The NFL has become a year-round sport. Though we only see on-the-field NFL action in the Fall, the NFL offseason never seems to disappoint. We have already seen huge names demanding trades and moving to new teams via blockbuster trades this offseason (Tyreek Hill, anyone?) and I think there is likely another domino or two to fall before or during the draft next week. I think it is more likely than not that a guy like Deebo Samuel is playing for a new franchise come Week 1 next year. If I were a betting man (and I am) I like the odds that Samuel ends up on the Jets. The Jets have the most draft pick ammunition to make a trade like that happen and there are too many 49ers connections on the Jets.
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Speaking of trades, I am not making any here in this mock draft. I am going to make the selections I think each team will make in the first three rounds without trading out of their current draft pick position. Obviously, a lot can change. There is a good chance the Jets move one or both of their second-round picks in the draft before or on draft night and that would obviously change things. But for now, let’s see what I think each team is going to do with their picks in the first three rounds. I may not agree with the choices, but I am doing my best to predict what each franchise thinks is best for their team’s future. Enjoy my first NFL mock draft of the 2022 offseason!
NFL Draft Round 1
See who your team gets in Round 1 of this NFL Mock.
| # | Team | Pick | Pos | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Jaguars | Aidan Hutchinson | DE | Michigan |
| The Jaguars are familiar with the top half of the draft. That is what happens when you are perpetually at the bottom half of the league, record-wise. I am going chalk here and think the Jaguars are too. The Jaguars, like the rest of the NFL, know it is all about the QB. You need to have an elite QB with weapons to throw to, on the offensive side of the ball and you need to invest in players that disrupt the opponent's QB, on the defensive side of the ball. While I think you could make an argument for an offensive lineman here, the Jaguars already | ||||
| 2 |  Lions | Malik Willis | QB | Liberty |
| This was a tough call. I am not sure I even 100% convinced myself this is the answer. We know that coach Dan Campbell loves players that bite kneecaps to the likelihood they go offensive and defensive lineman here is also very high. Campbell knows football is a game won in the trenches. I could see a scenario where they go Ikem Ekwonu out of Nebraska, Evan Neal from Alabama or even Kavyon Thibodeaux out of Oregon. Ultimately, regardless of what the Lions says about winning with an average QB, I think they know Goff is not the answer. His price tag is too high for his lack of production. Willis seems like an ultra-athletic QB with the most upside in this class and I think the Lions reach a little here to lock down their QB of the future and give him a year to “learn” behind Goff. | ||||
| 3 |  Texans | Kyle Hamilton | S | Notre Dame |
| The Texans have a lot of needs. There are still quality offensive linemen on the board here and the Texans want to protect Davis Mills at all costs and get a good read on his abilities. That being said the Texans defense was bad in 2021 and their secondary was horrendous. They gave up the 10th most yards in the league and tied for the worst passing yards per play allowed in 2021. They lost S Justin Reid in the offseason and Hamilton both fills that hole and give them an ultra-athletic young defender in the secondary. | ||||
| 4 |  Jets | Kavyon Thibodeaux | DE | Oregon |
| The Jets still have so many needs but they also have the most draft capital in the 2022 NFL draft. They really need to leave the draft with an edge rusher, a wide receiver and a corner. An argument could be made for any of those positions here. I think a blue chip receiver can and will be available at pick 10 and Saleh’s defensive philosophy does not lend itself to spending such a high pick on a corner. Saleh wants to have an aggressive defensive line with as many talented bodies to rotate in and out as possible. Even with Carl Lawson on the mend, the Jets need to make some additions to the line after only having 33 sacks last year. KT makes too much sense here and gives the Jets their best young pass rusher since John Abraham. | ||||
| 5 |  Giants | Evan Neal | OT | Alabama |
| The giants had the least passing yards in the league last year. They already invested the most money in the league in their WR room and likely would not justify drafting another after taking Toney last year. If Toney gets traded, things could change. For now Neal feels like the most logical pick here and gives them a big body to protect Daniel Jones as he gets one last chance to prove he is “the guy.” | ||||
