2022 NFL Mock Draft (Post-NFL Week 17)

The news, injuries, off-field events and on-field results have brought about an entirely new landscape currently to the NFL Draft process. Positions high in the order have changed once again, and what would have been a final draft order in seasons past could still change drastically; the number 1 spot still isn’t decided, 3rd could fall as far as 6th, and 7th could go to 13th. However, it’s worth taking stock with a non-playoff teams mock just to keep track of how the landscape lays at the minute.

Pick #1 – Jacksonville Jaguars – Evan Neal, OT, Alabama

The Jacksonville Jaguars are in a real state of flux currently. They have their franchise QB in last year’s #1 pick, Trevor Lawrence, but have little else to write home about. Their edge rushing combination of Josh Allen and K’Lavon Chaisson hasn’t set the league on fire, but is basically the only position that doesn’t need addressing immediately. Lawrence hasn’t translated to the NFL in any way we imagined he would, and that seems to be largely down to the toxic culture and lack of actual coaching that Urban Meyer instilled in the entire time. Regardless of how talented you are, no rookie quarterback would thrive in that environment.

Protecting Lawrence is of paramount importance now. Cam Robinson, their current starting left tackle, is not only out of contract this offseason, but isn’t actually that good. Resigning Robinson on a small enough contract could be a worthwhile move, but that shouldn’t stop them taking Evan Neal, a true stud out of Alabama. Neal seems so set in every snap he plays, meeting pass rushers at the point of attack and giving his quarterback as much time as he needs to deliver throws. Cincinnati’s Myjai Sanders, an NFL prospect, didn’t even sniff Alabama Quarterback Bryce Young in this past weekend’s College Football Playoff Semi-Final, and that was all Neal’s doing.

Pick #2 – Detroit Lions – Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Michigan

Aidan Hutchinson’s magnanimous rise to Heisman contender met a swift, sad end at the hands of Georgia tackle Jamaree Salyer in their College Football Playoff Semi-Final meeting. In truth, Georgia dominated what had been a physical Michigan side all over the field in a way not many people had anticipated. Hutchinson, who had displayed exemplary hands at the point of contact to generate pass rush throughout the season, could get nothing going.

However, I don’t think that can impact the Detroit Lions choice here. Save for trading down, Hutchinson is the best possible selection they can make here. They are a team devoid of talent but full of desire, largely due to head coach Dan Campbell, and if Campbell is going to turn this team around he needs players that follow his ethos at the most important positions on the field. I don’t think there’s a quarterback who deserves to go at #2 overall in this class, but there seems like there will be next year, and the Lions will be in contention regardless of how well their selection here pans out.

Pick #3 – Houston Texans – Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon

The Texans are in a similar position to the Lions. They have basically no talent on their roster, and in a mid-level quarterback class, will be thanking their scouts for the selection of Davis Mills in the 3rd Round last year. Mills might not be a franchise QB, but he’s shown enough to suggest to the organisation that he can competently start for the entirety of next year as the Texans search for their next franchise guy.

The pick here then is Kayvon Thibodeaux. I won’t lie, I’m not as sold on Thibodeaux as other people seem to be. I think he has the ability to try and use his athleticism to bull rush opposing tackles, and truthfully it doesn’t come off as often as he hopes it does. However, I will concede that teams move the ball to the opposite side of the field from Thibodeaux regularly, which shows his impact. He needs to learn how to use his hands and rushing moves to consistently beat tackles, but has the first step, speed and instincts to develop into a very special player.

Pick #4 – New York Jets – Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU

The Jets hold two top-10 picks in this draft thanks to Seattle’s collapse, and so need to plan wisely to maximise their haul here. Last week, I was convinced they would use them both to address their shattered defense. However, reports this week came out that the organisation has internally given up on 2nd-year offensive tackle Mekhi Becton due to attitude problems. Thankfully for them, this is a draft class loaded with talent bookending the O-Line.

The strategy then comes with which tackle do they want, which defensive players do they value the most, and who are they willing to lose out on? To me, the drop off between the 2nd and 3rd best tackles in this class isn’t too big, but cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. is a generational talent at the position. He was part of the Joe Burrow-Ja’Marr Chase-Justin Jefferson LSU National Championship-winning side, and as a freshman was pivotal to ensuring the team dominated in the secondary. His Junior season has unfortunately been plagued by injury, and barring a bad, lasting diagnosis, a full recovery could mean Stingley is one of the NFL’s best corners by the end of his second season. The Jets desperately need that kind of talent, and head coach Robert Saleh is going to love him.

