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We are only a few weeks into the NFL season, but that doesn’t mean we can’t start to look ahead to the 2022 NFL Draft.
Several teams are off to rough starts and might be looking ahead to next year.
Here is our latest 2022 mock draft with some significant changes at the top of the draft.
2022 NFL Mock Draft Round 1 Predictions
1. Houston Texans: Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss
Most of the top quarterback prospects have disappointed this year, but Matt Corral has not. He’s averaging well over 300 yards per game and has yet to throw an interception.
Corral has the arm and play-making ability that reminds some of Derek Carr. That might not exactly be what you want with the No. 1 pick, but he might be the best QB prospect in the draft.
Ole Miss plays Alabama this week, which should give us a great idea if Corral is a No. 1 pick candidate.
Corral is listed favorably at (+600) to be the first overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft at BetMGM.
2. New York Jets: Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon
Kayvon Thibodeaux has missed all but one game this season due to an injury, but he is a dominant EDGE prospect. The Jets desperately need to find a pass rusher to pair with Quinnen Williams and Thibodeaux would be a great fit.
Thibodeaux has only played in 21 games in college, but he’s totaled an incredible 24.5 tackles for a loss and 13 sacks. He has a chance to be an All-Pro edge rusher right away in the NFL.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Evan Neal, OT, Alabama
Trevor Lawrence has struggled some early, so it would be wise for the Jaguars to give him some more help on the offensive line.
Evan Neal is all of 6’7 and 350 pounds and would be a perfect fit on the blindside of Lawrence for the next decade.
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4. Detroit Lions: Malik Willis, QB, Liberty
Jared Goff hasn’t been bad through three games and that actually might help Detroit with their decision here at No. 4. Willis is a talented prospect but needs time to develop and catch up to the speed of the NFL.
Sitting behind Goff for a while might be the ideal situation for him.
5. New York Giants: Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina
If the Giants finish at the bottom of the NFC East once again, you can bet that there will be an entirely new front office in 2022. That likely means they will choose their own quarterback, which could be Howell from North Carolina.
He’s got the arm and athleticism to win in the NFL but needs to do a better job of protecting the football and winning from the pocket.
Think Sam Howell will be the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft?
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Read Anthony Cervino’s hands-on BetMGM review.
6. New York Giants (via Bears): Jaxson Kirkland, OT, Washington
If the Giants do pick a quarterback early in this draft, they will need to protect him.
Jaxson Kirkland isn’t as talented as Evan Neal, but he is a fine prospect that would be an upgrade over what the team currently has at offensive tackle.
7. Atlanta Falcons: Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU
With the Falcons tied to Matt Ryan for the foreseeable future, they can address their defense with a shut-down cornerback in Derek Stingley.
Together, A.J. Terrell and Stingley would help get Atlanta’s defense back on track.
8. Cincinnati Bengals: Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame
The Bengals will likely be in the offensive line market again next year, but with the top two guys off the board, the Bengals take the best defensive player available in Kyle Hamilton.
With Jesse Bates hopefully coming back in 2022, they would combine to be the best safety duo in the NFL.
9. Philadelphia Eagles: Spencer Rattler, QB, Oklahoma
With the Eagles potentially having three first-round picks in next year’s draft, they seem the most likely team to use those picks to trade for a quarterback.
But in this mock, they hang tight and select Spencer Rattler. Many had Rattler as the No. 1 pick before the year, but a disappointing start to the season has knocked his stock some.
10. Washington Football Team: Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson
Andrew Booth is an inexperienced cornerback that has all the tools to be great in the NFL.
Putting him opposite of William Jackson III would make Washington’s secondary among the best in the league.
11. Philadelphia Eagles (from Dolphins): Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida
The Eagles tried to patch their secondary together this offseason with players like Steven Nelson and Anthony Harris, but that hasn’t worked.
Elam is a big cornerback with elite athleticism. Putting him on that defense opposite of Darius Slay would make a ton of sense.
Oklahoma QB Spencer Rattler has been the No. 1 pick in many 2022 NFL Round 1 Mock Drafts, but due to a slow start to his season, he’s fallen in Marcus Mosher’s 2022 NFL Draft Predictions. (Image: USA TODAY Sports)
12. Indianapolis Colts: DeMarvin Leal, DT, Texas A&M
If the Colts hold onto this pick (it could be dealt as part of the Carson Wentz trade), look for them to build their pass rush.
Leal should and likely will go much higher than this in the actual draft, but there just wasn’t a great fit for him inside of the top 11.
13. New England Patriots: Christian Harris, LB, Alabama
Dont’a Hightower will turn 32 years old and the Patriots don’t have a replacement on the roster.
Could they go back to Alabama again and grab his replacement? Harris is the best linebacker in the draft and would be an ideal fit in their multiple defense.
14. Pittsburgh Steelers: Carson Strong, QB, Nevada
2021 has to be the last year for Ben Roethlisberger and they find his replacement out West.
Strong is a big, strong quarterback that needs some work, but he has all the tools to be a star in the NFL.
15. Minnesota Vikings: George Karlaftis, EDGE, Purdue
The Vikings have to upgrade their pass rush and Karlaftis is one of the best in the class.
He’s been highly productive throughout his career and has the size and athleticism required to play in Mike Zimmer‘s defense.
16. New York Jets (from Seahawks): Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State
This isn’t the best wide receiver class, but Olave would fit nicely with the Jets in the middle part of the first round. He can play on the outside or in the slot, creating separation for Zach Wilson.
Olave is a pro-ready receiver who might step right in and be the best wideout on the roster for New York.
