We have experienced arguably the wildest NFL offseason in recent memory. We still have the 2022 draft and many more months of free agency before the start of next season. With the draft under two weeks away, let’s take a look at every team’s biggest needs and predict which player each team will pick, based on either positional needs or best player available.
1st overall, Jaguars select: Aidan Hutchinson, OLB (Edge), Michigan
The Jaguars direly need a linebacker after losing Myles Jack. Allegedly, the Jaguars are keeping their options open and this is not a slam dunk pick. However, Hutchinson is arguably the best edge rusher in the draft and the best overall prospect in this year’s draft. He recorded a whopping 14 sacks in 2021 which made him a Heisman Trophy finalist and he is a leader on and off the field. He has numerous skills to make him successful in the NFL. He’s agile, athletic, and can beat blocks.
2nd overall, Lions select: Kayvon Thibodeaux, OLB (Edge), Oregon
The Lions need help along the defensive line, at linebacker, and in the secondary. This pick could easily be Tayvon Walker or Ahmed “Sauce” Gardner. Thibodeau has a lot of potential as a pass rusher and possesses a lot of the skills needed to be a backfield wrecker in the NFL like speed, strength, and agility. He’s extremely confident in his abilities and his teammates rave about him. Allegedly his film shows his endurance needs some improvements, but he’s a blue-chip prospect.
3rd overall: Texans select: Evan Neal, OT, Alabama
The Texans need help across the entire offensive line, especially at tackle and guard. You could argue they need a QB, but I think they wait until 2023 to draft a QB and select the future of their offensive line; Davis Mills is a solid starter for a rebuilding team. Evan Neil is one of the most physically gifted linemen for his size (6’7”, 337lbs). He can play virtually any position on the line, excels at run and pass blocking, is agile, strong, and can move all over the field.
4th overall: Jets select Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, CB, Cincinnati
Gardner didn’t give up a single TD in his entire collegiate career, a phenomenal accomplishment. At 6’3, 190 lbs, he has the size to win 50-50 battles against taller receivers. He also has agility, length, strength, and tremendous ball skills. He recorded nine interceptions in the last three seasons. He is very physical and can jam receivers at the line and has the speed to run with any receiver. There are almost no flaws on tape with his game. Robert Salah lands the best cornerback in the draft to add to his scheme.
5th overall pick: Giants select Travon Walker, DL, Georgia
The Giants direly need help everywhere on the offensive line, at edge rusher, at defensive tackle, and at linebacker. Walker is the best defensive lineman in the draft and has tremendous upside. He had a legendary performance at the combine, has a high football IQ, and has the skills to succeed in the NFL such as a burst off the line, strength to defeat blocks, speed, agility, and lateral quickness. His big frame helps stop the run and he can rush the passer. However, despite the potential, allegedly his production doesn’t pop out at you on tape, which is a concern.
6th overall pick: Kenny Pickett, QB, Pitt
The Panthers have needs on the offensive line and at cornerback, but with the best prospect at those two positions gone, they spring for a QB to replace Sam Darnold after a failed experiment. Pickett is ranked the second-best QB in the draft but is the most NFL-ready of his class. Pickett ran a West Coast offense at Pitt (what the Panthers run) and Matt Rhule who previously coached at Temple, recruited Pickett out of high school. There’s a connection and a possibility to start on day 1, which is appealing to an otherwise decent roster.
7th pick: Giants (via Bears) select: Ickey Ekwonu, OT, NC State
The Giants got their defensive lineman who can effectively rush the passer and now they bolster their offensive line in a huge way. Ekwonu is listed at 6’4”, 310 lbs, and is extremely agile for his size. He is one of the best lineman prospects in the draft and possesses elite awareness, mobility, lateral quickness, and strength. He is a better run blocker than a pass blocker but he should be able to improve. He will be a huge addition and a great blindside blocker.
8th pick: Falcons select Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State
The Falcons have a ton of needs. They could grab a QB to make up for the loss of Matt Ryan, they could add a premium edge rusher in Jermaine Johnson II to bolster their defense, however, I believe they select arguably the best receiver in the draft to add to their offense and give Marcus Mariota another weapon alongside Cordarelle Patterson and Kyle Pitts. Wilson is fast, runs perfect short, intermediate, and deep routes, and has great hands, his excellent technique will help him adapt to the NFL, although his blocking could use some work.
9th pick: Seahawks (via Broncos) select: Malik Willis, QB, Liberty
The Seahawks are rebuilding and could very well select a top tier offensive lineman like Charles Cross or Trevor Penning and wait until next season to draft a QB, but after trading Russel Wilson, their only options behind center are Drew Lock and Geno Smith and many offensive linemen would struggle in front of either option. Willis is talented and the best QB in his class, has outstanding arm strength to deliver deep balls downfield, and the accuracy to fit passes into tight spaces. He has a quick and tight release, excellent for screens and RPOs. If it doesn’t work, there’s always the 2023 draft.
