Tag: mock draft

The latest mock roundup has Derek Stingley Jr sliding out of the top five

A new mock has the LSU cornerback sliding.

More often than not, former LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr has been penciled in with the New York Jets in 2022 mock drafts. He is still viewed as the No. 1 cornerback prospect despite a step back over the last two seasons.

Could an NFL franchise get more out of him than LSU fans saw from 2020-21? Injuries certainly played their part in his play. One mock draft shows the former national championship cornerback falling out of the top five and the top 10.

According to his latest mock draft, Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com has the former All-American cornerback heading to the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Stingley Jr slides down to No. 12 and the Minnesota Vikings.

Stingley would join former teammate Justin Jefferson in Minneapolis, along with former LSU Tigers Danielle Hunter and possibly Patrick Peterson. As the Vikings look to rebuild their defense, they can start with a cornerback that has tremendous upside that played far below expectations the last two seasons in Baton Rouge.

Stingley is a wild card in this draft class. If you watched him solely as a freshman, you’d think he was a lock to go top five. If you watched him over the last two seasons, though, you probably think he’s a borderline first-rounder. He has the tools to be successful at the next level, but I have concerns about his inconsistent effort and play strength.

The Vikings could lose two cornerbacks in free agency this offseason with Peterson and Mackensie Alexander. Adding in Stingley would give them a young playmaker with five years of control at a reasonable cost. Peterson is on the downward slope of his career, likely wouldn’t be more than a reserve for the remainder of his career.

Mel Kiper’s latest mock draft has Cardinals taking Purdue pass rusher

With the 23rd pick of Kiper’s newest mock draft, the Cardinals land Purdue defensive end George Karlaftis.

The Arizona Cardinals were eliminated from the postseason on Monday, which locked them into the 23rd pick of the 2022 NFL draft. Now officially in their offseason, we can start looking toward the draft and the many mock drafts we will see for the next three months.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. released a new mock draft this week and he has the Cardinals could with a pass rusher.

His selection for the 23rd overall pick is Purdue pass rusher George Karlaftis.

After a 10-2 start, the Cardinals lost five of their final six games and crashed out in the playoffs, a disappointing finish for a team that once looked like a Super Bowl contender. And I think you can point to J.J. Watt’s shoulder injury in late October as a big reason the defense took a step back down the stretch. Watt is still signed for another season, but his injury history means that Arizona needs to think about a replacement. That’s Karlaftis, a powerful 275-pound end who might be better in a 3-4 defense. He had only 4.5 sacks in 2021, but his pressure numbers were elite, even if he didn’t always get home to the quarterback. He’s really good against the run, too.

Chandler Jones will be a free agent and his future with the team is uncertain. They need a young pass rusher.

He had 14 total sacks and 29 total tackles for loss in three seasons for the Boilermakers. His freshman year was the most productive, when he had 7.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss.

[listicle id=463998]

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

Latest show:

Previous shows:

and

Washington lands offensive help in The Athletic’s 2-round mock draft

Washington lands two offensive starters in The Athletic’s two-round mock draft.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbykgy681k112p8 player_id=none image=https://washingtonfootballwire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

The Washington Football Team will have a new quarterback for the 2022 NFL season. Yes, Taylor Heinicke will return, but Washington’s primary goal is to upgrade the quarterback position this offseason.

The biggest question is will that upgrade come via trade or the 2022 NFL draft?

As of now, almost every mock draft has Washington going quarterback with its first-round pick, which is No. 11 overall. Some analysts slot Matt Corral to Washington, while others see Kenny Pickett landing in D.C., Mel Kiper chose Liberty’s Malik Willis for the WFT in his first mock draft.

Dane Brugler of The Athletic released his first mock draft of the 2022 offseason and he, too, has Washington going with a quarterback.

11. Washington Football Team — Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh

Washington has a poor track record of drafting quarterbacks in the early rounds. Since the merger in 1970, the franchise has drafted eight quarterbacks in the top 100 picks, and only one (Jay Schroeder) of the eight had a winning record with the organization. That means Washington is due, right? Pickett doesn’t have an explosive arm, but he is accurate from various platforms and his football IQ makes him NFL ready.

