The New Orleans Saints already made one huge trade, now they make another as they shake things up in this 2022 NFL Mock Draft
Even before the draft has gotten here, there’s already been a major trade as the New Orleans Saints wound up landing a couple of picks in the opening round. Now in this 2022 NFL Mock Draft, they again make a huge move as they jump ahead of a divisional rival in order to secure their quarterback of the future.
This class might not be known for elite signal-caller talent, but there are a couple of players who could prove to be starters in the NFL and as we have seen in the past, teams are willing to overpay for such hope.
With that being said, let’s dive into the opening round with the first overall pick.
Jaguars start off the 2022 NFL Mock Draft with elite left tackle
1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Ikem Ekwonu, OT, NC State
Trevor Lawrence had a rookie season to forget but the hope for the Jacksonville Jaguars is that many of the struggles were due to the fact that Urban Meyer was in way over his head. Now with Doug Pederson, who has a Super Bowl win under his belt, the Jags will try and help Lawrence reach his potential.
One way to help him is to add a potentially elite left tackle, which they do by selecting Ikem Ekwonu at No. 1 overall.
2. Detroit Lions: Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Michigan
With the second overall pick in this mock, the Detroit Lions go after Aidan Hutchinson from Michigan. No player rose their stock as much as Hutchinson did by returning for one more season as he goes from a potential late pick in Round 1 to someone who could be seen as the first overall pick.
While he doesn’t go No. 1 in this mock, he ends up in a spot where he can help a team rebuild their defensive identity as the leader on that side of the ball.
3. Houston Texans: Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon
When the Houston Texans were at their best, they had one of the best defensive ends in the game. With J.J. Watt, a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year, as the leader of the franchise, they were heading to the playoffs with guys such as Brock Osweiler running the offense.
Now, they’re in the midst of a major rebuild as they’re turning the team over to Lovie Smith and will again roll out Davis Mills as their starting quarterback. In an effort to start rebuilding their roster, they add the top prospect on the board here as they bring in Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux.
He will have a long way to go in order to be compared to Watt, but having a potentially elite edge rusher leading the defense is a great first step.
4. New York Jets: Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame
The New York Jets have two picks in Round 1 for the second season in a row. After going with Zach Wilson and Alijah Vera-Tucker in 2021, they now start to rebuild the defense as they bring in Kyle Hamilton from Notre Dame with the No. 4 pick.
It’s not often a safety goes this high but Hamilton is no ordinary safety. He’s an elite playmaker who can line up all over the defense and makes the entire secondary better.
2022 NFL Mock Draft trade prediction: New Orleans trades No. 16 and No. 19 to the New York Giants for No. 5 overall, future third-round pick
5. New Orleans Saints: Kenny Pickett, QB, Pitt
It seems very unlikely that the New Orleans Saints made their recent move with the Philadelphia Eagles to stay put. New Orleans now has the No. 16 and No. 19 picks as they traded their own selections at No. 18, 101, and 237 in this draft as well as a 2023 first-round pick, a 2024 second-round pick.
It would be strange to see them give up so much with no clue who will be there at 16 and 19, which is why a predicted trade happens here — and they make that deal with the New York Giants as they give up their two picks in this round to move to No. 5.
Here, they take Kenny Pickett from Pitt as they make sure their divisional rivals, the Carolina Panthers, don’t land the player who looks to be the top signal-caller in this class. The Saints did re-sign Jameis Winston but his contract isn’t large enough to keep such a move from happening and the two can compete for the starting role in 2022.
6. Carolina Panthers: Malik Willis, QB, Liberty
The worst kept secret in the league this season has been the Carolina Panthers interest in Kenny Pickett, which leads to the aforementioned trade. The good news is, there will be options for Carolina as they could look to trade for Baker Mayfield if they don’t get Pickett or they could go for the next best quarterback, Malik Willis.
This would be no consolation prize either as Willis is a playmaker who arguably has the highest ceiling in this class. He’s a dual-threat who needs time to hone his skills but can become something special.
7. New York Giants (via Chicago Bears): Travon Walker, EDGE, Georgia
The New York Giants are in a great spot in this 2022 NFL Mock Draft as they went from having two picks in the top-10 to having three picks in the top-20 and a future third. Their first comes in at No. 7, a selection they actually earned in a trade with the Chicago Bears last season.
Chicago jumped up for Justin Fields which means New York is on the clock at No. 7 and they use that pick on Travon Walker from Georgia. Walker is one of those players who just did everything well but was often overshadowed by some of the bigger names around him at UGA.
However, he showed out at the combine and his pro day and ends up sliding into the top-10 and will be the centerpiece of the Giants’ defense.