10th pick: Jets (via Seahawks) select: Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State
After addressing their need in the secondary by selecting Gardner, the Jets could’ve added more depth with Derek Stingley but instead decide to select one of the best blindside tackles in the draft. While Cross does lack the true strength to push opponents up the field to be a dominant run blocker, his agility, balance, quickness, and elite first step make it tough for edge rushers to beat him around the edge. He is a great athlete and excels in the open field which allows him to cut off defenders and counter their attacks. He will be an ideal fit in the Jets’ zone offense.
11th pick: Commanders select: Derek Stingley, CB, LSU
The Commanders were poised to be one of the best defenses in 2021, but instead were one of the worst. Stingley is the first step towards fixing that. Two phenomenal seasons in 2020 and 2021 made him widely considered as a top 3 prospect in the entire 2022 draft. Despite a devastating injury in the 2021 season that has slid him down draft boards and kept him out for an extended period of time, he still has the skills to be an elite cover corner. He is tremendously athletic, his technique off the line of scrimmage is great, has great footwork, and has a high football IQ. He is just as good on run defense as in coverage. How much will the injury affect him and his habit of grabbing defenders are the two biggest question marks.
12th pick: Vikings select Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame
The Vikings direly need help in their secondary and Hamilton is the perfect fit for them. His size, speed, and athleticism give him tremendous versatility. He is able to play as a deep zone safety, a middle linebacker, an edge linebacker and can even play outside cornerback in a pinch. He has a high football IQ and always knows where the ball will be, sometimes even before the receiver. He reads offenses quickly and accurately, is active before the snap, and is able to jump routes with tremendous effectiveness. He has great cover skills and is a great tackler who’s able to bring down runners like a linebacker, which is great for his size.
13th pick: Texans (via Browns) select: Kenyon Green, OG, Texas A&M
The Texans bolster their offensive line even more with the selection of Green. Green has a ton of potential and upside. He has tremendous strength, is quick and agile for his size, and has tremendous drive in the run game; he is able to drive defenders up the field and create holes for his running backs to run through. He is also a phenomenal pass protector and a huge part of one of the best offensive lines in college football. He only gave up one sack and four tackles for loss in 2021 (least in the SEC) and is extremely well-disciplined only conceding seven penalties.’
14th pick: Ravens select Nakobe Dean, ILB, Georgia
The Ravens already have one of the better pass rushers in the league, adding Dean will make their pass rush and run defense even better. National Champion Georgia’s defense was the best in college football in 2021 and Dean was a huge reason for this. Not only can Dean rush the passer recording 8 sacks, 14 QB hurries, and 50 tackles in 13 games in 2021, but he has also proved to be excellent in coverage, posting an outstanding 30.7 QB rating when targeted in coverage. He is the most athletically gifted linebacker in the draft, with great speed, agility, strength, good tackling skills, and an excellent football IQ for diagnosing where the play is going.
15th pick: Eagles (via Dolphins) select: Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington
Trent McDuffie may not have the biggest frame for a cornerback, however, he has the skills to succeed in the NFL as a top-tier cornerback. He is an excellent athlete with explosiveness, speed, agility, and great ball tracking ability. He may not be able to press receivers at the line of scrimmage, but he has a quality back-peddle and a clean transition to normal coverage. He has incredible straight-line speed and is rarely ever beaten deep. He’s also excellent in man coverage, he has the ability to follow receivers step for step, recognizes routes very quickly, has great hands, and has a high football IQ to break on routes. He and Darius Slay will be very elite.
16th pick: Saints (via Eagles) select: Drake London, WR, USC
Without Michael Thomas, the Saints’ wide receiver core is not super impressive. Drake London is considered one of the best wide receiver prospects alongside Jameson Williams after the combine. London uses his speed to get separation on deep routes down the sideline or in the middle of the field and uses his length and long wingspan. His length and wingspan allow him to come down with virtually every 50/50 ball thrown his way, he led all of college football in contested catches. He has a plethora of jukes to make defenders miss in the open field and is a great blocker for his size in the run game.
17th pick: Chargers select: Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa
The Chargers will pounce on the opportunity to select a very talented tackle with a ton of potential in the entire draft to add to an already talented offensive line consisting of Rashawn Slater and Corey Linsley. He is extremely athletic and moves very well for his size. He has the strength to drive defenders to the ground in the run game and has the agility, length, wingspan, hand movement, and balance to keep up with top-tier edge rushers. He has all the tangibles to be considered a starting left tackle. He also has the versatility to play right tackle. This offensive line gets a lot better by adding Penning.