Brugler is right; Washington has to be due, right? Pickett is probably a safer pick than some of the other passers considered for the first round; however, his ceiling may be a bit lower than Corral or Willis.

This was a two-round mock draft, so where did Brugler turn for Washington’s second-round pick?

At No. 42 overall, Washington selects Kentucky offensive lineman Darian Kinnard.

This is a value pick for Washington. Kinnard was a consensus All-American in 2021 and is a two-time first-team All-SEC performer. Anytime you can land a first-team All-SEC offensive lineman, that’s a positive development.

Washington coach Ron Rivera loves versatility. He’d love Kinnard. Kennard can play tackle or guard, and with All-Pro guard Brandon Scherff expected to depart, Kinnard can slide right into his old position and be a day-one starter.

 

Broncos select OL Ikem Ekwonu in 2022 NFL mock draft

Draft Wire’s recent NFL mock draft has the Broncos adding OL Ikem Ekwonu in the first round.

In his latest three-round 2022 NFL mock draft for Draft Wire, Luke Easterling has the Denver Broncos selecting North Carolina State offensive lineman Ikem Ekwonu with the ninth overall pick in the first round.

Here is Easterling’s commentary for the Ekwonu selection:

Quarterback is a possibility here, but don’t be surprised if the Broncos look for a veteran instead of reaching for a rookie in a weak class here. Instead, they should use this pick to bolster the offensive line, and Ekwonu was an all-conference pick at both guard and tackle.

If Ekwonu does land in Denver, he would likely play as a tackle given that the team has good depth at guard but no long-term answer at right tackle.

Easterling’s mock draft has the Broncos later adding Alabama linebacker Christian Harris (No. 40) and Ohio State defensive lineman Haskell Garett (No. 60) in the second round.

Denver waits until the third round to pick a quarterback, selecting Nevada’s Carson Strong (No. 75) before later adding Georgia edge defender Nolan Smith (No. 91) to wrap up the three-round mock draft.

To view the complete three-round NFL mock draft, visit Draft Wire.

[pickup_prop id=”19297″]

[listicle id=670238]

Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

[listicle id=670827]

Washington goes for a quarterback in Mel Kiper’s mock draft

Washington lands quarterback in the new Mel Kiper mock draft.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbykgy681k112p8 player_id=none image=https://washingtonfootballwire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

The Washington Football Team would probably prefer to add a veteran quarterback this offseason, but landing someone like Russell Wilson or Derek Carr is still likely a longshot. That means Washington will likely look to the 2022 NFL draft to find its quarterback of the future.

Yes, Washington’s history of first-round quarterbacks hasn’t been great over the years, but at some point, one will work out, right?

Early mock drafts have Washington selecting Matt Corral of Ole Miss and Kenny Pickett of Pittsburgh. Now, another name enters the conversation.

In his first mock draft since the NFL season ended, Mel Kiper of ESPN also has Washington picking a quarterback at No. 11. In Kiper’s mock, his first quarterback doesn’t go off the board until No. 11.

His pick? Malik Willis of Liberty.

Here’s Kiper’s assessment of Willis to Washington:

Time for the first quarterback off the board. You might be surprised that it’s Willis, but you really shouldn’t be. He was in the QB1 mix all fall before he faded a little bit in the last stretch of the regular season. The more tape I watch of his past two seasons and the more I talk to evaluators in the league, the more I like him. Put simply, Willis is the most talented quarterback in this class. He didn’t always get to show that at Liberty, which didn’t have much NFL talent around him. (He was sacked an astounding 51 times in 2021.) This is a dual-threat signal-caller — he rushed for 1,822 yards and 27 touchdowns over the past two seasons — with a powerful arm. I’m really excited to see him compete against the other top QBs in the Senior Bowl in a couple weeks.

Like Denver, Washington could be in the veteran QB market, but I like the fit with Willis. Washington can’t go into the season with Taylor Heinicke as the starter.

