2022 NFL Draft: Mock Draft with Trades
The NFL Draft is only a few hours away and this year it is as unpredictable as ever with multiple plausible scenarios for the top three picks alone. Yet predicting what will happen is what this exercise is all about. It includes predicted trades. Conclusions about the mocked selections have been made by considering intel gathered and personal evaluations of prospects.
1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Travon Walker, DE, Georgia
Possessing rare traits in terms of strength and athleticism, Walker can develop into a star defensive end and cornerstone for the Jaguars. General manager Trent Baalke had success with a similar prospect in Aldon Smith and will look to hit a home run instead of playing it safe.
2. Detroit Lions: Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan
Keeping Hutchinson in his home would be a solid move for the Lions who have put an emphasis on improving their team in the trenches. Checking all of the boxes for defensive end prospects, the former Wolverine should be a solid starter in his rookie season.
3. Houston Texans: Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati
While the Texans can go a number of directions with this pick, it is the size, mentality and production of Gardner that make him the choice in this scenario. With his press coverage prowess, Houston hopes to limit opposing number one targets.
4. New York Jets: Jermaine Johnson, EDGE, Florida State
Robert Salah’s defense works best if his front four can get home to pressure the quarterback. Johnson showed steady improvement throughout his collegiate career and topped it off with a dominant display at the Senior Bowl. Enough to catapult him all the way to the fourth pick in this scenario.
5. New York Giants: Evan Neal, OT, Alabama
The new Giants regime has a lot of questions to answer and one of them is if Daniel Jones is the quarterback of the future. Adding a rare athlete with rare size up front will not only give Jones more time in the pocket but also offer a significant boost in the run game.
6. Carolina Panthers: Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State
While many would expect the Panthers to select their quarterback of the future with this pick, it is a weak class and internal debate will likely cause them to decide against it. Carolina also has a huge need on the offensive line and with Cross projecting as the best pure pass protector in the draft, he would be a great get.
7. Pittsburgh Steelers (via New York Giants): Malik Willis, QB, Liberty
Predicted Trade: Steelers send: Pick 20, Pick 52, 2023 First Round Pick. Giants send: Pick 7.
Year one after the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger and it appears that the Steelers have identified their long-term replacement for him. While Mitchell Trubisky will likely be the starter as Willis develops, the talented passer has a very high ceiling which he could hit in an organization as capable as the Steelers.
8. Atlanta Falcons: Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State
Despite many seeing Alabama wideout Jameson Williams as the top wide receiver prospect, it is his former teammate Garrett Wilson who fits the Falcons offensive scheme better. An outstanding route runner, Wilson also displays toughness at the catch point and with the ball in his hands.
9. Seattle Seahawks (via Denver Broncos): Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa
After losing long-time team leaders Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner this offseason, the Seahawks have to inject a below-average roster with talent and leadership. Penning is a nasty offensive lineman who imposes his will on opponents and can set the tone. He has to improve his consistency in pass protection to be a year-one starter.
10. New Orleans Saints (via New York Jets): Ikem Ekwonu, OT, North Carolina State
Predicted Trade: Saints send: Pick 16, Pick 49. Jets send: Pick 10.
Losing Terron Armstead to free agency means that the Saints have a hole to fill at the left tackle position. Ekwonu is a dominant run blocker but has also shown promising improvements in pass protection which are enough for New Orleans to move up and secure him.
11. Washington Commanders: Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame
Up until the combine, Hamilton was seen by many as the most talented player in the entire draft. A weak forty-yard-dash time hurt his stock but should not cause him to fall out of the top 15. For the Commanders he should be an immediate starter and cornerstone to build around for years to come.
12. Minnesota Vikings: Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon
Once touted as the potential number one pick, it is now expected that Thibodeaux will fall down the draft board. That slide stops here as the Vikings take a shot on his potentially game-changing ability as a pass rusher.
13. Houston Texans (via Cleveland Browns): Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama
The Texans are another team with an extra first-round pick and with Jameson Williams falling down the board, he is too talented to be passed up here. The Alabama speedster will require defenses to devote additional attention to him in order to limit his explosive playmaking.
14. Baltimore Ravens: Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia
One of the most dominant players in college football, Davis is special when it comes to occupying space and imposing his will on blockers. What makes him a first-round pick is his elite athleticism which will give him additional value as a pass rusher.
15. Philadelphia Eagles (via Miami Dolphins): Derek Stingley Jr, CB, LSU
While they could trade up, the Eagles stay put and have an outstanding talent falling right in their laps. Stingley possesses great athleticism and technique as well as play-making ability. Staying healthy is the biggest hurdle if he wants to have a dominant NFL career.
16. New York Jets (via New Orleans Saints): Drake London, WR, USC
Predicted Trade: Saints send: Pick 16, Pick 49. Jets send: Pick 10.
