The hardest part of any NFL general manager's job is trying to nail the draft.Figuring out which NFL Draft picks are going to boom and which will bust is difficult. The importance of these critical decisions leads general managers to stick to their own personal draft boards, consensus be damned, to try to find hidden talents.

As a result, there are often at least a handful of poor value picks that deviate enough from consensus player rankings. That doesn't mean that a player picked too early will bebad; some reaches turn out to be excellent selections the same Austin Pruitt Jersey way that late-round values do.

Still, there is a price to pay for that gamble. It comes in the form of short-term criticism about selecting a player well ahead of where they were projected to go.

The 2022 NFL Draft was a great example of this. In a more uncertain draft cla s, general managers stuck firmly to their board, and that led to some head-scratching picks in the first few rounds. The Sporting News will break down what some of the most egregious reaches were by looking at the players selected compared to the consensus big boards compiled by , the and pre-draft player grades from .

It will be hard to consider any pick beyond the third round a reach in this year's weaker draft cla s, so here's a look at the biggest reaches of the 2022 NFL Draft.

TSN's NFL DRAFT HQ||

Packers: Quay Walker, LB, GeorgiaRound 1, Pick 22

The Packers were expected to take a receiver in the first round, but when Jahan Dotson went 16th overall and Treylon Burks went 18th, there were no pa s-catchers left at 22 that were worth drafting. As such, they pivoted and took Quay Walker.

Walker got Matt Andriese Jersey plenty of draft-week buzz that led him to be a common first-round pick in mock drafts. He ended up being the first linebacker off the board, going ahead of three-down playmaker Devin Lloyd from Utah and Walker's athletic Georgia teammate Nakobe Dean.

Walker has the tools needed to be an NFL linebacker, but there's no denying that he was a bit of a reach. He ranked 49th and 51st on the two consensus big boards and only rose to the first-round level late during the draft proce s. It will be interesting to see how his career compares to that of Dean, who shockingly went 61 picks later than him.

(Getty Images) Patriots: Cole Strange, G, ChattanoogaRound 1, Pick 29

This was the collective first-round Blake Snell Jersey pick that made everyone watching the draft shout, "WHO!?" Strange was an FCS prospect who spent six years at Chattanooga and was a five-year starter for the Mocs. He looked like a prime sleeper candidate during the 2022 draft and was getting buzz as a late-second to early-third-round pick.

But as a first-round pick? That's a reach. Strange came in at 76th overall on The Athletic's consensus big board and 86th on that of the Mock Draft Database. He was ESPN's 77th-graded player in the draft, and it certainly seems like the Patriots could have gotten him with their second-round pick.

Strange could follow in the footsteps of Cowboys center Travis Frederick, who was considered a big reach when Dallas took him in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft but developed into an All-Pro talent. Even still, New England took Strange way too early.

How bad was it? when they saw Strange was selected. He also said that the Rams looked at Strange as an opportunity with the 104th pick. So, the Patriots jumped the gun by making, shall we say, a strange first-round pick.

Giants: Wan'Dale Robinson, WR, KentuckyRound 2, Pick 43

The Giants are reportedly looking to trade 2021 first-round pick Kadarius Toney, so Robinson could end up being a replacement for him. Robinson is a Swi s Army Knife tool who spent the early stages of his college career at Nebraska before transferring to Kentucky. He played both receiver and running back for the Cornhuskers while serving more as a receiver with the Wildcats.

Robinson racked up 104 catches, 1,334 yards and seven touchdowns during his lone season at Kentucky. He's a dynamic, explosive playmaker, but he's only 5-8, 178 pounds. That could be a concern for him against bigger, faster and stronger NFL defenders.

Robinson's size was enough for the consensus big boards to Jose Alvarado Jersey rate him at 84 and 91 respectively. Taking him in the middle of Round 2 is a reach, but it's one with a lot of upside for the Giants' offense.

BENDER:

Lions: Josh Paschal, DE, KentuckyRound 2, Pick 46

Paschal was a solid defensive lineman at Kentucky. He racked up 13 sacks during his five-year playing career and totaled five sacks during his final season with the Wildcats. Still, many viewed him as more of a third-round talent, as he Joey Wendle Jersey rated 68th and 70th acro s consensus big boards.

That said, some were significantly lower on Paschal than those big boards. For example, a website founded by former NFL GMs Mike Tannebaum and Joe Banner had Paschal as their 138th rated player. So, it would seem that the Lions made a bit of a reach, especially with consensus top-25 prospect Nakobe Dean still on the board.

Dan Campbell and the Lions won't mind, especially if Paschal can turn into the kneecap-biter that he wants on the defensive line.

(Getty Images) Saints: Alontae Taylor, CB, Tenne seeRound 2, Pick 49

The Saints certainly have a type at cornerback. Taylor has a 6-0, 199-pound frame and ran a 4.36 40-yard dash at the combine. That's the exact same time that Marshon Lattimore ran when he measured at 6-0, 193 pounds in 2017. So, Taylor has some nice measurables and could become a solid starter.

That said, Taylor was ESPN's 109th rated player in the 2022 NFL Draft cla s, and the consensus big boards had him rated no higher than 98th. The Saints probably could have gotten him later and didn't need to use a top-50 pick on him. He was a late riser thanks to his length C. J. Cron Jersey and athleticism, but it still feels like a reach.

Patriots: Tyquan Thornton, WR, BaylorRound 2, Pick 50

Thornton is one of the fastest players in the 2022 NFL Draft. He blazed a 4.28 40-yard dash at the 2022 NFL Combine which was slower than only his teammate, Kalon Barnes. The Patriots needed speed, as the Nelson Agholor signing has only returned middling results, so in that sense, Thornton is a fit.

However, Thornton ranked 146th and 155th on the two consensus big boards. He was ESPN's 117th-graded prospect and checked in at 154 on . So, needle s to say, he is a risky pick.

Thornton has 6-2 size and recorded 62 catches for 948 yards and 10 touchdowns during his last season at Baylor. So, he has the tools needed to succeed. However, he's raw, so Bill Belichick and Co. will have to coach him up. That's not something that Belichick has done well with receiver draft picks in the past.

MORE:

Gia