2022 NFL Draft mock 1.0: Aidan Hutchinson slides out of top two, pair of QBs in top ten

There is still a little less than a month to go before the combine and two and a half months until the 2022 NFL Draft in Las Vegas. As the dust settles on the front office and coaching carousels in the NFL, draft boards begin to come into focus.

The East-West Shrine Bowl and Senior Bowl events wrapped up over the last week, putting an end to the all-star game showcases for college prospects. Next on the agenda is the NFL Combine, which kicks off on March 1 from Indianapolis. That is the major remaining aspect of the draft process. From there, teams will hit the ground running to solidify what their boards look like.

The draft order is set for the first 30 slots with the final two to be set with the result of Sunday’s Super Bowl between the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams. The Rams are the Vegas favorite, so the 32nd pick in this mock scenario goes to them. The pick reverts to the Detroit Lions from the Matthew Stafford trade.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Ikem Ekwonu, OT, NC State

The Jaguars hired Doug Pederson and already have a franchise quarterback in Trevor Lawrence, who needs to be set back on the right track. They could draft a pass rusher and best player available, but the front office might see this as an opportunity for a quick fix. Putting Lawrence with a franchise left tackle can secure the future and help them get back in the mix in a division that feels up for grabs.

2. Detroit Lions: Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon

Followers Michigan with shared Lions fandom would riot over passing on a hometown kid in Aidan Hutchinson, but they should be used to that by now. There is not a bad pick to be made here. However, reports indicate the Lions prefer Thibodeaux as a prospect and see him with a much higher upside. He could also be a better fit in the team’s 3-4 defense. Thibodeaux is a game-wrecker with explosive pass rush traits along with the motor and the upside. The guy they choose might not swing the direction of the draft, but it certainly could alter the fortunes of the franchise.

3. Houston Texans: Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Michigan

Local fans that hope Hutchinson winds up with a better-run organization may not be happy with any of the options at the top of the board. The Texans are a mess and just hired Lovie Smith, who has not sniffed a ton of success over the last decade, to be the next head coach. The Texans need an identity and someone to drag them out of the abyss, and Hutchinson is that type of player and leader. He would have a shot to slide into a talent and leadership void left behind from JJ Watt leaving the organization.

4. New York Jets: Evan Neal, OT, Alabama

The Jets could go any number of directions here, especially with another draft pick coming up at No. 10 overall. Given the positional value and scarcity of elite offensive tackles, they go and grab one that has a shot to go No. 1 overall if Jacksonville decides to target that position. This is another organization that needs to pull out all the stops to support its quarterback with Zach Wilson struggling in his rookie season.

5. New York Giants: Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State

Another team, another tackle. New head coach Brian Daboll seems married to Daniel Jones for the franchise’s starter, meaning the Giants need to follow suit with protection for him. The new front office can play this however they want with another pick coming two selections later.

6. Carolina Panthers: Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh

Matt Rhule seems on thin ice with the Panthers and needs to get his quarterback situation figured out. They tried trading for Stafford last offseason and settled on Sam Darnold, who was a disaster. They now enter a draft process without a legitimate franchise QB on the table. Every team in the NFC South could use one, so the Panthers have a shot to get to the front of the line. There has been a lot of Malik Willis buzz lately, but Kenny Pickett had the best quarterback season in the country and his stock would be way higher if he played somewhere with more glitz and glamor than Pitt.

7. New York Giants (from Chicago Bears): Jermaine Johnson, EDGE, Florida State

Johnson is one of the draft class’ biggest risers coming out of Senior Bowl week, where he showed first-round potential and a well-rounded skill-set. If the Giants are going to get back into the mix as a playoff contender in the NFC, it has to start up front on both sides of the ball. The 2021 ACC Defensive Player of the Year is a name to start getting to know in draft circles.

8. Atlanta Falcons: Jordan Davis, IDL, Georgia

Davis is a monster. There is no other way to describe what he does on the field. Standing at 6-foot-6, 340 pounds, he is the exact type of piece to build the middle of the defense around. Davis was almost impossible to block this past season and will garner plenty of first-round interest.

