2022 NFL Mock Draft: Five QBs go in Round 1 as Lions, Panthers and WFT target passers early
There is no Trevor Lawrence in this class, which leaves the race for the top pick wide open
By
Ryan Wilson
•
1 min read
The college football season is upon us and after Week 1 (save the Monday night Louisville-Ole Miss matchup) this much is clear: There is no surefire consensus on the top quarterback in this class. Oklahoma's Spencer Rattler and UNC's Sam Howell are preseason favorites, but both weren't particularly sharp in their respective debuts. That doesn't mean they aren't lights-out talents, just that it's anyone's guess how this QB class shakes out.
We were impressed with Nevada quarterback Carson Strong's 2020 season and he picked up where he left off in their win over Cal on Saturday. And we'll just go ahead and say it: if Strong was completely healthy (he has a knee injury going back to high school) he'd be our QB1 right now. He's that good. Instead, we have him "falling" to the Panthers at No. 9, for the time being, anyway.
In addition to the five quarterbacks selected in our first mock draft of the fall, we also have four wide receivers, seven offensive linemen, six edge rushers, and four cornerbacks. Keep reading to see how all 32 picks unfold, including two first-round selections each by the Giants, Eagles, Jets and Lions.
One other thing, and this is important: the draft order below was determined using SportsLine's Super Bowl odds but in reverse order. We know folks are going to be very angry about why we have their team picking so high but it's not our fault. These are your team's odds of winning a Lombardi Trophy.
NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
Round 1 - Pick 1
The only reason a QB doesn't go here is because the Texans used their first pick in the 2021 draft -- a third-rounder, as it was -- on quarterback Davis Mills. There's also no clear-cut Trevor Lawrence-type passer in this class, at least through Week 1 of the college football season. Instead, the Texans land Thibodeaux, who had sack and forced fumble in the first half vs. Fresno St. before leaving the game with an ankle injury.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
Rattler's stat line vs. Tulane looks impressive -- 30-39, 304 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs -- but the reality is he struggled. He forced throws (he should've been intercepted a third time) and looked out of sorts at times. That said, he has the tools to be a truly special player, he just needs to put it all together.
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Round 1 - Pick 3
The Jets could go O-line here too, but instead choose the best CB in this class, and perhaps in any of the recent draft classes.
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Round 1 - Pick 4
Neal is a an athletic marvel who has excelled at several O-line positions for the Crimson Tide. The Jags have to make protecting Trevor Lawrence a priority and Neal would be a layup here.
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Round 1 - Pick 5
Originally a defensive end, Leal has the versatility and athleticism to play up and down the line, though at 6-foot-4, 290 pounds he's primarily on the inside. He has the potential to be really, really good and this could be the year he puts it all together.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
Hamilton is a big, strong, fast safety who is the latest in a long line of freakishly athletic defensive backs.
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Round 1 - Pick 7
Green started as a true freshman and has only gotten better each year. He consistently moves defensive tackles off the line of scrimmage, a trait which translates to any level. He's moving to tackle for the Aggies in '21 after the O-line lost four starters.
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Round 1 - Pick 8
The Raiders haven't yet found success with 2020 first-rounder Damon Arnette, and former Clemson corner Trayvon Mullen (a 2019 second-rounder) has been replacement level. Booth has all the athleticism and tools to be special if he can just put it all together.
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Round 1 - Pick 9
If there weren't concerns about Strong's knee, we would have had him going earlier than this. He was sharp in the season-opening victory over Cal, showing off his arm strength and poise in the process. If Strong gets a clean bill of health and builds on his 2020 campaign, he could be the first QB selected next spring.
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Round 1 - Pick 10
Harris, who had five tackles and a sack in the blowout win over the University of Miami, could end up being the best of the recent crop of linebackers to come out of Alabama.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
The Baker Mayfield comps are going to be a thing all season, and when you watch Howell play it's easy to understand. The difference, at least after one game for Howell, is that Mayfield has an O-line to protect him; the Tar Heels' front five did little to help their QB in the loss to Virginia Tech.
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From
Chicago Bears
Round 1 - Pick 12
Olave had 117 yards and two touchdowns in Thursday's win over Minnesota, and if the Giants plan to stick with Daniel Jones, stockpiling offensive linemen and skill position players is the way to go.
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Round 1 - Pick 13
Elam has the size (6-foot-2, 190 pounds) and athleticism to be one of the best draft-eligible corners in '21. It looks like this might be Joe Haden's last season in Pittsburgh and the Steelers desperately need to restock the CB position.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
This is more of a projection at this point -- Cross didn't start until last season -- but his athleticism and movement skills make him an intriguing prospect. If he can makes strides in '21, he could find himself in Round 1.
