The quarterbacks are always the hot names to watch and North Carolina’s Sam Howell is the one who goes first in this 2022 NFL Mock Draft
With the 2021 NFL Draft in the rearview mirror, there’s only one thing left to do — look ahead to the next crop of college football prospects who will make up the 2022 NFL Draft.
Of course, a lot will change between now and next spring but that doesn’t mean we can’t come up with an aggressively early 2022 NFL Mock Draft, which we do here.
As for the order, we use our most recent 2021 NFL Power Rankings, which means we have the Houston Texans kicking things off at No. 1.
1. Houston Texans: Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon
It was really tempting to go quarterback with this pick for the Houston Texans since it seems as though Deshaun Watson was done playing for them. The only reason we go a different direction, however, is the fact that Houston did just use their first pick on Davis Mills from Stanford.
That pick came in Round 3 but they still seem as though they will give him time behind Tyrod Taylor to see what he can do. And because of that, they go a different direction and take Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux here.
Houston needs someone who can get after the quarterback to replace Whitney Mercilus who has been in a decline as of late and J.J. Watt who is now in Arizona. Thibodeaux who had nine sacks as a freshman in 2019 should be able to provide that for them.
2. Detroit Lions: Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina
Chances are, a quarterback will go first overall but with Houston going first, that means the Detroit Lions end up being the team to grab a signal-caller at No. 2 ‚— since we aren’t predicting trades just yet.
With that pick, the Lions turn to North Carolina’s Sam Howell who has been great so far in his career. He has 7,227 yards with a 68-to-14 touchdown-to-interception ratio in two seasons. One more year with that kind of success should lead to him being the top quarterback in the 2022 NFL Draft.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Evan Neal, OT, Alabama
This past draft kicked off with the Jacksonville Jaguars taking quarterback Trevor Lawrence. They also brought in his former running back Travis Etienne which will make a huge impact on their offense. Having said that, they can still use some help on the O-line.
Yes, they brought in Walker Little but he has some injury concerns meaning he’s not a sure thing. Even if he does pan out, they need to make sure to keep Lawrence happy, and bringing in the top offensive tackle in 2022 should do that.
Evan Neal is the next in a continuous line of pro prospects to play on the line for the Crimson Tide. He’s massive at 6-7 and 359 pounds and can play guard or tackle. Neal is also already very experienced and should be a plug-and-play starter.
4. Las Vegas Raiders: Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson
Throw out the first round and the Las Vegas Raiders had a pretty good draft. Although, it was rather weird to see how many safeties they drafted.
Still, they brought in a lot of talent but they can still use some more help at wide receiver. That’s why they take Justyn Ross from Clemson who ends up being our top wideout in this class. In two seasons, he has 1,865 yards with 112 receptions and 17 touchdowns.
For Las Vegas, however, his most important trait is that he played at Clemson. As long as you came from there, or Alabama, there’s a good chance the Raiders will draft you in the first.
5. Philadelphia Eagles: Spencer Rattler, QB, Oklahoma
He was far from perfect last season, but Spencer Rattler really started to come on as the year progressed. Now a redshirt sophomore, he’s ready to show how much he’s grown under Lincoln Riley’s tutelage.
If he does take that next step, Rattler will be on the short-list of quarterbacks worthy of being a first-round pick. And assuming he does improve and enter the draft, he becomes the second QB off the board here as he replaces a former teammate, Jalen Hurts, in Philadelphia.
The Eagles want Hurts to be their guy and they even skipped on Justin Fields to give him the keys this season. That could come back to hurt them since Hurts didn’t exactly look like a polished pro last season. Here, they decide to end the experiment and start over. Again.
6. Cincinnati Bengals: Kenyon Green, OT, Texas A&M
I’m in the minority in that I absolutely loved the Cincinnati Bengals selection of Ja’Marr Chase. Yes, they could have used more help on the offensive line but Chase is a stud and should be able to perform as the No. 1 wideout for Joe Burrow for the next decade.
