This NFL mock draft is based on what I would do personally if I was the GM for each team drafting. Players are selected based on my own draft board and team needs while also taking into account where the players would realistically go in the actual draft. A full evaluation has been done on all of the potential first-round players as well as most of the potential second-third-round players. Note: The draft grade doesn’t account for positional value, as it changes on a year-to-year basis, but the positional value is accounted for in their big board’s ranking as well as in mock drafts.
Draft Grade: 82.6
Rather than having OT Evan Neal be taken number-one overall, given this team invested highly into their O-line in free agency and seems set on their starting Tackles, it makes sense to take the best Edge available. Kayvon Thibodeaux isn’t far off in value compared to Neal and has a much high upside than what Aidan Hutchinson has. It’d be a bit worrisome spending the number one pick on a player that is as raw as Thibodeaux is as Jacksonville hasn’t done a good job of developing edge rushers in the past. However, it does help a lot to have a great ascending pass rusher in Josh Allen, while this culture also has a chance to turn around if Trevor Lawrence can reach his potential. There is nothing wrong with taking Aidan Hutchinson here as what is projected to actually happen, but Thibodeaux is personally a better choice by a slim margin.
Draft Grade: 82.1
I have the Jets using their 2022 35th overall pick among another late pick to move up two spots with Detroit, to take Edge Aidan Hutchinson. What makes it worth it to trade up is that Hutchinson will fill a crucial role that is needed for this type of defensive scheme and also doesn’t pose any risk to bust. This role is what Nick Bosa played under Robert Salah for the 49ers, and is what gave their defense the push to be an elite unit. Hutchinson will be needed to rush the passer consistently at a high level while also still having a key role in run defense, and I see no reason he couldn’t do this. It is still unlikely to see Hutchinson play on the same level as Bosa in the pros, but it is very rare to have a prospect like Bosa available, and New York doesn’t expend any future draft capital to do so.
Draft Grade: 83.1
After Houston finally reached a deal with another franchise which turned out well for Houston’s sake considering the circumstances, this pick should simply be the best available player. The Texans should be lucky to have the chance to draft Evan Neal as he’s the only true blue-chip prospect available, though it appears very likely he’ll be available at pick three in the draft. It will be upsetting if Houston passes on Neal as there are no legitimate concerns with him as a prospect, besides little things to nitpick. He can plug right in at RT and be a quality player immediately and has elite traits for a prospect that could make him one of the best O-lineman in the league.
Draft Grade: 81.2
For Detroit, the value at two isn’t the greatest, and trading down a few spots would be the best for them. It happens to make sense for the Jets to trade up, and luckily for Detroit, Ikem Ekwonu is available who’s the player that would’ve gone number two anyway. Adding Ikem Ekwonu will make this one of the best run-blocking O-lines in 2022, and could very well be the best all-around O-line in the future. Fans would love to see Malik Willis get taken here, but there’s a good chance to draft a QB who isn’t far off from Willis in the 30-40 range. Even if Detroit doesn’t get a QB, it’s not like they won’t be able to win games with Jared Goff; he just isn’t going to take this team to a SuperBowl and if your goal is to get a top tier QB, then this isn’t a good year to do it.
Draft Grade: 80.7
The giant’s biggest issue in 2021 on offense besides the play-calling was pass protection and while they already have Andrew Thomas at LT who had an impressive season, moving him to RT and plugging Charles Cross in at LT would give them a potential elite Tackle duo. While Thomas is a stud as a run blocker, Cross increases the balance of the O-line by giving them a stellar pass protector. Cross is a prototypical pass protecting Tackle and faced serious competition at Mississippi State and held his own which isn’t easy by any means. Given the Giants also have pick seven, it allows them to sure up the O-line and also gets a young QB to develop. The skill positions on this offense are already well above average, and on defense, there are two good safeties in place so there’d be no purpose to getting Hamilton, but even though fifth overall is a bit early for Cross, he will be a crucial part of the offense in New York for many years.
Draft Grade: 81.4
As the draft season has progressed, it’s become apparent that Garrett Wilson is a lock to be a top ten pick in this draft. He is the number one receiver by a considerable margin and makes this offense far more suitable for a QB in the future. There is already a good amount of talent in this secondary, making it rather irrational to take Derek Stingley. Wilson will free up opportunities for DJ More in this situation and will drastically improve the surrounding core on offense for when they get their next QB.
