NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
Round 1 - Pick 1
I have low confidence in this actually being the pick for Jacksonville. I could see the franchise tossing around the idea of taking one of those offensive linemen, and there has been a lot of buzz about the Jaguars heavily considering Travon Walker, who parlayed a strong career for the national champions into a strong combine performance. For now, I am sticking with Hutchinson.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
For the second consecutive year, Detroit takes a talented prospect out of Oregon in the top 10. Thibodeaux's off-field interests seem overblown to me. It is 2022 and most athletes are considering their social media and brand presence. I do not get the impression that he is a troublemaker off the field, so it really will be handled on a team-by-team basis.
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Round 1 - Pick 3
Ekwonu is probably capable of playing all five positions along the offensive line. He could play guard or right tackle for a year before taking over for Laremy Tunsil if that is the route the franchise elects to go. Regardless, there is no harm in building a strong offensive line that is capable of protecting Davis Mills and giving him an opportunity to show his potential in 2022.
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Round 1 - Pick 4
Edge rusher is a position the Jets will almost certainly address in the top 10. The expectation is that at least two edge rushers will be off the board with one of those being Hutchinson. New York's decision is likely to come down to Kayvon Thibodeaux, Jermaine Johnson II and Walker. In this scenario, they take Walker to pair with Carl Lawson.
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Round 1 - Pick 5
A porous offensive line has been the narrative surrounding the Giants for years. They have grown frustrated and committed to going all in over the past two years. The effort could continue even in the absence of their once fearless leader -- general manager Dave Gettleman. Neal is a unicorn in regards to his size, but when the athleticism is there to match, it is a scary proposition. New York plucks him off the board.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
Carolina may trade back, but it would be a surprise if the pick was not ultimately a quarterback. Unless they become a player for Baker Mayfield -- who is a better player than any quarterback in this class, but is going to be looking for a contract extension soon -- then the team will be in the mix for a quarterback. One thing that is important to note is the comfort the head coach and general manager have in their roles. If they are concerned about another suboptimal year leading to their dismissals, then that could impact the thinking of taking a developmental prospect.
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From
Chicago Bears
Round 1 - Pick 7
There is a lot of smoke that James Bradberry is going to be traded to clear salary cap space. If that happens, then it creates an immediate void on the roster. Gardner would fill that role and give defensive coordinator Wink Martindale length and play-making ability that he covets at the position.
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Round 1 - Pick 8
Atlanta could add three wide receivers in this draft and no one would bat an eye. The Calvin Ridley suspension has the Falcons desperate for play-making ability. Desperation should not drive their thinking, however, because they are a ways off from contention. They should take best player available, and I could still argue that is Wilson.
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From
Denver Broncos
Round 1 - Pick 9
Seattle has always been known for those long, often physical, athletes in the secondary. Stingley is not as physical as what the Seahawks have historically had, but he is a blue-chip talent at a position of need. The LSU product answered doubts about his current medical status at his Pro Day, and the runway is clear for the franchise to add a player at the position after losing Shaq Griffin and D.J. Reed over the past two years.
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From
Seattle Seahawks
Round 1 - Pick 10
Thinking back to Zach Wilson's collegiate career, he was known to throw passes up to his receivers allowing them to make a play. London is a player who uses his body well to create separation and high point the football. It is a natural fit despite New York tipping its hand in interest of Tyreek Hill.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
With Drake London off the board, it should be a relatively easy choice for Washington at No. 11 overall. Hamilton is an instinctual player who can erase tight ends or play downhill and make plays in the backfield. He is the type of prospect who will endear himself to Ron Rivera.
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Round 1 - Pick 12
With both of the top cornerbacks off the board, Minnesota makes a play for not only the present, but the future. Johnson gives the Vikings a rotation of pass rushers that include Za'Darius Smith and Danielle Hunter. If they want to move on from either when it becomes cost-prohibitive to keep them all, they now have the flexibility to make that happen.
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From
Cleveland Browns
Round 1 - Pick 13
Houston needs to add talent and, although investing in a nose tackle to start a rebuild has not exactly worked out for Carolina, teams are not going to go broke taking a profit. Davis is a good football player and fills an immediate need for an improved run defense.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
Baltimore traded away Orlando Brown Jr., and Ronnie Stanley has battled injuries of late. Considering the ground game is the foundation of the Ravens offense, the franchise would be wise to invest in the position and have some options down the road. There is a lot of buzz that the Northern Iowa product is not going to make it beyond this pick.
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Round 1 - Pick 15
Injury or not, Williams is a wanted man in this draft class. He has the speed and route-running nuance to attack all three levels of the field. If he had not gotten injured, odds were pretty good that he would have been the first wide receiver selected and he still may.
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From
Indianapolis Colts
Round 1 - Pick 16
New Orleans lost Terron Armstead in free agency. Unless it is comfortable fighting the good fight with James Hurst or Landon Young, I would imagine the team has intentions of using one of those first-round picks on an offensive tackle. Cross happens to be the best available.
