We are now a couple of weeks removed from Super Bowl LVI, which means the offseason is officially in full swing. Free agency is just two weeks away and there will be several big names moving around across the league.
The combine is this week which means draft season is officially here. While the Super Bowl Champion Rams couldn’t care less about draft picks, the other 31 teams look to add as much talent as possible so they can be next in line to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.
When talking about the NFL Draft, the first position that always comes up is quarterback. In a game that is increasingly dependent on who you have under center, the annual batch of new signal callers always lead the headlines come April.
This offseason is different than any other with the abundance of high caliber veterans potentially on the market. Usually the top QBs available are in the draft, but there has been a growing trend of star quarterbacks jumping ship to another organization in the offseason.
The last two Super Bowl Champions landed a star quarterback in the previous offseason. With the success Brady had in Tampa and the success Stafford has had in LA, expect this trend to continue for the foreseeable future. NFL quarterbacks have similar power and value to NBA stars and like NBA stars they are beginning to use their power to move teams.
Just two years ago it would be unthinkable that guys like Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson and Deshaun Watson would be on the move in the offseason. That isn’t even including other veterans such as Jimmy Garoppolo and Carson Wentz who are proven starters could also be available.
While there is an abundance of interesting veteran QBs that could be on the open market, the same sentiment hasn’t been felt towards this year’s draft class. It’s no secret that this class is not close to the caliber of some of the QB classes we have seen over the past five years. With that being said there are still several prospects in this class who can be the long term solution for a team under center.
I have three quarterbacks going in the first round and all of them showed plenty of promise when I went back and watched their games. Sure there isn’t a Trevor Lawrence or Joe Burrow in this class, but keep in mind that the 2017 QB draft class wasn’t viewed to be elite and it produced Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson.
While quarterback is the perceived weakness in this class, the strength is at wide receiver and on the offensive line. In my first mock, I had seven receivers and offensive lineman go in the first round respectively.
The draft process is a fascinating one as players will have their stock rise and fall just based on narratives and opinions from those in the world of football. The draft is my favorite part of the NFL offseason, I love evaluating these college players for months and the weekend itself is a thrilling experience.
Every fanbase(except the Rams who don’t believe in draft picks) believes that they found a blue chip player in the first round or a diamond in the rough in the sixth round. It really is the most optimistic weekend on the football calendar and that is a big reason why the draft is as popular as it is.
As the draft season begins, here is my first mock for the 2022 NFL Draft.
1.Jacksonville Jaguars – Evan Neal, OT Alabama- The Jags found their franchise quarterback in Trevor Lawrence with the first pick last year and will use this years’ first pick to get Lawrence an elite blindside blocker for the next decade. Neal has the size and experience against SEC competition that you want for your franchise left tackle.
2. Detroit Lions – Aidan Hutchinson, DE Michigan- The Lions are looking to improve on the defensive side and they begin with taking Hutchinson who is from the state of Michigan. Hutchinson was a Heisman finalist who had 14 sacks in 2021 and is a great fit for Dan Campbell’s squad.
3. Houston Texans – Kyle Hamilton, S Notre Dame- This may seem high for a safety, but Hamilton is arguably the best player in the draft possessing elite range, size, ball skills and is a reliable tackler. The Texans have a ton of needs so they go with the best player available in Hamilton.
4. New York Jets – Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE Oregon- The Jets primary need is corner, however they can address that with the 10th overall pick. New York uses this opportunity to take Thibodeaux who is viewed by many as the best player in this class and form a scary pass rush duo of Thibodeaux and Carl Lawson.
5. New York Giants – Ikem Ekwonu, OT NC State- While listed as a tackle, Ekwonu will likely be used as a guard at the next level. Ekwonu might be the best lineman in this class and the Giants were abysmal on the offensive line in 2021.
6. Carolina Panthers – Charles Cross, OT Mississippi State- Carolina could go QB here, however their line is a mess and I see them either signing a veteran or sticking with Sam Darnold for 2022. Whoever the Panthers QB is will have a talented blindside blocker that is ready to make an immediate impact.
7. New York Giants (from Chicago)- Kenyon Green, OG Texas A&M- The G-Men double down on the offensive line by taking the best pure interior lineman on the board. New York appears to be committed to Daniel Jones and they use their two top picks to get him better protection.
8. Atlanta Falcons – Garrett Wilson, WR Ohio State- With Calvin Ridley likely gone and Russell Gage hitting free agency, Atlanta gets the top receiver available to form a great pass catching duo of Wilson and Kyle Pitts. Wilson is a world class route runner that will consistently be open for Matt Ryan.
9. Denver Broncos – Devin Lloyd, LB Utah- This pick is made with the assumption that Aaron Rodgers is Denver’s QB in 2022. With quarterback solved, the Broncos address the middle of their defense with Lloyd who is a fantastic off the ball linebacker that will be a great addition to an already stacked defense.
10. New York Jets(from Seattle)- Ahmad Gardner, CB Cincinnati- New York is able to snag the best corner in this year’s class in “Sauce” Gardner. Gardner is a lockdown corner who the Jets will want lined up against Stefon Diggs twice a year.
11. Washington Commanders – Matt Corral, QB Ole Miss- Washington will reportedly go after a big name veteran quarterback, however I don’t see them landing one. The Commanders find their franchise QB in Corral who is widely viewed as the best signal caller available and will be an immediate upgrade under center.
12. Minnesota Vikings – Derek Stingley Jr., CB LSU- Patrick Peterson is aging and set to hit free agency so the Vikings select another LSU corner as his replacement. Stingley showed elite potential as a freshman but injuries over the past couple of seasons have hurt his draft stock.