Pick #5 – New York Giants – Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State

Now ravaged by injuries, the Giants may be the worst team in football. Giving up a majestic -10 net yards passing against the Bears this weekend, head coach Joe Judge seems to be on a warming up seat that we all previously thought was ice cool. When they are healthy, the Giants boast a good looking passing attack, but have been plagued by awful line play for years. Left tackle Andrew Thomas has taken massive strides in his sophomore year, but all 4 other starters this year need replacing.

Charles Cross at right tackle would mean that Daniel Jones can at least stop worrying he’s going to be clattered into as soon as he drops back to pass. Cross is a big, physical, technical tackle. He’s not as long as Thomas, but is displaying all the technical traits that translate well to the NFL. He doesn’t get bullied by pass rushers, and has the hands to stop speed rushing moves. There was also the time his TE whiffed on a block so he decided to take on two rushers at once, and succeeded in letting his QB throw the ball. The Giants could do with that.

Pick #6 – Carolina Panthers – Kenny Pickett, QB, Pitt

Basically all season, I’ve projected Ole Miss QB Matt Corral to Carolina. But in his bowl game this weekend, Corral suffered a nasty looking lower leg injury at the start of the second quarter that saw him leave the game on crutches. That is brutal for Corral, who hopefully can make a full recovery. He’ll still be drafted, but the question is where.

For now, I have the Panthers moving onto Pitt QB Kenny Pickett. Pickett isn’t my second favourite QB in this draft, but I think he makes sense for the Panthers. He boasts a lot of similar qualities to Corral, with good accuracy and velocity at the short and mid-range passing game, whilst lacking a strong arm to deliver downfield throws, and knowing his limitations so not trying to force the deep ball often. He’s mobile enough to regularly evade rushing passers, but his style means he tends to step up in the pocket less than scrambling outside. Something I love about Pickett, however, is that when he scrambles he always squares his shoulders set for delivering a pass. Every single time. It looks deliberate, it looks taught. It suggests coachability to me, and I think head coach Matt Rhule will like that. He also, from all reports, has a confident, lively personality (but not a cockiness) that should translate well to being an NFL rookie.

Pick #7 – New York Jets (from Seattle Seahawks) – Ikem Ekwonu, OT, NC State

Back to the Jets and, as mentioned before, they seem to be looking for a replacement to Mekhi Becton. Ikem Ekwonu can be that man. The athletic O-Lineman has played both guard and tackle, and can use these skills in Saleh’s zone-running offense.

Pick #8 – New York Giants (from Chicago Bears) – Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia

Ideally the Giants would take a pass rusher here, but with David Ojabo (last week’s projection) not even getting a tackle assist against Georgia, a stock fall seems only fair. Up steps a player from the winning side of that matchup, linebacker Nakobe Dean. Dean is a traditional 3-down linebacker who can anchor the middle of the field for a defence that has regularly performed above its station thanks to coordinator Patrick Graham. In getting Blake Martinez back from injury next season too, the Giants will be able to boast a thumping middle linebacker tandem in a 3-4 defense that will aim to account for the side’s lack of consistent pass rush.

Pick #9 – Washington Football Team – Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa

Washington need a franchise quarterback. Taylor Heinicke has shown he can be a wily player in flashes, but has thrown away Washington’s playoff hopes this season with three consecutive disastrous games when it matters. As I mentioned before, the QB class isn’t amazing this year, but there definitely are guys they can pick here. I’m just once again not sure any deserve the 9 spot, especially when they are expecting Ryan Fitzpatrick healthy next year.

If you can’t assure yourself of high QB play, assure yourself of giving him the best possible chance. The Centre position has been in flux for Washington due to injury, and that hasn’t given Heinicke the best chance to succeed. Thankfully, Iowa Centre Tyler Linderbaum is a generational talent at the position that could go even higher than #9. Athletic, technical, physical, Linderbaum has it all. He’s Quenton Nelson-esque, and his additional gives Washington a suddenly very interesting O-Line.