| 6 |  Panthers | Ikem Ekwonu | OT/OG | Nebraska |
| I wanted to go quarterback so bad here. While I think Kenny Pickett could still go here, I am going with versatile linemen from NC State. Ben McAdoo continues to be a clown impersonating an NFL coach and let it slip that they are planning on starting Sam Darnold this year. While I do not agree with the decision, getting him more protection and one of the best players in the draft here just makes too much sense. | ||||
| 7 | Giants | Travon Walker | DE | Georgia |
| This is likely a desirable scenario for the Giants. They get to address two major needs on both sides of the ball, beef up their manpower in the trenches, and get a player that has been talked about as a potential number one overall pick. The Giants have a lot of needs but only managing 34 sacks last year is unacceptable and needs to be addressed. | ||||
| 8 |  Falcons | Kenny Pickett | QB | Pittsburgh |
| The Falcons have so many needs. Their roster is terrible and they just lost franchise cornerstone Matt Ryan. They had the least sacks in the NFL last year with 18. The top 3 pass rushers are off the board already and let’s face it, if you do not have a QB you have no chance in today’s NFL. I highly doubt they think Marcus Mariota is the long-term answer. They take Pickett here even though he might not see much of the field in 2022. | ||||
| 9 |  Seahawks via DEN | Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner | CB | Cincinnati |
| The Seahawks have a ton of needs but their defense was horrendous in 2021 and gave up the second-most passing yards in the league. A lockdown corner feels like a Pete Carrol pick here. | ||||
| 10 | Jets via SEA | Drake London | WR | USC |
| The Jets are dreaming of this scenario. Their choice of WR at pick 10 as none are off the board yet. Assuming they do not trade for a veteran (Deebo Samuel anyone?) with their second-round picks, I think a WR is a shoe-in at pick 10. It was tempting to go Garret Wilson here but the Jets lack a big-bodied 50-50 receiver and London is easily the best big receiver in this draft class and may be the best overall rookie WR this season. | ||||
| 11 |  Washington | Derek Stingley | CB | LSU |
| The Commanders’ clear-cut biggest need is corner and they gave up the fourth-most passing yards in the NFL last season. Stingley could be the best corner in this draft. This was an easy one. | ||||
| 12 |  Vikings | Jermaine Johnson | DE | Florida State |
| Vikings might have bigger needs here as they were second in the league in sacks with 51. They somehow still managed to give up the fifth-most passing yards in the league in 2021. With the top corners and Hamilton already off the board, Johnson is far too good of a value to pass up at 12. | ||||
| 13 | Texans via CLE | Charles Cross, | OT | Mississippi |
| The Texans already addressed the defensive side of the ball at pick 3 and will do everything they can to help their young QB. They could go a WR here but I see them locking down a potential cornerstone tackle to keep Mills upright for years to come. | ||||
| 14 |  Ravens | Trent McDuffie | CB | Washington |
| This might be a bit of a reach but in a scenario where Hamilton, Stingley, and Sauce Gardner are off the board McDuffie is the next best choice in the secondary. The Ravens gave up the most passing yards in the league last year. That needs to be addressed. | ||||
| 15 |  Eagles via MIA/i> | George Karlaftis | DE | Purdue |
| The Eagles could use some youth infusion on the DL. They also had the second least sacks in the league last year. They take the best edge rusher left on the board. | ||||
| 16 |  Saints via PHI/i> | Garrett Wilson | WR | Ohio State |
| The Saints are likely to work on rebuilding their offense this year. They had the least passing yards in the league last year. These are no longer your Sean-Drew Brees’ Saints. Winston needs help. The Saints spring to the podium to select another stud Ohio State WR to pair with Michael Thomas. | ||||
| 17 |  Chargers | Trevor Penning/b> | OT | Iowa |
| Chargers spent big on defense already this offseason adding Mack and Jackson. The Chargers will likely invest heavily on offense in this year’s draft to help Herbert continue to blossom. They gave Mike Williams a huge contract already and have Keenan Allen. I see them pairing a huge OT with Slater to lock down each side of the line and keeping Herbert upright for years to come. | ||||
| 18 | Eagles via NO/i> | Devin Lloyd | LB | Utah |
