The 2022 NFL Draft begins on April 28th, which means we are just less than a month away until the Jaguars are on the clock.. Here is our first mock draft of the 2022 NFL Draft — with no trades included.
2022 NFL Mock Draft (1.0):
1) Jacksonville Jaguars: EDGE Travon Walker (Georgia)
For the second year in a row, the Jaguars hold the first overall pick.. There is a lot of uncertainty here on what they are going to decide to do here. The expectation for months has been that they will either select an offensive tackle like Ekwonwu or Neal, or an edge-rusher like Hutchinson or Thibodeaux.
With a bit of a surprise here, after a sensational combine performance, Travon Walker may have proved to Jacksonville that he is the best player in this draft class. He might be a better overall scheme fit than Hutchinson in Jacksonville. Walker is listed at 270 lbs, with much longer arms than Hutchinson, which gives him the flexibility of lining up either as a DE or an OLB.
2) Detroit Lions: EDGE Aidan Hutchinson (Michigan)
With the second overall pick, the Lions select a player who they should be very familiar with — former Heisman trophy finalist Aidan Hutchinson. Hutchinson dominated last season at Michigan and has been the favorite to be selected No. 1 overall, which definitely is very possible. If the Jaguars were to pass on him, he will not be waiting too long to hear his name called.
3) Houston Texans: S Kyle Hamilton (Notre Dame)
The Texans are looking to build their defense by adding versatile playmakers, and that is exactly what former Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton is. Hamilton has the potential to become one of the top defensive backs in the NFL and could end up being the best player in this draft class. Hamilton has a unique mix of size and athleticism, which offers the versatility of lining up all across the field on defense.
4) New York Jets: CB Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner (Cincinnati):
The Jets are continuing the process of building the core of their roster out, but one position that they could really benefit from adding is an elite talented cornerback. Gardner has been tremendous throughout his college career and could end up becoming a true “lockdown corner” for the Jets — one the franchise has been searching for ever since Darrell Revis.
5) New York Giants: EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux (Oregon)
The Giants have a new general manager and two first round picks, so you never really know what they could do here.. Joe Schoen comes from the Bills organization, and they have had a trend of selecting big, athletic players. Thibodeaux would make a lot of sense selecting here, as he would be paired off-the-edge on the other side of last year’s 2nd round pick Azeez Ojulari.
6) Carolina Panthers: OT Ikem Ekwonu (NC State)
While the Panthers could certainly select a QB with this selection, they instead might be too tempted to pass up on a potential Pro Bowl starting offensive tackle. Selecting Ekwonu here would solidify their offensive line with another OT on the other side of Taylor Moton.
7) New York Giants (from Chicago Bears): OT Evan Neal (Alabama)
The Giants have already found recent success with the selection of Andrew Thomas. Here they hope to find the same outcome with former Alabama OT Evan Neal, which would really help solidify their offensive line, similarly to the previous pick with Carolina.
8) Atlanta Falcons: QB Malik Willis (Liberty)
The first quarterback is off the board! After trading away franchise QB Matt Ryan, they hope to select their next franchise QB here with former Liberty QB Malik Willis. Willis has the potential to be an outstanding QB in the NFL if he is developed correctly, in the right system. This could ultimately be a great landing spot for him to learn under a veteran dual-threat QB like Marcus Mariota.
9) Seattle Seahawks (from Denver Broncos): OT Charles Cross (Mississippi State)
After trading away franchise QB Russell Wilson, perhaps Seattle may look to find his replacement here, but they might end up deciding that none of them are worth selecting in the Top 10. The Seahawks have a lot of holes to fill on their roster, but the one that really needs to urgently be addressed is offensive tackle, so they opt to select former Mississippi State OT Charles Cross.