There is a lot to like about Willis. And if we go back into Washington coach Ron Rivera’s past, he picked a quarterback with a similar skill set to Willis all the way back in 2011. No, we aren’t comparing Willis to Cam Newton, that’s unfair at this point, but he offers the same type of dual-threat ability as Newton.

Washington must be careful forcing the quarterback pick in the first round just because it needs a quarterback. You have to either take the best talent, and that’s arguably Willis, or have a clear plan with any of the other players such as Corral or Pickett.

 

Mock draft from The Athletic shows outside-the-box pick at No. 1 for Jags

This mock has an unorthodox prediction for the first pick, which it predicts will be used to select North Carolina State tackle Ikem Ekwonu.

Jacksonville’s decision with the No. 1 pick isn’t nearly as clear-cut as it was in 2021 this time around. There’s no clear top, can’t-miss prospect, and the Jaguars have a lot of needs across the field.

Three names have come up for this pick more than others: A talented pair of edge rushers in Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson and Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux, as well as Alabama tackle Evan Neal. However, the latest mock for the 2022 NFL draft from The Athletic’s Dane Brugler has the team ignoring all three of those players.

Brugler has the team addressing the offensive line, but instead of taking Neal, he has the team selecting North Carolina State’s Ikem Ekwonu, a tackle who some have above Neal on the board.

After numerous conversations with NFL scouts and league execs in preparation for this mock, there were two key takeaways that led me to Ekwonu here. First, there are several evaluators around the league who have Ekwonu ranked higher than Alabama’s Evan Neal and Mississippi State’s Charles Cross. Second, several evaluators agreed that in a draft class missing a no-brainer top prospect, they prefer the tackles over the pass rushers. I have no clue how the Jaguars feel, but Ekwonu at least belongs in this conversation.

A three-year starter at NC State, Ekwonu has impressive movements for his size and generates extraordinary explosion at contact. He lacks refinement and is guilty of over-setting, but he is nimble, powerful and should get better and better as his technique and awareness mature. Ekwonu’s tape shows a tackle who can also play guard, not the other way around. For more on Ekwonu, this deep dive from Bruce Feldman is a great read.

Neal has been considered one of the better tackle prospects in recent years given his size and versatility, but it seems that Ekwonu may be gaining the edge among NFL scouts. Regardless, a decision to take an offensive lineman could be seen by some fans as an unexciting pick given where the team is selecting, but if there are concerns about the edge rushers (which seems to be the case) going with a long-term option to protect quarterback Trevor Lawrence could be a good call.

Neal has long been considered the top tackle in the class, and Ekwonu will likely need good showings at his pro day, and the NFL combine to have a chance at unseating the former on the majority of draft boards, but his rising stock only makes a difficult decision even trickier for the Jags.

Colts select QB Carson Strong in Dane Brugler mock draft 2.0

In Dane Brugler’s latest mock draft, the Colts went with a QB named Carson.

In his second mock draft of the offseason, Dane Brugler of The Athletic had the Indianapolis Colts selecting Nevada quarterback Carson Strong in the second round.

While this would be quite the shock, there is a non-zero chance the Colts wind up doing something like this. With the great uncertainty in regards to the future of current starter Carson Wentz, all options are on the table.

The Colts don’t have a first-round pick thanks to the Wentz trade. They wound up trading the No. 16 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft and now won’t be on the board for the first time until pick No. 47 overall.

While this quarterback class isn’t exciting, there are reasons to believe why Strong could fit with the Colts. Here’s what Zack Hicks of Horseshoe Huddle had to say about Strong and his fit with Indy:

“Strong is a super interesting player. If someone were to take the five most impressive throws from quarterbacks in this class, he may have the entire top five. He flashes absolute brilliance with anticipation, and throws receivers open like an NFL quarterback.

The problem with him is the overall lack of traits. He has a good arm that isn’t great. He is a stationary quarterback that won’t create much outside of the pocket (despite moving really well in the pocket).

