Kayvon Thibodeaux kicks off our 2022 NFL Mock Draft with the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys also get an edge rusher to bolster their D-line
After eight weeks, we’re roughly halfway through the 2021 NFL Season. For the first time ever, the teams that have played eight games are just under the half-mark as there are now 17 games per season in the NFL.
With that many games behind us, we now have a better understanding of each team and what their chances are for competing in 2021. We also know who needs to be focused on the upcoming class of rookies as they look to re-stock their talent.
Here, we go ahead and look at all teams and try to make their rosters better with our latest 2022 NFL Mock Draft.
2022 NFL Mock Draft: Thibodeaux goes No. 1, Dallas gets an EDGE
1. Detroit Lions: Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon
There’s a lot that the Detroit Lions need to do in order to become a contending team and with the No. 1 overall pick, there’s no shortage of positions they can address. That actually plays in their favor — for once — since they can take the top prospect without feeling as though they’re skipping out on a major need.
That leads to the selection for Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux. He’s firmly entrenched as the No. 1 prospect in this class and blowing up the Scouting Combine will only make him more enticing for the Lions.
2. Houston Texans: Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss
Davis Mills was given a long tryout as the starting quarterback for the Houston Texans and it hasn’t gone as he hoped. Not everything is on him since this team is just bad, but the Texans are still going to be looking for a new starter sooner rather than later.
In this mock, they find their guy as they take Matt Corral from Ole Miss. Right now, there’s no clear-cut No. 1 quarterback and unless someone distinguishes themselves among the others, it will all be about personal preference. That lands Corral here, although he will have a huge task ahead of him trying to get this team back on track.
3. New York Jets: Derek Stingley, CB, LSU
The New York Jets will end up with two picks in this draft and after watching the product they put on the field in 2021, they can surely use that. And then some.
New York has needs all over the field and that leads to them taking the best player on the board at No. 3 which is Derek Stingley from LSU. The Tigers have been producing some elite defensive backs over the years and Stingley appears to be the next star coming from the SEC program.
The Jets pass defense has also been a major problem so adding a potential top-flight cornerback will be a huge plus for them.
4. Philadelphia Eagles (via Miami Dolphins): Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame
Get used to hearing the Philadelphia Eagles name in the 2022 NFL Draft. After making some moves last season, they currently have three picks in this upcoming draft. The first comes in at No. 4 thanks to the Miami Dolphins who moved up for Jaylen Waddle in the last draft.
This proved to be a great move for the Eagles since Miami has struggled mightily in the first half of the season. That leads to them being able to take Kyle Hamilton from Notre Dame, giving them a game-changer in the back end of their secondary.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Evan Neal, OT, Alabama
Whether they’re picking at No. 1 or No. 5 — it’s almost impossible to see them going any further than this — the Jacksonville Jaguars will be looking for the same thing, a franchise left tackle. And the selection should be the same as well, as long as no one takes Evan Neal before they get a shot at him.
In this 2022 NFL Mock Draft, Neal is still there for the taking and Jacksonville is more than happy to bring him in. After taking Trevor Lawrence last season, the Jags now make sure to protect him the best they can with the 6-foot-7, 345-pound Neal who is an athletic freak at the position.
6. New York Giants: Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Michigan
The New York Giants are going to be tempted to take a quarterback this early but they also might be willing to see what Daniel Jones can do with a new staff — sorry Joe Judge and Jason Garrett, but it’s looking more likely than ever that they’re on borrowed time.
With their attention going away from the quarterback position, they use their first of two picks in Round 1 on Aiden Hutchinson from Michigan. Hutchinson was likely headed to the league as a late day one or early day two pick but returning for the 2021 season solidified his spot as a top-15 pick.
7. Philadelphia Eagles: DeMarvin Leal, DL, Texas A&M
The Eagles are back on the clock after just a couple of picks have passed and they once again focus on the defensive side of the ball. This time, they go with a defensive lineman, taking Texas A&M’s DeMarvin Leal.
Leal has been a difference-maker for the Aggies as an interior defensive lineman but he also has the versatility to move outside. There’s a pretty good chance he moves outside permanently in the NFL, but he could still slide inside in certain situations. That versatility could be huge for the Eagles who need to get their defense figured out.
8. Washington Football Team: Malik Willis, QB, Liberty
The Washington Football Team needs to get themselves a new quarterback after seeing that Taylor Heinicke isn’t the answer. Ryan Fitzpatrick’s eventual return to health could help in the short term, but he’s also closing in on 40-years of age so there was never any chance that he was going to be the long-term answer.