Pick #10 – Atlanta Falcons – Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame

The Falcons need players everywhere. They probably should have taken Justin Fields last year. This year’s QBs would do well to sit under Matt Ryan for a year, but I’m not sure Atlanta can afford to take a player that won’t play immediately. Best Player Available is the call here then, and that player is Notre Dame Safety Kyle Hamilton.

Pick #11 – Denver Broncos – Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina

Look, I’m not sold on this one, okay? But generally, across the board, Denver’s roster is strong everywhere but the QB position. Replacing Von Miller isn’t really a reasonable request, but they need to add good edge rush play opposite Bradley Chubb and they’ll be good enough. And that can be done in the 2nd Round here I feel. Another 2nd Round Quarterback just doesn’t seem like a good idea for Denver. Truthfully, I think they’ll be in the Aaron Rodgers/Russell Wilson chase and push really hard. But for now, I’m giving them Sam Howell.

I feel like I’m higher on Howell than most. But he’s one of only 2 QB’s in the top end of this class that can consistently throw at all three levels of the field (the other being Carson Strong), and he doesn’t have the mobility issues or injury issues that Strong has. He delivers a high velocity, catchable ball, and has shown the ability to out-throw defenders. His rushing ability comes from his low centre of gravity and lower body strength, which gives him a remarkable ability to break tackles. NFL players, as a rule of thumb, tackle better than college players and so I expected his rushing to be limited at the next level, but the strength of Denver’s roster will give Howell a chance to win from his first year in the league.

Pick #12 – Minnesota Vikings – David Ojabo, EDGE, Michigan

As mentioned earlier, David Ojabo failing to register a single tackle in the biggest game of his career has understandably driven his stock down. However, Ojabo has always been a raw prospect in this draft, with the athleticism and the measurables of a really good prospect. I don’t know whether Mike Zimmer will be the head coach in Minnesota next season, but whoever is needs to address the fact that the Vikings are generating no pass rush when they only bring 4 guys.

This Edge draft is deep, and it really comes down to who fits your scheme the best. I think Ojabo’s speed here gives him the edge over Purdue’s George Karlaftis and USC’s Drake Jackson.

Pick #13 – Cleveland Browns – Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State

Oh, Cleveland. Just when we thought it was all coming together. The biggest question for the Browns this offseason is what happens with Baker Mayfield. He is clearly injured this season and has hit a ceiling, but the limitations of QB options this offseason isn’t particularly promising. It’s also nigh-on impossible to predict, and so I’ll go to the other position where Cleveland clearly need help now.

Odell is gone. And with how he’s playing in LA, it seems like it might have been a Browns problem instead of a Beckham one. They need a dynamic option to mirror Jarvis Landry and open up gaps for Donovan Peoples-Jones, and it comes down to who you like in a loaded wide receiver class. I personally think that Garrett Wilson is the best all-around option, boasting a lovely combination of hands, route-running, and speed. I point you to his touchdown against Michigan as a key demonstration of Wilson’s ability. His mere addition should rejuvenate Cleveland’s stagnating offense.

Pick #14 – Philadelphia Eagles (from Miami Dolphins) – Drake London, WR, USC

And so the run on wide receivers begins. The Eagles boast a league-high three first round picks in this draft, but this is currently the only one they have outside of playoff teams. As with the Jets and Giants, strategy planning is key here. They’ll need a new defensive lineman with three of theirs out of contract this offseason. They ideally need to strengthen their secondary as a priority, and would also like to future-proof their aging (but still performing brilliantly) offensive line.

A major problem, though, is wide receiver. Taking Jalen Reagor over Justin Jefferson in the 2020 Draft has emerged as the disastrous decision we all thought it would be, while taking DeVonta Smith in last year’s first round rectified it somewhat. A third straight year with a WR in the first round seems necessary then, and for Philly I really like Drake London. His pro comparison is Mike Evans – 6 foot 5, long arms, leaping ability, high pointing the ball, ability to box out, ability to turn on a dime. Jalen Hurts showed promise as a starting NFL quarterback in his second season, but his decision making and accuracy still need improvement. Taking a receiver that can regularly win the jump ball will help him out immeasurably.

