2022 NFL Mock Draft

 

1. Jacksonville

This is the most uncertainty with the number pick that I can remember in a while.  The Jaguars would love to move down and acquire more assets, but there just isn’t incentive for anyone to come up and get this pick.  Aidan Hutchinson is the best bet of the top tier players in this class.  He is capable of ascending into that rare group of pass rushers that can generate their own opportunities. He isn’t quite as talented as someone like Myles Garrett or T.J. Watt, but the next tier down is in play kind of on the Joey Bosa level. 

The Pick: Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan

 

2. Detroit

The Lions just need talent.  A trade down isn’t likely in the cards. O-Line is relatively set and they’re not ready to tie themselves to a QB yet so they go defense.  The buzz is Travon Walker might go number 1 in which case Detroit would sprint to the podium to keep Hutchinson in the state of Michigan.  In this scenario Jacksonville comes to their senses. Detroit is left looking for other kneecap biters and they turn to Walker.  People are projecting great things for this guy.  For the life of me, I'm not sure what they're looking at. Watching his footage I kept waiting and waiting for him to do something interesting. It took me three games to finally find him getting some edge pressure.  I’m lucky I didn’t fall asleep and miss it.  He holds his ground.. A LOT.  He can win around the edge but it seems to only come when the opposing line is overmatched. I get the idea that some of it may be scheme driven, but he still had plenty of rush opportunities where he just didn’t beat his man.  I see him as a 3-4 DE and i'm not sure why you'd take that position early in round 1.  The value just doesn't add up.   

The Pick: Travon Walker, DE, Georgia

 

3. Houston

It’s a long road ahead for the Texans and they’re just looking to stockpile talent.  With his tall frame and silky smooth movement skills, Ahmad Gardner should translate into a defender that can match up with just about anyone. 

The Pick: Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati

 

4. New York Jets

The sun rises, the sky is blue, and the Jets need edge talent.  Jermaine Johnson will get the chance to break the curse.  He’s a beast.  I’ve never seen a guy strike an offensive tackle and spin him like a top.  The RT from Miami, he believes.  

The Pick: Jermaine Johnson, EDGE, Florida State

 

5. New York Giants TRADE to New Orleans

This seems a little telegraphed, but the Saints invested future capital to acquire ammunition this year which probably means they have their eye on somebody.  Other QB needy teams sit waiting at 6, 8, and 9 and the Giants capitalize. 

The Pick: Malik Willis, QB, Liberty

 

6. Carolina

Carolina’s owner is a Pitt booster and the buzz is they might just grab Kenny Pickett here.  I think they play chicken and see if they can land him on day 2.  Instead they grab someone to block for him.  I’m not wild about Neal this high, but I’ve come around on ranking him as the top OT in this class.  His big hulking frame is just too much for rushers to deal with.  I’d still say he’d probably be the third or fourth best OT in a lot of classes, but in this draft with Carolina’s need it makes sense to take him here.  There was a story that Neal might fall due to his medicals.  It’s not clear what the issue is or if that report is real, but keep an eye on that.    

The Pick: Evan Neal, OT, Alabama

 

7. New York Giants (from Chicago)

The Giants will give Daniel Jones one more chance.  Kayvon Thibodeaux was once considered a candidate to go number 1 before falling victim to the obligatory, “Does he love football enough?” storyline that seems to bubble up every year.  He’s not as consistent as Hutchinson, but he still has the ability to force the issue attacking the quarterback. The Giants make out like bandits here. 

The Pick: Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon

 

8. Atlanta

The Falcons skill position talent well is about as dry as it gets.  Pair Jameson Williams with Kyle Pitts and all of a sudden they have something cooking.  Williams’ tore his ACL in January, but that shouldn’t bother the Falcons too much and might actually be ideal for them as they try to position themselves for QB talent next year. 

The Pick: Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama

 

9. Seattle

The Seahawks currently have Stone Forsythe and Jake Curhan at the top of the OT depth chart.  Charles Cross isn’t quite as big as Neal, but he gets similar results.  Solid.  Steady. 

The Pick: Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State

 

10. New York Jets

It might be a little bittersweet for the Jets to take another safety high in the first round.  Kyle Hamilton has the kind of versatility that might make it worth it.  6’4” 220 lbs. safeties with range for days don’t grow on trees.

