1st Round 2022 NFL Mock Draft: Industry Version
Ready for a 2022 NFL Mock Draft? The main thing about trying to get a consensus on the many 2022 NFL mock drafts out there is there is no consensus. Anyone who labors to put together a mock tries to think for 32 different teams but there can be wildly different opinions of draft needs and strategies. After posting my first 2022 NFL Mock Draft of the season and an update from Mark, I reached out to some of the biggest names and sites and accumulated all the picks to see what other analysts were thinking. After gathering all the info, the results did not disappoint and were quite contrary to my mock draft 1.0. Thanks to all the other analysts who participated and contributed to this mock. Be sure to support their work and show appreciation for this updated 2022 NFL mock draft industry version. 1. Jacksonville Jaguars (Matt Schauf @ DraftSharks) Aiden Hutchinson (DE) Going with the odds-on favorite. You could argue that Travon Walker and/or Kayvon Thibodeaux carry more upside, but Hutchinson doesn’t lack there: 63rd-percentile speed score and 1.2 tackles for loss per game last year. 2. Detroit Lions (BidDaddyDrisk @ FootballAbsurdity) Kayvon Thibodeaux (DE) The Lions need a true difference-maker on the edge, and Kayvon Thibodeaux is that player. Athletic, bendy, and productive, the Oregon product fits perfectly into Aaron Glenn’s defense. 3. Houston Texans (Jody Smith- FullTime Fantasy) Travon Walker (DE) The Texans have needs at every position and can address tackle at 13. In Walker, Houston grabs an ascending talent in this 2022 NFL Mock Draft who blew away scouts and the Combine. Walker is an impact pass rusher and presence that will give the franchise the kind of defensive player they’ve lacked since J.J. Watt left town. 4. New York Jets (Nick Mimikos– StackAttackFantasy) Jermaine Johnson (DE) New York ideally wanted Thibodeaux here and lose out. Sauce Gardner would be the pick if trade-ups were an option but here the Jets take Johnson who they look to pair with Carl Lawson. 5. New York Giants (Jay Felicio– FrontYardFantasy) Evan Neal (OT) It was hard to choose between Ickey Ekwonu and Neal, but the versatility of Neal being able to start at multiple positions along the OL made the difference for me. Neal is ready to be a starter from day 1. Big, physical, and quick for his size, Neal is a great start to rebuilding an offensive line that has been in need of it for a very long time. 6. Carolina Panthers (Amr Gabr– Rotoviz) Charles Cross (OT) Ideally, the Panthers would love to trade back here with no second or third-round pick and lots of holes on the team. But for this exercise, I’m going with Charles Cross, even though Ickey is the better prospect, Cross can play tackle from the get-go. Shore up your offensive line. 7. New York Giants (Jay Felicio– FrontYardFantasy) Ahmad Gardner (CB) As tempting as it was to double-dip OL and go Ekwonu, Gardner is the easy pick here. A perfect fit for new DC Wink Martindale’s defense, Gardner replaces the most-likely cap casualty, James Bradberry. 8. Atlanta Falcons (Tim Talmadge 4for4) Kyle Hamilton (S) The Falcons have a ton of needs and the popular pick for them has been WR. However, this regime has preached going best player available and the best player here is Hamilton. 9. Seattle Seahawks (Cody Carpenter– PlayerProfiler) Malik Wilis (QB) No trade needed, the Seahawks stay at pick no.9 and get what they hope to be the heir apparent to Russell Wilson. Arguably the worst quarterback class since 2013, and at the top of the pedestal is Malik Willis. 10. New York Jets (Nick Mimikos- StackAttackFantasy) Garrett Wilson (WR) If the draft were to fall this way in reality, Joe Douglas would be taking Ikem Ekonwu here. He’s been aggressive for a WR1 and takes his WR here. This is the positional pick Jets fans want to see at 10. 11. Washington Commanders (Matthew Freeman– FantasyPros) Ikem Ekwonu (OT) The Commanders don’t have a massive need at tackle, but Ekwonu can start at guard right away and then eventually move to the outside. He simply represents too much value to pass on outside the top 10. 12. Minnesota Vikings (Kevin Tompkins– FantasyAlarm) Derek Stingley Jr. (CB) Stingley is the pick for the cornerback-needy Vikings, who will get Patrick Peterson – a former LSU alum – as a mentor. Stingley has injury concerns (missed 13 games in the past two seasons) but has the speed, ball skills, and is battle-tested against SEC. 13. Houston Texans (Jody Smith- FullTimeFantasy) Trevor Penning (OT) Expectations are that the Texans want to rebuild from the trenches. Although they just missed out on a crucial need at cornerback, here they nab a solid offensive tackle in Trevor Penning. If Nick Caserio is able to insert instant impact starters in two key positions, it will be a good start for the Texans. 14. Baltimore Ravens (Jase Abbey– IDPGuys) Trent McDuffie (CB) The Ravens were decimated at CB with injuries last year and couldn’t stop the pass. Peters is in the final year of his contract, and a quality third corner is a requirement, not a luxury, in today’s pass-centric league. What McDuffie lacks in size, he makes up for in aggressiveness. He is an excellent cover cornerback, one of the best players remaining, and he fills a need. 15. Philadelphia Eagles (Brandon Hamer– GridironExperts) Drake London (WR) How do you help a Quarterback who struggles with accuracy issues? You get him a massive 6’5 220 receiver who thrives on contested catches and compares his game to Mike Evans. Pairing him with the Slim Reaper and Dallas Goedert gives Jalen Hurts a dynamic trio to work with in 2022. What’s not to like about that? 16. New Orleans Saints (@RenshawFantasy– DynastyDads Pod) Chris Olave (WR) The Saints moved up to grab…Olave?! Olave is the best receiver on some boards and it’s no secret the Saints want to add some