Drafts come with plenty of questions, but as the 2022 NFL season played out, there was no shortage of players who appear to be potential long term stars in the league. The list of the best 2022 NFL rookie cards depends on your budget but the list of standout players should only grow.
Analysts thought the New York Jets had crushed it in the spring and they were proven right in the fall. The Jets had not one, but two players on the short list of finalists for rookie of the year. Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner elevated the Jets’ defense and Garrett Wilson made the transition from Ohio State to the NFL with relative ease at wide receiver. Both players’ cards should be on collectors’ radar over the long term.
The Pro Football Writers Association named Gardner the 2022 Rookie of the Year and Defensive Rookie of the Year, while Wilson won the award on offense. .
Panini had rookies signing autographs prior to the start of the season and they gathered again after the 2022 season to put their autographs on some of the higher end products that will arrive well into 2023.
Day one of Panini’s #NFL #rookiecloseout is in the books! Jets’ rookie standout @GarrettWilson_V was in the house – knocking out some Immaculate 🔥#whodoyoucollect pic.twitter.com/ppfIeQz9A9
— Panini America (@PaniniAmerica) January 26, 2023
Of course, a rookie’s true impact sometimes takes awhile to manifest itself and that was certainly true of the most talked about player as fall turned to winter. Brock Purdy rookie cards heated up as the last player taken in the 2022 draft led the San Francisco 49ers like a seasoned pro.
His story is one of the best in recent memory. Also making a late push for all-rookie status was Christian Watson, the Packers’ first year receiver who showed blazing speed and a knack for touchdown catches after recovering from injuries and a concussion.
Other rookies keeping eBay buyers busy include receivers Chris Olave of the Saints and Drake London of the Falcons, running backs Kenneth Walker III of Seattle and Dameon Pearce of Houston.
In addition to Gardner, the Lions’ Aiden Hutchinson helped transform his once moribund club into an NFC North force and looks to be a long term star on the defensive side the ball.
Who are collectors chasing right now? A list of the 100 most watched 2022 NFL rookie cards gives us a pretty good look. It’s a live, continually updating list you can see below. To check out all 2022 NFL rookie cards on eBay, click here. To see boxes of 2022 football cards, click here.
