Tag: 2022 Mock Draft

2022 NFL mock draft: Who takes the 1st QB off the board?

Which top quarterback prospects hears his name called first in this 2022 NFL mock draft?

The 2022 NFL draft has some blue-chip prospects, but none of them play the game’s most important position.

How long will be have to wait to hear a quarterback’s name called when next April rolls around?

In the latest 2022 NFL mock draft from CBS Sports, the first passer doesn’t come off the board until the No. 10 overall pick, where the Denver Broncos grab Mississippi’s Matt Corral.

“I think Matt Corral is the most ready to contribute to an NFL team right now,” CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards says of the pick. “Corral and Nevada’s Carson Strong have shown maturity and improved decision-making, which has them sticking out to me. I think Corral is more in line with what a lot of teams are looking for right now.

Strong isn’t the next quarterback selected in Edwards’ mock, though. That would be North Carolina’s Sam Howell, who lands with the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 15 overall.

“Let’s be honest, Pittsburgh has to make a change at quarterback and we are not projecting veteran trades, so that means it addresses it in the draft,” Edwards says. “Sam Howell is never going to be one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL, but I think he can consistently be the player the Steelers need to play complementary football.”

In fact, Strong doesn’t even crack the first round in this projection, as Liberty’s Malik Willis (No. 30 overall, Detroit Lions) is the only other quarterback selected the rest of the way.

Some other surprises in this mock include a center going in the top five (Iowa’s Tyler Linderbaum, No. 5 overall, New York Giants), Michigan edge defender Aidan Hutchinson (No. 12 overall, Atlanta Falcons) and Florida CB Kaiir Elam (No. 32 overall, Tampa Bay Buccaneers) going later than usual, and Central Michigan offensive lineman Bernhard Raimann leaping into the first round (No. 28 overall, Baltimore Ravens).

To check out the full first-round projection at CBS Sports, click here.

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Mock draft watch: Lions tackle problem areas in latest Draft Wire mock

Our Zack Moran breaks down the Lions haul from Draft Wire’s latest mock draft, which projects two popular choices to Detroit

With a disappointing 0-6 record this season, the Detroit Lions find themselves sitting in the driver’s seat for the top selection in the 2022 NFL draft. The Lions are littered with so many holes, and with two picks in the first round, they can fill those desperate needs by injecting some top talent into the organization.

Draft Wire editor Luke Easterling introduced his latest mock draft and hit both sides of the ball with familiar faces while filling in the gaps plaguing this team.

At No. 1 overall, Oregon pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux finds his seat as not only the best pass rusher in the 2022 class, but probably the best player overall, especially in what’s often regarded as a weak quarterback class. Even though he has missed some time this year, he proves to be a consistently dominant force when he is on the field. With his blend of speed, agility, bend, and athleticism, he would instantly upgrade not only the Lions’ pass rush but the defense as a whole.

With the No. 28 selection from the Rams, the Lions tag their potential franchise quarterback in North Carolina’s Sam Howell. It would not have been tough to find Howell not among the top selections in the early stages of the draft process, but with a rough start to his season, he has fallen out of love with most. He is not afraid to sling down the field with a cannon of an arm to make those throws while under pressure. He displays the grit and tenacity that would fill well into what Detroit is trying to build.

Detroit Lions Podcast: Interview with QB analyst Mark Schofield

However, when he lost most of his offensive talent last year, he hasn’t been able to elevate the talent around, which is the same issue Detroit is dealing with Jared Goff. Also, with the simplistic RPO offense North Carolina implements, it might be tough to gauge if Howell can run a more advanced offensive scheme.

Thibodeaux and Howell have been popular options for the Lions starving for answers to a point PFF has the same players slotted to Detroit in their latest mock draft. If the season continues the way it is, I expect Thibodeaux to Detroit on top this year as much as Trevor Lawrence to Jacksonville was last year. It’ll be interesting to see if any quarterback emerges to take over the top spot, but now no one is jumping up and down as that must-have prospect that would warrant the top selection.

2022 NFL mock draft: Which QB prospects are still worthy of the 1st round?

Draft stock is all over the place for this year’s top quarterback prospects, so which ones might still land in the first round?