The Jets trade down and give their young quarterback a weapon at wide receiver. London projects as a prototypical X-receiver with impressive movement skills translating to route running and run after catch prowess at his size.
17. Green Bay Packers (via Los Angeles Chargers): Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas
Predicted Trade: Packers send: Pick 22, Pick 59. Chargers send: Pick 17.
Green Bay can make use of their large stock of premium picks to move up and secure their preferred player. Burks fits the size profile that the Packers have valued in the past and the kind of run after catch ability that Head Coach Matt LaFleur is desperate to have in his offense.
18. Philadelphia Eagles (via New Orleans Saints): Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia
With the Eagles getting jumped by the Packers who select their targeted wideout, General Manager Howie Roseman doubles down on the defensive side of the ball. Wyatt is a pass-rushing defensive lineman with explosiveness and ability to get penetration. He has to improve his run defense to return first-round value.
19. New Orleans Saints (via Philadelphia Eagles): Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State
After filling the hole at tackle, the Saints end the run on wide receivers with the selection of yet another Buckeye. Olave is a high-level separator thanks to his route running who has the speed to threaten defenses vertically.
20. New York Giants (via Pittsburgh Steelers): Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington
Predicted Trade: Steelers send: Pick 20, Pick 52, 2023 First Round Pick. Giants send: Pick 7.
Despite a different regime calling the shots in the big apple, the Giants trade down and acquire a future first-round pick for the second year in a row. They then turn the 20th pick into a seemingly safe selection with McDuffie who shows outstanding intelligence on film.
21. Seattle Seahawks (via New England Patriots): Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh
Predicted Trade: Seahawks send: Pick 40, Pick 109, 2023 Second Round Pick. Patriots send: Pick 21.
With a hole to fill at quarterback after the departure of Russell Wilson, the Seahawks observe Pickett falling down the board and have to pounce. The former Pittsburgh Panther is seen as a pro-ready prospect by several NFL teams.
22. Los Angeles Chargers (via Green Bay Packers): Travis Jones, DT, UConn
Predicted Trade: Packers send: Pick 22, Pick 59. Chargers send: Pick 17.
Brandon Staley needs a space-eater in the middle of his defense to stop the run and Jones can fill that role for him. In addition, he possesses impressive athleticism and pass rush ability that should make him a three-down player in the NFL.
23. Arizona Cardinals: Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington
The Cardinals need at corner is obvious and is addressed with Gordon in this scenario. The Washington product is an outstanding athlete in short areas with plenty of long speed, giving him very high upside if he can put it all together.
24. Dallas Cowboys: Zion Johnson, OG, Boston College
In a dream scenario for Dallas, the best guard in the draft falls all the way to their first-round selection. Johnson projects as a plug-and-play starter with next to no weaknesses.
25. Buffalo Bills: Andrew Booth Jr, CB, Clemson
Based on talent alone, the explosive Booth should be long off the board but worries about injuries see him falling to the back end of the first round. Buffalo finds their running mate for Tre White if Booth can stay healthy.
26. Tennessee Titans: Tyler Smith, OL, Tulsa
The Titans go as far as Derrick Henry carries them so helping him out should be the number one priority. Smith is a nasty blocker who is inconsistent technically and will likely start out at guard before developing into a starting tackle.
27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Daxton Hill, DB, Michigan
The Buccaneers have very few holes on their roster so a versatile defensive back like Hill should help them in the short term. The former Wolverine is a great athlete and can play any position in the secondary.
28. Green Bay Packers: George Karlaftis, DE, Purdue
Green Bay has repeatedly invested into their defensive line to get after opposing quarterbacks and Karlaftis is too good of a value here. The Greek-born defensive end is thickly built and a well-refined hand fighter.
29. Kansas City Chiefs (via San Francisco 49ers): Lewis Cine, S, Georgia
Cine is a tone-setting safety with instincts, athleticism and physicality. Selecting him would be the first step in filling the hole left behind by Tyrann Mathieu’s departure.
30. Kansas City Chiefs: Boye Mafe, DE, Minnesota
Back-to-back defensive picks for the Chiefs as they select the tremendously athletic pass rusher from Minnesota. Mafe has had a very good pre-draft process with a strong showing at the Senior Bowl where he showed improved hand usage.
31. Cincinnati Bengals: Tyler Linderbaum, OC, Iowa
The Bengals fell short of winning the Super Bowl and the priority for the offseason is clear: protect Joe Burrow. Linderbaum is an athletic center who can open up Cincinnati’s run game as well as provide protection for their franchise quarterback.
32: Detroit Lions (via Los Angeles Rams): Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati
A third quarterback selection in the first round is likely and the Lions are one of a number of potential suitors for Ridder. Having led the Cincinnati Bearcats into the college football playoff, Ridder offers the leadership qualities that teams value at the position.