8. Atlanta Falcons: Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State
Without cheating, name one wide receiver who will play for the Atlanta Falcons in 2022. Even before Calvin Ridley was hit with a year-long suspension, the Falcons receiving corps needed help — and it even seemed as though Ridley was on his way out before the suspension.
That’s why they have to go for a wideout here and their choice is Garrett Wilson from Ohio State. Wilson is a player who can do it all, and the Falcons need it all. Sounds like a great match.
9. Seattle Seahawks (via Denver Broncos): Evan Neal, OT, Alabama
This ends up being a bit of a fall for Evan Neal, who once looked to be a player in the No. 1 overall pick conversation. However, the mini-run on quarterbacks and the fact that Ikem Ekwonu has become the top tackle means he’s still on the board at No. 9.
For the Seattle Seahawks, this is great news since they need a new left tackle of the future. The 6-foot-7, 345-pound Neal can be that for them as he’s the perfect mix of size, athleticism, and strength for the position.
Now, the only question left to answer is if he will be blocking for Drew Lock, or will Seattle go for someone else.
10. New York Jets (via Seattle Seahawks): Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati
With their first pick in this draft, the New York Jets took Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton. Adding him makes it seem like overkill to then take a cornerback at No. 10, but they could use someone at the position and Ahmad Gardner is still sitting on the board.
In the end, that’s who New York takes and they wind up with the best safety and the best cornerback in this class. If they can get a fully healthy season from Carl Lawson on the edge, this defense could be vastly improved in 2022.
11. Washington Commanders: Kenyon Green, OG, Texas A&M
The Washington Commanders (who should have stuck with the Football Team as their moniker) added Carson Wentz this offseason as their new starting quarterback. Wentz will be on his third team in as many seasons and while he has talent, he also has a lot of questions.
One is his leadership ability and the other is his health. While he played in all 17 games for Indy last season, he had some problems along the way. With his history in mind, the Commanders decide to bring in Kenyon Green to play guard.
Green will replace Brandon Scherff as Washington tries to build up a strong enough line to keep Wentz upright for the foreseeable future.
12. Minnesota Vikings: George Karlaftis, DE, Purdue
The Minnesota Vikings are up next and they need to rebuild their defensive line. They seem to have made Danielle Hunter happy but they have to hope he can stay healthy, something he has struggled with as of late. Even if he is on the field, they could use an upgrade at the opposite defensive end spot, which is where George Karlaftis comes in.
A product of Purdue, Karlaftis is the best power rusher in this class. He’s NFL-ready and will be one of those players who winds up with a much better pro career than a collegiate one.
13. Houston Texans (via Cleveland Browns): Derek Stingley, CB, LSU
Yet another team with multiple picks is back on the board as the Houston Texans are on the clock at No. 13. This is the first of many selections they earned in the Deshaun Watson trade with the Cleveland Browns — and the first of three Round 1 picks.
Houston doesn’t seem willing to package their selections and go after a quarterback just yet so they continue to draft the best possible players while rebuilding their roster. That leads them to LSU cornerback Derek Stingley, who was widely considered the top corner until Ahmad Gardner showed out this season.
Stingley is still a great prospect and should be able to help the Texans get their defense back on track.
14. Baltimore Ravens: Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia
Lamar Jackson is the face of the Baltimore Ravens right now but this is still a franchise that has been known historically for its play on the defensive side of the ball. Even now with Jackson and the offense looking vastly improved — when he’s healthy, of course — the Ravens continue to boast a strong defense.
That shouldn’t change especially if they continue to focus on that side of the ball in the draft, which they do here with the selection of Devonte Wyatt from Georgia. Listed at 6-foot-3 and 304-pounds, Wyatt could play end in the Ravens’ three-man line but also slide inside on four-man fronts as well.
He’s a disruptive player who ran a 4.77 in the 40-yard dash which only helped remind teams what kind of athleticism he brings to the table.
15. Philadelphia Eagles (via Miami Dolphins): Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia
They no longer have three picks in the 2022 NFL Draft but they have two as the Philadelphia Eagles will be on the clock at No. 15 and No. 18 this year. They will also have two picks in the 2023 opening round, which means they can completely stockpile talent on their team.
This process begins with Nakobe Dean from Georgia. Adding a linebacker who makes plays all over the field did wonders for their rivals in Dallas and while Dean isn’t the same type of player as Micah Parsons, he can still make a major impact on the Eagles defensive gameplan.
16. New York Giants (via New Orleans Saints through Philadelphia Eagles through Indianapolis Colts): Drake London, WR, USC
The second of three picks for the New York Giants following our predicted trade comes here as they end up with the No. 16 selection. It’s been a long path for this pick as it originally belonged to the Colts who traded it to Philly for Carson Wentz. It was then sent to the Saints in the recent trade and in this 2022 NFL Mock Draft, it again switched hands as New Orleans went after their quarterback.