13. Cleveland Browns – George Karlaftis, DE Purdue- Cleveland brought in Jadeveon Clowney last offseason but Clowney is set to hit free agency. The Browns find a long term edge rusher to line up alongside Myles Garrett in Karlaftis.
14. Baltimore Ravens – Treylon Burks, WR Arkansas- Baltimore took Rashod Bateman with their first round selection last year and get another weapon for Lamar Jackson this time around. Bateman is great lined up outside while Burks can be used anywhere from outside to the slot to the backfield and fits Baltimore’s offense perfectly.
15. Philadelphia Eagles (from Miami) – Andrew Booth Jr., CB Clemson- While Darius Slay is among the best corners in football, Philly doesn’t have a strong CB2 on their roster. The Eagles address that issue with Booth who was a key part of Clemson’s elite defenses over the past three seasons.
16. Philadelphia Eagles (from Indianapolis) – Nakobe Dean, LB Georgia- Dean was the most impactful player on Georgia’s National Championship winning defense but has seen his draft stock slip due to his size. Philadelphia takes advantage of that and picks up as good of a linebacker as this class has to offer.
17. Los Angeles Chargers – Jordan Davis, DT Georgia- The Chargers had one of the worst run defenses in football last year so they take Davis to fix that. Davis is a physical specimen that is fantastic at containing the run. While his stats won’t blow anyone away, Davis is a dominant presence in the middle of the defensive line that opens up opportunities for others.
18. New Orleans Saints – Malik Willis, QB Liberty- With the Sean Payton/Drew Brees era coming to an end in The Big Easy, New Orleans looks to add a dual threat QB in WIllis. Willis will need some development, but fortunately he can sit behind Jameis Winston, Taysom Hill or another veteran for a year.
19. Philadelphia Eagles – Drake London, WR USC- Philly completes their trifecta of first round picks by adding to their receiving corps with Drake London. DeVonta Smith appears to be a versatile WR long term but the Eagles could still use a big and physical weapon to line up on the edge, they get that with London.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers – Kenny Pickett, QB Pittsburgh- The Steelers are looking for a quarterback for the first time in 18 years but they don’t have to look far. Pickett is the most pro-ready QB in this class and has plenty of experience throwing touchdowns at Heinz Field.
21. New England Patriots – Chris Olave, WR Ohio State- Bill Belichick bosltered his weapons last offseason, however the Pats still lack a true top receiver. Olave is a clean route runner who will be a reliable WR1 for Mac Jones in Foxborough.
22. Las Vegas Raiders – Jameson Williams, WR Alabama- Vegas made a surprise playoff run in 2021, if they want to get back they could use a downfield threat on the perimeter. Williams is an elite deep threat that the Raiders get at great value due to his torn ACL in the National Championship.
23. Arizona Cardinals – David Ojabo, DE Michigan- Chandler Jones is a free agent and J.J. Watt isn’t getting any younger. With that being said, Arizona gets a raw talent in Ojabo who has only been playing football for five years. This is a perfect landing spot for Ojabo who will be able to develop behind experienced pass rushers.
24. Dallas Cowboys – Tyler Linderbaum, C Iowa- While the Cowboys offensive line has been the envy of the league for several years, they have had a hole at center ever since Travis Frederick retired. Dallas fills that hole with Linderbaum who was easily the best center in college football in 2021.
25. Buffalo Bills – Jermaine Johnson, DE FSU- The Bills have one of the most complete rosters in the NFL so they have the luxury of adding to their pass rush with Jermaine Johnson. Johnson had a breakout 2021 with the Seminoles and will be a key addition to a Buffalo pass rush that needs to be able to get after all the great QBs in the AFC.
26. Tennessee Titans – Jahan Dotson, WR Penn State- Julio Jones has been battling injuries for the better part of the last two seasons so Tennessee gets a young weapon to line up alongside A.J. Brown. Dotson may be small for a WR but he makes up for it with his speed and is one of the best downfield threats in this draft.
27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Travon Walker, DE Georgia- Ndamukong Suh and William Gholston are hitting free agency so the defensive line is an area of concern for the Bucs. Tampa addresses that concern with Walker who has been rising up draft boards and was an underrated piece of Georgia’s National Title run.
28. Green Bay Packers – David Bell, WR Purdue- Whether Aaron Rodgers or Jordan Love is under center next year, the Packers will need to reload their WR core. Davante Adams, along with the rest of their key pass catchers are free agents so Green Bay takes Bell to make up for potential losses this offseason.
29. Miami Dolphins (from San Francisco) – Trevor Penning, OT Northern Iowa- The Dolphins’ offensive line was the worst in football last year so they use the first rounder they got from San Fran to take Penning. Austin Jackson hasn’t panned out as a tackle so Miami needs to get Tua better pass blockers on the outside.
30. Kansas City Chiefs – Daxton Hill, S Michigan- The Honey Badger is set to hit free agency and the Chiefs are very thin at safety. I considered going corner here but there will be good cornerbacks available in the second round so the Chiefs take the second best safety in this class.
31. Cincinnati Bengals – Tyler Smith, OT Tulsa- It’s no secret that the Bengals’ offensive line was a liability during their Super Bowl run. Cincy gets Joe Burrow an upgrade on the outside of the offensive line with Smith who is ready to be a day one starter.
32. Detroit Lions(from LA Rams) – DeMarvin Leal, DT Texas A&M- The Lions have this pick courtesy of Matthew Stafford who stuck his former team with the last pick in the first round. The Lions could take a QB here but there aren’t any great options so they go with the best available in Leal to pair up with Hutchinson on their new look defensive line.