I like a lot of what he brings to the table, but the lack of athleticism and arm talent are a bit worrisome in how the NFL is trending. He certainly could fit as a Nick Foles type behind Wentz if the Colts roll him back in 2022.

Strong, a senior, spent four years at Nevada and has been the starter since 2019. In 12 games during the 2021 season, Strong completed 70.2% of his passes for 4,186 passing yards with 36 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

It would be quite something if the Colts drafted a quarterback in the second round, which would be nearly the identical situation that happened in Philly in 2020 with Jalen Hurts.

Like Colts Wire on Facebook
Follow Colts Wire on Twitter
Follow Kevin on Twitter (@KevinHickey11)

[lawrence-related id=68544,68542,68519]

[listicle id=68494]

Nine Georgia Bulldogs go in first three rounds of 2022 NFL mock draft

Georgia has NINE guys go in the first three rounds of this mock draft

Georgia set a school record in the 2021 NFL draft when it had nine players selected.

This year, Georgia is looking to shatter that number with potentially as many as 15 players selected.

USA TODAY’s Draft Wire expects Georgia to actually hit last year’s mark by the end of the third round of the 2022 NFL draft.

Well, actually Johnson finished the season with 11.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, 70 total tackles and two pass deflections. The former Georgia linebacker wanted to (and did) strengthen his NFL draft stock at FSU. Johnson saw much more playing time for the Seminoles and proved to be an every down player.the site expected Georgia to have 10 players drafted when it projected outside linebacker Nolan Smith to go No. 91 to the Rams. But Smith has since announced his plans to forgo the 2022 draft and play one more year at UGA.

Here’s Draft Wire’s 2022 three-round NFL mock draft, which includes nine Bulldogs and one former Bulldog.

Falcons recap: Free agents, mock drafts and Ridley trade rumors

In today’s Falcons recap, we look at free agency, a new mock draft and examine the Calvin Ridley trade rumors/speculation.

The 2021 NFL season concluded for the Atlanta Falcons less than two weeks ago and things have gotten eerily quiet. Head coach Arthur Smith and general manager Terry Fontenot addressed a number topics last week in their end-of-the-season press conference, but both were relatively vague about the team’s offseason plans.

Regarding Calvin Ridley, Smith and Fontenot continue to publicly support their star wideout. However, the uncertainty around Ridley’s future has NFL analysts speculating wildly about potential landing spots and what it would cost to acquire the former first-round pick.

In today’s Falcons news recap, we check out a few different mock drafts, examine some possible free agents and look into the latest rumors/pure speculation surrounding Ridley’s future in Atlanta.

Where do Jameson Williams, Evan Neal land in Mel Kiper’s first 2022 mock draft?

Where are these two Alabama stars expected to begin their NFL careers?

The 2021 College Football season has concluded, which means it’s NFL draft season.

Numerous Alabama players are expected to be drafted, but only two are projected to be off the board after the first round. While most programs would love to have more than one first-round players in the same draft class, it’s actually a slow year for the Crimson Tide.

Long-time ESPN NFL draft expert Mel Kiper released his first 2022 NFL Mock Draft, and he has both Evan Neal and Jameson Williams being drafted on the first night of the draft.

Kiper has the big, athletic offensive tackle, Neal, being drafted No. 3 overall to the Houston Texans.

As for Williams, Kiper admits that the wide receiver would have been drafted much earlier had it not been for the torn ACL he suffered in the national championship game against Georgia. His projection for Williams is No. 21 overall to the New England Patriots.

“Williams, an Ohio State transfer with blazing speed, had a fantastic season for the Crimson Tide, catching 79 passes for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns. He would likely be in the top-10 range if he didn’t tear his ACL in the national title game, which means he might not be ready for training camp. Still, I don’t think he’s going to fall too far, because he’s a true No. 1 wideout when he’s healthy. This is good value for New England,” writes Kiper.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the 2022 NFL draft trends and share updates on how former Alabama players are affected.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on Twitter @SpurrFM.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!