2022 NFL Mock Draft: Spencer Rattler still the top pick overall?

2022 NFL mock draft: Picks 4-6

After securing Trevor Lawrence with the first overall pick in last year’s draft, the goal now for Jacksonville is to get as much talent on the roster as possible, particularly at premium positions.  So, with that being said the strategy becomes to select the best player available, and in this 2022 NFL Mock Draft scenario that is Derek Stingley Jr.

Stingley Jr. is easily one the best players in the draft, arguably the very best, and on top of that he plays a position that is very valuable in today’s NFL.

He possesses all the physical tools you could possibly want in a corner as he’s got great size (6-foot-2), he’s very athletic, and he moves quite fluidly.  What makes him truly special as a corner however are his rare ball skills, as a freshman at LSU he picked off six passes and broke up a total of 15, which are numbers you almost never see, especially from a freshman playing in the SEC.

Stingley Jr. did have a bit of a down year by his standards last year, however, I don’t think it really affects his draft stock it was a weird year with covid and he dealt with injuries throughout the season.  If he can return to his freshman year self or a close version to that he’s absolutely a lock to go top-five and could even have a case to be the first overall pick.

The Eagles will have a choice to make in this draft and that will be how much do they believe in Jalen Hurts?  Obviously, a lot of that will depend upon how he performs this season, but with Rattler off the board in this very early projection, I don’t think there’s a quarterback worth giving up on Hurts for.

With tackle being a need for Philadelphia and Evan Neal being one of the top prospects in the draft this is an excellent fit.  The ceiling for Neal is quite high as his combination of massive size (6-foot-7, 350 pounds) and movement skills are rare.

Last year at Alabama, Neal was phenomenal as a run blocker, but a bit inconsistent as a pass protector.  If he can show more consistency protecting the quarterback this season that would really solidify his status as a top-five prospect in the class, as he certainly does have all the tools to develop into an elite all-around offensive tackle.

With Joe Burrow, 2020’s draft top selection the Bengals are in a similar position to a lot of other teams in the NFL right now.  They have their young potential franchise quarterback in place and now the goal is to surround him with as much talent as possible on both sides of the ball.

DeMarvin Leal is another former five-star recruit who checks all of the boxes of a top ten prospect.  He has all the traits to develop into a very good defensive lineman in the NFL with a good blend of size, power, and movement skills and he has performed well at Texas A&M as both a pass rusher and run stopper.

Leal is a unique prospect as he primarily lines up on edge, however with his size (6-foot-4, 290 pounds) and power he could definitely be effective lining up on the interior as well.