Enter Malik Willis who they snatch up with this selection. The Liberty quarterback began his career with the Auburn Tigers but was never able to break out until he made the move to a new program.
There are still concerns overall about his game but Willis has all the tools to be a dynamic playmaker as long as he gets the right coaching and development.
9. Denver Broncos: Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina
Teddy Bridgewater has been decent for the Denver Broncos but as has been the case for him at his other stops, he seems to be nothing more than a stop-gap. That leads to the Denver Broncos looking for a new quarterback — especially since it seems they’re out on Drew Lock.
Their pick here is Sam Howell from North Carolina. There was a time when Howell seemed to be the top quarterback in this class but as has been the case all season, that continues to change. There’s no clear-cut franchise guy but Howell is one of the players who seem capable of developing into a starter.
10. Carolina Panthers: Kenyon Green, OL, Texas A&M
The Carolina Panthers’ experiment with Sam Darnold has not gone as planned. After a hot start to the season, he and the offense have cooled off immensely and there seems to be almost no chance that they won’t bring in some competition next season.
However, they have shown a reluctance to go with a young player at the position after Matt Rhule tried Teddy Bridgewater in 2020 and Darnold in 2021. Chances are, he will go this route again and in order to get the most out of whoever starts, they add Kenyon Green to help strengthen the line.
Green is capable of playing guard or tackle and while it would be ideal for him to take over the blindside, he should have no problem upgrading one of their weakest spots.
11. New York Jets (via Seattle Seahawks): Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State
The Jets landed this pick in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks and no one expected it to be anywhere near a top-10 selection but things have gone off the rails for the Seahawks and it’s only gotten worse since Russell Wilson had to have surgery on his hand.
New York takes advantage of this as they land one of the best wideouts in the class taking Garrett Wilson from Ohio State. Right now, the Jets have Corey Davis who has been a great addition but getting another weapon for Zach Wilson will only help open up the offense.
12. Miami Dolphins (via San Francisco 49ers): Ikem Ekwonu, OT, NC State
There are some serious issues all throughout the roster for the Miami Dolphins. That’s been on full display as they’ve struggled all season and enter this weekend with just one win on the year. While that means they could look all over the place for help with this first pick, we end up settling on a new offensive tackle to help shore up the line.
They have been investing heavily in this area in recent seasons but the line remains a problem, so they keep adding talent. This time, it’s a fast-riser in Ikem Ekwonu who lands in South Beach after soaring up draft boards as of late.
13. New York Giants (via Chicago Bears): Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa
The Giants are now on the clock with the pick that was originally owned by the Chicago Bears. In the 2021 NFL Draft, the two teams made a deal as Chicago moved up for Justin Fields, and now New York is on the clock.
After bolstering their defensive line with their own pick, they now use this selection to beef up the offensive line with the selection of Tyler Linderbaum from Iowa. This might seem high for a center but teams that don’t have a solid player in the middle of the offensive line can detail just how important this under-valued position really is.
14. Atlanta Falcons: George Karlaftis, DE, Purdue
Could the Atlanta Falcons finally look for the heir to Matt Ryan? They should, but they probably won’t. Since he’s still putting up yards in losing efforts, they’re convinced he’s still the guy and that once again leads to them going elsewhere with this pick.
The good news is, they do at least land someone who is a great value here with George Karlaftis from Purdue. Karlaftis not only plays at a high level but he also would solidify one of the biggest weaknesses on the Falcons defense.
15. Philadelphia Eagles (via Indianapolis Colts): Christian Harris, LB, Alabama
Back on the clock for the third time, the Philadelphia Eagles are now up with the selection they gained in the Carson Wentz trade. Of course, there’s a chance this pick ends up being a second-rounder. The stipulation is that Wentz has to play 75 percent of all snaps for them in 2021 or 70 percent and take the Colts to the playoffs to become a day one pick.
As it stands now, he’s in line to play more than 75 percent so the prediction is that they will be on the clock here. And we stick with defense as well, this time grabbing Christian Harris from Alabama.
Harris is capable of playing sideline to sideline and adding him along with their other selections in this mock should completely turn their defense around.
16. Kansas City Chiefs: Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State
The Kansas City Chiefs haven’t been the same team we’re used to seeing this season. The big problem has been defense and that seems to be the way they might lean but at the same time, they could also use another wideout opposite Tyreek Hill.
With Chris Olave sitting there, it’s hard to pass on making the Ohio State wideout the selection. Olave is a solid route-runner who seems to catch everything that comes near him. If their defense is still going to have holes, adding Olave at least allows them to start winning shootouts again.
