Who’s ready for the 2022 NFL Draft?!? Not only are we pouring in draft content on the daily, but we are also providing professional analysis, scouting reports, big boards, and yes…MOCK DRAFTS! Take a look at the second edition of my mock draft that includes two rounds, an analysis of the entire first round, and to spice things up, a few trades. Make sure to continue to tune in here at East West, subscribe to our podcast, and follow our social media pages (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Tik Tok).
FIRST ROUND
1) Jacksonville Jaguars – EDGE Aidan Hutchinson (Michigan)
- Pegged as the top edge rusher in the draft, he’ll now pair up with Josh Allen and create one of the top, young pass-rushing duos in the league.
TRADE ALERT: Atlanta has agreed to send the 8th overall pick and the 114th overall pick to the Lions in exchange for the 2nd overall pick.
2) Atlanta Falcons – QB Malik Willis (Liberty)
- Detroit is in need of a quarterback, but the smart thing to do is trade back. Atlanta traded away their signal-caller of 14 seasons. Now they take a shot on Willis, who has the highest potential ceiling amongst any quarterback in this draft.
3) Houston Texans – OT Evan Neal (Alabama)
- Houston has a ton of needs, and grabbing their left tackle of the future is one of them. Neal draws the edge over Ekwonu due to his true tackle frame (6’7″ 351 lbs).
4) New York Jets – OT Ikem Ekwonu (North Carolina State)
- Zach Wilson is the future of the New York Jets. Mekhi Becton should get a chance to prove he’s the left tackle of the future, and Ekwonu can slide into either the right tackle spot or one of the guard positions. An offensive line with Becton, Elijah Vera-Tucker, and Ekwonu could be nasty for years to come.
5) New York Giants – OT Charles Cross (Mississippi State)
- With Neal and Ekwonu off the board, Charles Cross is the best offensive tackle available. The Giants are willing to give Daniel Jones the best shot to prove he’s the guy of the future, and solidifying a position of need gives him the best chance to succeed.
TRADE ALERT: Minnesota has agreed to send the 12th overall pick and the 156th overall pick to the Panthers in exchange for the 6th overall pick.
6) Minnesota Vikings – EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux (Oregon)
- Another trade here after Carolina watched Willis and the top-three offensive lineman go off the board. The smart thing to do is trade back, and Minnesota couldn’t resist the chance of selecting Thibodeaux, who many executives still believe is the top prospect in the 2021 NFL Draft.
7) New York Giants – EDGE Travon Walker (Georgia)
- Walker’s stock has risen drastically since the end of the combine. After selecting Cross at No. 5, the Giants grab one of the top pass-rushers in this year’s draft.
8) Detroit Lions – S Kyle Hamilton (Notre Dame)
- This is who Detroit wanted all along. It didn’t make sense to grab him at No. 2. Possibly the best defensive back in the draft, Hamilton brings a ton of value to a team in need of much defensive help.
9) Seattle Seahawks – CB Ahmad Gardner (Cincinnati)
- Seattle needs a quarterback, but the prospect of ‘Sauce’ Gardner is too hard to pass up here at No. 9. Could’ve easily gone with Stingley Jr. here as well.
10) New York Jets – CB Derek Stingley Jr. (LSU)
- Stingley Jr.’s stock is rising once again after a terrific pro day. Once pegged as the top corner going into this draft, the Jets attack another position of need here at cornerback. Drafting both Ekwonu and Stingley Jr. with their two first picks is more than ideal.
11) Washington Commanders – QB Desmond Ridder (Cincinnati)
- Washington needs a quarterback, and it would be smart to grab the most pro-ready quarterback in this draft. His ceiling may not be as high as Willis’ and Matt Corral’s, but he has the tools to succeed right away.
12) Carolina Panthers – OT Trevor Penning (Northern Iowa)
- Carolina traded back and still selected the next best offensive tackle in this draft. With Ridder going off the board right before this pick, this makes the most sense here for the Panthers.
13) Houston Texans – WR Garrett Wilson (Ohio State)
- Houston needs to fill a ton of different positions. Why not grab the best wide receiver in this draft here? Brandin Cooks’ future with this team is in doubt, and the team seems to be all in to give second-year pro quarterback Davis Mills the best opportunity to succeed this season.