Now, the selection is finally made as the New York Giants add Drake London from USC. They do already have Kenny Golladay and Kadarius Toney but neither did enough in 2021 to prove they’re No. 1 targets and this new regime has no ties to them, so they won’t avoid a little competition.
17. Los Angeles Chargers: Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia
As it stands now, the Los Angeles Chargers already have a stout defensive line with Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa on the edge. Now with their first pick in this draft, they make it a potentially elite line as they add Jordan Davis from Georgia.
Davis is a massive player at 6-foot-6 and 341-pounds but can also move. He ran his 40-yard dash in 4.78 minutes which is insane for such a large human.
His addition will help the Chargers shut down the run but he can also bring it in the passing game as well. The AFC West is suddenly stacked with offensive firepower but the Chargers also could end up with enough defense to slow some of that down.
18. Philadelphia Eagles (via New Orleans Saints): Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama
Even though they have two picks now instead of three, the Philadelphia Eagles can still make a huge impact in this coming draft. After already taking Nakobe Dean to bolster their defense, they now go after Jameson Williams from Alabama to revamp their receiving corps.
Williams tore his ACL late in the season but is expected to be ready to play by Week 1. Even if that’s not the case, Philly has DeVonta Smith so they don’t have to rush Williams but when he does return, they could wind up with one of the best receivers in this class — and would suddenly have an elite corps after years of suffering in this department.
19. New York Giants (via New Orleans Saints through Philadelphia Eagles): Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State
For the final time in this mock, the New York Giants are on the board. There could be a temptation to make a move and if there’s a team wanting to jump up for a certain position, they could very well do that. But in this mock, no one is desperate for any player still on the board so the Giants take Charles Cross from Mississippi State.
Cross feels like a sure-fire prospect who can give New York a starting tackle for years to come. Landing him at 19 feels like a bit of a steal, and this team can use some steals.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa
Back-to-back offensive tackles are off the board as the Pittsburgh Steelers now add Trevor Penning from Northern Iowa. For the past couple of seasons, the offensive line has been a bit of a problem for Pittsburgh and they’ll need to get that fixed if they hope to have any success with Mitch Trubisky — who doesn’t get the ball out as quickly as Ben Roethlisberger could.
Penning played at a smaller program but he more than held his own at the Senior Bowl and continued to show he has a mean streak on the field.
21. New England Patriots: Jermaine Johnson, EDGE, Florida State
The New England Patriots landed a perfect player for them in the 2021 NFL Draft when they took Mac Jones from Alabama. The young quarterback did everything he was supposed to do and took them to the playoffs in his first season.
While they could stand to build up the offense around him more, the Patriots typically go in their own direction, which is why this prediction has them taking Florida State edge rusher Jermaine Johnson at No. 21.
Johnson is a former community college star who went to Georgia before breaking out last season with Florida State. He’s a strong player off the edge and New England has always loved to add talented defenders.
22. Green Bay Packers (via Las Vegas Raiders): Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State
Davante Adams is no longer with the Green Bay Packers, which just feels weird. With the first pick they got back from Vegas, the Packers decide to bring in a new No. 1 receiver as they take Chris Olave from Ohio State.
Olave is a burner who can separate from his defender and with the accuracy Aaron Rodgers has, they can really run up the yardage. There’s no way he will replace what Adams can do but it will at least give Rodgers a legit threat in the passing game.
23. Arizona Cardinals: Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa
Rodney Hudson had a rough season in 2021 as the veteran center saw a huge dip in production. With that being the case, the Arizona Cardinals elect to get much younger at the position as they add Tyler Linderbaum from Iowa, who is the top center in this class.
Linderbaum is a smart player who makes all the right calls on the line and plays with a bit of an edge — that can be contagious. Arizona had some issues with Kyler Murray and while a new contract is what will fix everything, it couldn’t hurt to revamp the line in front of him.
24. Dallas Cowboys: Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas
Most of the names on the Dallas Cowboys 30-visit list have been made public and what really stands out is how many wide receivers they have coming to town. Dallas is looking at Chris Olave, Drake London, and Treylon Burks — all who are expected to be taken in Round 1. This indicates they are willing to use the 24th pick on a wideout and with Burks still sitting there at 24, they pull the trigger.
We can argue all day as to whether or not it was smart to trade Amari Cooper and open up this need, but this isn’t the time. As for the pick itself, the Cowboys land a big-bodied wideout who can break tackles after the catch and is capable of high-pointing the ball as well.
There will also be the connection made to Arkansas since Jerry Jones loves the school but they rarely ever take players from there so that’s one of the most tired and untrue narratives out there. In the end, this is a solid player who fills a need — one they created on their own.