18th pick: Eagles (via Saints) select: Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State
Olave has an incredible burst off the line of scrimmage and has immense speed and he uses both traits to separate from defensive backs and get open. He has a great first step and accelerates to top speed in a hurry. He is a great route runner, has very reliable hands, and always stays focused: he never lets the ball get out of his sight. He is often used on deep routes because speed and acceleration always allow him to get open and his balance is excellent, he is able to tight rope along the sideline and comes in and out of breaks with ease. He has a high football IQ and can find holes in opposing defenses. He and Devonta Smith make a great duo.
19th pick Saints (via Eagles) select: Bernhard Raimann, OG, Central Michigan
The Saints selected a receiver to give Jameis Winston another weapon; now they take one of the better interior offensive linemen to protect Winston. Raimann is 6’7”, 304lbs, and is tall, a reliable blocker, with good agility, long arms, and a great initial punch that knocks rushers off their route. He has a ton of strength and power to push defenders up the field to create holes in the run game and is excellent against the bull rush in the passing game. He is also versatile and has the skills to play both guard and tackle. He is one of the highest-rated rush and pass blockers.
20th pick Steelers select: Darian Kinnard, OT, Kentucky
The Steelers signed Mitch Trubisky and appear to want to wait until 2023 to draft a QB. In the meantime, they have to continue to improve their offensive line, which they will do by drafting Kinnard. Kinnard is a dominating pass protector with long arms and a big frame to stop opposing rushers in their tracks. He is explosive out of his initial stance and has excellent footwork, agility, and athleticism to match pass rushers around the edge. He has the size, strength, and quick feet to be effective as a position run-blocker in the NFL. He moves well laterally & is quick for his size.
21st pick Patriots select: Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida
The Patriots have a huge hole to fill at the cornerback position after losing all-pro J.C. Jackson. Elam is a solid option who has many of the tangibles to be a pro-bowl corner in the NFL. At 6’2”, 193lbs, he is the ideal size and weight for the position. As a former receiver, he has incredible speed, agility, and hands, he has a good vertical and great timing. He knows when to jump on routes and when not to as a former receiver. He has a high football IQ, good awareness of where the receivers will go and can track the ball well in the air. Even though he is a cornerback, he has the vision, range, hitting ability, and ball skills of a free safety in the NFL.
22nd pick Packers (via Raiders) select: Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State
The Packers badly need a wide receiver with both Aaron Rodgers and Marquez Valdes Scantling this offseason. Dotson has elite speed and uses his agility off the line of scrimmage to shake off cornerbacks to create space. He uses his excellent acceleration, elusiveness, and his arsenal of juke moves to separate from corners and get open. As a smaller, stronger receiver, he gets comparisons to Antonio Brown. He is also a great route runner and has very sure hands. He only dropped two passes on 138 targets in 2021 and can find holes in the defense on short, medium, and deep routes. Aaron Rodgers will benefit from his speed, agility, and hands.
23rd pick: Cardinals select Jaquan Brisker, SS, Penn State
The Cardinals could use some help in the secondary and Brisker could be very helpful. He has a
very good combine performance and is excellent in zone coverage, man coverage, and is a solid blitzer. He has a great combination of size, height, speed, length, and athleticism to play both strong and free safety. He is known for his ability to cover bigger tight ends and running backs very well and has the speed to run with most wide receivers. He is a leader on and off the field, has a tremendous football IQ, is an aggressive tackler, is not afraid to make plays on the ball and contest throws, and has great awareness. He reads the QB’s eyes & often beats the receiver to the ball, but can be beaten by play-action passes and sometimes gives too much of a cushion.
24th pick Cowboys select: Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia
The Cowboys could add to their offensive line or select another pass rusher, but I believe they will strengthen the interior of their offensive line with Davis. While Davis is not known for his ability to rush the passer, his tackling, ability to defeat blocks, and his ability to stop the run are fantastic for a man his size, 6’6”, 340lbs. He is a solid anchor and his size makes it almost impossible for opposing offensive linemen to push him off the line to create running gaps. He has amazing speed and agility for a man his size and relies on a strong bull-rush to push over linemen. He can still produce in the pass rush with 8 sacks and 6.5 TFL in 27 college games.
25th pick Bills select Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson
The Bills already have one of the best secondaries in the league and they will continue to improve it by drafting Booth, who despite having limited college experience due to injuries, has the potential to succeed in the NFL. He has long arms that allow him to contest passes, he tracks the ball well and times jump balls very well. He is physical, a good tackler, and has the strength to shed blocks and blow up screens. He backpedals with ease and his 4.38 40 speed allows him to keep up with many receivers. He will learn a lot & be mentored by this already strong secondary.