Every year, the NFL draft conversation is driven by the top quarterback prospects, and it helps when there’s plenty of blue-chip talent at the game’s most important position.

That doesn’t appear to be the case for the 2022 class, which doesn’t have anywhere near the same quality and depth we saw from last year’s crop of signal-callers.

Draft stock is all over the place for some of this year’s top passers, and it’s anyone’s guess at this point which one might be the first one off the board come next April, and how many of them might end up warranting first-round consideration at all.

Keeping that in mind, here’s an updated look at how the first round of the 2022 NFL draft could shake out, using the latest updated order following Week 6 results:

Mock draft watch: Lions attack big needs in Draft Wire’s latest 3-round projection

The Lions pick at No. 2 and No. 24 overall in the first round in the latest projections

The latest 3-round mock draft from Draft Wire cuts right to the chase for the Detroit Lions. Detroit has major needs on both sides of the ball, and this set of projections from Draft Wire editor Luke Easterling hits them prominently.

The 2022 NFL draft projection sees the Lions picking No. 2 overall with their own pick and then selecting No. 24 in the first round with the pick acquired from the Los Angeles Rams. With big needs for impact talents, these choices check off a lot of boxes for Detroit.

At No. 2 overall, it’s Oregon pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux. He’s the consensus top pass-rushing talent in this draft right now despite being sidelined with an injury for the last few weeks.

With the Rams pick, now projected at No. 24 overall, Nevada QB Carson Strong gets the nod. Strong continues to earn more positive reviews each week and has the kind of big arm and gutsy mindset that might remind Lions fans of a recent longtime starter in Detroit.

The Day 2 picks address the Lions’ needs on the perimeter. Clemson wideout Justyn Ross is the first pick of the second round at No. 33, while Auburn CB Roger McCreary projects as the second pick of the third round. The NFL alternates picks by round for teams that finish with the same record, and right now the Lions and Jaguars remain the league’s only winless teams after Week 5.

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Mock draft watch: Lions 3-round mock bolsters major weak points on the roster

Draft Wire released the latest 2022 3-round mock draft and addressed many of the weak areas surrounding the Detroit Lions

With an 0-4 start for the season for the Detroit Lions, some are holding out hope for some relevance this season, but some have their sights on next year’s draft.

The 2021 roster was already labeled as one of the league’s weaker rosters, and it seems like it is getting much worse each week. It seems like a key player is landing on either injured reserve or missing games, causing an already decrepitated roster to almost hit rock bottom.

Every week it is relatively easy to see where the major wrinkles sit with the Lions, and this week Luke Easterling tackles those areas in his latest Draft Wire 3-round mock draft.

1st round (2nd overall):  Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon

1st round (26th overall): Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina

2nd round (33rd overall): Drake London, WR, USC

3rd round (66th overall): Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn

Another year, another Oregon Duck in the 1st round for the Lions, but this time on the defensive side. Unfortunately, we haven’t seen much from Thibodeaux due to an ankle injury in the season opener, but some believe he doesn’t have much more to prove in the college ranks. However, as an elite pass rusher with a special blend of athleticism, he is someone the Lions desperately need on defense to turn around this ship.

Many believe Jared Goff is not the answer at quarterback, but this year’s crop of college quarterbacks has not lived up to expectations. One of those disappointments being Sam Howell from North Carolina, who was touted as a potential No. 1 overall pick. He has been repeatedly mocked to the Lions with their first pick through the year, but some of the luster has worn off. What he lacks in overall arm strength he makes up for through his accuracy. Many have compared Howell to Baker Mayfield, and the offensive line the Lions are building could work but may take time.

It is not outrageous to say the Lions have one of the worst receiving corps in the league. In the last draft, people were begging for Brad Holmes to take a wide receiver, and he eventually did by taking Amon-Ra St. Brown in the fourth round. But here comes another USC wideout to the Lions. London currently leads the FBS with 670 receiving yards and as an early contender for the Biletnikoff Award for college’s most outstanding receiver. In addition, former USC quarterback Carson Palmer hailed London as the next Megatron due to his big, physical talent. Now I’m not sure about that, but those are big shoes to fill if that were the case.