The Pick: Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame

 

11. Washington

Washington has invested a lot of resources in the defense the past few years.  It’s time for some maintenance on the offensive line.  Ikem Ekwonu isn’t my favorite prospect, but some have him going as high as number 1 overall.  He looks like an elite O-lineman.  He moves like an elite O-lineman.  But he has enough lapses pass blocking that I’m a little worried how he’s going to translate.  He needs to be a little more patient.  He seems to strike too early and lose his power and balance.

The Pick: Ikem Ekwonu, OT, NC State

 

12. Minnesota

Ironically, Mike Zimmer is gone and the Vikings finally snag a high end CB prospect.  Zimmer was notorious for squeezing talent out of DB’s.  Imagine what he would have done with this guy.  Stingley is ultra talented, but he sort of Looks bored in his 2021 footage.  Maybe he had too much success too early as a true freshman on that 2019 team?  I'm interested to see if he refocuses and reinvigorates himself with the new challenge of playing at the next level. 

The Pick: Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU

 

13. Houston (from Cleveland)

Houston already landed the top CB.  Now they grab Mike Evans Jr.  Drake London is big and strong, but moves like someone 5” shorter.

The Pick: Drake London, WR, USC

 

14. Baltimore

Big nose tackle that moves like someone 40 lbs. lighter.  Defies the laws of physics.  Of course this guy falls to Baltimore.  What a nightmare.

The Pick: Jordan Davis, IDL, Georgia

 

15. Philadelphia

The Eagles have a lot of assets to upgrade their talent level and they kick it off here with a big fast playmaker for the middle of their defense.  Devin Lloyd could be a culture changer. 

The Pick: Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah

 

16. New Orleans (from Indianapolis through Philadelphia) TRADE to New York Giants

The Giants go a similar rout.  Nakobe Dean isn’t as big as Lloyd, but he’s just as explosive.  He can cover.  He can rush.  He can come downhill and knife to the ball carrier.  Dean might be the prototypical modern linebacker.

The Pick: Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia

 

17. Los Angeles Chargers

Keenan Allen has some prime left, but with a franchise quarterback in the fold the Chargers need to reload on skill position talent.  Olave’s hands are a little inconsistent, but his blend of speed and route running could push him a little higher on the board even. 

The Pick: Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State

 

18. Philadelphia (from New Orleans)

The Eagles take another crack at WR and the Ohio State WR’s go back to back.  Wilson isn’t quite as polished as Olave, but he might have more upside.  I’m not sure if he turns into a WR1, but lining him up opposite DeVonta Smith might set him up perfectly to maximize his potential. 

The Pick: Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State

 

19. New Orleans (from Philadelphia) TRADE to New York Giants

The Giants continue to check off needs adding a third talented defender for their new head coach.   Booth Jr. was a little too talented to evaluate.  I didn’t see him get challenged much so it’s tricky to figure out how he projects, but he certainly flashed enough to take him here.

The Pick: Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson

 

20. Pittsburgh

Bearcat/Bengals fans worst nightmare.  Mike Tomlin has been circling Desmond Ridder for months.   I like Ridder as a leader, but I’m curious if he can reign himself in 10% to steady out his play a little and cut down on mistakes. 

The Pick: Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati

 

21. New England 

The Patriots let their star corner walk and attempt to bring in the next one. 

The Pick: Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington

 

22. Green Bay (from Las Vegas)

The Packers are retooling their pass rush.  They have squeezed more production out of Rashan Gary than I could have imagined.  Now they add another big DE for their arsenal. 

The Pick: George Karlaftis, DE, Purdue

 

23. Arizona

The Cardinals have been weak up the middle for a few seasons.  They’ve tried to patch it through free agency, but it hasn’t really worked.  Zion Johnson is going to dominate, but he should stabilize things a bit.

The Pick: Zion Johnson, G, Boston College

 

24. Dallas

The Cowboys once vaunted offensive line is in desperate need of retooling.  Trevor Penning is tough with mean streak regularly on display.  He fights his man to the ground and then attacks them again on his hands and knees.  In the games I watched, he held up well against Iowa St.  North Dakota State roughed him up a bit.  Sothern Illinois too.   It’s hard to take him early if he's not going to dominate that level of competition.  Others have him more highly rated than I do. 

The Pick: Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa

 

25. Buffalo

The Bills signed Mitch Morse to play center, but they can’t resist the top C in the class.  Linderbaum didn’t do athletic testing but he flashes plenty of athleticism on tape.  Short arms and size hold him back from going a little higher, but it doesn’t seem to hinder him watching him play.   

