NFL mock draft 2022: Making way-too-early first-round predictions

Even though the 2021 NFL Draft just ended, it’s never too early to look ahead to the next class. This 2022 NFL mock draft is sure to look foolish a year from now, but this is a fun and interesting way to start to get to know the class. Team needs will undoubtedly change in a major way and many of these prospects will fall far and rise high up draft boards. Let’s have some fun anyway.

Note: The order for this 2022 NFL mock draft was determined based on consensus Super Bowl odds from The Action Network. If you don’t like where your team is picking, take it up with the oddsmakers.

First-round 2022 NFL mock draft

It seems unlikely that Deshaun Watson will ever a down for the Houston Texans again, and if they are picking first in the draft, they will be looking for a new franchise quarterback. We have a long way to go before we see how this quarterback class shakes out, but Spencer Rattler is an impressive natural playmaker who has a live arm. He goes No. 1 overall to Houston in this 2022 NFL mock draft.

The New York Jets primarily focused on their offense in the 2021 NFL Draft, stacking talent around new franchise quarterback Zach Wilson. In this 2022 NFL mock draft, they focus on the defense early, snagging Oregon edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux.

Thibodeaux is an absolute freak speed rusher on the edge who displays an explosive first step, impressive bend around the corner and tremendous closing speed. He undoubtedly has massive upside at the next level and will likely be the top prospect on many boards next April.

Derek Stingley Jr. was one of the best cornerbacks in college football as a true freshman in 2019 and has been high on the NFL radar ever since. He is an extremely sticky man coverage cornerback who undoubtedly has lockdown upside at the next level. The Philadelphia Eagles keep trying to get away with limited talent at the cornerback position but Stingley is simply too good to ignore for them here.

The New York Giants can keep pretending that Daniel Jones is good enough to take them to the next level, but the truth is that he is not. Jones is a limited quarterback who is always going to limit the ceiling of this team as long as he is under center. If Jones has another middling season, the Giants could certainly look to address the position next offseason.

A quarterback from Liberty going this high may seem odd, but Malik Willis is a former Auburn commit who played extremely well last season. He has massive upside as a dual-threat quarterback and will catch the attention of many NFL teams with another strong season at Liberty in 2020.

This pick comes to the Giants via the Chicago Bears

Kyle Hamilton is going to be one of the most interesting players to watch throughout the draft process. Hamilton is a big and athletic safety prospect who displays tremendous range on the back-end and fantastic ball skills. He shows the ability to play in the box and is also an impressive playmaker on the back-end. Make no mistake about it, Hamilton will be one of the premier defenders in this class and the Atlanta Falcons scoop him up in this NFL mock draft.

The 2022 NFL Draft class is led by another strong group of wide receivers. The talent at the wide receiver position is similar to the past two years and George Pickens out of Georgia is one of the premier players at the position in the class.

Pickens is a true alpha at the wide receiver position who attacks the ball in the air extremely well. He is a tremendous playmaker in contested-catch situations and can stretch the field with his speed. A torn ACL suffered in spring practice could hurt Pickens’ draft stock, but he is undoubtedly a talented player with major upside at the next level. The Los Angeles Chargers find Justin Herbert a lead playmaker with their pick in this 2022 NFL mock draft.

This pick comes to the Eagles via the Miami Dolphins

Sevyn Banks looks like the next talented first-round cornerback to come out of Ohio State. Banks certainly has plenty to prove on the field, but he has the skill-set needed to be a tremendous asset in the secondary. With Stephon Gilmore and J.C. Jackson both hitting free agency next offseason, cornerback could end up being a massive need for the New England Patriots and Banks stands out as a premier target for the team.

This pick comes to the Jets via the Seattle Seahawks

This pick comes to the Eagles via the Indianapolis Colts

This pick comes to the Dolphins via the San Francisco 49ers

The Baltimore Ravens run a lot of their offense through the tight end position and cannot afford a dip at the spot if they lose Mark Andrews in free agency next offseason. Jalen Wydermyer is an impressive athlete who shines in the passing game and is the leader to be the top tight end off of the board next April.

This pick comes to the Lions via the Los Angeles Rams

With the final pick of this 2022 NFL mock draft, the Kansas City Chiefs select Josh Jobe, a talented cornerback prospect out of Alabama. Jobe could have left early, entered the 2021 NFL Draft and he would have likely been a mid-round selection. However, Jobe has a great chance to establish himself as a true first-round prospect at Alabama next season.

Jobe is a fantastic athlete on the outside who is sticky in man coverage and shows good, natural ball skills. If he can refine his game a bit during the 2021 season, Jobe will fly up draft boards throughout the process.