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Ryan Dodson projects an interesting trade scenario in this 2022 NFL mock draft.
Ryan Dodson presents our latest NFL mock draft of 2022. Sound off on social media to let us know your thoughts, and be sure to check our 2022 NFL Draft Central page to keep track of all of the offerings.
* represents projected trade
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has the Jets trading back into the first round to land Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum in his newest mock draft.
The 2022 NFL draft is inching closer, which means the Jets are on the verge of adding an influx of young talent to aid their ongoing rebuild.
Free agency has gone a long way in shaping New York’s plans for this year’s draft. Joe Douglas has addressed needs on both sides of the ball and upgrading at certain positions is now far less pertinent than it was at the beginning of the offseason.
There is still plenty of work for Douglas to do, though, and the draft is the perfect time for the Jets to fill their remaining holes.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has the Jets trading back into the first round to address a need on the offensive line after using their top 10 picks to take a pass rusher and wide receiver in his latest mock draft. Kiper Jr. also has New York making an interesting selection that gives Zach Wilson yet another weapon with its remaining second-round pick.
Let’s take a closer look at who Kiper Jr. has the Jets drafting in the first two rounds of the 2022 NFL draft.
The Commanders land a wide receiver and future quarterback in new ESPN mock draft.
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Should the Washington Commanders look to take a quarterback in the 2022 NFL draft after the offseason trade for Carson Wentz? That’s one of the top questions around the NFL since many don’t believe Wentz can turn his career around after trades in back-to-back seasons.
Many believe Washington’s focus shifted after the trade for Wentz. The Commanders went from being desperate at quarterback to having one for 2022. Wentz must earn anything beyond the upcoming season, but he is under contract.
Ideally, Washington will be looking to help Wentz in the draft. That is why most mock drafts have the Commanders taking a wide receiver at No. 11 overall.
ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid recently conducted a seven-round mock draft. Reid has Washington going wide receiver at No. 11, with USC’s Drake London as the choice.
With Carson Wentz in the picture now, the Commanders would be wise to set him up with as many prime targets as possible. Terry McLaurin and Curtis Samuel are on the roster, and London is a 6-foot-4 X receiver who complements both of their skill sets.
He is a big, physical target and underrated route runner, and he reminds me a lot of former Clemson wideout Mike Williams, who was taken in Round 1 by the Chargers in 2017.
However, in round two, Reid goes in another direction. The respected draft analyst has North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell landing in Washington at No. 47 overall.
Are you surprised?
The Commanders could look to give themselves a security blanket in case Carson Wentz doesn’t play well. Howell would be a welcome addition to a team searching for a long-term answer under center.
If Howell is available at No. 47, you should strongly consider selecting him. Howell had a record-breaking career at UNC, and despite struggling early in 2021 after losing all of his top skill players, Howell bounced back to have a strong season. He has a big, accurate arm and proved last season that he could make plenty of plays with his legs.
When you’ve lacked an answer at the quarterback position for decades, you attempt to solve the position by investing as many resources as possible. If Wentz succeeds, excellent. You have your quarterback for the foreseeable future. If he doesn’t, then Howell gets an opportunity to prove he’s the guy.
Washington cannot stop putting resources at the quarterback position because it traded for Wentz. Wentz has big-time talent, but he’s far from a sure thing. Would his feelings be hurt? Sure. But who cares. If the Commanders gave him a wide receiver in the first round, he would have a group of wideouts that featured Terry McLaurin, Drake London and Curtis Samuel. He would have no excuses.
Who else did Washington land in Reid’s mock draft?
Cletis Cutts releases his 2022 NFL mock draft.
Cletis Cutts presents our latest NFL mock draft of 2022. Sound off on social media to let us know your thoughts, and be sure to check our 2022 NFL Draft Central page to keep track of all of the offerings.
The Houston Texans would be in position at No. 13 overall to select Drake London. What would the former USC receiver provide for Houston?
The Houston Texans have a variety of options at No. 13 overall in the 2022 NFL draft.