9. Denver Broncos: Malik Willis, QB, Liberty

Willis had a good week at the Senior Bowl and showed off the arm talent and mobility that makes him tailor-made for today’s NFL. He is so raw and might not be ready right out of the box, but the Broncos are starting over with a new head coach and have the ability to be a bit patient. Raw is risky when it comes to the draft, but the traits are there to mold into an intriguing modern passer.

10. New York Jets (from Seattle Seahawks): Kyle Hamilton, S, New York Jets

Hamilton falling to this spot would be the steal of the 2022 NFL Draft and also allow the Jets to have their cake and eat it, too. He is a matchup safety and Swiss Army knife that can be used in a variety of ways. Hamilton could realistically come off the board as early as No. 3 overall, but positional value pushes him down a bit.

11. Washington Commanders: Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss

Corral, like his peers in the 2022 NFL Draft class, has upside questions. However, the Commanders (wow, that feels weird to type) feel like they are a quarterback away from being more than just a thorn in the side of the NFC East. The infrastructure exists there for a plug-and-play option to come in and succeed fairly quickly.

12. Minnesota Vikings: Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU

This is another draft steal. Stingley is a top ten talent in the class but falls a few spots to Minnesota. The Vikings are closer to a top-to-bottom rebuild than they are tweaking a few things to make a Super Bowl run. A new regime should focus on taking the best player available and he fits the billing here.

13. Cleveland Browns: George Karlaftis, EDGE, Purdue

Karlaftis is a rock-solid EDGE prospect and someone that would be a great complement to Myles Garrett. There is a chance that Cleveland uses this pick to trade for an upgrade at quarterback over Baker Mayfield. That is probably what they should do if an Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson becomes available.

14. Baltimore Ravens: David Ojabo, EDGE, Michigan

This is the easiest draft pick to mock in this entire scenario. Baltimore could use more upgrades on the edge and John Harbaugh loves drafting players from his brother. Add in the fact that Mike Macdonald was hired back from Michigan to be the defensive coordinator and this just makes too much sense.

15. Philadelphia Eagles (from Miami Dolphins): Andrew Booth, CB, Clemson

Booth is not too far off from Stingley in terms of talent and some have compared him to Jaire Alexander of the Green Bay Packers. The Eagles have three first-round picks and could go any number of directions in the draft.

`16. Philadelphia Eagles (from Indianapolis Colts): Kenyon Green, IOL, Texas A&M

The Eagles having three first-rounders during the 2022 NFL Draft gives them a plethora of options. Many believe that Green is the best interior lineman in the class. This pick would give the Eagles the ability to keep adding talent on both sides of the ball while protecting quarterback Jalen Hurts.

17. Los Angeles Chargers: Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati

Gardner has questions about his frame and how it will translate to the next level, but “Sauce” is sticky and has the look of a long-time starting cornerback. There are explosive offenses all over the AFC West and he would be up to the task of slowing down any of them.

18. New Orleans Saints: Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas

The Saints will have a new head coach for the first time since 2006 with Dennis Allen taking over. He has a defensive background, but they need more playmakers on offense in the worst way. Burks is the first wideout off the board here due in large part to the similarities he is drawing to Deebo Samuel.

19. Philadelphia Eagles: Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah

The more and more we look at the Eagles with three picks, the more it seems they could be poised to make some sort of splash with them. This could come by moving up or using them in a trade for a quarterback, though they do like Hurts. Here, they “settle” for one of the best overall defensive players in the class.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati

One of the fascinating storylines of the 2022 NFL Draft will be what teams like the Steelers and Buccaneers do with their quarterback situations. Riddler needs to improve some of the finer details of his passing game but is another traits-based guy that could do well in the right situation.

21. New England Patriots: Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn

The Patriots made a splash last offseason with free agency spending and taking Mac Jones at quarterback. This seems like a return to boring for Bill Belichick, but fills a need with a talented defensive back.