10) New York Jets (from Seattle Seahawks): EDGE Jermaine Johnson II (Florida State)
The Jets recently made an aggressive offer to the Chiefs to try and acquire 6x Pro Bowl WR Tyreek Hill, so taking a wide receiver here is definitely possible.. After finding great value with Elijah Moore last year in the second round, the Jets instead will wait to select a WR and take former Florida State edge-rusher Jermaine Johnson II.
11) Washington Commanders: WR Garrett Wilson (Ohio State)
The Commanders have had strong ties to Ohio State when it comes to wide receivers (Terry McLaurin & Curtis Samuel). They again add another former Buckeye to their team, selecting Garrett Wilson, who is the first wide receiver off the board.
12) Minnesota Vikings: CB Derek Stingley Jr. (LSU)
The Vikings could have several options here to choose from, and now with a new GM, it’s quite uncertain on what they will decide to do. One crucial need for them is cornerback, so they elect to choose Derek Stingley Jr., who is a former college teammate at LSU with star WR Justin Jefferson.
13) Houston Texans (from Cleveland Browns): EDGE George Karlaftis (Purdue)
The Texans have a lot of needs to address, so there are a lot of options on the table with this pick.. After selecting Hamilton with the 3rd overall pick, they look to bolster their pass-rush here with former Purdue edge-rusher George Karlaftis.
14) Baltimore Ravens: C Tyler Linderbaum (Iowa)
Baltimore just lost starting center Bradley Bozeman in free agency to Carolina, so they look to find his replacement with this pick, selecting former Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum.
15) Philadelphia Eagles (from Miami Dolphins): WR Drake London (USC)
The Eagles have 3 first round picks, so there are plenty of options for GM Howie Roseman. Assuming the Eagles keep all three selections, one position they should address is finding a big target for Jalen Hurts and they do so here with former USC WR Drake London.
16) Philadelphia Eagles (from Indianapolis Colts): IDL Jordan Davis (Georgia)
Jordan Davis put on a show at the NFL combine, and the Eagles have seen Fletcher Cox dominate for the past decade. The Eagles bolster the interior of their defensive line by adding Davis, who can really benefit from having Fletcher Cox as a mentor.
17) Los Angeles Chargers: OT Trevor Penning (Northern Iowa)
The Chargers have had a tremendous offseason improving their defense with additions like OLB Khalil Mack and CB J.C. Jackson. With this pick, they look to help solidify their offensive line with former Northern Iowa OT Trevor Penning, who can be a plug-and-play starter for them at right tackle, which is a major need for them with Brian Bulaga never panning out for them.
18) New Orleans Saints: QB Desmond Ridder (Cincinnati)
The Saints just watched Drew Brees retire and missed out on Deshaun Watson.. They re-signed Jameis Winston, who is recovering from a Torn ACL, moved Taysom Hill to TE and signed veteran Andy Dalton. The Saints could definitely still be searching for a potential franchise starting quarterback, so they decide to take former Cincinnati QB Desmond Ridder.
This pick might be a surprise, especially with Kenny Pickett on the board, but the Saints have seem to be enamored with athletic QBs that possess a high upside, so taking Ridder over Pickett is quite possible. They are both the same size, while Pickett infamously has 8 ½ inch hands, Ridder’s are 10-inches, he ran a 4.52 in his 40-YD, 10-7 broad jump and had a terrific collegiate career.
19) Philadelphia Eagles: ILB Devin Lloyd (Utah)
With the third pick of the first round, the Eagles address a need at inside linebacker with Devin Lloyd, who could end up becoming a Week 1 starter for them.
20) Pittsburgh Steelers: QB Kenny Pickett (Pittsburgh)
After already adding Mitch Trubisky in free agency, the Steelers opt to select a player that they should be very familiar with in Kenny Pickett. Adding Pickett to their QB room would allow him to learn under Trubisky for at least a year, and could be a good landing spot for him to develop, especially when his home stadium is the one he played at in college.