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Round 1 - Pick 15
Jackson showed off his athleticism in the opener vs. San Jose State when he intercepted a screen pass, and after flashing during the shortened Pac-12 season in '20, he's looking for a breakout campaign in '21.
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Round 1 - Pick 16
Injuries and the pandemic saw him play limited snaps in '20, but Karlaftis was dominant at times in '19 when he recorded 17 TFLs and had 7.5 sacks. He was incredibly disruptive in the season-opener against Oregon State.
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Round 1 - Pick 17
The Colts could also be looking for O-line help here (or possibly even a QB), but Wilson is an explosive, do-it-all wide receiver who, along with Chris Olave, helped jumpstart the Buckeyes offense in the opener vs. Minnesota.
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Round 1 - Pick 18
There's nothing sexy about Slovis' game -- it's more steady-as-she goes, where mistakes are minimized and the ball goes to the right players -- but he certainly feels like a good fit in Sean Payton's offense. He'll need to have a good season to find his way into the first-round conversation.
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Round 1 - Pick 19
Dean made his presence known against Clemson, where he had two of the team's seven sacks. A fluid, explosive, springy, twitchy athlete who moves well in all directions, Dean doesn't miss tackles and feels like a Patriots player.
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From
Miami Dolphins
Round 1 - Pick 20
Production in 2021 will determine Harrison's first-round fate and he flashed against Minnesota on Thursday, with a strip sack that led to a Haskell Garrett TD rumble.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
Ekwonu is a monster, and more importantly, would be another piece to the O-line puzzle that protects Justin Herbert.
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Round 1 - Pick 22
Bonitto is a quick-twitch, high-energy edge rusher who had a half-sack in the Sooners' hard-fought win over Tulane on Saturday. He's always around the ball, something the Cowboys need more of near the line of scrimmage.
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Round 1 - Pick 23
Wydermyer was one of Kellen Mond's favorite targets for a reason: he was reliable and almost always open. The Titans lost Jonnu Smith in free agency and Wydermyer has a similar skill set.
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From
Seattle Seahawks
Round 1 - Pick 24
We were glad Hutchinson returned to school because we thought he needed to continue to improve his game before declaring for the draft. He has the size and bulk for the part, and the Jets have needs off the edge.
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Round 1 - Pick 25
Ross missed the 2020 season because of a neck injury but he was on track to be a first-round pick. Instead, he returned to school, and had four grabs for 26 yards in the season-opening loss to Georgia on Saturday.
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From
San Francisco 49ers
Round 1 - Pick 26
There was some speculation that the Dolphins might target Najee Harris with one of their first-round picks in the spring (it didn't happen), and if Tua Tagovailoa continues to develop, the team can continue to build around him. Spiller is dynamic with the ball in his hands as both a runner and a receiver.
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From
Los Angeles Rams
Round 1 - Pick 27
This may be too high for Faalele, who opted out last season, but offensive linemen are often over-drafted because they're so important, and Faalele, who weighs in the 380-pound range, moves more like he is a hundred pounds lighter. His addition in Detroit would also allow Penei Sewell to move back to the left side.
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Round 1 - Pick 28
At 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, Burks is a Grown Man. And while you may not have heard much about him nationally, he has all the tools to be WR1. That said, the Packers drafting wideouts in Round 1 might be too-little, too-late to convince Aaron Rodgers to stay.
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Round 1 - Pick 29
Linderbaum is one of the best offensive linemen in the country and the Ravens will need to upgrade several positions on their unit this offseason.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
Kendrick was in the conversation as a first-round pick in the 2021 draft before returning to Clemson and then entering the transfer portal. He's now at Georgia, and a strong season will likely make him one of the first defensive backs selected next spring.
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Round 1 - Pick 31
Corral needs a breakout season to find his way into Round 1, and, oh-by-the-way, the Bucs have this guy named Tom Brady on the roster. But even if Brady plays another 2-3 years, Corral can be a Lamar Jackson/Trey Lance/Taysom Hill-type quarterback in the interim (and yes, the Bucs used a third-rounder on Kyle Trask in the spring, but Corral brings a completely different dynamic to the QB position).
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Round 1 - Pick 32
Petit-Frere is still growing into his body, but he excels at pass protection and makes sense in Kansas City as the team looks to revamp its offensive line.
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