 touchdowns on throws of 20 or more air yards last season, and the ball explodes out of his right hand on tape. Willis can drive it from the pocket, attacking boundary voids in Cover 2, and he will rip the ball up the seams on middle-of-the-field stretch concepts. He can really dial it up on deep ball throws (see video below).

Malik Willis throws a 54-yard TD pass to DJ Stubbs as Liberty takes a 7-3 lead over Eastern Michigan.

Expect a