21) New England Patriots: WR Treylon Burks (Arkansas)
Last time the Patriots selected a WR in the first round it was N’Keal Harry in 2019, which has not worked out so well for them.. New England could really benefit from adding a young, talented receiver like Treylon Burks, who should have familiarity with Mac Jones – as they both played in the SEC.
22) Green Bay Packers (from Las Vegas Raiders): WR Chris Olave (Ohio State)
The Packers traded away Davante Adams to the Raiders, which is how they acquired this pick.. Green Bay has infamously been known to never select wide receivers in the first round, but with 2 first round picks, they select former Ohio State WR Chris Olave. Olave would be a much needed addition to their receiving group.
23) Arizona Cardinals: CB Trent McDuffie (Washington)
The Cardinals have a need at cornerback.. Their best CB on their roster is Byron Murphy, who formerly played at Washington. GM Steve Keim adds another CB from Washington’s secondary here with Trent McDuffie.
24) Dallas Cowboys: LB Nakobe Dean (Georgia)
The Cowboys are always looking to add big-name playmakers in the first round, and could benefit from adding another talented linebacker alongside Micah Parsons, like former Georgia LB Nakobe Dean.
25) Buffalo Bills: CB Kyler Gordon (Washington)
After losing starting CB Levi Wallace in free agency to Pittsburgh, they look to replace him by selecting former Washington CB Kyler Gordon.
26) Tennessee Titans: IOL Zion Johnson (Boston College)
After losing starting guard Rodger Saffold, Tennessee has a major need at guard, and they look to address that by selecting Zion Johnson. Johnson offers the versatility of playing either guard or center in the NFL, but landing a potential Week 1 starter at guard would be huge for them.
27) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: IOL Kenyon Green (Texas A&M)
Tampa Bay began to replace left guard Ali Marpet, who announced his retirement this offseason, with Tom Brady’s former teammate Shaq Mason. The other issue, they lost their other starting guard Alex Cappa in free agency to the Bengals, so there is still a need to address, so they select former Texas A&M IOL Kenyon Green.
28) Green Bay Packers: OT Bernhard Raimann (Central Michigan):
After selecting Olave with their previous first round pick, they look to address another hole on offense, which is finding a starting right tackle. The Packers typically target players that have a lot of athleticism, so the selecting of Bernhard Raimann, a former TE who converted mid college career to OT would make a lot of sense.
29) Kansas City Chiefs (from San Francisco 49ers through Miami Dolphins): WR Christian Watson (North Dakota State)
The Chiefs just traded away Tyreek Hill to the Dolphins.. While finding a replacement that replicates his athleticism is basically impossible, they at least try their best to do so with former North Dakota State WR Christian Watson. Watson at 6-4, 210 lbs put on a show at the combine; running a 4.36 in the 40, 38.5” vertical, 11”4” broad jump. Between that and his performance at the Senior Bowl, this could help solidify Watson, as a surprise late first-round pick.
30) Kansas City Chiefs: EDGE Boye Mafe (Minnesota)
Another player that similar to Watson, had a tremendous combine and Senior Bowl performance that should only help improve his draft stock. Former Minnesota edge-rusher Boye Mafe ran a 4.53 at 260 lbs, that alone should be enough to raise a lot of eyebrows..
31) Cincinnati Bengals: DT Devonte Wyatt (Georgia)
Another player who put on a show at the NFL Combine… Devonte Wyatt ran a 4.77 at 305 pounds, and would provide a nice upgrade to Cincinnati’s defensive front.
32) Detroit Lions (from Los Angeles Rams): QB Matt Corral (Ole Miss)
After deciding to pass on a quarterback with their first pick at No. 2 overall.. The Lions here decide to take a shot at QB, by selecting former Ole Miss QB Matt Corral. Corral really could benefit from sitting and developing under Jared Goff for at least a year. The one proven thing that Corral has demonstrated throughout his college career is competitive toughness, continuously playing through injuries. That trait is something that would be of interest to a team like Detroit, that is led by a head coach that preaches toughness.
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