26th pick: Titans select, Devin Lloyd, OLB, Utah
A tall, athletic linebacker with a lean build, speed, agility, acceleration, excellent lateral movement, and a high football IQ, he can patrol the entire field. He is a quick thinker, with great instincts and great vision and awareness, he can see what happens before it happens and react to it. He has a good burst and can close on ball carriers in a hurry. He not only can stop the run, but he is decent in pass coverage with his speed, size, and instincts and is a dominant pass rusher after recording 8 sacks, 7 QB hits, and 16 QB hurries in 2021 alone. Titans HC Mike Vrabel will like this pick as a former pass-rushing linebacker.
27th pick: Bucs select Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia
The Bucs could bolster their offensive lineman, but they cannot refuse to draft one of the anchors of a Georgia defense that won a National Championship in 2022 to pair with an already excellent run stopper Vita Vea. He has great size and excellent speed and balance for his position. His quick hands allow him to disengage from blockers and make tackles on running backs. His big frame makes it difficult for one offensive lineman to move him, so with offenses needing to double team him and Vea, on the inside, the Bucs’ defensive ends and outside linebackers will feast.
28th pick: Packers select: Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota
They got their wide receiver. Now they need to address their offensive line after the departure of Billy Turner and Lucas Patrick. Faalele is an effective run and pass blocker. At 6’9”, 380lbs, he is the biggest and one of the strongest players in the entire draft and he relies on raw power and natural strength to overwhelm defenders. He is quick and explosive at the point of attack, tough to get around because of his width, and is a powerful drive blocker with long arms and big hands that he uses to push defenders up the field in the run game. When rushers do get a push on him, he has a low balance point & good agility/balance that allow him to reset & regain an advantage.
29th pick: Chiefs (via 49ers) select Travis Jones, DT, Connecticut
Jones had a fantastic performance at both the Senior Bowl and the NFL combine and has proven he has the skills to be an all-pro pass rusher and run stopper. He has a high football IQ, a motor that never stops going, and great awareness. He constantly sees into opposing backfields, knows where the running back is going, and can shed blocks with ease to get to the running back. He is also a very good tackler and has the strength to push through double teams and seals. Steve Spagnuolo's unit gets someone with a lot of potential and versatility to work with.
30th pick: Chiefs select George Pickens, WR, Georgia
He is a bit of a boom or bust prospect as a result of his injury but he has the potential to be a #1 receiver and was considered a blue-chip prospect before his injury. He has excellent spatial awareness, is a savvy route runner who runs clean routes, and can get open using his speed and long arms to separate from defenders. He tracks the ball very well, even over his shoulder and he is not afraid of contact. He is always willing and able to run down the middle of the field. His good hands, concentration, and large catch radius make him a good deep ball, red zone, and 50/50 target. He is also hard to bring down because of his nasty stiff arm. However, his ACL injury and his off-field issues are huge concerns, he has never looked explosive off the line of scrimmage and he uses his chest and pads to secure deep balls more often than his hands which can be a problem. His lanky frame will prove challenging against bigger cornerbacks.
31st pick: Bengals select Daxton Hill, CB, Michigan
Hill has played all over the defense for Michigan and this versatility is always in high demand in a pass-heavy NFL. He is very athletic, fast, agile, has a high football IQ, great field awareness, and has excellent ball skills and length to make plays on the ball. He excels as a zone safety but his tackling, ball skills, instincts, anticipation, and quick reaction time allow him to excel in man coverage and he can even play cornerback too. His size, length, and speed allow him to cover almost all receivers, running backs, and tight ends too. He will be a huge addition to the Bengals’ defense, a unit that is already talented all over.
32nd pick: Lions select Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati.
While not the most hyped QB prospect in this year’s draft, he possesses the intangibles to succeed as a dual-threat QB. He is the third-winningest QB in college football history. He is 6’4” and moves very well in and outside of the pocket. He is not the fastest but his long strides allow him to cover ground quickly. He sees the field very well and is able to improvise when the play breaks down. He has a lot of arm strength and is accurate enough to drive the ball into very tight windows 20-25 yards up the field. He is also quite accurate on short and intermediate routes. However, he took a lot of sacks in college, which is likely to continue into the NFL with the Lions’ lackluster offensive line, he fails to give receivers the chance to make plays after the catch; he hesitates to pass to someone who is slightly covered, he doesn’t have a lot of touch on his passes and he struggles with his decision making and needs to improve his pre-snap recognition skills to read coverages and see blitzes.
This draft has many talented prospects, especially in the trenches (OL, DL, LB), and will have a positive impact on the future of many teams. This is probably not how the draft will end up happening but it is how I see it playing out. Either way, it’ll be exciting.
Also, the Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, and San Francisco 49ers do not own a first-round pick in 2022. Do I see some of those teams trading into the first round to fill a need? As of now, I don't, but that may change in later versions of my mock draft.
