2022 NFL Draft: What every AFC team should focus on in round one
By Sean Basile
Cincinnati Bengals (Pick #31)
This pick should be purely focused on the offensive line. We all know the need the Bengals have at the position.
They’ve got a shot at Bernhard Raimann, Daniel Faalele, and Trevor Penning for a tackle position, Kenyon Green, Zion Johnson, and Darian Kinnard for a guard position, and Tyler Linderbaum for the center position.
A handful of those guys would be first-round reaches, but if you’re the Bengals in this spot, I believe you can afford to reach to seal up one of the bigger holes on your roster.
However the Bengals want to play it and move guys around, I’m sure they’ll figure it out.
Pittsburgh Steelers (Pick #20)
I don’t know what the heck the Steelers are thinking if they really want to go with Mitch Trubisky as their starting quarterback for 2022.
Pick #20 here should either be a quarterback like Kenny Pickett with the UPitt connection, or it should be a wide receiver- perhaps the tail end of the top-level guys like Drake London, Chris Olave, or Jameson Williams if they fall.
I love the fit of Pickett coming over from the Pitt Panthers and starting a new era of Steeler football with a young core around him like Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool, and Pat Freiermuth.
Young receivers. Young quarterback. Everybody can come up and grow together. Pickett fits the Big Ben mold with his size and mobility.
Quarterback is my favorite position for this pick. Wide receiver is next. And then I’ll also throw in an O-lineman as my third choice if they can land on a Charles Cross or Trevor Penning.