| Eagles have a clear need at linebacker and Lloyd is the best LB prospect in this draft. This is a clear case of need meeting best player available. | ||||
| 19 | Saints via PHI/i> | Matt Corral | QB | Ole Miss |
| The Saints did not trade back into the first round for a second selection to not take a QB. They clearly likely one or more QBs enough to take one and let them learn behind Winston for at least this year. The Saints are hoping to rebuild and retool and rumor has it they may like Corral. | ||||
| 20 |  Steelers | Zion Johnson | OG | Boston College |
| The Steelers will likely be disappointed in this board as the top three QBs are off the board. They think they can win with Trubisky and could use some help on the OL. Zion Johnson makes a ton of sense here as an athletic, versatile OL to give Trubisky the best chance to succeed. | ||||
| 21 |  Patriots | Jordan Davis | DT | Georgia |
| This just wreaks of a Patriots draft selection. The Patriots have a habit of drafting and developing high-quality defensive linemen. | ||||
| 22 |  Packers via LV | Treylon Burks | WR | Arkansas |
| This feels like a popular choice for the Packers in mock draft but it just makes too much sense. The Packers currently have the worst WR room in the league and two first-round picks. You do the math. | ||||
| 23 |  Cardinals | Andrew Booth, Jr. | CB | Clemson |
| The Cardinals have nothing that scares you in their cornerback room. Booth is best CB available at this point and is a pretty good value at 23. This just makes too much sense for the Cardinals who are ready to win now and can’t afford to have a bunch of nobodies covering the opponent's best receiver. | ||||
| 24 |  Cowboys | Tyler Linderbaum | OG/C | Iowa |
| The Cowboys have holes to fill and were at their best when they had a top 5 OL in the league. Linderbaum is a premier talent and a steal at this point in the draft. | ||||
| 25 |  Bills | Jameson Williams | WR | Alabama |
| Bills fans are going to love this. Williams is a top 10 talent and coming off injury falls all the way to the Bills at 25. The Bills already boast one of the best offenses in the league and with the emergence of Gabe Davis and the addition of Jamison Crowder, they can afford to wait for Williams to be healthy coming off an ACL injury. This team likely makes a stronger push for the Super Bowl if they can land a guy like Williams. | ||||
| 26 |  Titans | Nakobe Dean | LB | Georgia |
| Arguably the best traditional three-down linebacker with the most potential to become a league leader in tackles, I don’t think Mike Vrabel will be able to pass on Dean. A defense-first guy is going to continue to work on his defense and address a big positional need. | ||||
| 27 |  Buccaneers | Devonte Wyatt | DT | Georgia |
| The Bucs might be the most complete roster in the league so everything they draft in 2022 is gravy. They could take a developmental QB here but they are also trying to win now. As of this moment, Ndamukong Suh is a free agent and Tampa Bay could use a young replacement who is ready to start now. | ||||
| 28 | Packers | Chris Olave | WR | Ohio State |
| I am not kidding. The Packers should take wide receivers with both of their first-round picks. Their WR corps is currently led by the corpse of Sammy Watkins on a prove-it deal and they only have Aaron Rodgers for a few more years. If they are serious about winning a super bowl they load up on WR in a deep class. | ||||
| 29 |  Chiefs via 49ers via MIA | Jahan Dotson | WR | Penn State |
| The Chiefs have back-to-back picks at the end of the first round and there is absolutely no way at least one of them is not a WR. Instead of mortgaging their future and giving Tyreek Hill they decided to trade him to Miami and that picks will 100% be used on a younger more cost-effective replacement. | ||||
| 30 | Chiefs | Dax Hill, | S | Michigan |
| It does not look like Tyrann Mathieu is coming back to KC. Drafting a high-quality and cost-effective replacement again makes too much sense for a well-run franchise. | ||||
| 31 |  Bengals | Kenyon Green | OL | Texas A & M |
| The Bengals already signed three offensive linemen this offseason and they draft another one here to complete their unit overhaul. Burrow is the face of their franchise and he probably already has a Superbowl MVP under his belt if they were able to keep him upright. | ||||
| 32 | Lions via LAR | David Ojabo | DE | Michigan |
| The Lions decided to take a QB at the top of round 1 and I know Dan Campbell is chomping at the bit to dip into the deep edge class. He gets Ojabo here who on talent alone probably should have went higher but because of injury concerns, the Lions are able to steal him to round out round 1. | ||||
NFL Draft Round 2
Who will come off the board in Round 2? Why?