Draft Grade: 82.1
The Giants are very likely going to have the opportunity to take Derek Stingley with one of their first-rounders, and it is hard to find good reasons to pass on him. Unless Thibodeaux and one of the top-three Tackles are also available, Stingley would be an easy selection despite having two great corners already on the roster. In this situation, he wouldn’t be forced to be a full-time starter early on and could slowly work his way back to being a dominant corner.
Draft Grade: 73.1
Following the Matt Ryan Trade, Atlanta is set to get one of the top QBs available in this draft in hopes of them becoming a franchise QB. Malik Willis would’ve been the guy here if Matt Ryan or some other veteran was here to start and mentor him for a year or two, but since he is gone, it’s better to draft a safer player. It’s ideal to have Sam Howell sit for a year too but he has less to improve on as a passer and has upside not too far off from Willis. Howell will be a great scheme fit under head coach Arthur Smith and this team could find good value at the receiver later on in the draft making for a pretty solid situation for him to step into.
Draft Grade: 81.8
After the blockbuster trade sending Russell Wilson to Seattle, they enter the stage of a rebuild, and although it seems obvious to draft a QB, it would make more sense to sign a veteran and wait for a better opportunity as they’ll have two first-rounders next season and none of these top QBs would be great scheme fits either. Sauce Gardner would be an excellent scheme fit in Seattle and is an all-around stellar athlete, who could very well become a dominant number one corner for them. You’d hope for him to improve his technique in press as he completely relied on his strength while at Cinncinatti. This press cover 3 defense in Seattle will be great at not just utilizing his press, but also his great man coverage and range in deep-zone coverage.
Draft Grade: 79.4
It is only fair to assume Deebo Samuel will be traded sooner than later, and not only is it most likely but is also the most logical that he gets traded to the Jets in return for their tenth pick among another mid-round pick. There could be no better prospect to fill the void of Samuel than Treylon Burks would as he’s the perfect type of receiver to be used in this offense. No other coach would do a better job scheming up opportunities and utilizing his strengths than Kyle Shanahan would as well. While it may seem a little high for Burks, other teams who run similar offenses are going to be willing to overdraft him making it a good decision to take him here.
Draft Grade: 80.9
Washington lost their superstar guard Brandon Scherff and needs a quick replacement to help make this offense functional. Whoever lands Zion Johnson in the draft is likely going to get a borderline pro bowl level talent from day one, and has the upside to be a similar level impact as Brandon Scherff was for this team. Washington’s offense is pass-heavy and getting a guy like Johnson who’d be a rock in pass-pro from the interior would be more valuable than any other player available.
Draft Grade: 81.0
With Trent McDuffie available, it is considerably difficult easy to pass on some of the edge rushers available. The cornerback position was a major weak spot in this defense last season and McDuffie is a better overall prospect than anyone else left. Denver hired Ed Donatell to be their defensive coordinator which means they’ll likely be using a quarters heavy scheme. As previously mentioned this scheme would suit McDuffie very well and gives him very low chances of failing.
Draft Grade: 80.1
The Packers need an athletic vertical threat to open up this offense and Jameson Williams is too good to not trade up for after the 49ers traded to get Burks. They wouldn’t have to give up a ton to do this and it puts them in a much better position to compete for Rodgers’s final few seasons. Marquez Valdes-Scantling is a solid vertical receiver, but Williams is much more dynamic and offers much better route running. If Green Bay wants to be serious about winning a Super Bowl, they’ll have to make a bold move like this.
Draft Grade: 78.5
This has been a heavily mocked draft selection among the draft community, but it is for good reason, as he used to be teammates with last season’s first-round pick for Baltimore, Odafe Oweh. Not only were they just high school teammates, but they were also great friends with each other, and this article explains more detail about it, “David Ojabo Would Love a Reunion With Odafe Oweh” by Clifton Brown. Not only would they be filling their need of a second long-term edge rusher, but you’d get great chemistry and competition between the two of them after reuniting them with each other. Similar to Oweh, Ojabo is an athletic edge with high upside traits, but with a lot of room to grow. Ojabo isn’t the strongest player but has such great speed and natural get-off combined with his physical mentality. He could ultimately develop a good bull rush with how explosive he is, but will primarily lean on his bend and finesse to generate pressure.