The Texans could shore up their backend if safety Kyle Hamilton is fortunate enough to fall that spot. Houston could also pick a tackle in Mississippi State’s Charles Cross. Edge rusher is also a possibility with Florida State’s Jermaine Johnson.
Mock drafts have had the Texans taking former USC receiver Drake London at that spot. Second-year quarterback Davis Mills would have a dynamic duo in the receiving corps in Brandin Cooks and London.
According to Michael Renner from Pro Football Focus, London is the best “at the catch point” receiver in the 2022 class.
It’s not hyperbole to say London is the best catch-point receiver we’ve seen in our eight years of college grading. He led the FBS with 19 contested catches despite playing in only nine games last year. And he did it all at only 20 years of age. His basketball background is evident in how he attacks the football in the air every time it’s thrown his way.
Taking London would at least fulfill receivers coach and pass game coordinator Ben McDaniels’ vision of adding the best talent to the corps.
“Really, truly add as much talent to the building as we can, get better at each position and in each position room,” McDaniels told reporters on Feb. 22. “And then maximize what we have in the building at that point. Obviously we’re growing and the roster will grow and change throughout the offseason, and [general manager] Nick (Caserio) and [coach] Lovie (Smith) will do a great job of that and we’ll maximize who we have in the room.”
If the Texans could have a receiver who is able to still make the catch despite the traffic and other congestion, it would help Mills and the offense sustain drives.
USC’s Drake London is an intriguing option to complete Cardinals’ group of skill position players.
With the Arizona Cardinals, to this point, opting not to add any wide receivers in free agency, all signs point to a premium draft pick going towards the position in this month’s NFL draft.
One of the highest-rated prospects at the position this year is USC’s Drake London. At 6-4, he was one of the nation’s best at making contested grabs and the jump ball.
It just so happens, Cardinals’ star quarterback Kyler Murray often gives his big-bodied receivers chances to make plays, even in contested coverage. London fits the height the team has sought at the Z receiver position, particularly with A.J. Green last season.
Most mock drafts have London being selected far before the Cardinals pick at 23, but recently Charles Davis of NFL.com had the Pac-12 playmaker falling to Arizona. Davis actually suggested London could play in the slot as well.
Big frame, big production. Larry Fitzgerald moved to the slot and put up terrific numbers at the end of his career. London moved inside often at USC in 2021 and thrived. He can do the same to help QB Kyler Murray get the Cards back to the playoffs — and potentially log a postseason win or two.
While London would most likely play most of the time outside, it certainly helps to have positional flexibility based on the strengths and weaknesses of opposing defenses. In 2020, he actually lined up primarily in the slot before moving outside last season.
Prior to suffering an ankle injury, London was absolutely electric. In only eight games, he totaled 88 receptions, 1,084 yards and seven touchdowns. His 19 contested catches were the most among qualified receivers. Coupled with that were his 22 forced missed tackles in those eight games, a trait desperately needed in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense.
Due to his size and strength, London’s most common NFL comp is Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans. There are some concerns about his route-running ability, given his limited route tree at USC and low separation rates. He wasn’t the fastest receiver in college, either, but we’ll know more when he officially runs his 40-yard dash during his pro day on April 15th.
If London succeeds at the NFL level as he did in college, he would be a perfect addition for the Cardinals. They have DeAndre Hopkins to draw most of the attention, allowing London to see more single coverage, particularly as he learns on the spot during his rookie year. Rondale Moore is projected to be their speed and deep threat player. London’s height and jump ball ability is a perfect complement to Kyler Murray’s game.
His physicality would also be welcome, particularly given the team’s second-half struggles the past two seasons. Partnered with the physical running game behind James Conner, London would thrive in Arizona.
We’ll see if the SoCal product comes out east to the valley in a few weeks time.
C O L D 🧊@DrakeLondon_ pic.twitter.com/zyQ8cTKpCm
— 𝑯𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒔♡ (@RaptorsHarris) April 5, 2022
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Round 1 updated mock for the 2022 NFL Draft
A recent trade has shaken up the middle of the 2022 NFL Draft’s opening round. The swapping of picks warranted an update a week sooner than planned, so I took the opportunity to fully revisit each pick from the top down in this Round 1 mock draft. While many picks did not change, a few intriguing adjustments atop the draft created a ripple effect throughout. You can check out the first iteration, if you so please.