| # | Team | Pick | Pos | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | Jaguars | Quay Walker | LB | Georgia |
| The Jaguars nab a suitable replacement for the loss of Myles Jack. Jack’s production will be hard to match. | ||||
| 34 | Lions | Christian Watson | WR | North Dakota State |
| The lions have some nice young pieces like Amon Ra St. Brown but desperately need more playmakers. They get a good one here. | ||||
| 35 | Jets | Kaiir Elam, | CB | Florida |
| The Jets must come out of this draft with a starting-caliber edge, WR and CB. They went edge and WR in round one so they nab the best CB left here filling another hole on their roster. | ||||
| 36 | Giants | Chad Muma | LB | Wyoming |
| The Giants have so many needs on both sides of the ball but continue to shore up the defense here by selecting one of the best linebackers on the board. | ||||
| 37 | Texans | Logan Haul | DE | Houston |
| The Texans keep the Houston product in town and add an edge defender in a very deep class. | ||||
| 38 | Jets via CAR | Bernhard Raimann | OT | Cental Michigan |
| Joe Douglas loves the trenches and he especially loves OL. The Jets are very likely going to spend a top 40 pick on an OL to continue building a wall in front of Zach Wilson. | ||||
| 39 |  Bears | Skyy Moore | WR | Central Michigan |
| The Bears desperately need to get Justin Fields some young weapons to grow with. Luckily for them, this is a deep class and they still land a good one without a first-round. | ||||
| 40 | Seahawks via DEN | Desmond Ridder | QB | Cincinnati |
| The Seahawks claim to be high on Drew Lock but I would bet they draft a QB. They take a project in Ridder to sit behind Lock or….Baker Mayfield? | ||||
| 41 | Seahawks | Arnold Ebiketie | DE | Penn State |
| The Seahawks continue to work on a horrid defense here. Lucky for them, this is a deep edge class. | ||||
| 42 |  Colts via WAS | Tyler Smith | OL | Tulsa |
| The Colts pride themselves on good O-line play and are in win-now mode with Matt Ryan under center for a few years. They grab a tackle to protect their new QB. | ||||
| 43 | Falcons | Lewis Cine | S | Georgia |
| The Falcons need help everywhere. They might be the worst roster in the NFL. Taking the best player available here and Cine is great value and good a player. | ||||
| 44 |  Browns | George Pickens | WR | Georgia |
| You have to think the Browns sprint to the podium to make this pick. They need more weapons for Watson and with such a deep class a potential blue-chip WR is available here. | ||||
| 45 | Ravens | Travis Jones | DT | Connecticut |
| The Ravens continue to shore up the defensive line here on a defensive unit that needs as much help as it can get. | ||||
| 46 | Vikings | Christian Harris | LB | Alabama |
| The Vikings need all the help they can get on defense and they land a nice player here to help soften the blow of losing Anthony Barr. | ||||
| 47 | Washington | Cam Jurgens | C | Nebraska |
| To stem the tide of losing a good O-linemen like Brandon Scherff the Commanders take a guy who can play center and guard. | ||||
| 48 | Bears via LAC | Boye Mafe | DE | Minnesota |
| The Bears look to get a pass rusher to help replace the lost production of Khalil Mack. | ||||
| 49 | Saints | Jalen Pitre | S | Baylor |
| a. The Saints lost Marcus Williams but added Marcus Maye. I think they still want to shore up their secondary for the future and get great value in Pitre here. | ||||
| 50 | Chiefs via MIA | Perrion Winfrey | DT | Oklahoma |
| The Chiefs take one of the top DTs left and beef up their defensive line here. | ||||
| 51 | Eagles | Kyler Gordon | CB | Washington |
| The Eagles continue to go hard on defense and take the top corner left on the board. | ||||
| 52 | Steelers | Sam Howell | QB | North Carolina |
| If the Steelers do not nab a QB in the first, I think it is highly likely they take one they like in the second. Howell will not have to start in year 1. | ||||
| 53 | Packers via LV | Drake Jackson | DE | USC |
| The Packers need help at edge after losing Z. Smith. They take the best one left here. | ||||
| 54 | Patriots | Roger McCreary | CB | Auburn |
| I would be stunned if the Patriots do not draft a CB or two. They lost JC Jackson in the offseason and need a plan to somehow replace his production | ||||
