2022 NFL Mock Draft @jamfed 3.0
4/12/2022 by James Fedewa
I know, I know… It has been NFL draft season since January, and I am finally posting my first mock draft of the season. Its not exactly my first mock though, more like 5th or 6th, but I will call this one my third version (or 3.0). I typically have a mock draft, every two to three weeks from January through April, but not this time. This time, I was subdued by youth basketball. I have a daughter and son playing for our local high school feeder team “select squad,” and I began volunteering on the board of directors. It’ fun, but draft season is still my favorite time of season.
So here we go:
(Please feel free to reply and comment. We love to chat and debate team needs vs. best player avaiable)
| Pick | Team | Player | Position | School | Notes |
| 1 | Jacksonville Jaguars | Aidan Hutchinson | EDGE | Michigan | Hutchinson is a quality number one overall pick and could be the safest selection in 2022. Great motor, very athletic, very good length, quality human and great leader, but he still has to work on his technique and add some new pass rush moves. He could play several positions too along the defensive line, so position flexibility is his biggest asset. |
| 2 | Detroit Lions | Kayvon Thibodeaux | EDGE | Oregon | Thibodeaux is probably my favorite player in this draft, but his attitude (and cockiness) could rub some people the wrong way. Detroit could use some swag and HC Dan Campbell would love this playmaking ability on his defense. Thibodeaux might not exactly be a blue-collar guy (like Campbell himself), but he has that Deion Sanders type of flair. He has DROY written all over him. Expect double digest sacks per year for a long long time. |
| 3 | Houston Texans | Travon Walker | EDGE | Georgia | Walker tested extremely well, but is sort of average in games. Sure, he won a national championship, and he is a tremendous pass rusher / run stuffer, but he was not even the third best D-Lineman on this team. With quality coaching, he could be a better pro than college. He was my sleeper pick about 2 months ago (at around #20) but his testing will vault him into the top three. |
| 4 | New York Jets | Ahmad Gardner | CB | Cincinnati | The Jets were targeting an edge player here, and Jermaine Johnson could be their pick, but Sauce is a better prospect than Johnson. The Jets OT’s are currently very good, so drafting another OT here could be overkill, yet 100% OK. I would take one of the OT’s with this spot, but I think the Jets are content with Fant and Becton. |
| 5 | New York Giants | Malik Willis | QB | Liberty | BOOM! There’s the first shocker of the draft: Willis in Big Blue. The Giants need a change and Danial Jones has yet to produce a quality season yet. Willis can learn, playing behind Jones for 2022. We can all hope that HC Brian Daboll can turn Danny Dimes into a star, but Jones is a product of the “Old Regime” staff and could be replaced. |
| 6 | Carolina Panthers | Ikem Ekwonu | OT | NC State | Carolina is going to stick with Sam Darnold for one more season, only because “Icky” Ekwonu is too good to pass up (vs. rolling the dice with Kenny Pickett). The Panthers O-line is nearly vacant, and they need a left tackle more than any team in the league. Plus, Darnold is better than Kenny. |
| 7 | New York Giants | Evan Neal | OT | Alabama | The Giants could have drafted Neal with their #5 overall pick. In fact, Neal could have gone #1 overall, he’s that impressive. He’s a massively huge man, with very impressive footwork. He can develop into an all-pro right tackle. |
| 8 | Atlanta Falcons | Garrett Wilson | WR | Ohio St | Atlanta can take anyone with this pick, including Kenny Pickett. Even if they did decide to draft a QB, they don’t have enough weapons to throw to. I think they will target Wilson, as Wilson’s speed can really stretch the field and open things up for their Tight End underneath. Plus, Mariota looked very impressive with his spot starts over the last two years; He could rush more than he passes, yet any of their QB’s would need some serious weapons. |
