2022 NFL Mock Draft: Trades Shake Up First Round

With the college football season over and the NFL playoffs underway, let's take a look at the latest first round 2022 NFL Mock Draft. View the breakdown of each team's picks and the scouting reports.

Author:
Zack Patraw
Publish date:
Jan 17, 2022 4:00 AM EST

NFL Draft: 2022 NFL Mock Draft

With the College Football season over and the NFL Playoffs underway, let's take a look at the latest first-round 2022 NFL Mock Draft. View the breakdown of each team's picks and their scouting reports.

With the College Football season at an end and the NFL Playoffs underway, it's time to dive deep into these mock drafts. The NFL Draft order at the top will be solidified soon enough and we can start predicting the early portion of the first round. Let's dive into the first round of the latest 2022 NFL Mock Draft.

CLICK THE PLAYERS NAME TO READ THE ENTIRE SCOUTING REPORT

1. TRADE - New York Giants (via JAX): QB Kenny Pickett Pittsburgh

Trade Details:

JAX Give: 2022 1st, 2022 3rd
NYG Give: 2022 1st, 2022 1st

"Pickett has very good athletic ability, displaying the foot speed+acceleration to escape the pocket and some agility to make a linebacker miss in space. While he has a large amount of career rushing attempts, Pickett is always keeping his eyes downfield, scanning the defense while he scrambles, exhibiting a pass-first mentality when the play breaks down."

2. TRADE - Carolina Panthers (via DET): OT Evan Neal, Alabama

Trade Details:

DET Give: 2022 1st, 2022 7th
CAR Give: 2022 1st, 2022 4th, 2023 2nd

"Neal has rare athleticism for his size, possessing quick feet and lower body flexibility to get out of his stance and work to the second level. His length is great and once he lands his hands, he is able to latch on, move his feet and control opponents."

3. Houston Texans: DE Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon

"Kayvon Thibodeaux is one such prospect who has been considered a future first-overall pick contender since his debut college season. The Oregon star’s game is predicated on his incredible athleticism. Thibodeaux boasts excellent burst, change of direction and long speed."

4. New York Jets: DE Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan

"Aidan Hutchinson is an experienced, productive and well-built defensive end. He primarily wins with his length and technique, managing distance well. Hutchinson also fights hands to keep his frame clear. What’s more, he employs early hands and strings a wide variety of moves together with an incredible work rate."

5. Jacksonville Jaguars (via NYG): OT Ikem Ekwonu, North Carolina State

Trade Details:

JAX Give: 2022 1st, 2022 3rd
NYG Give: 2022 1st, 2022 1st

"Having lined up at left guard and left tackle, Ekwonu is a very aggressive run blocker who creates a push upfront with great strength. He is very competitive, looking to finish defenders and successfully doing so."

6. Detroit Lions (via CAR): FS Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame

Trade Details:

DET Give: 2022 1st, 2022 7th
CAR Give: 2022 1st, 2022 4th, 2023 2nd

"Kyle Hamilton exhibits excellent short-area burst, long speed, change of direction and clean transitions. A long athletic frame that is both flexible and powerful."

7. Jacksonville Jaguars (via CHI/NYG): DE David Ojabo, Michigan

Trade Details:

JAX Give: 2022 1st, 2022 3rd
NYG Give: 2022 1st, 2022 1st

"Explosive two-point stance rusher with very good length. Ojabo possesses a great get-off and burst to consistently threaten and win the outside shoulder of tackles from wide alignments."

8. TRADE - Philadelphia Eagles (via ATL): DE George Karlaftis, Purdue

Trade Details:

PHI Give: 2022 1st, 2022 2nd
ATL Give: 2022 1st, 2022 5th

"Purdue’s George Karlaftis boasts all three. A well-built athlete, the Boilermakers’ star has high-level starter potential at defensive end in both a 4-3 and a 3-4 defense; he is a better fit in a 4-3 front."

9. Denver Broncos: OT Charles Cross, Mississippi State

"Keeping a wide base with great knee bend, Cross stays on balance and can recover quickly because of it. His reactive quickness to mirror in pass protection is excellent. Anchoring at an above-average level, he uses his base to maximize his strength."

10. TRADE - Arizona Cardinals (via SEA/NYJ): CB Derek Stingley Jr., LSU

Trade Details:

ARI Give: 2022 1st, 2022 2nd
NYJ Give: 2022 1st

"Impressive length, strong hands and the ability to locate the football made Stingley a turnover machine in man coverage as a freshman. The outside corner is an excellent athlete with long speed to carry verticals or drags and crossing routes, great hip fluidity and recovery speed."

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST EPISODE BREAKING DOWN PROSPECTS AND THE TRADES IN THIS MOCK DRAFT

11. Washington Football Team: QB Matt Corral, Ole Miss

"Matt Corral has improved every year as the Rebels quarterback and should hear his name called early in the 2022 draft. Corral has tremendous feel for maneuvering around in the pocket and while keeping his eyes downfield he gets low to slide up, back, or to the side to evade incoming defenders."

12. Minnesota Vikings: CB Ahmad Gardner, Cincinnati

"Has extreme length on the outside at corner. Is able to bump and run at the line of scrimmage in press coverage with his longer frame and is able to stay with receivers stride for stride down the field."

13. TRADE - Buffalo Bills (via CLE): DT DeMarvin Leal, Texas A&M

Trade Details:

BUF Give: 2022 1st, 2022 3rd, 2023 3rd
CLE Give: 2022 1st

"Extremely strong at the point of attack, Leal demonstrates a lot of power in his punch into the chest of the offensive lineman. Explosive get-off out of his stance to drive as much as possible as he makes contact."