| 55 | Cardinals | Darian Kinnard | OG | Kentucky |
| Getting more protection for Kyler Murray is another step closer to appease their disgruntled star. | ||||
| 56 | Cowboys | Leo Chanal | LB | Wisconsin |
| Cowboys have a need at linebacker and addressed their o-line in the first round. This feels like a good pick here. | ||||
| 57 | Bills | Breece Hall | RB | Iowa State |
| This pick feels like the one everyone knows is going to happen. The Bills need more production out of their RB room. Hall has visited the Bills and they seem to love each other. The Bills would be wise to stock up on as many weapons as possible for Josh Allen | ||||
| 58 | Falcons via TEN | Jalen Tolbert | WR | Alabama |
| Did I mention the Falcons are bad? The Falcons add a potential weapon for Mariota and/or Pickett. | ||||
| 59 | Packers | Daniel Faalele | OT | Minnesota |
| The Packers are going all in to surround Rodgers with weapons and protection. | ||||
| 60 | Buccaneers | Jamaree Salyer | OG | Georgia |
| The Buccaneers get the luxury of shoring up the trenches of one of the best rosters in the NFL. The addition of Salyer helps offset the loss of Alex Cappa. | ||||
| 61 |  49ers | Jaquan Brisker | S | Penn State |
| The Niners need some safety help and Brisker is a really good value here. | ||||
| 62 | Chiefs | John Metchie III | WR | Alabama |
| The Chiefs are likely throwing a few darts at WR in this draft after losing Hill. | ||||
| 63 | Bengals | Cam Taylor-Britt | CB | Nebraska |
| The Bengals could use some secondary help. Burrow is likely to find himself in some shootouts and some help on the defensive side of the ball would go a long way. | ||||
| 64 |  Broncos via LAR | Trey McBride | TE | Colorado State |
| This is another one of those picks that just seems like destiny. The Broncos went all in and acquired QB Russell Wilson and in the process lost TE Noah Fant. They replace that production with a Colorado kid. | ||||
NFL Draft Round 3
And for some more fun, ROUND 3!!!
| # | Team | Pick | Pos | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 65 | Jaguars | Demarvin Leal | DT | Texas A&M |
| 66 | Lions | Troy Andersen | LB | Montona State |
| 67 | Giants | Luke Goedeke | OG | Central Michigan |
| 68 | Texans | Phidarian Mathis | DT | Alabama |
| 69 | Jets | Kenneth Walker III | RB | Michigan State |
| 70 | Jaguars via CAR | Marcus Jones | CB | Houston |
| 71 | Bears | Dylan Parham | C | Memphis |
| 72 | Seahawks via DEN | Nick Bonitto | DE | Oklahoma |
| 73 | Colts via WAS | Carson Strong | QB | San Diego State |
| 74 | Falcons | Kingsley Enagbare | DE | South Carolina |
| 75 | Broncos | Cole Strange | C | Chattanooga |
| 76 | Ravens | Channing Tindall | LB | Georgia |
| 77 | Vikings | Greg Dulcich | TE | UCLA |
| 78 | Browns | Luke Fortner | C | Kentucky |
| 79 | Chargers | Bryan Cook | S | Cincinnati |
| 80 | Texans via NO | Dominique Robinson | DE | Miami (Ohio) |
| 81 | Giants via MIA | Tariq Woolen | CB | UTSA |
| 82 | Falcons via IND | Abraham Lucas | OT | Washington State |
| 83 | Eagles | Deangelo Malone | DE | Western Kentucky |
| 84 | Steelers | Josh Paschal | DE | Kentucky |
| 85 | Patriots | Nick Cross | S | Maryland |
| 86 |  Raiders | Brian Asamoah | LB | Oklahoma |
| 87 | Cardinals | Jeremy Ruckert | TE | Ohio State |
| 88 | Cowboys | Coby Bryant | CB | Cincinnati |
| 89 | Bills | Cameron Thomas | DE | San Diego State |
| 90 | Titans | Alec Pierce | WR | Cincinnati |
| 91 | Buccaneers | Sam Williams | DE | Ole Miss |
| 92 | Packers | Cade Otton, | TE | Washington/b> |
| 93 | 49ers | Joshua Willaims | CB | Fayetteville State |
| 94 | Chiefs | Damarri Mathis | CB | Pittsburgh |
| 95 | Bengals | Myjai Sanders | DE | Cincinnati |
| 96 | Broncos via LAR | David Bell | WR | Purdue |
| 97 | Lions Comp Pick | Alex Wright | OG | UCLA |
| 98 | Saints Comp Pick | Jelani Woods | DE | UAB |
| 99 | Browns Comp Pick | Nicholas Petite-Frere | TE | Virginia |
| 100 | Ravens Comp Pick | Tariq Castro-Fields | OT | Ohio State |
| 101 | Eagles | CB | Penn State | |
| 102 |  Dolphins Comp Pick via 49ers | QB | Florida | |
| 103 | Chiefs Comp Pick | QB | Florida | |
| 104 |  Rams Comp Pick | QB | Florida | |
| 105 | 49ers Comp Pick | QB | Florida | |
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