25. Buffalo Bills: Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington
Despite a major need at the position, the Buffalo Bills have not done anything to bolster their cornerback depth chart this offseason. That likely means they have their mind made up on where they will spend their 25th pick in this draft — which would be on the best corner available.
Thankfully for them, there are some good prospects that should be available, including Trent McDuffie from Washington. McDuffie is known for his high IQ and ability to play both in the slot and on the outside. He might not be the most gifted athlete on the board but he will be a steady pro who makes very few mistakes.
26. Tennessee Titans: Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State
Jon Robinson, the Tennessee Titans general manager, has not gotten a ton of production just yet from his previous two draft classes. He understands this and recently said he wants to find players who can help them as soon as possible.
"“We need them. They got to be productive players for us,” Robinson explained. “This year’s draft class, the 2022 class, to what degree they can help the football team? Obviously, the sooner the better.” Robinson said, via Ben Arthur of the Nashville Tennessean"
Enter Penn State wideout Jahan Dotson. Tennessee didn’t get what they wanted from Julio Jones and ended that relationship after one season. Now, they bring in Dotson who is a completely different type of receiver but could be a perfect complement to A.J. Brown.
Most importantly, he should be able to make an impact from day one.
27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: DeMarvin Leal, DT, Texas A&M
DeMarvin Leal hurt his draft stock with his performance in the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine but there’s still a lot of tape out there that shows he can be an effective player. The real issue for him is that he wasn’t very explosive in his workouts, including running a five-second 40-yard dash.
What this means is he will likely be a defensive tackle or possibly a 3-4 defensive end, rather than an edge player. That’s fine, especially if he lands with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who can use him as a replacement for Ndamukong Suh.
Leal might never be a 10-sack guy, but he can be a factor, especially on a team that’s as smart on defense as the Bucs have been under Todd Bowles.
28. Green Bay Packers: David Ojabo, EDGE, Michigan
After taking wideout with their first pick, the Green Bay Packers are back on the clock and take David Ojabo from Michigan at No. 28. There was a time when Ojabo looked to be a borderline top-10 pick but a torn Achilles suffered at his pro day hurt his stock.
Green Bay, however, takes a flier here as they get a potentially elite pass rusher late in Round 1. They will likely have to wait for him to get healthy but this is a team that’s usually planning for late January play, and they will be happy to have such a player at full health come this time next season.
29. Kansas City Chiefs (via San Francisco 49ers through Miami Dolphins): Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson
The Kansas City Chiefs have back-to-back selections near the end of the draft after they made their blockbuster trade with the Miami Dolphins which sent Tyreek Hill to South Beach. It could be tempting for them to package these picks into a trade but it also might be better to simply hold onto the picks and add two more first-round players to an already stacked roster.
That’s the route they go here as they bring in Andrew Booth, Jr. from Clemson with their first pick. Booth continually progressed throughout his time with the Tigers and should help the Chiefs secondary improve, which will be needed now that the AFC West is so stacked with firepower on offense.
30. Kansas City Chiefs: Boye Mafe, EDGE, Minnesota
Right back on the clock, the Chiefs now add a defensive end with Boye Mafe from Minnesota. Many of us are late coming around to how highly viewed Mafe is, as he’s become an apparent day one target.
Kansas City needs to get better at pressuring the opposing signal-caller and that’s something Mafe can do. His presence and ability to get after the quarterback will make the job easier for everyone else on defense.
31. Cincinnati Bengals: Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah
It seemed to be a foregone conclusion that the Cincinnati Bengals would be taking an offensive lineman in Round 1 but then, they overhauled 60 percent of their line in free agency. Now with Alex Cappa, Ted Karras, and La’el Collins coming in, they look pretty stout on the line.
That’s why they can turn their attention to another need as they add Utah linebacker Devin Lloyd. They did get some great play from Logan Wilson and adding Lloyd to the mix gives them another playmaker in the middle of the defense.
Cincinnati is one of the AFC teams loaded with offensive talent and now they can get a little better at keeping games from being shootouts.
32. Detroit Lions (via Los Angeles Rams): Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati
After taking Aidan Hutchinson at No. 2 overall — and just before being back on the clock at No. 34 in — the Detroit Lions get to close out Round 1 with pick No. 32.
Here, they take Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder who could compete with Jared Goff in 2022. Should he get beaten out as a rookie, it’s not the end of the world as they can then slowly move him along.
Either way, they need a better long-term solution and Ridder can be that for them.
It also makes plenty of sense to grab him here — even if he might not have a Round 1 grade — since they have another pick around the corner and this allows them to have five years to decide on Ridder as their future under center.