They did land Jackson Carman in the second but there’s still a need for an elite tackle which is why they take Kenyon Green from Texas A&M here.
7. Carolina Panthers: Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame
It’s been pretty clear what Matt Rhule wants to do with the Carolina Panthers — build an elite defense. He focused solely on that side of the ball in the 2020 draft and they returned to the well early in 2021 with the selection of Jaycee Horn from South Carolina.
From there, they added some new offensive weapons for Sam Darnold including Terrace Marshall, Jr., Tommy Tremble, and Shi Smith. Now in this 2022 NFL mock, they again focus on defense early by taking Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton.
Safety is a position that gets undervalued which is a bit confusing but Hamilton is a game-changer who could be the final piece to a potentially elite defense.
8. New York Giants (via Chicago Bears): Jalen Wydermyer, TE, Texas A&M
GM Dave Gettleman had a great weekend. Sure, he reached for Kadarius Toney but the Gators receiver is a good fit for them. They also still landed Azeez Ojulari in the second round and gained an additional first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft by trading down in the first with the Chicago Bears.
On the clock with their own first pick here, they take Jalen Wydermyer from Texas A&M. Once again, their goal is all about making Daniel Jones more comfortable ‚— assuming they’re still believing in him after adding Kenny Golladay, Kyle Rudolph, and Toney this offseason.
Now, if Jones struggles even after those moves, we need to have a whole different discussion.
9. Denver Broncos: Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati
How they sat there at No. 9 with Justin Fields on the board and didn’t pull the trigger will never make sense to me. Drew Locke regressed in a big way in 2020 and Teddy Bridgewater is probably better than Lock but he’s a stop-gap.
Sure, Patrick Surtain was well worth the No. 9 pick but they had a shot at a legit star and said — no thanks, we’ll stick with the guy who completed 57 percent of his passes last year after we invested heavily at wide receiver for him.
Now that I’m off that soapbox, the Broncos make things right by taking Desmond Ridder here. He’s no Fields but Ridder is a fast-rising star who has a ton of experience. Should he have one more big campaign, he might mess around and find himself being picked in the top-10 — which is what happens here.
10. New York Jets: Derek Stingley, CB, LSU
The New York Jets focused heavily on fixing their offense in this draft — as they should have. Now at No. 10 in this mock draft, they turn to the defensive side of the ball and grab LSU cornerback Derek Stingley.
A potential All-Pro, Stingley had six picks in 2019 but none in 2020 which was a bit surprising. As long as he continues to shine in coverage — and if he can prove the zero picks last season was a fluke — he should be the first corner off the board.
11. Atlanta Falcons: J.T. Daniels, QB, Georgia
It seems as though everyone who covered the 2021 NFL Draft agreed that the Atlanta Falcons made the right move in drafting Kyle Pitts — and it’s easy to see why. He’s going to be a beast at the tight end spot, but the question is this — should they have passed on Justin Fields?
Personally, I think they should not have. Fields looks the part of a franchise quarterback and while Pitts really opens that offense, Matt Ryan is 36 and has had three losing seasons in a row. For some quarterbacks, that’s an indictment of their play for Ryan is given a pass (as he always is for coming up short).
Now in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Falcons need to find a replacement for Ryan who is one step closer to 40. They land JT Daniels who is talented but will never be close to what Fields can.
12. Minnesota Vikings: DeMarvin Leal, DT, Texas A&M
Minnesota beefed up the offensive line with Christian Darrisaw and even got a potential heir to Kirk Cousins in Kellen Mond. They also stole Wyatt Davis in the third, meaning their O-line is vastly improved and their quarterback situation might be resolved for a while.
If there was anywhere they could have used more help it would have been on the defensive line. They got a great value in Patrick Jones II but they need more beef inside. Enter Demarvin Leal from Texas A&M.
Leal is a 6-4, 290-pound run-stopper who could really stand out if he learns to generate more pressure from the inside.
13. New York Giants (via Chicago Bears): Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida
The New York Giants are back on the clock, this time cashing in on their trade with the Chicago Bears. This move winds up being great for both teams as Chicago finally has their quarterback and it’s well worth giving up the No. 20 pick in 2020 as well as this one here.
For the Giants, it’s a huge win as well. They believe they have their QB in Daniel Jones, so now it’s just all about filling out the rest of the roster. They landed an offensive playmaker earlier in Texas A&M tight end Jalen Wydermyer and now, they bring in a stellar cornerback in Kaiir Elam from Florida.
He has a nose for the ball and looks to be the next in a long line of solid corners from Florida to make it into the NFL.
14. Los Angeles Chargers: Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Michigan
Had Aidan Hutchinson entered this past draft, he most likely would have been an early day two pick. Instead, he went back to Michigan where he will be the leader of their defensive line. As long as he continues to shine in that role, he should see his stock increase.
Here, his maturation pushes him all the way to No. 14 as the first selection for the Los Angeles Chargers. In L.A., he should be able to thrive as he’ll line up across from Joey Bosa — meaning there won’t be a lot of double teams coming his way.
15. New England Patriots: Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State
Mac Jones going to the New England Patriots just felt like it had to happen. He’s not someone who stands out as an elite prospect but he does all the little things right, which is exactly what Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels want.
As for his weapons, they have Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry but the wideouts leave a lot to be desired. Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne are improvements from 2020 but they need better depth. That’s where Chris Olave from Ohio State comes in.
Like Jones, Olave isn’t freakish in any way but he simply does everything he’s supposed to. This could be a great pairing.
16. Washington Football Team: Kedon Slovis, QB, USC
The Washington Football Team can’t be seriously thinking Taylor Heinicke is the future — can they? No, they have to be looking for their next starter once Ryan Fitzpatrick calls it quits and they use this pick to look for that starter.
In this 2022 NFL mock draft, they land their new starter in Kedon Slovis from USC. A true pocket passer, Slovis has 47 touchdowns and 16 picks in two seasons. One more solid campaign should guarantee him a spot in the first day of the draft.
17. New Orleans Saints: Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State
Another Ohio State wide receiver makes the list as the New Orleans Saints take Garrett Wilson at No. 17 in this aggressively earl 2022 NFL Mock Draft. Wilson made some huge strides this past season as he had 723 yards and six touchdowns on 43 receptions. This came in just eight games, so he should be able to put up even better numbers this coming season.
For New Orleans, they waited until Round 7 to draft a wide receiver which was even more head-scratching than their incredible reach for Payton Turner in Round 1. They still need a wideout and a cornerback after making neither a priority this offseason and Wilson could be their best option in 2022 — provided they actually want to address it this time.
18. Tennessee Titans: Cade Mays, IOL, Tennessee
Ben Jones is nearing the end of his contract which means the Tennessee Titans could be in the market for a new center. Lucking for them, they might not have to look too far for their next one.
Cade Mays started his career at Georgia before transferring to Tennessee where he continued to improve as a player. He spent much of the past season at right guard but has experience at center as well dating back to his days with the Bulldogs.
Listed at 6-6 and 325 pounds, Mays is a bully on the interior of the line and fits perfectly with how coach Mike Vrabel likes his team to play.
19. Indianapolis Colts: George Pickens, WR, Georgia
It was clear that Chris Ballard wanted to improve the defensive end position for Indianapolis this year because he spent the first two draft picks on the EDGE. Kwity Paye should be ready to produce from the first day and Dayo Odeyingbo is a great developmental prospect that could play on the edge as well as inside as a three-technique on passing downs.
Looking forward, the next spot to try and improve could be wide receiver. They have Michael Pittman and T.Y. Hilton but Hilton is closer to the end than the beginning — and is on just a one-year deal.
For that reason, they take Georgia wide receiver George Pickens with their first-round pick in 2022. Pickens could have been the first wideout taken had it not been for a torn ACL in the spring. Still, he should go early and the Colts would be wise to land a player who they can groom across from Pittman.
20. Arizona Cardinals: Drake Jackson, EDGE, USC
In 17 career games, Drake Jackson has 17 career sacks. Measuring in at 6-4 and 255 pounds, he’s perfectly built for an outside linebacker role in a 3-4 defense, and the Arizona Cardinals are going to need to start thinking about life after Chandler Jones.
Jackson could easily take over as their next pass-rushing threat and there are a couple of very impressive veterans in Arizona that he could learn from.
21. Miami Dolphins (via San Francisco 49ers): Owen Pappoe, LB, Auburn
It’s apparent that things have changed for the better with the Miami Dolphins. Brian Flores has proven to be the right coach and Chris Grier is doing great things as the general manager. With two picks in the 2021 NFL Draft, Miami added Jaylen Waddle, Jaelan Phillips, Jevon Holland, and Liam Eichenberg. All of these players have the talent to be a starter for them as they keep bringing in quality players.
Now in the 2022 NFL Draft, they’re on the clock with the pick they landed from the 49ers (although they did trade their own to Philly) and they use that to land a complete athletic freak in Auburn’s Owen Pappoe. He’s a hybrid player at 6-1 and 222 pounds and had 93 tackles, four sacks, and a pick last season. He should continue to be an impact player at the next level as well and Flores is the perfect coach to get the most out of his insane talent.
22. Detroit Lions (via Los Angeles Rams): John Metchie, WR, Alabama
There were plenty of people praising the Detroit Lions’ work in the 2021 NFL Draft — and for good reason. They landed great value at nearly every pick but they did avoid one major need — wide receiver.
After landing Sam Howell early in this mock, they now get a new No. 1 wide receiver for him to target in John Metchie. With Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith turning pro, he’s next in line at Bama and after posting 916 yards as a sophomore, he’s poised for a breakout and that could lead to him being a first-round pick.
23. Dallas Cowboys: Rasheed Walker, OT, Penn State
For the first time in their existence, the Dallas Cowboys went with defense on their first six draft picks this year. We can argue about whether or not they reached on some of those selections (spoiler alert, they did) but the truth is, they got better on defense and absolutely had to after the disastrous season they had on that side of the ball in 2020.
While that made sense to do, they did ignore the offensive line which was also a mess last season. In doing so, they’re putting all their hopes on Tyron Smith and La’el Collins bouncing back from injury but chances are that won’t go well. Sure, Collins should be fine but Smith has dealt with injuries for the past five seasons with his being major problems — such as back and neck injuries.
Josh Ball was added at No. 138 but he has issues off the field and it’s probably a risk trying to lean on him. With that being said, they grab Rasheed Walker from Penn State here. A redshirt junior in 2021, Walker already has 22 career starts and could improve his stock with another big season.
24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Zion Nelson, OT, Miami
The Pittsburgh Steelers also addressed big needs in the draft by landing Alabama running back Najee Harris and Penn State tight end Pat Freiermuth. They also needed O-line help and waited until the third and fourth rounds which is where they took guard Kendrick Green from Illinois and Dan Moore, Jr. from Texas A&M.
They might prove to be starters one day but Pittsburgh would be wise to invest in more talent on the line as they replace come older talent. That’s what they do here by taking Zion Nelson from Miami.
25. Philadelphia Eagles (via Miami Dolphins): Zach Harrison, EDGE, Ohio State
Before the draft started, the Philadelphia Eagles dropped down from No. 6 to No. 12 in a trade with the Miami Dolphins. They then traded with the Dallas Cowboys to move back up slightly, this time landing at No. 10 where they took DeVonta Smith.
Earlier in this mock, the Eagles took Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler. Now, they go after someone who can get after the quarterback in Zach Harrison from Ohio State. He has 5.5 sacks in 17 career games but has shown progress and should only get better going forward. If he does, he should be a first-round pick and future NFL starter.
26. New York Jets (via Seattle Seahawks): Bubba Bolden, S, Miami
The New York Jets traded Jamal Adams to the Seattle Seahawks and ended up with two first-round picks. The second of which comes here as they replace Adams with Miami strong safety Bubba Bolden.
Right now, the Jets are working on locking up Marcus Maye and with the way they’ve been operating as of late, there’s no reason to think they won’t get it done. Pairing Maye and Bolden would once again make their starting safeties one of the best duos in the NFL.
Bolden is a turnover machine, evidenced by his four forced fumbles last year for the Hurricanes. Robert Saleh will be thrilled to be able to unleash him in their secondary.
27. Baltimore Ravens: Perrion Winfrey, DT, Oklahoma
A junior college transfer, Perrion Winfrey had 5.5 tackles for a loss last season with the Oklahoma Sooners and now, the 297-pound defensive tackle is a player to watch this coming season. If he continues to grow as a player, he should be on the radar as a day one pick.
For the Baltimore Ravens, he seems like an ideal fit. He’s the perfect size for them to place on the end of their three-man line. He could end up being a good replacement for Derek Wolfe who turned 31 this offseason.
28. Cleveland Browns: Frank Ladson, Jr., WR, Clemson
The work done by the Cleveland Browns in the 2021 NFL Draft has been universally praised as second-year general manager Andrew Berry continues to impress with his ability to build a complete roster.
Looking ahead to 2022, there’s one area where they still need to improve — which is at wide receiver. They did add Anthony Schwartz from Auburn in the third round and he has a lot to like about his game, but he’s not a No. 1 target and they’re going to need one soon with Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham, Jr. both turning 30 this season.
In an effort to get younger, Cleveland adds Frank Ladson, Jr. from Clemson. He’s a 6-3, 205-pound junior who had 281 yards on 18 receptions with three touchdowns. He should have a bigger role in 2021 and if he makes the most out of it, he could be on the radar as a first-round pick.
29. Buffalo Bills: Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington
Despite drafting A.J. Epenesa in 2020, the Buffalo Bills spent their first two picks in this past draft on defensive ends. Their first-round selection was Gregory Rousseau and then in Round 2, they went with Carlos Basham from Wake Forest.
It’s true that a team can never have too many pass rushers and Epenesa and Basham do both have the ability to slide inside on third-downs and rush from the interior. Throw Ed Oliver into the mix and they suddenly look strong on the defensive line.
Now in this mock, they worry about the back end and take Washington cornerback Trent McDuffie. Pairing him with Tre’Davious White would improve their cornerbacks and help them continue to be an impressive defense overall.
30. Green Bay Packers: Jeremy Ruckert, TE, Ohio State
Surely, the Green Bay Packers and their fans hope to still be talking about Aaron Rodgers at this point next season. There’s a chance they won’t be with him voicing his frustration with the front office but they need to do whatever it takes to make him happy.
One way to do so is to land him offensive talent — which they seem hesitant to do for some reason. Even so, we try and help them by picking up Ohio State tight end Jeremy Ruckert here.
31. Kansas City Chiefs: Sevyn Banks, CB, Ohio State
The Kansas City Chiefs are expected to start L’Jarius Sneed and Charvarius Ward at cornerback this coming season — and they might be able to get something out of DeAndre Baker who they picked up after his offseason drama led to his release from the New York Giants.
Here, they use their first pick on someone who can challenge for a starting spot in their secondary in Sevyn Banks from Ohio State. Banks recently was ruled out of spring camp with an undisclosed injury but as long as he can get healthy and play for the Buckeyes this season, he should be able to prove he’s the next in a long line of Ohio State defensive backs to make it in the NFL.
32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Tyler Davis, DT, Clemson
At No. 32, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers took Joe Tryon from Washington which gives them a young pass rusher to groom. They also took Kyle Trask to develop at quarterback behind Tom Brady which is an interesting pick considering how wildly up and down the predictions for Trask as a pro can be.
What they didn’t land was a defensive lineman to eventually replace Ndamukong Suh but they do that here with the final pick in this mock as they grad Tyler Davis from Clemson.
Davis had 10.5 tackles for a loss and 6.5 sacks during 2019 which was his last full season. He still showed out in 2020 but a big 2021 campaign could guarantee he’s a first-round pick.