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Round 1 - Pick 17
Cincinnati saw how beneficial three wide receiver sets were for Joe Burrow, so adding a player the caliber of Chris Olave gives them the chance to spread coverage thin. Justin Herbert should be able to put up career numbers with this offensive structure.
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From
New Orleans Saints
Round 1 - Pick 18
Wyatt is a part of a strong rotation with Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave. It is difficult to envision Cox playing much longer, so having a ready-made replacement on the roster is an enticing possibility. The Georgia product was one of the best performers at the NFL combine.
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From
Philadelphia Eagles
Round 1 - Pick 19
New Orleans would probably prefer someone a little different from Michael Thomas, but options have dwindled. The reality is that Thomas has been dealing with an injury that has sidelined him for 26 games over the past two years. It is dangerous to consider any wide receiver a complement to Thomas when the Saints may need to be thinking about life after the former Buckeye.
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Round 1 - Pick 20
Pittsburgh and Carolina stand out as teams most likely to take a quarterback in the first round. It would not be a surprise if the Steelers traded up for their player of choice considering they were aggressive in 2019 to snag Devin Bush. There is a lot of discussion about general manager Kevin Colbert leaving a quarterback as a legacy, much like what Ozzie Newsome did in Baltimore. It would be wise to carry that line of thinking over all seven rounds as Colbert looks to surround that quarterback of choice with the offensive talent capable of allowing success.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
 
Daxton Hill
S
Michigan
• Sr
• 6'0"
/ 195 lbs
Hill is a very versatile player who has worn many hats for the Wolverines. He has proven effective as a safety and slot cornerback, but Hill could probably play on the boundary in a pinch. New England values versatile defensive backs and the Wolverine certainly provides.
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From
Las Vegas Raiders
Round 1 - Pick 22
The Packers have to be aware of the possibility that they miss out on the top wide receiver options unless they trade up. In this scenario, it is Kansas City getting left out of the wide receiver party as Green Bay gets Dotson.
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Round 1 - Pick 23
There is a lot of discussion about whether or not Linderbaum is going to go in the first round. The ceiling, to me, is Cincinnati at No. 31 overall. Even with the investment in Ted Karras, they would be wise to embrace a long-term option. Dallas and Arizona stand out as a few other teams that could be of interest. Rodney Hudson is not getting any younger and his play dipped a bit last season. Linderbaum could be an immediate uprgrade.
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Round 1 - Pick 24
Dallas lost Randy Gregory in free agency and rebounded by signing Dante Fowler Jr. Fowler has bounced around from team to team, so it would be foolish to expect an extended stay. Karlaftis is a heavy-handed power rusher who will push the pocket.
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Round 1 - Pick 25
Shorter arms? Buffalo does not care. McDuffie is an easy selection for the Bills as they continue cultivating a championship-caliber roster. With the return of a healthy Tre White, plus the additions of Von Miller and McDuffie, the AFC East franchise has built a unit to be feared.
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Round 1 - Pick 26
I have enough self-awareness to know that Tennessee fans do not want a linebacker. I understand there is some confidence in Zach Cunningham, but I am not personally at the same point. I could move off this position group by draft week, but I think adding a rangy linebacker would free Bud Dupree and Harold Landry to work vertically.
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Round 1 - Pick 27
Johnson to Tampa Bay has been a weekly occurrence in my mock draft. I am not a Buccaneers fan, so it is not done out of bias; it just happens. The addition would allow the team to continue its claim as one of the best offensive lines in the league with Donovan Smith, Johnson, Ryan Jensen, Shaq Mason and Tristan Wirfs.
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Round 1 - Pick 28
Elgton Jenkins has done everything for the Green Bay offensive line since he arrived. He is a stud. While I agree he could play right tackle, I would rather he stay inside where he has spent the majority of his career and bring in a prospect like Raimann to play on the opposite end of David Bakhtiari.
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From
Miami Dolphins
Round 1 - Pick 29
Mafe to Kansas City is another fit I really like. He always seems to be available at this stage of the first round, and it is a natural progression from Melvin Ingram to the Minnesota pass rusher. Mafe is a bendy player who has cloud coverage and is better in run defense than he is credited.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
Kansas City missed out on the top wide receiver prospects by staying put, so it gambles on Watson, who was arguably the biggest winner of the NFL combine. He tested off the charts and offers the upside of a prospect coming out of a run-heavy offense. It could pay off down the road.
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Round 1 - Pick 31
Cornerback is a big position of need for Cincinnati. It did well to add some veterans last year to stop the bleeding, but it had to be addressed long-term. Booth has exposure to man and zone coverage schemes but is one of the few with the size and speed capable of becoming that lockdown cornerback in the NFL.
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From
Los Angeles Rams
Round 1 - Pick 32
By taking Ridder with the final pick in the first round, the Lions gain a cost-controlled fifth year in his contract if they so choose. Some argue the validity of the deal in today's NFL, but if Baker Mayfield had been the answer in Cleveland, the Browns would have happily paid the $19 million rather than a franchise tag or contract extension north of $35 million.
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