Draft Grade: 81.0
The goal here would’ve been to get Jameson Williams, but with there being a lot of teams who need an upgrade at receiver, the best one available is Chris Olave. Olave doesn’t bring much of a different skillset than Devonta Smith does, but this team needs any good receiver to help see if Jalen hurts is the answer or not. Olave is the one receiver who is least likely to bust in the NFL and it helps to feel that way when drafting one in the first.
Draft Grade: 78.2
It wasn’t obvious who to take here, as all of their targeted players are gone, but Leo Chenal is an amazing long-term replacement to Demario Davis. Because New Orleans has the 19th Pick and another top-50 pick as well, it gives them the luxury to draft a defensive project like Chenal. He will immediately add value in run defense and be a great Blitzer but will need time to develop his coverage skills and general feel for the game. Getting a QB and a receive with their next two picks, plus Chenal would make for one great draft which is needed in New Orleans.
Draft Grade: 81.4
With there being no good positional needs to take at this point, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to trade down, but it is hard to pass on a prospect like Daxton Hill in the mid-first. Nassir Adderly is a fine safety with solid upside, but what Daxton Hill could be in this defense doesn’t even compare. This Quarters heavy defense in LA is absolutely perfect for Hill as he can utilize his elite quickness, man coverage skills, and overall versatility playing as a safety. Having him, Derwin James, and J.C. Jackson in this secondary alongside an elite pass rush could make this a historically good defense.
Draft Grade: 78.0
The Eagles pulled off a great trade with New Orleans as not only did they come away with more draft value, but considering the first-round talent this year is far weaker than other drafts, it is very smart to use one of their three first-rounders as leverage as that future first will likely eventually turn into a more valuable player than they would’ve got this year. It typically isn’t wise to take off-ball linebackers in the first, but Devin Lloyd is far more NFL-ready than the typical prospect and LB is exactly what Philadelphia needs on defense. Lloyd would fit any scheme or role well, but the impact he’d bring is specifically what this defense was lacking in 2021. With his age being close to 24, his upside isn’t anything amazing unless his body and athleticism still hold up well, into his 30s. However, his floor is entering the league is one of the best in this class and he has the type of traits you’d want to bet on.
Draft Grade: 71.7
New Orleans acquired another first-rounder in the trade with Philadelphia allowing them to get a great receiver prospect and still take a first-round QB. Malik Willis and Matt Corral are both better prospects, but considering Kenny Pickett would get to play a majority of his games in a dome, and this O-line is still really good despite losing Terron Armstead, it makes it much more feasible to take him 19th overall. Pickett would likely have a very solid career if drafted by New Orleans and would quickly help this team get back to the playoffs if the rest of their picks are good.
Draft Grade: 73.0
Malik Willis will very likely not be available for Pittsburgh at 20, so it’d require a trade-up in the draft to take him, but since there were no other great landing spots or trade partners, he falls to Pittsburgh. While Mitchell Trubisky isn’t ideal for him to sit behind, there is at least a serviceable starter there to play in 2022. Willis would have a talented and versatile group of playmakers on offense, and with a year of development, plus another offseason, this O-line could be solid.
Draft Grade: 78.4
Although this is almost certain not to actually happen in the draft, this would be one of the best landing spots possible in any draft. LB Leo Chenal would also be a great selection and scheme fit for New England, but a true pass rush is ultimately more important than what a linebacker does. It appears the league in general views very highly of Travon Walker whereas I see his pass rush being far from good enough for the NFL. He has all of the potential and room for development teams would want in a top-five pick but his floor is far too risky compared to other players. Playing for New England would not only be a great scheme fit, but he would have time to sit and develop while Bill Belicheck is better than anyone at developing defensive players. Walker would have the versatility to be used in all sorts of different packages in this hybrid defense and would have a good role in both pass-rush and run defense.
Draft Grade: 79.1
Acquiring Treylon Burks on this team to pair with Aaron Rodgers and this play-action style offense would be an A+ draft pick. He’d not only immediately fill an important role but has the upside to be an elite player in this offense who can have elite production. The value of Burks may not appear that obvious but he has multiple elite traits that pair specifically well with the offense Matt Lefleur runs. Speed and RAC ability are crucial in this offense as a receiver as well as the ability to block as outside zone runs are very common. Besides Garrett Wilson, this is the best receiver Green Bay could possibly ask for in this draft and they’ll have another first to add on top of it.
