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Our final seven-round NFL mock draft for the Broncos has arrived!
Draft day has finally arrived, which means it’s time for one final seven-round NFL mock draft for the Denver Broncos. This mock features a lot of changes from our previous version — be sure to check that one out as well!
Would you be happy with this draft class for the Broncos?
It’s time to lock in the draft class predictions.
On Monday, I wrote about what I would do with the Vikings draft class. It went a different direction than I was expecting, but it ended up looking really good.
For this mock draft, there isn’t a lot we can surmise from Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. However, I can confidently predict he will do three things
This is strictly projection based on how the organizations Adofo-Mensah previously worked for operated. It is something that I feel confident in because of his background and belief in analytics and data.
This mock draft will be made with those things in mind. But also keep this in mind, there can be selections that happen outside of these parameters based on how the board falls and if the talent value is too good to pass up.
After two months of focusing on exploring different possibilities, it’s time to predict. Here is my best projection for how the Vikings will draft this upcoming weekend using The Draft Network’s Mock Draft Simulator.
Add two more 2022 NFL draft prospects to the list of Titans meetings.
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We can add two more 2022 NFL draft prospects to the list of meetings the Tennessee Titans have had ahead of the three-day event, which begins on April 28.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Tennessee met with Houston defensive lineman, Logan Hall. Also, per Josh Norris of Underdog Fantasy, the Titans held a visit with Cincinnati EDGE, Myjai Sanders.
While the Titans should be doing their homework on all positions ahead of the draft, defensive line and edge rusher aren’t major needs with the team returning all but one starter from a 2021 defense that had success.
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Other needs such as wide receiver, tight end, guard and tackle are more dire, and we’d even put quarterback and cornerback ahead of the aforementioned defensive positions.
Ideally, the Titans attack those four major needs on offense with their first four picks. From there, anything could be on the table, including defense.
To keep up to date with all of the meetings the Titans have had with prospects, check out our tracker below.
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Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Cincinnati edge defender Myjai Sanders
A bendy, speedy pass rusher who made the ultimate draft bump with his performance in the Cotton Bowl vs Alabama, Cincinnati’s Myjai Sanders will look to carry that momentum forward as he enters the 2022 NFL draft.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Bearcats’ promising edge defender:
He recorded 13.5 sacks in his collegiate career.
With the NFL draft less than two weeks away, teams are continuing their preparation for the three-day event with the hopes of adding players to improve their rosters for years to come.
As they’re doing that, nearly every outlet is trying to predict just exactly who these teams could select in the draft, including Luke Easterling of Draft Wire, whose recent mock draft has the Miami Dolphins selecting Cincinnati edge defender Myjai Sanders with the team’s first pick.
Sanders, 23, spent four seasons with Cincinnati, recording 119 tackles (24.5 for loss), 13.5 sacks and 12 pass deflections. In 2021, Pro Football Focus gave him a 20.2% pass-rush win rate, which is comparable to Jaelan Phillips’ 20.4% he received before he was taken in the first round of last year’s draft.
NFL analyst Lance Zierlein compared Sanders to Arden Key, who has recorded 9.5 sacks in his first four NFL seasons but has mostly played a rotational role. Here’s what Zierlein wrote about the Bearcat:
“Three-year starter whose unorthodox movements can be off-putting until you realize they also help put him in position to make plays. Whether playing the run or rushing the passer, Sanders is flexible and slippery, making it hard to sustain run blocks and mirror him during pass sets. He needs to diversify his rush counters but has the foot quickness and efficiency of movement to cut a cleaner path into the pocket. Sanders is a segmented mover with a slender build and might need a move to 3-4 outside linebacker to keep from being mauled by NFL blocking. He has the potential to earn snaps as a designated pass rusher.”
If anything, it feels like Sanders projects to be a role player at the NFL level. Miami, like all teams, needs those role players, but they may be able to go after a bigger need.
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Cincinnati OLB Myjai Sanders is up next in Unpacking Future Packers, a countdown previewing the 2022 draft for Packers Wire.
The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects that could be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2022 NFL draft.
Rashan Gary and Preston Smith give the Green Bay Packers a dynamic pair of pass rushers. The duo combined for 18.5 sacks last season and could see that number climb this season.