Pick #15 – New Orleans Saints – Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama

Here we go, three in a row! The Saints are in such a frustrating position insofar as they have a Super Bowl level roster with a Duke’s Mayo Bowl level quarterback room. Jameis Winston was serviceable until his injury and Taysom Hill is finding his feet as a pocket passer. With the quaterbacks remaining (sans Matt Corral), I just don’t think they fit with New Orleans. They should be big players in the Rodgers/Wilson sweepstakes, but until then, they need to give Winston and Hill the best ability to win that they can. Similar to Cleveland, their other weakness is their wide receiver room. Getting Michael Thomas back from injury next year will be a godsend, and in Alabama receiver Jameson Williams they can double up on their offense’s impact.

Williams is the ‘speed guy’ of this year’s draft, but boasts crisp route running and YAC ability to be more than just a deep shot, gadget guy. Any of these receivers could be the first to go and no one will be disappointed with who they get, but Wilson-Kamara-Thomas-Williams is a terrifying prospect.

Pick #16 – Baltimore Ravens – Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati

The Ravens will be heartbroken to be missing out on this year’s playoffs as they don’t hide their Super Bowl-level talent or scheme. They have simply been devastated by injuries this year, losing their star QB, top three(!) RBs, starting O-Tackles, starting DE, starting LB, top two starting CBs, and starting Safety. It’s simply a ridiculous and insurmountable list.

For Baltimore then, it’s a case of adding depth to avoid a situation like this in the future. Sitting prettily is their choice of whoever they like as second cornerback off the board. For me, it’s Ahmad Gardner. ‘Sauce’ as they call him has impressed on an overall impressive Cincinnati team who became the first non-Power 5 division side to reach the College Football Playoff. Despite being routinely dispatched by Alabama, Gardner shadowed previous pick Jameson Williams and did so impressively, holding him to only 62 yards, and quarterback Bryce Young to 181. He’ll fit in well with a team looking to win it all next season, and I’m sure will love playing alongside Marcus Peters when he returns from injury.

Pick #17 – Pittsburgh Steelers – Carson Strong, QB, Nevada

All signs are pointing to Ben Roethlisberger finally hanging up his boots in the Steel City. It’s a career that will one day take him to Canton. The Steelers then have to find someone who can ultimately upgrade on Big Ben’s play for these last few seasons, which will be a difficult task given his football IQ that kept them in so many games despite his deteriorating physical condition. They will also be a player in the big name QB movement, but as we can’t predict that, I’m giving them Carson Strong.

Strong is a very interesting prospect as a signal caller. He mirrors Roethlisberger in many ways, being a tall, strong arm, rather immobile player. Maybe Mike Tomlin would want to move on from that, or maybe he wants someone who can come in and replicate large parts of the playbook. Strong will be able to do that, boasting the biggest arm in the draft class, and a heavy amount of communication pre-snap which suggests a really nice football IQ. He whips the ball into the mid-distances, giving defenders little chance to make a play on it, but will often outthrow his own receivers on deep balls, so will have to be coached on accuracy. This all depends on how much time Tomlin is willing to give to develop a new franchise guy.

Pick #18 – Las Vegas Raiders – Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State

The Raiders are a difficult team to pick for. Without a head coach, we’re unsure of if their direction will keep focusing on players from big programs with a high level of established reps on film. With GM Mike Mayock sticking around, there’s a good bet it will. Their roster is strange – they are deep on the defensive side without necessarily boasting any top level playmakers, and there are good defensive options still on the board here. However, with the tragic situation Henry Ruggs emerged in earlier in the season, they are thin at receiver.

Chris Olave fits the model for the Raiders, coming from a big program, having a really established set of film, and being a little bit overdrafted (although not as much as Damon Arnette in 2019 or Alex Leatherwood last year). Olave would fit in this offense though and become an instant impact player with his sure hands and YAC ability.

Snubs:

QB Mallik Willis, Liberty

QB Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati

WR Jahan Dotson, Penn State

WR Treylon Burks, Arkansas

OT Trevor Penning, Northern Iowa

OT Darian Kinnard, Kentucky

IOL Kenyon Green, Texas A&M

EDGE George Karlaftis, Purdue

EDGE Drake Jackson, USC

EDGE Travon Walker, Georgia

DL DeMarvin Leal, Texas A&M

DT Jordan Davis, Georgia

DT Devante Wyatt, Georgia

LB Devin Lloyd, Utah

CB Roger McCreary, Auburn

CB Andrew Booth Jr., Clemson