14) Baltimore Ravens – CB Trent McDuffie (Washington)
- Some executives believe McDuffie is more pro-ready than Stingley Jr. Baltimore could use his versatility, as the team lacks depth behind Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters.
15) Philadelphia Eagles – LB Devin Lloyd (Utah)
- Philadelphia traded away the 16th overall pick, so they’ll settle for the 15th and 18th in the first round. Linebacker is a big positional need for the Eagles, and Lloyd would be an ideal fit in Jonathan Gannon’s scheme.
16) New Orleans Saints – QB Matt Corral (Mississippi)
- We’re all thinking it. New Orleans added the 16th pick to more than likely select the best quarterback left on the board. Corral provides a ton of upside and an enormous skillset. He gets the edge over Pickett for those reasons alone.
17) Los Angeles Chargers – OT Bernhard Raimann (Central Michigan)
- Raimann has been climbing the ranks here as of late. With a need at right tackle, Raimann fits the bill although he spent his college career at left tackle after transitioning from tight end early on. Nonetheless, he’s only scratching the surface of his potential, as Los Angeles solidifies their offensive line for Justin Herbert.
18) Philadelphia Eagles – WR Drake London (USC)
- For the third straight year, Philadelphia drafts a wide receiver in the first round. London is believed to be the more pro-ready receiver out of this class, and he adds value next to Devonta Smith, Jalen Reagor, and Quez Watkins.
19) New Orleans Saints – WR Chris Olave (Ohio State)
- We’re not really sure what the Michael Thomas situation is like now that Sean Payton retired as head coach. Even if the former Buckeye stays put, adding another Buckeye in Chris Olave is much needed for a team lacking any depth behind Thomas.
20) Pittsburgh Steelers – QB Kenny Pickett (Pittsburgh)
- This may be the most common landing spot for Pickett, but reports indicate that the Steelers are VERY interested in the Pittsburgh product. Mitchell Trubisky is a bridge quarterback for this team, as they try to move on from future Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger.
21) New England Patriots – EDGE Jermaine Johnson (Florida State)
- Bill Belichick and the Patriots love targeting defense in the first round of drafts. Johnson is still on the board here, and he brings burst and athleticism to a position of need for New England.
22) Green Bay Packers – WR Jameson Williams (Alabama)
- This isn’t a typical Packers-like move here, but Aaron Rodgers needs help now that Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling are out of town. Williams makes the most sense here with Wilson, London, and Olave off the board.
23) Arizona Cardinals – DT Devonte Wyatt (Georgia)
- Arizona struggled against the run late last season. They also released Jordan Phillips. Wyatt gets the edge here over his college teammate, Jordan Davis because he can be a three-down defensive tackle, who excels at stopping the run.
24) Dallas Cowboys – OG Zion Johnson (Boston College)
- Dallas needs to address their offensive line on the left side, with the left guard position being the biggest need. Their starter in 2021, Conner Williams, committed 11 holding penalties on the season. Kenyon Green was a candidate here, but ultimately Johnson gets the edge because of his NFL frame and his level of consistency as a run-blocker.
25) Buffalo Bills – DT Jordan Davis (Georgia)
- Bills fans may be rooting for a receiver or Breece Hall here, but it would be hard for Buffalo to pass up Davis if he’s available at 25th overall. After an impressive combine performance, Davis is the top defensive tackle talent on some team’s big boards.
26) Tennessee Titans – OC Tyler Linderbaum (Iowa)
- Linderbaum may be the best offensive lineman in this draft, but teams ahead of the Titans have pressing needs at tackle and guard. This would be a dream come true scenario for Tennessee, with center being their biggest need going into the draft.
27) Tampa Bay Buccaneers – OG Kenyon Green (Texas A&M)
- Ali Marpet retired this offseason, and that left Tampa Bay with a hole to fill at left guard. Green is the best available here with Johnson off the board.
28) Green Bay Packers – EDGE George Karlaftis (Purdue)
- Za’Darius Smith left for Minnesota during free agency, and many mocks have Karlaftis going a lot sooner than 28th overall. Green Bay attacks a position of need while selecting the best available. Win-win.
