Alright, nerds. The much anticipated 2022 NFL mock draft has arrived. I'll be entertaining myself throughout the process and likely getting most of these picks incorrect. If Mel Kiper can make a career out of making ****ty guesses, so can I!
1) Jacksonville Jaguars - EVAN NEAL, OT, Alabama
2) Detroit Lions - AIDEN HUTCHINSON, Edge, Michigan
3) Houston Texans - KAYVON THIBODEAUX, Edge, Oregon
4) New York Jets - IKEM EKWONU, OT, NC State
5) New York Giants - CHARLES CROSS, OT, Miss State
6) Carolina Panthers - MALIK WILLIS, QB, Liberty
7) New York Giants - JAMESON WILLIAMS, WR, Alabama
8) Atlanta Falcons - KYLE HAMILTON, S, Notre Dame
9) Denver Broncos - NAKOBE DEAN, LB, Georgia
10) New York Jets - DEREK STINGLEY JR, CB, LSU
11) Washington Commanders - KENNY PICKETT, QB, Pitt
12) Minnesota Vikings - AHMAD GARDNER, CB, Cincinnati
13) Cleveland Browns - TRAVON WALKER, DL, Georgia
14) Baltimore Ravens - DAVID OJABO, Edge, Michigan
15) Philadelphia Eagles - JERMAINE JOHNSON, Edge, Florida State
16) Philadelphia Eagles - TREYLON BURKS, WR, Arkansas
17) Los Angeles Chargers - JORDAN DAVIS, DL, Georgia
18) New Orleans Saints - DEVONTE WYATT, DL, Georgia
19) Philadelphia Eagles - ANDREW BOOTH JR, CB, Clemson
20) Pittsburgh Steelers - KENYON GREEN, OL, Texas A&M
21) New England Patriots - DEVIN LLOYD, LB, Utah
22) Las Vegas Raiders - GARRETT WILSON, WR, Ohio State
23) Arizona Cardinals - MATT CORRAL, QB, Ole Miss
24) Dallas Cowboys - GEORGE KARLAFTIS, Edge, Purdue
25) Buffalo Bills - TRENT MCDUFFIE, CB, Washington
26) Tennessee Titans - JALEN WYDERMYER, TE, Texas A&M
27) Tampa Bay Buccaneers - TREVOR PENNING, OT, Northern Iowa
28) Green Bay Packers - DEMARVIN LEAL, DL, Texas A&M
29) Miami Dolphins - DRAKE LONDON, WR, USC
30) Kansas City Chiefs - JAQUON BRISKER, S, Penn State
31) Cincinnati Bengals - TYLER LINDERBAUM, OL, Iowa
32) Detroit Lions - DESMOND RIDDER, QB, Cincinnati
1) Jacksonville Jaguars - EVAN NEAL, OT, Alabama
- Jacksonville needs to protect Trevor Lawrence or they're going to fail themselves. Neal is easily the best offensive line option in this draft. He's NFL ready and will contribute on day 1.
2) Detroit Lions - AIDEN HUTCHINSON, Edge, Michigan
- Aiden Hutchinson and Dan Campbell go together like peanut butter and jelly. Aiden Hutchinson is the best edge option in this class and he has the drive and high motor that Dan Campbell loves.
3) Houston Texans - KAYVON THIBODEAUX, Edge, Oregon
- The Texans like their defensive lineman, especially early in the draft. I actually don't think Thibodeaux will be that great of an NFL asset so this pick makes perfect sense. Here's to another disappointing season.
4) New York Jets - IKEM EKWONU, OT, NC State
- Perfect scenario for the Jets here. Do they go with Ikem Ekwonu or Kyle Hamilton to fill their safety void? Ultimately, OT is a huge key in developing Zach Wilson.
5) New York Giants - CHARLES CROSS, OT, Miss State
- Who knows where they'll go here. I'm going to play it safe and assume that Daboll wants to work with Daniel Jones. Adding a top tier tackle to protect Jones, or whoever takes the reigns, is key. Plus, they have a second pick coming up to address other needs.
6) Carolina Panthers - MALIK WILLIS, QB, Liberty
- They want Cam Newton, Malik Willis is the closest QB prosect in this draft. Could they take Kenny Pickett? Possibly, but he has small hands and apparently the NFL types don't like that.
7) New York Giants - JAMESON WILLIAMS, WR, Alabama
- Daboll doesn't have Stefon Diggs to bail him out anymore. Jameson Williams could be that guy. I would think that they'll want an additional weapon outside of Kenny Golladay and Kadarius Toney.
8) Atlanta Falcons - KYLE HAMILTON, S, Notre Dame
- The Falcons are given a GIFT in Kyle Hamilton. On draft day I don't see him falling out of the top 5 but in this scenario he does. The Falcons need help on defense and he's the best player available.
9) Denver Broncos - NAKOBE DEAN, LB, Georgia
- Realistically, I don't think this pick will be the Broncos. In this scenario I'm going with Nakobe Dean since AJ Johnson and Josey Jewell are both pending free agents. Dean is a Day 1 starter.