Draft Grade: 79.2
George Karlaftis falls in this mock draft and while Linderbaum is available, EDGE is a much more important position than Center. George Karlaftis will quickly replace the loss of Chandler Jones who was an incredible impact on this team. With all of the high upside Edge prospects this year, Karlaftis has flown under the radar during the draft process despite having an elite season for college standards. It’s unlikely Karlaftis will ever be as good as Jones was, but he at least is more than likely not going to be a bust, especially playing next to JJ Watt.
Draft Grade: 77.4
Dallas had one of the weakest interior defensive line groups in the league last season so it only makes sense to take one of the few legit prospects available at that position this year. Although Wyatt is almost 24 and was a late breakout at Georgia, he has traits that will translate very well in the NFL. He has ideal size and showed elite get-off and bend on film and also pulled off an elite level pass-rush move at the senior bowl. There reportedly are concerns about his off-field character, but Dallas is already a winning organization with a good culture making it more suitable for Wyatt; plus it is evident he is a hard worker.
Draft Grade: 77.3
This is one of those picks where it’s hard not to draft a specific player as he’s not only likely be available, but also fits their scheme well, and is a position of need for Buffalo. Andrew Booth has great quickness and coverage instincts, and while he has some flaws and lack of experience, this is great value to take him. Booth mostly played zone coverage at Clemson though he has traits that will allow him to excel in man but will just need time. Regardless his size and athleticism give him a solid floor entering the league.
Draft Grade: 78.5
The draft community in general views Drake London as a top ten player which is an unwarranted amount of hype for multiple reasons. It is unrealistic for him to go in the top ten based on his poor speed, but it wouldn’t be the most surprising thing in the world; he best fits in a play-action scheme or as a slot. London would fill the void of their number-two receiver and will have a lot of short-intermediate routes in this scheme. This wouldn’t be a big steal, but London could make a huge impact and possibly have elite production in this offense.
Draft Grade: 79.1
This would be a steal for Tampa Bay as Kenyon Green is a fantastic guard prospect who’d replace the Ali Marpet retirement very well. Green would be great for all of the power running schemes they run and has a great anchor in pass protection. There isn’t really much you could say wrong with this pick as not many other great prospects are on the board, and this is simply a great landing spot.
Draft Grade: 77.9
The Giants have a good opportunity to trade up eight spots to take a great Edge prospect in Jermain Johnson. If it weren’t for his age and late breakout, he’d be much higher on the draft board, but because of that, plus the depth of this Edge class makes him fall. His size, athleticism, and pass rush moves are very good. Johnson would immediately be a starter next to Ojulari and would give this pass rush a much higher upside.
Draft Grade: 75.2
The Chiefs could use a receiver here but there is a particular player in mind who’d be better value in the second. Arnold Ebiketie is a good Edge prospect who’d immediately help this pass rush and allow Chris Jones to continue playing on the interior. He hasn’t received a ton of hype due to the depth of this EDGE class but has borderline elite get-off paired with some great finesse moves. He doesn’t have amazing potential with his lack of size and strength but is a very pro-ready player with a good character.
Draft Grade: 77.4
Having Kaiir Elam available here is great for Kansas City as he’s just the type of corner they look for and is close to being a true first-round talent. Elam has great long speed alongside great size, giving him the upside to be a great corner in this defense. As he excelled in man coverage at college, he’ll translate very well in this Kansas City Defense. It is disappointing to not get a receiver after losing Tyreek Hill, but there will be good opportunities in the second round.
Draft Grade: 80.5
Tyler Linderbaum happens to fall here as could happen in the draft due to his limitations to playing in a zone-run scheme, plus his positional value too. The Bengals really need offensive line help and also use a zone-run scheme that works out perfect to be able to get him at 31. Linderbaum had a good development track at Iowa and has a high chance of succeeding for this team.
Draft Grade: 73.1
With multiple more picks soon after this for Detroit and with a QB as talented as Matt Corral available at pick 32, this is a no-brainer. Matt Corral is my second-ranked QB and very well may be gone at this point in the draft, but it just didn’t make a ton of sense for some of the other teams to take him over other players. Now that this O-line will be one of the best in the league, and a quality receiver prospect can be taken with one of the early seconds, this team is in a great position heading forward.
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