- Keep tabs of the 2021 top CFB prospects while you bet on college football action. Check our NCAAF betting tips and predictions.
17. Carolina Panthers: Drake Jackson, EDGE, USC
The Panthers have an elite edge rusher in Brian Burns, but they continue to add to the unit with Jackson.
He would be terrific with Burns and Yetur Gross-Matos as the Panthers complete their defensive line rebuild.
18. Las Vegas Raiders: Jordan Battle, S, Alabama
Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock love drafting Alabama players, so why not take another one in this year’s class? The Raiders have selected two safeties recently, but Gus Bradley loves to use three safety looks.
Plus, Johnathan Abram is essentially a linebacker in their scheme and Battle could be the perfect complement to Tre’von Moehrig.
19. Denver Broncos: Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Michigan
Bradley Chubb has had a hard time staying healthy early in his career and we are reaching the final few years of Von Miller in the NFL.
Hutchinson is an experienced edge who has finally started to put all the tools together during his senior season.
20. New Orleans Saints: Zach Harrison, EDGE, Ohio State
The Saints are never afraid to continue building the trenches, and we know how much they love Ohio State players.
Harrison hasn’t been all that productive during his collegiate career, but he is a very athletic defensive end with great size.
21. Tennessee Titans: Sean Rhyan, OT, UCLA
The Titans might have one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL and it’s somewhere they have to improve in 2022. Rhyan is a four-star recruit with incredible size and length.
He’s played in a ton of games for UCLA and might be the best tackle in the Pac-12.
22. Dallas Cowboys: Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa
The Cowboys love to invest their offensive line and Linderbaum would be a Day 1 starter.
It’s worth mentioning that Connor Williams is a free agent and Connor McGovern is entering the final year of his deal, so there is a need here for Dallas.
23. Los Angeles Chargers: Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati
The Chargers took Asante Samuel Jr. in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft and that looks like a hit. Now, they take another cornerback to pair with him.
Gardner has excellent length and athleticism and would be a perfect outside cornerback in Brandon Staley‘s defense.
Isaiah Spiller of Texas A&M boasts the versatility to lead an NFL backfield, and this 2022 NFL Mock Draft of Round 1 has him joining the Arizona Cardinals’ RB group. (Image: USA TODAY Sports)
24. Miami Dolphins (from 49ers): Zion Nelson, OT, Miami
Miami’s offensive line has been a mess this year and it’s partly due to poor drafting. Austin Jackson appears to be a miss and they are now forced to start second-round pick Liam Eichenberg at right tackle.
Look for Miami to address their offensive line again in 2022, with Zion Nelson being a potential target. He is among the youngest players in the draft, and could potentially rise up into the top-20 if he can prove to stay healthy.
25. Arizona Cardinals: Isaiah Spiller, RB, Texas A&M
We see the value of running backs fall every year, but a few guys get picked in the late 20s every year. This year, Spiller is the most likely candidate to be that player as he is a legitimate threat in the run and passing game.
He would be a perfect fit in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense, especially if Chase Edmonds leaves in free agency.
26. Kansas City Chiefs: Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas
Kansas City has to find another weapon at receiver next year to pair with Tyreek Hill. Arkansas’ Treylon Burks could be an option as he possesses the height-weight-speed to be a star in the NFL.
There is an outside chance that he is the first receiver drafted next year as he dominates in the SEC in 2021.
27. Baltimore Ravens: Nichols Petit-Frere, OT, Ohio State
Baltimore has had some serious offensive line issues this year, especially at tackle. Their track record during the draft is to select players from big programs with pedigrees.
Petit-Frere fits that mold after a solid start to the 2021 season. He would need to make the transition to right tackle in the NFL, but he should be able to do that.
28. Green Bay Packers: Drake London, WR, USC
Davante Adams is in the last year of his contract and it appears the Packers may allow him to walk next offseason. If that is the case, Green Bay will need to find Jordan Love his future No. 1 receiver.
London could be a target in the back-end of the first round as he offers incredible size and ball skills. Through four games, he’s totaled 542 yards and three touchdowns for USC.
29. Cleveland Browns: Kingsley Enagbare, EDGE, South Carolina
Jadeveon Clowney is on a one-year deal with the Browns and the team would love to find a long-term pass rusher opposite of Myles Garrett. Enagbare is a highly athletic rusher who is only getting better and better.
He’s added weight this season and it’s helped him so far. There is a good chance he doesn’t even make it outside of the top-20 picks by the time the draft rolls around.
30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Justyn Ross, WR Clemson
Chris Godwin and Antonio Brown are both set to be free agents after the season, so it makes sense that the Buccaneers would want to revamp their wide receiver corps.
Ross has battled back from a severe neck injury and is starting to look like the player we saw in 2018. At 6’4, 205 pounds, he and Mike Evans would be one of the NFL’s biggest and most athletic wide receiver duos.
31. Buffalo Bills: Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia
The Bills love to build up their defensive line and Davis would be the final piece needed to make this a dominant unit. Davis is a 350-pound defensive tackle who has the power and athleticism to dominate in the NFL.
Putting him next to Ed Oliver for the next few years would be terrifying for opposing offensive lines.
32. Detroit Lions (from Rams): Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State
The Lions will get the first-round pick from the Rams in back-to-back seasons due to the Matthew Stafford trade. Detroit has one of the worst wide receiver rooms in the NFL, but Wilson would help fix that. In four games this season, he has totaled 23 receptions for 391 yards and three touchdowns.
He would be a perfect fit for Detroit as Malik Willis’ new No. 1 receiver.