| 9 | Seattle Seahawks (via Denver) | Charles Cross | OT | Miss St | If Cross falls to the Seahawks, this will be a no-brainer pick. They currently do not have any quality OT’s on the roster, but they could still bring back aging Duane Brown. Cross is more of a pass protecting LT, but he would be welcomed for some much need O-line talent. *If Cross is gone, a quality Edge Rusher is the next option, or even Trevor Penning at LT. I can honestly see Penning being the pick here too, as the Seahawks are really a run first team and Penning is a nasty run blocker. |
| 10 | New York Jets | Jermaine Johnson | EDGE | FSU | The Jets continue to bolster their defense and Johnson could be a star in the making. He looks good in a 4-point stance coming off the edge, but he can do it all as a standup LB or a 3 point. Robert Saleh can have fun with the pass rusher. |
| 11 | Washington Commanders | Drake London | WR | USC | The Commanders could target a DB here, but if Carson Wentz is expected to succeed, they better get him some better weapons. London is a big #1 type of WR something Wentz has NEVER had in a receiver. |
| 12 | Minnesota Vikings | Derek Stingley | CB | LSU | Stingley is better than what he has been rated on most draft boards. With fantastic freshman year, followed by two meh years, he might be difficult to rank. I rank him very highly, even top ten, but not everyone will… |
| 13 | Houston Texans | Kyle Hamilton | S | Notre Dame | Finally, Hamilton slide stops. He’s Lovie Smiths new Brian Urlacher. With a new pash rusher and quality safety, the Texans could be a very impressive team this season. They still need more talent, but IMO they’ll win more games than lose in 2022. |
| 14 | Baltimore Ravens | Jordan Davis | DT | Georgia | Davis is massive, big, fast and very very smart. He’ll be a younger, bigger and faster Calais Campbell (5T) vs. a standard NT. His weight can put him over center, but his speed can move him outside to 3T and 5T. |
| 15 | Philadelphia Eagles | Trent McDuffie | CB | Washington | McDuffie is one of the better DB’s in this draft, but he is not very big and has shorter arms. Still, he’s a playmaker and would fit in perfectly in Philly’s scheme. However, I’d draft Kenny Pickett here, as I do not feel that Jalan Hurts is their long term QB. Hurts is an average QB, and I would not build a franchise around an average QB. Pickett could be special, but McDuffie will be special… |
| 16 | New Orleans Saints | Kenny Pickett | QB | Pitt | When the Saints traded up to get this pick from Philly, it had to be for a splash player. Sure, it could be a LT, like Penning, but would you be willing to trade a 1st, 2nd & 3rd for Penning? They could package the #16 and #19 to move up more, but if they can’t, it’s got to be a QB, right? |
| 17 | Los Angeles Chargers | Trevor Penning | OT | UNI | As much as I want this pick to be defense (like an edge 3 in Karlaftis or another DB like Booth), but I think they’ll find a way to improve their RT in this draft. Penning would be a massive upgrade over Storm Norton or Trey Pipkins. Most of the Chargers rushing success last season was from the left side of the o-line, which was very good, yet very predictable. Penning on the right side would be epic, instantly improving the run game. |
| 18 | Philadelphia Eagles | George Karlaftis | EDGE | Purdue | Is it me or does Karlafits look like a Philly guy? Adding more youth to the Eagles defense is the savviest option here. I don’t think they’ll focus too much on offensive weapons with their first-round picks, as I’m not sure if Jalan Hurts would know how to utilize them. |
| 19 | New Orleans Saints | Bernhard Raimann | OT | Central Michigan | The Saints are in win now mode, so I’m not 100% sure they’ll take a QB with their first 1st round pick; But if they did, their second 1st round pick better be protecting their QB. Armstead has left and they may have to shuffle their O-line around this season. |
| 20 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Matt Corral | QB | Ole Miss | The Steelers should be targeting o-line with their first-round pick, but that’s what I said last year. They’ll draft what they want, which is always unpredictable (yet they are very good at it). Corral can sit behind Mr. Biscuit for a season, and hopefully not generate too much of a QB contributors this year. |
| 21 | New England Patriots | Andrew Booth | CB | Clemson | JC Jackson is gone, yet I’m not sure why they let him go. Booth fills a hole and is potentially a quality shut down CB. Linderbaum could be a target here too, but at least we know they will NOT draft a WR (lol). |