Currently, the Lions’ cornerback corps is a little muddied right now. Jeff Okudah suffered an Achilles injury that may alter his career in the future. Also, the depth behind him in Amani Oruwariye and Ifeatu Melifonwu is not giving any warm fuzzies. However, McCreary is the type of corner that will fit well in the Lions defensive scheme with strong instincts and smooth transitions due to his strong athleticism. This year is the first time he has been a full-time starter, but so far, he is stepping up and could provide a potential strong presence in a much-needed Lions secondary.

Lions mock draft watch: A 1st-round CB shakes things up

Lions mock draft watch: A 1st-round CB shakes things up in the latest 3-round 2022 NFL mock draft from Draft Wire

The latest 3-round set of projections for the 2022 NFL draft from Draft Wire offers up a fresh idea on how the Detroit Lions can advance the second year of the rebuild under GM Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell.

Instead of addressing the obvious needs at pass rush or wide receiver with the first pick, or even landing the possible QB of the future, this projection lands the Lions a premium cornerback. With the No. 2 overall pick, a slot based on current Super Bowl odds, the Lions select LSU CB Derek Stingley.

Detroit does get a quarterback with the second pick, the first-round pick acquired in the trade with the Los Angeles Rams. Liberty QB Malik Willis gets the nod, though that is quite a bit later than Willis is coming off the board in many contemporary projections.

In the second round, speedy Alabama WR John Metchie would make quite a splash in Detroit. Draft Wire editor Luke Easterling follows that up with Miami safety Bubba Bolden in the third round, adding an influx of talent at arguably the Lions’ biggest positions of need for Day 2 of the draft.

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Could Spencer Rattler’s landing spot in recent mock draft impact Jalen Hurts?

In Pro Football Focus’ latest mock draft, Spencer Rattler is no longer the top quarterback taken, and his spot could impact a former Sooner.

College football is back in full swing. Saturdays are filled with games upon games. Teams are still feeling themselves out, and players are still trying to make, maintain or elevate their reputations. These reputations and pedigrees can translate to major moves as the season draws closer to the end and the draft, which is synonymous with a college football season’s ever-changing narratives, continues to grow.

The Oklahoma Sooners have a few players under consideration for the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. However, their leader and signal-caller is the one that’s being considered as a possible top pick.

Pro Football Focus doesn’t see it that in their most recent 2022 NFL mock draft.

Malik Willis, a talented quarterback out of Liberty with a cannon and running ability in spades, has the top spot in their mock heading to the Houston Texans.

Rattler, in this exercise, comes off the board at number seven to the Philadelphia Eagles. That would make for an interesting conundrum. Yeah, that’s the spot where former Sooners quarterback Jalen Hurts is the current starter for the 1-0 Eagles.

Hurts had a nice week one in his attempt to further solidify his spot as the Eagles starter after a 27 of 35 for 264 yards and three touchdowns that he packaged with 7 carries for 62 yards.

No NFL GM is writing this, but I’d venture to say that if Jalen keeps up anywhere close to this level of production, development as a passer and decision-maker, and the Eagles remain competitive, they’d be hard pressed to find a need for another quarterback.

And in the case of the Eagles, they can’t keep investing premium draft capital on the QB position. The Wentz era didn’t last. It brought a ring, but quarterback Nick Foles quarterbacked that Super Bowl run.

Hurts was drafted in the second round a few years later. Wentz is no longer an Eagle, and Hurts runs the show now. Barring a catastrophic meltdown and an awful showing, Rattler in Philadelphia is a bit farfetched. Crazier things have happened in the NFL, and this decision and this scenario has so many moving parts that we will have to monitor up until draft night.

It is fun to think about the possibilities of two former Sooner quarterbacks coached by the same man on the same team. Rattler sat behind Hurts once, waiting patiently while Hurts had the keys to the offense. Would that be the case again? However fun the thought may be, it may be equally as unlikely for it to happen.

2022 NFL mock draft: A new QB at No. 1 overall?

In this updated 2022 NFL mock draft, there’s a new top quarterback prospect in the No. 1 overall spot

The first full week of college football featured somewhat lackluster performances from two of the top quarterback prospects in the 2022 NFL draft class, opening the door for other top passers in the country to lay claim to being next year’s potential No. 1 overall pick.

