New England Football Journal NFL Draft analyst Tyler Amaral unveiled his first mock draft ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft. Here is who Tyler projects will go in the first round.
1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Evan Neal, OL Alabama – Priority number 1 for Jacksonville is protecting Trevor Lawrence.
2. Detroit Lions: Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE Michigan – Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes will be ecstatic to add another piece to their front seven.
3. Houston Texans: Ikem Ekwonu, OL NC State – Nick Caserio has plenty of holes to fill. He starts in the trenches with Ekwonu who is a versatile mauler.
4. New York Jets: Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE Oregon – Robert Saleh’s best defenses in San Francisco were built front to back. Jets grab a player long viewed as the number 1 overall prospect.
5. New York Giants: Charles Cross, OT Mississippi State – Brian Daboll has made it clear he intends to give Daniel Jones a clean slate. Cross paired with Andrew Thomas gives the Giants a solid, young tackle duo.
6. Carolina Panthers: Kenny Pickett, QB Pittsburgh – Teddy Bridgewater, Sam Darnold, PJ Walker and Cam Newton were not the answer at the game’s most important position.
7. New York Giants: Tyler Linderbaum, C Iowa – It’s high for a non-premium position, but Linderbaum is that good of a prospect, particularly in the run game.
8. Atlanta Falcons: Sauce Gardner, CB Cincinnati – Elite corner who was rarely thrown at in college. Atlanta has bigger needs, but pairing Gardner with star AJ Terrell will help the entire defense immensely.
9. Denver Broncos: Kyle Hamilton, S Notre Dame – My number 1 overall prospect falls to Denver due to positional value and team needs.
10. New York Jets: Derek Stingley, CB LSU – The Jets were dreadful on defense last year so they double down on defense in the top 10.
11. Washington Commanders: Garrett Wilson, WR Ohio State – Whoever is playing quarterback for Washington next year will need more weapons. Wilson is a seamless fit next to fellow Buckeye, Terry McLaurin. Wilson can win at all three levels and consistently gets open.
12. Minnesota Vikings: Andrew Booth, CB Clemson – Cam Dantzler has flashed in spurts for the Vikings, but they need another capable corner.
13. Cleveland Browns: Treylon Burks, WR Arkansas – Burks gives the Browns a playmaker the receiver room is sorely lacking.
14. Baltimore Ravens: David Ojabo, EDGE Michigan – Ojabo could wind up as the best pass rusher from this draft class as he continues to gain more experience.
15. Philadelphia Eagles: Nakobe Dean, LB Georgia – Dean is undersized for the position, but the leadership and film are impossible to ignore.
16. Philadelphia Eagles: Jameson Williams, WR Ohio State – Williams might’ve been the first receiver off the board if not for a torn ACL. He provides Jalen Hurts with game-breaking speed and compliments DeVonta Smith perfectly.
17. Los Angeles Chargers: Jordan Davis, DT Georgia – The Chargers main weakness a season ago was their run defense. Davis is a game-wrecker in the middle.
18. New Orleans Saints: Matt Corral, QB Ole Miss – Saints are in cap hell. A cheap option and reset at QB makes sense. Corral is my QB1, with more upside than Pickett.
19. Philadelphia Eagles; George Karlaftis, EDGE Purdue – Eagles continue their impressive draft by adding Karlaftis to an aging group of edge rushers.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Malik Willis, QB Liberty – Willis is raw, but the potential is through the roof. Doesn’t appear the Steelers are willing to spend big for a veteran at the quarterback position this spring.
21. New England Patriots: Devin Lloyd, LB Utah – Versatile linebacker provides Patriots front seven with a big boost.
22. Las Vegas Raiders: Drake London, WR USC – The Raiders lack an outside receiver. London is a big bodied contested catch monster with a basketball background, similar to Mike Evans.
23. Arizona Cardinals: Trent McDuffie, CB Washington – Byron Murphy has played well for the Cardinals. Arizona has been searching for a CB2 for what seems like forever.
24. Dallas Cowboys: Kaiir Elam, CB Florida – Trevon Diggs’ ball hawking prowess gets all of the attention, but Diggs, like the rest of the Dallas secondary is susceptible to getting beat by good offenses.
25. Buffalo Bills: DeMarvin Leal, DL Texas A&M – Leal is a bit of an enigma. Will production or traits win out?
26. Tennessee Titans: Trevor Penning, OT Northern Iowa – Nasty, violent blocker fits the Tennessee identity perfectly.
27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jermaine Johnson, EDGE Florida State – Tampa Bay has a lot to address this offseason. Johnson has plenty of upside and a high floor.
28. Green Bay Packers: Chris Olave, WR Ohio State – This mock draft assumes Aaron Rodgers stays in Green Bay. Packers add a dynamic receiver opposite Davante Adams and their potential WR1 if they somehow let Adams slip away.
29. Miami Dolphins: Kenyon Green, OL Texas A&M – Shocking! The Dolphins need help on the offensive line. Green gives the team inside/outside versatility as he played four positions along the line for the Aggies in college.
30. Kansas City Chiefs: Kyler Gordon, CB Washington – Charvarius Ward and Mike Hughes are free agents.
31. Cincinnati Bengals: Zion Johnson, IOL Boston College – The Bengals need to protect Joe Burrow. Johnson is the best interior offensive lineman on the board.
32. Detroit Lions: Devonte Wyatt, DL Georgia – Lions use the Rams pick to double down on the defensive line. Building through the trenches.