29) Kansas City Chiefs – WR Jahan Dotson (Penn State)
- As we all know, Tyreek Hill is now a member of the Miami Dolphins. Kansas City will look to add value at receiver next to Mecole Hardman, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Valdes-Scantling. Although Treylon Burks is still on the board here, Johan Dotson brings more speed to an offense predicated by it.
30) Kansas City Chiefs – CB Kaiir Elam (Florida)
- After selecting a receiver, the Chiefs address another positional need at cornerback. Defensive line is another position they could address, but the value that Elam could provide was too hard to pass up.
TRADE ALERT: Chicago has agreed to send the 39th overall pick and a 2023 6th-rounder to the Bengals in exchange for the 31st overall pick.
31) Chicago Bears – WR Treylon Burks (Arkansas)
- If the season started today, Darnell Mooney, Byron Pringle, Equanimeous St. Brown, and Dazz Newsome would round out the wide receiver position. Offensive line is a huge need for this team, but Burks still on the board here was worth the trade up.
32) Detroit Lions – LB Nakobe Dean (Georgia)
- After selecting Kyle Hamilton 8th overall, The Lions are still in need of a future quarterback, a pass-rusher, a defensive tackle, a cornerback, and an off-ball linebacker. In this case, they take the best available, as Dean earned the Butkus Award (nation’s top linebacker) during the 2021 season for Georgia.
SECOND ROUND
33) Jacksonville Jaguars – S Lewis Cine (Georgia)
34) Detroit Lions – EDGE David Ojabo (Michigan)
35) New York Jets – WR Skyy Moore (Western Michigan)
36) New York Giants – LB Leo Chenal (Wisconsin)
37) Houston Texans – RB Breece Hall (Iowa State)
38) New York Jets – S Daxton Hill (Michigan)
39) Cincinnati Bengals – OT Tyler Smith (Tulsa)
40) Seattle Seahawks – QB Sam Howell (North Carolina)
41) Seattle Seahawks – EDGE Boye Mafe (Minnesota)
42) Indianapolis Colts – CB Andrew Booth Jr. (Clemson)
43) Atlanta Falcons – OT Abraham Lucas (Washington State)
44) Cleveland Browns – DL Travis Jones (Connecticut)
45) Baltimore Ravens – DL Perrion Winfrey (Oklahoma)
46) Minnesota Vikings – CB Tariq Woolen (Texas-San Antonio)
47) Washington Football Team – LB Brian Asamoah (Oklahoma)
48) Chicago Bears – T Darian Kinnard (Kentucky)
49) New Orleans Saints – T Jamaree Salyer (Georgia)
50) Kansas City Chiefs – S Jaquan Brisker (Penn State)
51) Philadelphia Eagles – EDGE Nik Bonitto (Oklahoma)
TRADE ALERT: Dallas has agreed to send the 56th overall pick and the 167th overall pick to Pittsburgh in exchange for the 52nd overall pick.
52) Dallas Cowboys – LB Chad Muma (Wyoming)
53) Green Bay Packers – WR George Pickens (Georgia)
54) New England Patriots – CB Roger McCreary (Auburn)
55) Arizona Cardinals – DL Logan Hall (Houston)
56) Pittsburgh Steelers – OT Daniel Faalele (Minnesota)
57) Buffalo Bills – WR Christian Watson (North Dakota State)
58) Atlanta Falcons – CB Kyler Gordon (Washington)
59) Green Bay Packers – EDGE Arnold Ebiketie (Penn State)
60) Tampa Bay Buccaneers – EDGE DeMarvin Leal (Texas A&M)
61) San Francisco 49ers – OG Dylan Parham (Memphis)
62) Kansas City Chiefs – WR Alec Pierce (Cincinnati)
63) Cincinnati Bengals – LB Christian Harris (Alabama)
64) Denver Broncos – TE Trey McBride (Colorado State)
Did you enjoy this article and want more draft content? Make sure to check out the Mock Draft section on our website. And try to keep up with Kosta Boskovic, Alex Greb, and Walter Stringer as they’re constantly pouring in draft content throughout the week.