| 22 | Green Bay Packers | Treylon Burks | WR | Arkansas | Adams was traded, MVS left in free agency, so the Packers WR’s are extremely thin. Burks is a bigger WR, reminds me of Debo Samuel. The Packers do not exactly draft for need, but Rogers needs some weapons. |
| 23 | Arizona Cardinals | Tyler Linderbaum | iOL | Iowa | Current center, Rodney Hudson, is a decent center, but is making quite a bit of money for “decent.” Cut him and the Cards will save $10 million+ and have an upgrade at the center position. Linderbaum is an athletic freak, but that’s it. He’s short, lightweight and has short arms/hands, but you couldn’t find a more athletic center in the draft. Either way, he’ll be a pro-bowler, or better than Hudson (for much cheaper too). |
| 24 | Dallas Cowboys | Chris Olave | WR | Ohio St | Dallas will draft whoever, whenever (which can be good and bad). Did they need CeeDee Lamb? No, but he’s amazing. So, they will try to draft their top-rated guys, regardless of position of need. However, Olave can take over Amair Cooper’s vacant spot. |
| 25 | Buffalo Bills | Kenyon Green | OL | Texas A&M | The Bills biggest weakness is their run game, and Singletary & Moss is not their problem either; it’s their guards. They really need a road grade OG, which Green can be that improvement. |
| 26 | Tennessee Titans | Devin Lloyd | LB | Utah | Lloyd falling to #26 is 100% fine with Tennessee. Lloyd is big, fast and versatile (run & chase, pass-rush & coverage). |
| 27 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Devonte Wyatt | DT | Georgia | Wyatt is one of the older players in this draft (24) but can be a great interior disruptor 3-tech. He could replace Suh, and that DL could use some new youth. |
| 28 | Green Bay Packers | Zion Johnson | OL | BC | Johnson looks like a Packer type of player. He can play any OL position, and that versatility is key for the Packers (and what they like to draft in early rounds) |
| 29 | Kansas City Chiefs | Daxton Hill | S | Michigan | Hill can play safety or CB, which is fantastic for any squad. The Chiefs could use some safety help, so lets call him a younger, faster & bigger version of the honey badger. |
| 30 | Kansas City Chiefs | Jameson Williams | WR | Alabama | Wil Tyreek Hill’s departure Williams speed could help ease the pain. Chiefs are still the favorite in the AFC West, but not by much, especially after losing Hill. This 2022 season could be a pause season for KC, and these 1st round picks are huge. Williams is rehabbing his ACL but should be ready early in the season. |
| 31 | Cincinnati Bengals | Kaiir Elam | CB | Florida | The Bengals rented a bunch of DB’s last season, and they made it to the Super Bowl. Investing in some youth in their secondary will be a major improvement. Elam has great size/speed and will be very good for Cincy DB group. |
| 32 | Detroit Lions | George Pickens | WR | Georgia | The Lions have several needs, including WR. Pickens is a big 50/50 ball receiver that is vital in the redzone. He will be a valuable addition to the receiver/TE squad. |
| 39 | Chicago Bears | Tyler Smith | OT | Tulsa | **Bears traded their 2022 first round pick last year, to draft Justin Fields. With their first pick in 2022, the draft a OT to help protect him at right tackle. |
| 42 | Indianapolis Colts | Jahan Dotson | WR | Penn St | **Dotson has been climbing up draft boards and could be a 1st round pick, but I have him sliding to Indy. Matty Ice didn’t cost them too much but who do they expect him to throw to? The Colts WR’s and TE’s might be the worst bunch in the league. Pittman Jr. is pretty good (88 receptions), but that’s the only guy. Campbell and Alli-Cox are still unproven. |
| 61 | San Francisco 49ers (via MIA) | Kyler Gordon | CB | Washington | **The 49ers add some needed DB depth with Gordon. He’s a big, press/man CB and can play special teams very well. |
| 102 | Miami Dolphins | Haskell Garrett | DT | Ohio State | The Dolphins add more beef on the Defensive line with their first pick in 2022. This is a depth pick who could develop into a decent 3-tech DT. |
Posted on April 13, 2022, in NFL. Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment.
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