That’s reflected in the latest 2022 NFL mock draft from CBS Sports, which has Nevada’s Carson Strong heading to the Houston Texans with the top selection.

The next pick in this mock might be just as surprising, as Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton comes off the board at No. 2 overall, landing with the Detroit Lions. There’s no denying Hamilton looks like one of the elite prospects in next year’s class, and the Lions certainly have a need at safety, but it’s rare to see a safety considered that high in the draft.

That leaves arguably the best overall player in this class still on the board at No. 3 overall in this mock, where the New York Jets wisely pluck Oregon edge defender Kayvon Thibodeaux. The Jacksonville Jaguars snag Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal at No. 4 overall, while the Cincinnati Bengals opt for LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. to round out the top five.

The next quarterback in this projection doesn’t come off the board until No. 10 overall, where the Atlanta Falcons take Oklahoma’s Spencer Rattler. North Carolina’s Sam Howell goes to the Washington Football Team at the next pick, followed by Liberty’s Malik Willis at No. 15 overall to the Denver Broncos. The rest of this year’s top quarterbacks don’t make the first-round cut in this mock.

To read the full first-round projection at CBS Sports, click here.

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Mock draft watch: Draft Wire goes defense first for Lions in latest 3-rounder

A look at what could play out if the Lions go defense with their first pick instead of QB or WR

Most 2022 NFL draft projections feature the Detroit Lions selecting a quarterback with their own pick, universally projected to be in the top five overall. So it’s noteworthy when someone breaks the mold and offers a different path for Detroit.

That’s what Luke Easterling and Draft Wire did in the latest 3-round 2022 mock draft. Instead of spinning the QB roulette wheel between Spencer Rattler, Malik Willis and Sam Howell, this one instead addresses the other side of the ball.

With the No. 2 overall pick, still based on current Super Bowl odds, Draft Wire opts to roll with Oregon pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux in Detroit. Thibodeaux draws comparisons to Von Miller and Jadeveon Clowney as a prospect, and that’s surely something the Lions can use on the retooling defense.

Quarterback comes with the next pick. Using the Los Angeles Rams’ first-rounder at No. 29 overall, the projection turns to Nevada QB Carson Strong. He (hypothetically) gets a legit big-play receiver in Clemson’s Justyn Ross with the No. 34 overall pick.

The final projection sees the Lions use their third-round pick on Penn State safety Jaquan Brisker. It’s a very different type of projection model, one that subscribes more to the notion that Jared Goff could be a longer-term solution at QB for Detroit than just two seasons.

2022 NFL mock draft: Early 3-round projections

2022 NFL mock draft: Which top QB prospects miss 1st-round cut?

Top quarterback prospects are all the rage, but how many will end up cracking the first round of the 2022 NFL draft?

We’re just weeks away from the 2021 college football season kicking off, and there’s already plenty of buzz about which top quarterback prospects could end up landing in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft.

There are a handful of promising names that could rise up the board, but only a couple who feel like first-round locks at this early point in the process.

Could Oklahoma’s Spencer Rattler and North Carolina’s Sam Howell be the only first-round quarterbacks in next year’s draft?

That’s the scenario that plays out in the latest 2022 NFL mock draft from Pro Football Network, which has both of those signal-callers landing in the top 10, and then not a single quarterback the rest of the way among the top 32 picks.

Rattler goes No. 1 overall to the Houston Texans in this projection, while Howell heads to the Philadelphia Eagles with the No. 6 overall pick.

That leaves a long list of intriguing passers on the outside looking in: Liberty’s Malik Willis, Nevada’s Carson Strong, Mississippi’s Matt Corral, USC’s Kedon Slovis, Georgia’s JT Daniels and Cincinnati’s Desmond Ridder.

Other surprises in this mock include the Jacksonville Jaguars opting for Texas A&M defensive lineman DeMarvin Leal over LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. at No. 3 overall, Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal falling all the way to the Atlanta Falcons at No. 8 overall, Cincinnati edge defender Myjai Sanders jumping into the top 10 (New York Giants, No. 10 overall), and the New England Patriots spending another first-round pick on a running back (Texas A&M’s Isaiah Spiller, No. 17 overall)

To check out the full first-round projection for the 2022 NFL draft at Pro Football Network, click here.

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