14. Baltimore Ravens: CB Andrew Booth Jr., Clemson

"Great overall athlete with springy explosiveness. Booth is shot out of a cannon, allowing him to break and make up lost ground quickly. Trusting his deep speed, he does not have to get hands on receivers as he can run with them stride for stride."

15. Atlanta Falcons (via MIA/PHI): QB Carson Strong, Nevada

Trade Details:

PHI Give: 2022 1st, 2022 2nd
ATL Give: 2022 1st, 2022 5th

"Strong operates as the starting quarterback for the Nevada Wolfpack, a role he had held for the past two seasons (2019 & 2020). He possesses solid size for a potential starting QB in the NFL, just under 6’3” and a proportioned 215 pounds on a frame that can easily add some muscle."

16. Philadelphia Eagles (via IND): WR Treylon Burks, Arkansas

"A stout frame that embodies much of what you look for in a running back much less a receiver. Outstanding after the catch where he uses strength and quickness to gain extra yards."

17. Los Angeles Chargers: WR Drake London, USC

"Natural catcher of the ball. Tough runner after the catch and runs with an edge to him. Possesses good body control and a large catch radius to haul in passes in his relative area."

18. New Orleans Saints: OT Trevor Penning, Northern Iowa

"Penning possesses powerful hands that can uproot defenders. He plays in a calm and composed manner, his footwork is smooth. He isn’t the most athletic, free-moving guy but he showed enough competence to block in space."

19. Philadelphia Eagles: CB Kaiir Elam, Florida

"Well put together outside cornerback with desired size and length. Elam is a good athlete with sufficient long speed, acceleration and above-average recovery speed."

20. Pittsburgh Steelers: OC Tyler Linderbaum, Iowa

"Linderbaum aligns as the starting center along the Hawkeyes’ offensive line. For an undersized offensive lineman, his strength is absolutely phenomenal."

21. New England Patriots: ILB Nakobe Dean, Georgia

"Dean reads and reacts quickly in the run game, coming downhill well and especially excelling in pursuit. The further the season progressed, the more of a communicator he became."

22. Miami Dolphins (via SF): WR Garrett Wilson, Ohio State

"Garrett Wilson is a twitched-up athlete with excellent suddenness and flexibility. He displays inside-outside versatility with a diverse route tree. Excellent overall release package vs a variety of techniques and coverages. He sets up releases as games go on by working them into different route stems."

23. Las Vegas Raiders: OLB/DE Jermaine Johnson, Florida State

"Jermaine Johnson is an athletic playmaker on the defensive line with a muscular build and long arms giving him a physical advantage. Johnson excels versus the run, playing from 4, 3 and 2 point stances from both the strong and weak side. He has tremendous play strength due to his build and technique - regularly playing with low pad level and gaining inside hand placement to create a pop at the point of attack and then stack his block."

24. New York Jets (via ARI): FS Daxton Hill, Michigan

Trade Details:

ARI Give: 2022 1st, 2022 2nd
NYJ Give: 2022 1st

"Hill has the coverage ability of a cornerback with added instincts and lateral agility. He plays hard and through the whistle, often frustrating his opponents with his methods."

25. Cincinnati Bengals: DT Jordan Davis, Georgia

"Nose tackle with great size and strength. Davis eats up space on the interior with his strong anchor. Putting on a clinic in how to stack and shed, he takes advantage of his length and upper body power to extend as he pleases."

26. Cleveland Browns (via BUF): OLB Devin Lloyd, Utah

"Displaying versatility, Lloyd lines up as the middle and weakside linebacker as well as on the line of scrimmage for the Utes. He possesses great length and quick hands which he uses to avoid second-level blockers. Lining up in a two-point stance, he even has pass-rush ability."

27. Detroit Lions (via LAR): DE Travon Walker, Georgia

"Lining up as a five-technique on base downs, Walker has the positional versatility to kick all the way out to a seven or reduce inside and rush from a three-tech alignment. His length is nothing short of special, utilizing it to outreach blockers and creating knockback."

28. Dallas Cowboys: OG Kenyon Green, Texas A&M

"Kenyon Green has a thick build at his position of offensive guard. Furthermore, his frame is very balanced so his athleticism does not slack because of his size. Has the flexibility to drop low in his stance to get good leverage at the beginning of every play."

29. Kansas City Chiefs: WR Jameson Williams, Alabama

"Williams displays track-level speed and explosiveness at all times. Hard cuts at the top of routes are able to create separation. Has a unique ability to drop his hips and stop his momentum instantly. Shows the advanced route-running ability to change speeds throughout his stem."

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: OG Darian Kinnard, Kentucky

"Plays with strong and feisty hands as a run blocker. Also plays with a constant mean streak and a sense of determination on every down. Lower half is extremely strong. Thick legs from hips all the way to the calves give him the power to move defenders wherever he wants."

31. Tennessee Titans: OT Sean Rhyan, UCLA

"Early starters typically boast a combination of advanced technique and strong athletic traits. Rhyan’s well-rounded game is predicated on his refined hands and athleticism. The two-year starter typically aims his punches accurately and uses his placement to achieve leverage."

32. Green Bay Packers: WR Jahan Dotson, Penn State

"As a receiver with extremely quick feet and flexible ankles, Dotson excels as a receiver on underneath routes. He makes it hard for defenders to stay with him completely because of his acceleration into the top of his route. He creates extra separation with sudden movements, leaving defenders on skates at times."