We have officially entered the heart of mock draft season, as the 2022 NFL Draft is just over two weeks away. With all of the rumors and smokescreens, you can expect mock drafts to experience major shakeups every day. How many quarterbacks will go in the first round? Who will be that first team to take that quarterback, and who will the player be?
The way I see it, quarterbacks won't be a hot commodity on April 28. The teams that are interested in drafting quarterbacks may not even have to trade up to get their guy. This class is headlined by some talented players on the offensive and defensive fronts, and that will be evidenced by the first few picks.
Let's jump into our best guesses for the first round.
NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
Round 1 - Pick 1
Jacksonville will debate who it should take with the top pick, but the Jaguars ultimately land on Hutchinson.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
The Lions could use a star pass-rusher, and they will take Thibodeaux after their hometown hero is selected at No. 1. Dan Campbell said he wanted a Day 1 starter with this pick, and that's exactly what he will get with the former Oregon star.
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Round 1 - Pick 3
Neal is one of the favorites to go with the top pick in the draft, and the Texans will quickly stop his "fall." He can play multiple spots on the offensive line, and should be a key building block as Houston continues its rebuild.
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Round 1 - Pick 4
Walker is a player who has flown up draft boards over the last month, and reportedly has a chance to go No. 1 overall. While I don't see that happening, he still will go high. Robert Saleh gets a key defensive piece to work with.
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Round 1 - Pick 5
Ekwonu may be the best offensive lineman in the draft, and he's one of the safest picks in this entire class as well. If you want to find out if Daniel Jones is the future, then protect him.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
Surprise! People are set on the Panthers taking a quarterback with the No. 6 overall pick. I don't think it's that much of a given. Carolina has spent this offseason retooling the offensive line, and that continues with finding a franchise left tackle.
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From
Chicago Bears
Round 1 - Pick 7
Hamilton may be the best player in the draft, and he's a versatile defensive playmaker who will make an immediate impact. New York finds itself as an early winner in the draft.
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Round 1 - Pick 8
Atlanta is another team that will consider taking a quarterback, and even though the Falcons get a chance to take the first one, they ultimately will pass and take the first receiver. If you want to give Marcus Mariota a chance to prove he's the future, then get him another pass-catcher. Wilson is considered by many to be the best available from this class.
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From
Denver Broncos
Round 1 - Pick 9
The Seahawks probably did not expect to get their choice of QB at No. 9 overall, but they take advantage of the opportunity by selecting Willis. The Liberty product may not be the quarterback best set up to start Day 1, but he undoubtedly has the most upside.
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From
Seattle Seahawks
Round 1 - Pick 10
New York prepares to get "saucy" with Gardner. The Jets need a cornerback, and choose him over Derek Stingley Jr.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
You won't see Olave being selected this high in most mock drafts, but Washington goes back to the well by taking another Ohio State wide receiver. Olave is an interesting prospect. He's a safe bet to make an impact in Year 1, but does he have star upside? I think he does. This is also a move to help make Terry McLaurin more happy.
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Round 1 - Pick 12
Stingley may be one of the best players in the draft, or he may be a guy who never gets his pro career off the ground due to injuries. Even if he's a gamble, it's one worth taking.
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From
Cleveland Browns
Round 1 - Pick 13
I think Johnson may be a secret draft crush for several GMs, and don't be surprised if he goes before No. 13 overall. Johnson is another defensive building block that could lead the Texans in sacks in 2022.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
The Ravens could use a young cornerback that is ready for playing time immediately, and will have to make a tough decision between McDuffie and Andrew Booth Jr. I bet Baltimore is intrigued by his competitive fire.
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From
Miami Dolphins
Round 1 - Pick 15
I feel like we are going to get more clarity when it comes to London's potential draft position soon, but it's probably in the middle of the first round as opposed to him being selected in the top 10 or falling into the 20s. Philly should be enticed by London's size and versatility.
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From
Philadelphia Eagles
Round 1 - Pick 16
Penning is one of my favorite players in the draft, and he could be a starter at left tackle immediately for the Saints. It's always a question if stars from smaller schools like Northern Iowa will have the same impact at the next level, but with how tough Penning is, I'd be more than willing to take a shot on him.
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Round 1 - Pick 17
Davis probably deserves to be selected before No. 17 overall, but he's an immediate starter on the defensive line at 6-foot-6, 341 pounds. The Chargers added multiple pieces on the defensive line this offseason to bolster what was a terrible run defense last year, but that doesn't mean they will pass on a talent like Davis.
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From
New Orleans Saints
Round 1 - Pick 18
The Eagles got a wide receiver they needed and now get a cornerback. Booth isn't considered to be one of the top two CBs in this class, but he's talented enough to do whatever is asked of him on defense and possesses upside.
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From
Philadelphia Eagles
Round 1 - Pick 19
Are we really sure the Saints are taking a QB in the first round this year? They signed Jameis Winston to a multi-year extension this offseason, and looked pretty good with him in the contests he started in 2021. New Orleans may be better suited to use its first-round picks on a left tackle and a wide receiver. Williams won't be ready by Week 1 due to a torn ACL, but he may be the best receiver in this class. Teams will be kicking themselves if he falls this far.
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Round 1 - Pick 20
The Steelers are patient in the first round and survey their options at No. 20 overall. They ultimately land on the Pitt quarterback, who lit up Heinz Field this past season. Pickett is probably the most accurate quarterback in this class, but it remains to be seen if he will be the best at his position when we look back at this class in five years.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
Lloyd with the Patriots is something I'm hoping for. He has been one of the best linebackers in college football over the past few seasons thanks to his athleticism, versatility and football IQ.
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From
Las Vegas Raiders
Round 1 - Pick 22
Burks is another one of my favorite players in this class, because he's a big-body wideout who can do several things on offense. While they are different players, I would like to use Burks a bit like the 49ers do with Deebo Samuel. Burks is a gamer who should make an immediate impact.
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Round 1 - Pick 23
The Cardinals have need for a starter on the defensive line, and Wyatt is a stud.
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Round 1 - Pick 24
Wyatt is certainly a target for the Cowboys if he falls this far, but Hall wouldn't be a bad selection at defensive tackle either. He's kind of connected to Payton Turner since he followed him as the next productive Houston defensive lineman, and just like Turner, Hall could sneak into the first round.
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Round 1 - Pick 25
Cornerback is a need for the Bills since Levi Wallace left for Pittsburgh.
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Round 1 - Pick 26
Titans get a legitimate Rodger Saffold replacement who is a good run blocker.
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Round 1 - Pick 27
The Bucs are probably live to go any number of different directions here, but they draft a guard to replace the other of the two they lost this offseason.
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Round 1 - Pick 28
The Packers got a much-needed wide receiver at No. 22 overall, and now add a pass-rusher.
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From
Miami Dolphins
Round 1 - Pick 29
The Chiefs are drafting a wide receiver somewhere in the first round. Dotson is a good route runner who could find success immediately with Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
If you haven't noticed, I have cornerbacks flying off the board in the first round. That could cause Gordon to surprisingly sneak into the opening round, and Kansas City has a need at the position.
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Round 1 - Pick 31
Dean may be one of the better players in this entire class, and he would be a nice little steal at the end of the first round.
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From
Los Angeles Rams
Round 1 - Pick 32
The Lions raise some eyebrows with the final pick of the first round, taking the 6-foot-4 pass-catcher out of North Dakota State.
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