With Gary and Smith in place, the Packers have the best pass-rushing duo in the NFC North. The depth behind those two is severely lacking and Brian Gutekunst needs to address the position by targeting the strength of the 2022 NFL draft (edge rushers) early and often.
A player that Green Bay’s general manager could target on day two of the 2022 NFL draft is Myjai Sanders. The Cincinnati edge rusher checks in at No. 16 in the Unpacking Future Packers countdown.
A three-star recruit, Sanders became a full-time starter as a sophomore for the Bearcats in 2019 and recorded seven tackles for loss and four sacks. Sanders enjoyed a breakout season of sorts in 2020, recording 10.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks.
This past season Sanders recorded 7.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. While not exactly eye-popping numbers, Sanders consistently put pressure on the quarterback. According to Pro Football Focus, Sanders finished the 2021 season with 54 pressures, including 10 against Alabama in the College Football Playoff.
The first thing that stands out about Sanders is his explosiveness. His explosiveness (1.57 10-yard split) is a big reason why Sanders was listed on Bruce Feldman’s Annual Freak’s list.
“His quickness and ability to utilize his fast hands to quickly turn the corner on offensive lineman and close while running the hoop is his greatest strength,” Devin Jackson, a contributor for Blue Chip Scouting said. “He doesn’t have the most fluid flexibility but his athleticism shines on speed to power moves along with ghost pass rushes.”
The Cincinnati edge rusher is twitched up with good length. The 38-game starter has a lightning-quick first step that gets offensive linemen back on their heels. He runs the arc with speed and shows great closing burst. At only 247-pounds, Sanders does a good job of converting speed to power. When he doesn’t get home, he does a good job of using his length to disrupt passing lanes (12 career pass deflections).
“Sanders offers you a twitchy edge who can use his quickness to win on the inside and turn the corner on tackles,” Jackson said. “His speed puts pressure on tackles and he gives himself a two-way go with how he changes up his plan. He certainly projects more as an outside linebacker than a 4-3 rush end.”
Although he may be undersized, Sanders plays with a dog-like mentality against the run. He sets a strong edge. There will be concerns about how he’ll hold up against NFL offensive linemen, but there is no questioning his motor and toughness. He has the quickness to chase down ball carriers from the backside.
“His natural strength in the trenches brings some concern, especially on inside run plays but he can hold the edge on outside runs,” Jackson said. “He has pops behind his hands to shock and release to make tackles and he has some excellent pursuit speed to chase down plays from behind.”
There are question marks about the Cincinnati edge rusher’s weight fluctuation. At the Senior Bowl, Sanders weighed in at 242 pounds. He then weighed in at 228 at the NFL Scouting combine, after battling a stomach bug. Then at Cincinnati’s Pro Day he checked in at 247.
“Sanders certainly needs to put on weight but I think that’ll come with an NFL weight program,” Jackson said. “Upper body strength can improve but I don’t think it’s a huge impediment on his play style and effectiveness.”
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The Packers need to improve the depth behind Gary and Smith. Sanders comes with some question marks about his weight and functional strength. He answered some of the question marks about his weight by weighing in at 247 at Cincinnati’s Pro Day after weighing in at 228 at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Question marks aside. Sanders has the type of explosiveness that you simply can’t coach. He could serve as a designated pass rusher as a rookie, with the potential to turn into Gary’s long-term running mate.
“Sanders offers you a pass rusher who has twitch and first-step quickness to put pressure on tackles at the line of scrimmage,” Jackson said. “He is underrated in his ability to push pockets and force quarterbacks to move off their spot. While he’s a little on the lighter side, he’s an effective multi-year starter. While his body of work as a coverage dropper isn’t vast, he can be a situational pass rusher on third downs that can continue to develop his pass rush plan and add mass to be a more effective player in the interior. He’s a player worth betting traits on.”
A team can never have enough talented edge rushers. With his length and twitchy athleticism, Sanders would provide quality depth behind Gary and Smith. If the Packers miss out on the first wave of edge rushers in the first round, Sanders could be a player that Gutekunst targets on the second day of the draft.
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The Titans address one major position of need in Touchdown Wire’s latest three-round mock draft.
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The latest 2022 NFL mock draft from Touchdown Wire has the Tennessee Titans taking a guard and edge rusher with their first two picks.
In the first round of the latest mock draft from Touchdown Wire’s Mark Schofield, the Titans take Boston College guard, Zion Johnson, who is among my favorite interior offensive linemen in this draft.
Johnson would be a great long-term solution at left guard with Rodger Saffold gone, and he could contribute right away, which is important for a win-now team like the Titans that has a major question mark at the position.
As for Tennessee’s third-round pick (the Titans don’t have a second-round pick thanks to the Julio Jones trade), Schofield’s selection is less than ideal, as he pegs Cincinnati pass-rusher Myjai Sanders to the Titans.
This is not a knock on Sanders, but the Titans should not make this pick when the team has much bigger needs at wide receiver, tight end, and offensive tackle.
In fact, it wouldn’t be at all surprising if the Titans forego taking an EDGE completely, with the team having Bud Dupree, Harold Landry, Ola Adeniyi and 2021 fourth-round pick Rashad Weaver on the roster.
If the Titans are smart, this will be an offense-heavy draft that attacks most, if not all of the aforementioned positions before even thinking about taking a player for a defense is young, very good, and mostly set for 2022.
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In the latest four-round mock draft from Pro Football Network, the New York Giants trade down and still manage a mega haul.
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The New York Giants hold picks No. 5 and No. 7 in the 2022 NFL draft, but it’s entirely possible they trade one of the two.
General manager Joe Schoen has made it no secret that he’d like to stockpile future draft assets, but that’s not the only reason Big Blue could make a move. They’re also in serious financial trouble and may not be able to afford a nine-person draft class.
Those two variables were taken into consideration by Oliver Hodgkinson of Pro Football Network, who had the Giants trade down in his latest mock draft.
In Hodgkinson’s projection, the Giants trade the No. 5 overall pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who use it to select Liberty quarterback Malik Willis. In return, the Giants get a mega haul: the No. 20 and No. 52 overall picks, plus the Steelers’ first- and second-round picks in 2023.
Sold.
At No. 7 overall, the Giants still fill their most pressing need with the selection of Mississippi State offensive tackle Charles Cross.
Having traded the fifth overall pick to the Steelers, the Giants make their move with the seventh pick in this 2022 NFL Mock Draft. Brian Daboll isn’t likely to move on from Daniel Jones this year. If he is to fairly assess whether Jones is the long-term future of the franchise, making sure his offensive line is substantially better will be a key focus.
Mississippi State offensive tackle Charles Cross is the addition that moves the needle in that regard. An athletic offensive tackle whose slender frame belies a strength and nastiness, Cross is an experienced pass protector. Meanwhile, he’s showcased savagery as a run blocker. A left tackle by trade, the Mississippi State lineman took reps at right tackle during his pro day. He can be a Day 1 starter opposite Andrew Thomas.
At No. 20, which was acquired from the Steelers, the Giants add another potential Day 1 starter in Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean.
Having traded down from fifth overall in this 2022 NFL Mock Draft, the Giants land one of the top players at a position of need. The interior linebacker duo of Blake Martinez and Tae Crowder could use an upgrade, and the depth behind them isn’t great either.
Nakobe Dean is a devastating heat-seeking missile in the ground game and possesses coverage versatility and exceptional football intelligence. The Giants get the added bonus of gazumping the New England Patriots for Dean’s services.
As if things weren’t beautiful enough for the Giants in this scenario, they get even better over the next three rounds (five picks). Here’s how Hodgkinson sees those shaking out:
36) New York Giants
Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa52) New York Giants
Myjai Sanders, EDGE, Cincinnati67) New York Giants
Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State81) New York Giants
Nick Cross, S, Maryland112) New York Giants
Tyler Allgeier, RB, BYU
What an absolute haul.
The Giants do not land a game-changing edge rusher in this four-round PFN mock draft, but they hit on every other area of need and take it out of the park. Cross, Dean, Linderbaum and McBride? Gems. Sanders? A capable pass rusher with upside. Cross and Allgeier cap things off.
How would you feel about this scenario, Giants fans? Let us know in the comments below.
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Highlighting a few Senior Bowl interior defensive linemen and edge defenders who could be on the Chargers’ radar after Day 1 of practices.
Day 1 of practices at the 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl has officially ended.
On a chilly day in Mobile, AL, there were a handful of NFL draft prospects who shined in the trenches on the first day.
Here are five players who stood out:
I highlighted Jones as someone who should be on the Chargers’ radar coming into it, and he showed why as the National team took the field to start the day. In one-on-ones, Jones displayed the upfield disruptiveness with power and length that was compromising blockers from the snap and the anchor strength to make him immovable in the run game. The 6-foot-4 and 328 pounder is showing to be the perfect 0-1-technique with mismatch ability.
Michigan OL Andrew Stueber struggles to anchor v UConn DL Travis Jones.#seniorbowl pic.twitter.com/C26Ow5PSse
— Chase Goodbread (@ChaseGoodbread) February 1, 2022
Farrell had the second-highest run-stop percentage among Power 5 interior defensive linemen (11.4%) in 2021, and it was replicative on the practice field. In one-on-ones, he demonstrated exceptional burst and power to work his way into the backfield, strength at the point of attack to stalemate double teams and occupy the interior of the offensive line.
#LSU Neil Farrell again. Great day for him. #SeniorBowl pic.twitter.com/RxOGIOKJit
— dylan sanders (@DillySanders) February 1, 2022
Sanders is one of the top-ranked edge defenders down here, and he lived up to his billing on Tuesday. On back-to-back reps, he beat the massive tackle Daniel Faalele. On the first, Sanders went into the toolbox and pulled out a swipe to rip move and the body flexibility to turn the corner. He followed that with an attempted spin move but instead, Sanders’ power was too much for Faalele to withstand.
Myjai Sanders beating Daniel Faalele around the edge
(🎥: @BrandonThornNFL)pic.twitter.com/aefwf0slgv
— Boom or Bust: The Draft Show (@BoomOrBustDraft) February 1, 2022
Robinson, the small-school standout, shined in his first day against higher level of competition. He had two would-be sacks of Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett. He won with speed and bend on the first rep, and followed that up with a bull rush that pushed the tackle back into the pocket, showing power and the length to lockout.
Flying under the radar is Malone, the 2019 Conference USA defensive player of the year. While relatively lean at 6-foot-3 and 234 pounds, Malone looks like the type of player who Brandon Staley covets at the position. He is explosive and loose off the snap with speed and burst, and uses length to his advantage.
WKU EDGE DeAngelo Malone is the type of player the Chargers could target in the mid rounds.
Explosive and loose off the snap with speed and burst + uses length to his advantage.
Here, he wins with a hesitation move to set up the OT and goes inside club/arm-over to get home. pic.twitter.com/Gd031kURME
— Gavino Borquez (@GavinoBorquez) February 1, 2022
This is the second mock we’ve gone over in recent days that has the Titans taking Sanders.
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Another mock draft, another expert selecting an edge rusher for the Tennessee Titans in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft.
In his latest mock draft, Pro Football Focus’ Austin Gayle has the Titans taking Cincinnati edge rusher Myjai Sanders in the first round.
Here’s Gayle’s take on Sanders:
One of my favorite late first-round picks in 2022, Cincinnati edge defender Myjai Sanders will draw scouts in with his performance at the combine at 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds. He recorded 40-plus pressures in back-to-back seasons (2020 and 2021) to close out his Bearcats career.
This is the second mock draft we’ve gone over recently that has the Titans taking an edge rusher in the first round. Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling had Tennessee doing the same, and his pick was Sanders, also.
The only problem with these picks is that the Titans are highly unlikely to take an EDGE this early in the draft, if at all.
Yes, Harold Landry is a free agent in 2022, but chances are the Titans will bring him back. Adding to Landry, Bud Dupree is under contract for four more years, and 2021 fourth-round pick, Rashad Weaver, should be back healthy for his sophomore campaign.
Should Landry unexpectedly leave in free agency, then we could definitely see the Titans targeting an EDGE in the early rounds. For now, such a selection doesn’t seem plausible.
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