17. New England Patriots: Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson
The New England Patriots have been slowly climbing this season and after eight games (which is no longer the halfway point), they’ve improved to 4-4. It’s a far cry from the constant 12-14 wins per season they would get with TB12, but they’re trending in the right direction which is important.
In an effort to continue to build up the talent on their roster, they add Andrew Booth, Jr. from Clemson with their first pick. For years, Stephon Gilmore has been the No. 1 guy but with him gone, they get a little younger and begin to develop their next potential top corner.
18. Minnesota Vikings: Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida
One cornerback after another. Just after the Pats take Andrew Booth, Jr., The Minnesota Vikings grab Kaiir Elam from Florida. His father and uncle both played in the NFL so Elam is no stranger to what it takes to make it at this level and he seems to be a superior player to both.
In Minnesota, a lot will be expected of him. They have seemingly had one failed draft pick after another at cornerback and the issues in their secondary were on full display when they couldn’t stop Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb in Week 8 despite Cooper Rush being the quarterback in his first NFL start.
Elam won’t fix everything but he’s surely a guy who can start to bring some much-needed talent and youth into that defensive backfield.
19. Cleveland Browns: Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas
The NFL trade deadline was a weird one for the Cleveland Browns. They were front and center despite making no moves. This was thanks in large part to Odell Beckham’s father posting a video of his son running wide open while Baker Mayfield wouldn’t pass him the ball.
Whoever they want to blame, the Cleveland receiver corps makes far too much money to keep being a problem rather than a strength of that team, which means they’re likely to look for some younger and more affordable options in the offseason – especially now that they have released OBJ.
In this draft, they start that overhaul with the selection of Treylon Burks from Arkansas. He’s big, fast, and catches just about everything. Cleveland can use some of that in their suddenly stagnant offense.
19. Pittsburgh Steelers: Kenny Pickett, QB, Pitt
The demise of Ben Roethlisberger may have been greatly exaggerated.
Okay, so he’s still one of the elder statesmen in the NFL and isn’t the same player physically as he once was, but he can win with his savvy. Still, the Pittsburgh Steelers need to think about life after No. 7 and while Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins are there, they might have a hard time passing on Kenny Pickett should he still be here when they take the stage on draft night.
He has a higher pedigree than Rudolph did and Haskins is still an unknown following his issues in Washington.
21. New Orleans Saints: John Metchie, WR, Alabama
The way quarterbacks keep getting hurt, it might make sense for the New Orleans Saints to stockpile players there. Then again, they seem to be fine with whoever ends up starting, so maybe that’s not the best route.
What would be the best route is to finally add some more depth to the wide receiver’s corps. The absence of Michael Thomas in 2021 has only highlighted just how thin they are at the position. That’s why they grab John Metchie from Alabama here.
A smooth route runner with great hands, Metchie would be a great option across from Thomas but also has the talent to be the No. 1 guy should he continue to struggle with his durability.
22. Los Angeles Chargers: Kingsley Enagbare, EDGE, South Carolina
Joey Bosa is a stud but since Melvin Ingram left, the Los Angeles Chargers don’t have that second pass rusher who can make teams pay for focusing too much on Bosa. That changes with the selection of Kingsley Engabare from South Carolina.
A large defensive end at 6-foot-4 and 265-pounds, Enagbare seems to teeter around the first and second round depending on which draft board you ook at. His physical gifts and experience against SEC offensive linemen will only help boost his stock during the pre-draft workouts and that’s why he climbs to this pick with L.A.
23. Baltimore Ravens: Jaxson Kirkland, OT, Washington
The Baltimore Ravens have continued to play well this season even with a revamped offensive line. They continue to add to that unit as they pick Jaxscon Kirkland from Washington here.
Kirkland will help them get younger along the line as Alejandro Villanueva was brought in simply as a placeholder until they can bring someone else in.
24. Cincinnati Bengals: Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa
If you see me take a random trip to Cincinnati and drive slow through their downtown streets, don’t worry, I’ll just be taking a couple of victory laps about claiming the Bengals were brilliant for taking Ja’Marr Chase instead of Penei Sewell.
Sure, everyone who covered the draft wanted them to go with Sewell and while he would have been a good pick, Chase was a generational talent at receiver and already had a great rapport with Joe Burrow. Throw in the fact that they did get a stop-gap left tackle in free agency and there was no reason at all to skip on Chase.
Now, he’s destroying the league and setting rookie records and the Bengals can still get a talented player in the 2022 NFL Draft. In this mock, that player is Trevor Penning from Northern Iowa who could join with Jonah Williams and give them a decent line for years to come.