The Pick: Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa

 

26. Tennessee

The run on O-line continues.  Kenyon Green is another guy I didn’t like as much as consensus.  He’s like the IOL version of Ekwonu.  Looks like a dominate NFL linemen, but inconsistent pass blocking gives me pause.

The Pick: Kenyon Green, G, Texas A&M

 

27. Tampa Bay

The Buccaneers retool from free agency losses.  This safety class is flush with athletic strong safeties that can cover.  It will be interesting to see how they come off the board.  Is Cine propped up a little bit playing behind that Georgia defensive front?  I think life was easy for him, he’s talented enough to adapt and excel.

The Pick: Lewis Cine, S, Georgia

 

28. Green Bay

Aaron Rodgers finally gets his Rd 1 receiver!   

The Pick: Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas

29. Kansas City (from San Francisco through Miami)

The Chiefs are also in the process of retooling their WR corps, but instead they opt to beef up their defense.  Elam mirrors well and has impressive long speed.  I saw him take an angle and chase down multiple routes/ball carriers who had a head start on him. He got dinged up against Alabama, but stayed in the game gimpy and didn’t get picked to death.

The Pick: Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida

 

30. Kansas City

More cheap D-talent for the K.C.  Mafe is a little stiff, but he gives RT’s fits with his lower body girth and power.

The Pick: Boye Mafe, DE, Minnesota

 

31. Cincinnati

Alright Bengals fans. We’re in uncharted territory here. Assessing options at 31 is WAY harder than 5.

Let’s start with needs. 

1. Left Guard

It sounds like the Bengals are open to drafting into this slot, but they’re just as happy letting Jackson Carman, Akeem Adeniji, and Trey Hill duke it our for the starters slot. I’m not ready to give up on Carman either, but hopefully they look at bringing back Quinton Spain as a safety net. My preference would be to go all in on the offense. Do both. Draft IOL early, let Carman and Adeniji fight for G2, and bring Spain in as plan C. 

At 31 there aren’t too many avenues to go this rout. Linderbaum is their best bet allowing them to slide Karas into guard. Zion Johnson should work. Most are drooling of Kenyon Green, but as I mentioned above that would be pretty disappointing. Regardless none are options in this mock.

2. OT3 

Most people would say CB or DT here but I’m not having it. That doesn’t necessarily mean you address it at pick 31, they should be actively looking to upgrade the Isaiah Prince roster spot. If Riley Reif is healthy and open to that role, great. Maybe that buys enough time until they figure out what they have with D’ante Smith. Let’s avoid being one or two injuries away from the world where we felt like win or lose each game was a moral victory if Burrow didn’t leave on a cart. If we stay away from that , people are underestimating the ceiling here. I don’t want to hear about pass rush. If you’re up by 20 points, Joe Burrow is your pass rush. Yes the AFC has loaded up. Keep that offensive line solid and it won’t matter. Just watch.

They won’t pick an OT here and even I admit if they add an OT, they should wait a round or two.  

3.  CB2

Corner is probably 1 or 2 on most peoples’ wish list. Apple should be the third corner at worst and they don’t have much behind him.  Elam and Booth should be the targets and I go back and forth on Kyler Gordon but I’d be okay with him if that’s what they decide.

4. DT

There isn’t really any depth behind B.J. Hill . Converting a tweener like Logan Hall has been discussed, but that seems risky this early. Devonte Wyatt has the measurables. He just doesn’t quite have the production upside from what I saw. I’d prefer DeMarvin Leal. Maybe they can sneak him into the second round.

5.S

The starting safeties are good, but who knows where the Jessie Bates contract dispute is going and Vonn Bell is heading into a contract year. The value at this spot figures to be a little stronger than other positions. Vine is gone but Brisker, Pitre are still available. But my man is Daxton Hill. Michigan played him almost in a slot role. He struggles a little 1:1 with high end receivers but dial that load back a little and you have a nasty weapon for 3 safety looks. Walk him around a little. Bring him off the edge. Keep him in the middle and let him chase to the ball. He doesn’t have quite as much physicality as some of the other guys but he still packs a punch and does a better CB impersonation than they do. He’ll replace the retired Ricardo Allen and serve as insurance if they lose Bates or Mike Hilton. Overall he just gives Lou Anarumo another dimension to work with. 

The Pick: Daxton Hill, S, Michigan

32. Detroit (from Los Angeles Rams)

The Lions go back to the Georgia well.  Wyatt blends strength and penetration skills well.  As with Cine, I wonder how much Alabama effect is going on with this defense (the overall quality of the line masks each player's individual quality)? How good are they really?

The Pick: Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia