After three months of hype, rumors and speculation, the 2022 NFL Draft is finally here. The draft process for all these prospects started immediately after the 2021 college football season and the outlook for the draft has changed drastically since then. Between the Combine, Senior Bowl and pro days, several players have seen their draft stock rise or fall since January. No player has had their draft stock skyrocket more than Georgia defensive end Travon Walker, who has gone from being projected as a late first rounder to the odds-on favorite to hear his name called first in Vegas on Thursday night.
I have never seen a player come out of nowhere to be the projected first pick like Walker has during this draft season. We usually have a pretty good idea of who the top pick will be months in advance, but with this class being weaker at the top than recent classes, there is a lot more unknown heading into Thursday. Don’t get me wrong, Walker is an elite talent, however you would expect the first overall pick to have more than 9.5 career sacks.
The Jaguars appear to be willing to roll the dice on a raw talent instead of taking the safe pick, Aidan Hutchinson. Taking big swings in the first round is nothing new for NFL teams, but I can’t remember the last time a team took this big of a risk with the first overall pick. GM Trent Baalke isn’t exactly the most popular guy in Duval county, but that could change if Walker develops into a star.
When talking about the first round of the draft, quarterbacks are bound to come up in the discussion. While this year’s group of young signal callers isn’t as good(on paper) as some recent classes, there will still be multiple QBs taken on day one. There’s no shortage of teams in need of a QB; it’s just a matter of how those teams view the quarterbacks in this class. I am higher on Malik Willis than most are and I believe he is the one guy from this class that can develop into a high end franchise quarterback. While this class is lacking in deep quarterback talent, it’s as deep as any in recent history when it comes to wide receiver talent.
There are probably seven or eight receivers with a real shot to go in the first round and I expect them to dominate the entire weekend. Some of these top WRs are locks to go in the first round, such as Garrett Wilson, Drake London and Jameson Williams, who is moving up draft boards despite suffering a torn ACL in January. Other guys have the high end talent, but there are questions regarding their game which makes them much more polarizing amongst NFL circles. These prospects include Treylon Burks, George Pickens and Christian Watson, all of which could either go much higher than expected or fall out of the first round entirely.
I have gotten this far without mentioning the best player in this class, that being Kyle Hamilton. It will be intriguing to see where Hamilton lands, but whoever does get the Notre Dame safety will be getting an All-Pro caliber player for a long time. I get drafting a safety high is unorthodox, however having the opportunity to pick up a versatile playmaker on defense may be too tempting for a team in the top ten to pass up.
The NFL Draft is my favorite part of the offseason as every fan that doesn’t cheer for a New York team is optimistic that their front office took a step in the right direction on draft weekend. I enjoy evaluating all these prospects and I particularly enjoy trying to find the team they best fit with.
For my final mock draft, I will be relying more on reports and rumors on where players will be going as we finally have some clarity on a few of these picks. With that being said, let’s get into my final mock for the 2022 NFL Draft.
1. Jacksonville Jaguars- Travon Walker, DE, Georgia – This isn’t the direction I would go in if I was Trent Baalke, but it sounds like the Jags are set to roll the dice on Walker with the first pick. Walker has all the physical tools needed to be an elite edge rusher; it just comes down to how well Jacksonville develops him. The first ever draft in Vegas starts off with a high risk, high reward prospect.
2. Detroit Lions- Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan- The Lions had arguably the worst pass defense in football last season, so they pick up the local prospect in Aidan Hutchinson. Hutchinson should make an immediate impact and be a perennial Pro Bowler for the next decade.
3. Houston Texans- Derek Stingley Jr., CB LSU- This may seem like a reach, but the Texans reportedly are interested in the LSU corner. Stingley was a breakout star as a freshman but was unable to capture that magic in the following two seasons. Stingley is a risky pick, but has a chance to be an elite corner that Houston desperately needs.
4. New York Jets- Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE Oregon- I don’t see Thibodeaux falling any further than this pick despite rumors about him slipping. Thibodeaux is a world class talent who will be a perfect fit in Robert Saleh’s 4-3 defense.
5. New York Giants- Ikem Ekwonu, OT, NC State- New York is doing everything they can to make the Daniel Jones experiment work, that includes upgrading what has been an abysmal offensive line in recent years. Ekwonu is the best lineman in this class who will likely start off as a guard but can eventually be moved to tackle.
6. Carolina Panthers- Malik Willis, QB Liberty- It appears inevitable that Carolina will draft a quarterback, so why would they go with anyone but Willis? There is plenty for Willis to work on when it comes to decision making and reading coverages, but his arm strength and athleticism are too good to pass up for Carolina.
7. New York Giants(from Chicago)- Kyle Hamilton, S Notre Dame- I thought about having New York double down on the offensive line, however I have them going with the best overall prospect in Kyle Hamilton. Hamilton has everything you want in a safety and will be an elite presence in the secondary for the G-Men.
8. Atlanta Falcons- Garrett Wilson, WR Ohio State- Atlanta holds on drafting a QB until 2023 and instead get an elite weapon in the first round for the second year in a row. Wilson is the best receiver in a loaded class and I wouldn’t be surprised if he went for 100 catches, 1000 yards and 10 TDs as a rookie.
9. Seattle Seahawks (from Denver)- Evan Neal, OT, Alabama- The best pure tackle in this class falls to Seattle, whose offensive line has been a massive liability for far too long. Neal is an imposing presence who will make an impact on day one for the Seahawks.
10. New York Jets (from Seattle)- Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati – The best cornerback falls to the Jets due to Houston reaching on Stingley. “Sauce” Gardner is the lockdown corner the Jets desperately need to cover the likes of Stefon Diggs and Tyreek Hill twice a year.
11. Washington Commanders- Drake London, WR, USC – Terry McLaurin is due for a contract extension, so the Commanders get London in case they lose Scary Terry. London is a prototypical X receiver who can win any contested catch and will be an excellent red zone threat for Carson Wentz.
12. Minnesota Vikings – Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia – Minnesota would like to go corner here; however with Gardner and Stingley off the board, they wait until the second round to take a CB. Instead the Vikings take Jordan Davis out of UGA to fix their struggling run defense. Davis is an ideal nose tackle who can dictate double teams and shut down opposing rushing attacks.
13. Houston Texans(from Cleveland)- Jermaine Johnson, DE, FSU – Houston hasn’t had a viable pass rush since losing J.J. Watt last offseason. To fix that they take Jermaine Johnson, who had a breakout 2021 season with the Seminoles and will be a key part of this rebuild.
14. Baltimore Ravens- Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas – The Ravens still need help at wide receiver and Treylon Burks is an ideal scheme fit for Baltimore. Burks is the most versatile WR in this class, as he can line up outside, in the slot or even in the backfield, which makes him the perfect weapon for Greg Roman’s offense.
15. Philadelphia Eagles (from Miami)- Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama – Williams has been rising up draft boards, which is a good sign that he will be back to form coming off of a torn ACL in the National Championship. Howie Roseman takes a Bama WR in the first round for the second year in a row to add depth to Philly’s receiving core beyond Devonta Smith.
16. New Orleans Saints(from Philadelphia)- Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State – The Saints get the steal of the first round in Charles Cross, with teams in front of them addressing other needs. Cross is the second best pass blocking tackle in this class and will be a fantastic replacement for Terron Armstead.
17. Los Angeles Chargers- Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa – The Chargers get their eventual Bryan Bulaga replacement with an aggressive and terrifying tackle in Trevor Penning. Penning probably won’t be ready to start week one, but he will eventually be a stud right tackle, assuming he develops.
18. Philadelphia Eagles (from New Orleans)- Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson – The Eagles are pretty thin at corner aside from Darius Slay, so they get Andrew Booth, Jr. with the pick they got in the trade with the Saints. Booth has been overlooked throughout the draft process and is a physically gifted corner who can take on X WRs in the NFL while also be efficient in run support.
19. New Orleans Saints(from Philadelphia)- Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh – The Saints didn’t give up future draft capital for a second first rounder to not take a QB with it. New Orleans goes with the most pro-ready signal caller in this class and addresses their needs at QB and LT in the first round.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers- Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington – I could easily see the Steelers trading up for Malik Willis if he falls past Carolina. However, that is not the case in this mock. Pittsburgh stays put and takes McDuffie, who is one of the most underappreciated players in this draft and fills the hole left by the loss of Joe Haden
21. New England Patriots- Zion Johnson, OG, Boston College – New England could go corner or receiver with this pick, though Bill Belichick addresses the interior offensive line which lost Shaq Mason and Ted Karras this offseason. Johnson is the best pure guard in this draft and will be key in run blocking and protecting second year starter Mac Jones.
22. Green Bay Packers (from Las Vegas)- Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State – Green Bay has a major hole at WR with the loss of Davante Adams. They use the pick they got for him to fill that hole with Olave, who has great high end speed and put up elite production in a crowded receiver room at Ohio State.
23. Arizona Cardinals- George Karlaftis, DE, Purdue – This class is stacked at the top when it comes to edge rushers, but one name everyone isn’t mentioning enough is George Karlaftis. Arizona gets great value out of this pick especially with Chandler Jones leaving in free agency.
24. Dallas Cowboys- Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah – If recent history shows us anything, it’s that the Cowboys will add on to their strengths in the first round of the draft. Dallas does exactly that by taking Devin Lloyd out of Utah. Lloyd is an experienced and versatile LB who will force offensive coordinators to divert attention from Micah Parsons.
25. Buffalo Bills- Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State – Yes, yes, I know taking a running back in the first round is considered heresy in the modern NFL, but the Bills already have a stacked roster and just need more balance offensively. Buffalo reportedly likes Hall, so I have them taking the Iowa State tailback to give Buffalo a true RB1.
26. Tennessee Titans- Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa- Linderbaum is the best interior offensive lineman in this draft, so the Titans take this opportunity to select Ben Jones’s eventual replacement. Tennessee has a downhill rushing offense and an elite center is vital to that.
27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati – Tom Brady is most likely retiring (for real this time) after 2022, so the Buccaneers take Ridder who has the highest ceiling in this draft outside of Malik Willis. Ridder will be able to sit for a year and learn from the best to ever play the position, all while inheriting elite offensive personnel.
28. Green Bay Packers- Bernhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan – The Packers have already addressed their wide receiver situation, however, they could use a franchise right tackle. Raimann is the best right tackle left on the board and could give Green Bay an elite tackle duo, if he develops properly.
29. Kansas City Chiefs (from Miami)- George Pickens, WR, Georgia – While KC has addressed their WR core in free agency, they could still use a true number one option. George Pickens falls to them after missing most of Georgia’s National Title run recovering from a torn ACL. Pickens is an elite deep threat that also consistently wins contested catches.
30. Kansas City Chiefs – David Ojabo, DE, Michigan – Frank Clark and Chris Jones are set to be free agents after 2023, so the Chiefs will likely need to revamp their pass rush. Kansas City gets another elite talent for good value as Ojabo’s draft stock has slipped due to suffering a torn achilles in his pro day. While Ojabo may not see the field as a rookie, he should develop into a premier pass rusher that will get after Russell Wilson, Justin Herbert and Derek Carr for many years to come.
31. Cincinnati Bengals- Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida – Cincy has mostly fixed the offensive line through free agency, though cornerback remains a flaw on the other side of the ball. The Bengals fix that by taking Elam out of Florida, who has plenty of experience going up against NFL talent in the SEC.
32. Detroit Lions(from LA Rams)- Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia – The Lions could go QB here, but they have the 34th overall pick so they can easily take one with that pick. Instead, they don’t risk letting Nakobe Dean get scooped up by Jacksonville and take him to close out the first round. Dean may be small for a linebacker, but he is excellent in coverage and has elite range to make stops in the running game and was arguably the most important player on Georgia’s National Championship winning defense.