25. Las Vegas Raiders: Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia
There’s a lot going on with the Las Vegas Raiders right now but they have done a good job of not letting the off-field problems ruin their football season. They can continue to come together and build upon their success and then re-load their toolbox in the upcoming draft.
Here, they look to do this with the selection of Jordan Davis from Georgia. Listed at 6-foot-6 and 345-pounds, Davis is the size of a nose tackle but he can penetrate the way a three-technique can. His versatility will be huge for the Raiders who look to beef up their line even further with this selection.
26. Buffalo Bills: Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati
The Buffalo Bills offense has several playmakers and while it would make sense to bolster the running back room here, they seem content working with a committee approach. That turns their attention to the defensive side of the ball, where they target Ahmad Gardner from Cincinnati.
Gardner is blessed with great height at 6-foot-2 and understands what receivers are trying to do against him. He has 78 career tackles and eight interceptions as well as another 14 passes defensed.
Adding him opposite Tre’Davious White should help Buffalo slow down opposing aerial attacks as they look to continue to lead the way in the AFC East.
27. Dallas Cowboys: Drake Jackson, EDGE, USC
Randy Gregory has been a stud this season. He was one of the main reasons the Dallas Cowboys were able to win against New England and then he also helped make life miserable for Kirk Cousins this past week while Cooper Rush was introducing himself to the NFL.
While he’s a free agent after this season, it would be a shock to see Gregory leave Dallas — instead, he will probably sign a big contract that could mean they start looking for someone to take over for DeMarcus Lawrence in the future.
Enter Drake Jackson. A long and athletic pass rusher from USC, Jackson could be groomed into a dangerous pass rusher with the right coaching and they suddenly have that in Dallas.
28. Arizona Cardinals: Daxton Hill, CB/S, Michigan
One of the biggest surprises this season has been the Arizona Cardinals. They’re 7-1 and nearly made it to 8-0, had it not been for A.J. Green and Kyler Murray having an epic miscommunication at the goal line that gave the Packers a narrow win after Rasul Douglas netted a gift interception.
Offensively, this team is stout, and adding Zach Ertz was a huge plus. That allows them to focus on defense which leads to the selection of Daxton Hill from Michigan. Hill is a solid player capable of lining up at safety or cornerback and will simply go wherever he’s most needed.
29. Green Bay Packers: Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia
Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean is simply a play-maker. He has 37 tackles, five for a loss, and 3.5 sacks this season. Dean also boasts two interceptions on the season and ran one of those back for a pick-six back against Florida. On that play, he showed off his speed as he kicked in the afterburners and no one was catching him.
The Green Bay Packers tried to do some bargain bin shopping at linebacker this season but that didn’t work as they cut Jaylon Smith almost as quickly as they signed him. Now, they go for Dean, who will help solidify the position.
30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington
There’s plenty of offense in Tampa Bay but the Buccaneers could use more help in the secondary. This season, they even went after Richard Sherman in an attempt to get someone who can slow down the opposing aerial attack and while that hasn’t brought success, they never expected him to be a long-term answer.
Trent McDuffie, however, can be. The Bucs land the Washington corner with their opening-round pick as they continue to fight for more titles for Tom Brady. Perhaps a better secondary will help him accomplish that.
31. Tennessee Titans: Jalen Wydermyer, TE, Texas A&M
The Tennessee Titans are coming in at No. 31 in this mock draft since they are one of the hottest teams in the AFC but sadly, that could change quickly due to the injury suffered by Derrick Henry. However, we won’t count them out just yet — so they still come in at this spot. And they use the pick to get better at tight end by taking Jalen Wydermyer from Texas A&M.
Tennessee’s offense is very balanced even though there are still some who believe is that Henry has to do it all. However, they don’t have a stud tight end who can stretch the field.
Adding Wydermyer changes that and really can open things up for them going forward.
32. Detroit Lions (via Los Angeles Rams): Adam Anderson, EDGE, Georgia
The Los Angeles Rams hate draft picks more than the Rock hates Vin Diesel. It’s simply a feud that will never die and even general manager Les Snead’s kids have picked on his disdain for draft capital following his recent trade for Von Miller.
That’s why the final pick in our mock draft belongs to the Detroit Lions rather than L.A. as the Rams sent this one to the Motor City as part of their trade for Matthew Stafford. With the selection, they add Myjai Sanders from Cincinnati.
This season, Sanders hasn’t had the best statistical output but his body of work over the prior two seasons — coupled with his length and athleticism — should be enough for him to sneak into the end of Round 1.