10) New York Jets - DEREK STINGLEY JR, CB, LSU
- Derek Stingley or Ahmad Gardner. I prefer Gardner but there's no arguing the potential in Stingley. The Jets need to swing for the fences here and hope it pans out.
11) Washington Commanders - KENNY PICKETT, QB, Pitt
- The Commanders need a QB, Pickett is still available. It just makes sense here. They could go with Ahmad Gardner here also, I was almost 50/50.
12) Minnesota Vikings - AHMAD GARDNER, CB, Cincinnati
- Ahmad Gardner could go a lot higher than this but the Vikings won't submit this pick fast enough if he's available.
13) Cleveland Browns - TRAVON WALKER, DL, Georgia
- Travon Walker is a versatile defensive lineman/edge rusher. Cleveland actually has a fairly balanced team but the plug and play ability of Walker is hard to pass on.
14) Baltimore Ravens - DAVID OJABO, Edge, Michigan
- Raw, athletic talent. David Ojabo can replace Justin Houston. Harbaugh gets an athletic freak who he can move around.
15) Philadelphia Eagles - JERMAINE JOHNSON, Edge, Florida State
- Jermaine Johnson might be the best edge rusher in this class. The Eagles won't waste any time making this pick and letting Johson fly off the edge week 1.
16) Philadelphia Eagles - TREYLON BURKS, WR, Arkansas
- If they want Jalen Hurts to succeed they'll need to give him a legitimate redzone threat outside of TE. Outside of DeVonta Smith, the Eagles are seriously lacking in WR talent (don't even say Jalen Reagor is good - he can't catch).
17) Los Angeles Chargers - JORDAN DAVIS, DL, Georgia
- The Chargers need help with run defense. Jordan Davis is an absolute mountain. Devonte Wyatt is probably a better overall prospect but it's hard not to account for Davis in any game plan.
18) New Orleans Saints - DEVONTE WYATT, DL, Georgia
- Speaking of Devonte Wyatt. Wyatt is a perfect compliment to the Saints defensive front. Arguably, the Saints could go many directions here but Wyatt seems like the safest pick at this point.
19) Philadelphia Eagles - ANDREW BOOTH JR, CB, Clemson
- In this mock draft, the Eagles gambled early on Treylon Burks hoping one of the top remaining corners would make it to this pick. They get to choose between Booth or Trent McDuffie.
20) Pittsburgh Steelers - KENYON GREEN, OL, Texas A&M
- Kenyon Green is the best interior offensive lineman in this class. While the Steelers need a QB, they'll need to protect whoever is running the show.
21) New England Patriots - DEVIN LLOYD, LB, Utah
- The Patriots will probably trade back and stockpile picks. Here it's hard to pass up on Devin Lloyd who could potentially go top 10.
22) Las Vegas Raiders - GARRETT WILSON, WR, Ohio State
- Garrett Wilson is a typical Raiders pick. A flashy WR with speed when they have other needs they should address.
23) Arizona Cardinals - MATT CORRAL, QB, Ole Miss
- This is an obvious "Kyler Murray was traded" pick. If Kyler and the Cardinals kiss and make up I could see them going CB or Edge.
24) Dallas Cowboys - GEORGE KARLAFTIS, Edge, Purdue
- This is a necessity pick. Randy Gregory is probably out so replacing him with an upgrade would be ideal for the Cowboys. Who really knows with Jerry Jones though?
25) Buffalo Bills - TRENT MCDUFFIE, CB, Washington
- Trent McDuffie shouldn't drop this far. A gift for the Bills who could use some depth at CB.
26) Tennessee Titans - JALEN WYDERMYER, TE, Texas A&M
- The Titans need a TE option. Who better than to fill that need than our very own Jalen Wydermyer. If Nakobe Dean or Devin Lloyd were to fall all the way to the Titans I can see them jumping at either of them. A top CB could also benefit the Titans.
27) Tampa Bay Buccaneers - TREVOR PENNING, OT, Northern Iowa
- Ali Marpet is retiring so there's a large void on the offensive line... not to mention the void left by Tom Brady.
28) Green Bay Packers - DEMARVIN LEAL, DL, Texas A&M
- DeMarvin Leal is the best interior defensive lineman available. As I'm typing this mock draft there's a very good source indicating that Aaron Rodgers is heading back to Green Bay.
29) Miami Dolphins - DRAKE LONDON, WR, USC
- The Dolphins front office is indicating that Tua is their guy. The Dolphins WR room is fairly average outside of Jaylen Waddle. London gives Tua an immediate red zone threat.
30) Kansas City Chiefs - JAQUON BRISKER, S, Penn State
- I can't be the only one that cringes for the Chiefs when I see Daniel Sorenson roaming center field. Brisker brings a tremendous complement to Tyrann Mathieu.
31) Cincinnati Bengals - TYLER LINDERBAUM, OL, Iowa
- They need to protect Joe Burrow. The fans know it, the players know it, Joe Burrow knows it, the front office has to know it.
32) Detroit Lions - DESMOND RIDDER, QB, Cincinnati
- Desmond Ridder is tough and has been a leader in college, something Dan Campbell loves and Detroit needs. Ridder can sit behind Jared Goff for a season, or until he's ready to take the helm. Why not take a QB of the future for the pick you received for Matthew Stafford?