22. Las Vegas Raiders: Tyler Linderbaum, IOL, Iowa

There are not many pure “football players” in the class above Linderbaum. If he was not a center by trade, he likely comes off the board earlier than this. He was a force on the interior for the Iowa Hawkeyes and fit their physical, run-first mentality. Given Josh McDaniels’ Patriots background, that makes him a pretty good candidate to join a team that needs an offensive line upgrade.

23. Arizona Cardinals: Travon Walker, EDGE, Georgia

The Cardinals are soft and finesse football team under Kliff Kingsbury. That is apparent when you see how they have wilted over the last few seasons. What better way to add a bit of physicality to your football team than taking someone right off of the national champion’s defense? Walker is a versatile talent with the length and athleticism to hold up in one-on-one battles.

24. Dallas Cowboys: DeMarvin Leal, IDL, Texas A&M

Leal has a shot to go much higher than this. He is primarily a three-technique that uses his athleticism to attack and bust through gaps. This would be another tremendous young piece for the Dallas defense.

25. Buffalo Bills: Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington

The Bills probably do not have to make many tweaks to stay in the Super Bowl conversation. However, improved cornerback play might help them seal a victory that does not slip through their fingers with 13 seconds to go.

26. Tennessee Titans: Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia

Dean is an athletic and fierce linebacker prospect that should man the middle for years to come. Everyone has a use for that. But the Titans could be another team sneakily looking for a quarterback upgrade, similar to where the Rams were heading into 2021. Could they package some picks to get into the conversation for a Rodgers, Wilson or likewise? Time will tell.

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina

Unless the Bucs think Kyle Trask is their next franchise quarterback, they are going to be looking at what the 2022 NFL Draft has to offer. There are concerns that Howell was elevated at North Carolina by the talent around him. Is there enough in Tampa Bay with Chris Godwin hitting free agency and the fallout of Tom Brady’s decision? We will give head coach Bruce Arians and offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich the benefit of the doubt here.

28. Green Bay Packers: Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa

The Packers have a lot of needs that are typically offset by the presence of Aaron Rodgers. That makes it hard to gauge what might happen here, but more line help is always welcome for whoever is at quarterback.

29. Miami Dolphins (from San Francisco 49ers): Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama

Williams is coming off a torn ACL, but what he put on film this season shows another potential big-play Alabama receiver in the NFL. The Dolphins already have one in Jaylen Waddle. This could be a boost for Tua Tagavailoa under a new offensive-minded head coach in Mike McDaniel, formerly of the San Francisco 49ers.

30. Kansas City Chiefs: Daxton Hill, S, Michigan

Hill comes off the board to a Super Bowl contender that could use more versatile and dynamic pieces on its defense. Kansas City can go up and down the field on anyone at a moment’s notice but has to tighten up defensively to get back to winning championships. Hill provides value in either a safety, nickel or boundary cornerback role. He will be a fun piece to use at the next level.

31. Cincinnati Bengals: Zion Johnson, IOL, Boston College

The result of Sunday’s Super Bowl will not change the fact that the Bengals have to protect quarterback Joe Burrow at all costs. He can take that franchise to some special places if he is kept upright. Burrow already has a torn ACL on his resume and survived a playoff game where he was sacked nine times. The Bengals should sprint to the podium with the name of the highest-rated OL on their board written on the card.

32. Detroit Lions (from Los Angeles Rams): Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State

The Lions are still in the early stages of a rebuild, meaning they can grab the best player on the board and not feel sorry about it. Olave sliding to this spot would be a coup for a franchise in need of a talent infusion. The former Buckeye can run any route in the book and is also explosive down the field. Pairing him with wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown, tight end TJ Hockenson, running back D’Andre Swift and one of the best young offensive lines in the league can give them a true yearlong audition of Jared Goff and the future of their quarterback position.

When, where is the 2022 NFL Draft?

The 2022 NFL Draft is set for April 28-30 from Las Vegas, Nevada. The first round takes place on Thursday night with the second and third rounds coming on Friday. Rounds four through seven will conclude the event on Saturday, April 30.