Be sure to check our NFL Draft Central page to keep track of all of the offerings. We’ll have multiple new and updated mocks throughout the month of April, along with player scouting reports and post-draft analysis of every key pick relevant to fantasy football.
The Houston Texans decide to give Davis Mills weapons in the first Texans Wire mock based on a collaboration with the Touchdown Wire.
All 32 NFL team Wire sites collaborated to hold a mock draft this week. Every Wire managing editor, all of whom have tremendous insight into their respective teams, made picks — except of course Cam DaSilva from the Rams Wire. Since 2017, the Rams have not had a first-round pick, and by the time the 2025 NFL draft rolls around, we’re going to have to convince Cam the draft actually starts on a Thursday night.
Mock drafts are kind of like a candy dish at your grandmother’s house that you snack on throughout the visit. Ultimately, it’s a dopamine hit; it’s another avenue for fun. Therefore, it was more of an exercise of what the Houston Texans might look like if they passed on safety Kyle Hamilton.
With that in mind, I decided to use John Crumpler’s “Draft an Identity: The Davis Mills Texans” as a blueprint for my picks. At No. 3 overall, the Texans selected North Carolina guard-tackle Ikem Ekwonu.
The 6-4, 320-pound offensive lineman allows the Texans a chance to establish an identity as either a ground-and-pound team or a team building around QB Davis Mills. The rest of the first round will determine which path Houston takes. Ekwonu has position flex that allows him to play inside, as Houston already has competent bookends in Laremy Tunsil and Tytus Howard. However, should the Texans let Howard walk in 2023 free agency, Ekwonu can slide to right tackle and the offensive line still has adequate protection for their signal caller.
In Crumpler’s guide, he had the Texans taking Ohio State receiver Garrett Wilson at No. 13 overall. However, the Atlanta Falcons picked Wilson at No. 8 overall.
Rather than adjust the script and turn the draft into the “Ground and Pound Texans” with the selection of guard Zion Johnson, I stuck with the philosophy to build around Mills and took USC receiver Drake London.
London gives an opportunity for the Texans to complement WR Brandin Cooks or effectively replace him in case they trade him to acquire more draft capital. Houston has another young wideout with WR Nico Collins, and Mills has a young tandem that he can develop chemistry with.
Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson and Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux were the first two picks off the board. The Carolina Panthers made Malik Willis the first quarterback off the board at No. 6 overall. Curiously the next quarterback taken was Kenny Pickett at No. 20 to the Pittsburgh Steelers — quarterback-needy clubs such as Atlanta, Washington, New Orleans (twice) all passed on Pickett.
ESPN’s Todd McShay released a new mock draft which has the Falcons adding a wide receiver in the first, and trading for a QB in the second.
When there isn’t a clear-cut franchise quarterback at the top of the draft class — or three as there were in 2021 — it becomes that much tougher to predict what’s going to happen on day one.
The Falcons hold the No. 8 overall pick in this year’s draft, but those first seven selections are mostly up in the air at this point. With so many different positions that need to be addressed, Atlanta is in good position to take the best player available.
ESPN’s Todd McShay dropped a new two-round mock which has Atlanta adding three players, including a quarterback in the second round.
2022 NFL draft: Philadelphia Eagles add more talent on defense in full seven-round mock post blockbuster trade with the New Orleans Saints
The Eagles once again shook up the NFL draft boards after a blockbuster trade that saw general manager Howie Roseman trade pick No. 16, No. 19, and No. 194 to the Saints for pick No. 18, No. 101, No. 237, a 2023 first-round pick, and a 2024 second-rounder as well.
Philadelphia now has two first-round picks in 2022, an extra third-round picks in 2022, along with pushing a first-round pick back to 2023 and also accumulating an extra second-round pick in 2022.
With the moves made, here’s an updated Eagles-only seven-round mock draft via Pro Football Network’s mock draft simulator, that’ll likely see the Birds still land players that were on their board.
