3-Round 2022 NFL Mock Draft after Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams Trades

After an aggressive trade up earlier in the first round of this 2022 NFL Mock Draft and due to the position that this player plays and a less-than-stellar showing at the 2022 NFL Draft Scouting Combine, the New York Giants pair Kyle Hamilton with Evan Neal and come away with arguably the top two players in this draft class.

Evan Neal is the staple that the team was looking for to shore up the offense, but Kyle Hamilton is the playmaker that the team is looking for to reshape their defense. With addition of the Chicago Bears’ first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the New York Giants have a real opportunity to make a big splash like this.

People were already skeptical of taking a safety in the top five or ten in the NFL Draft, then after Hamilton failed to wow with his testing at the 2022 NFL Draft Scouting Combine, it appears that he may fall down draft boards just a bit. But I really believe that he is one of the two best players in the 2022 NFL Draft, and the Giants are able to get both of them.

Hamilton just does everything. Anything you can imagine on the defensive side of the football, Kyle Hamilton is good at it. Want him to play deep in the defensive backfield? He has the instincts, speed and ball skills to make plays. Want him to play in the box around the line of scrimmage? He can take on blockers, roam sideline to sideline and lay the boom like a linebacker. Want him in man coverage on tight ends, running backs or even wide receivers? He has the size, athleticism and skill to lock them up.

Every NFL team would want a Kyle Hamilton on their team, but the New York Giants just so happen to be in need of another game-changing, playmaking safety to pair with Xavier McKinney. Kyle Hamilton is a perfect fit for them and would be an absolute steal anywhere outside of the top five in the 2022 NFL Draft.

This was the first pick that I really struggled with in this 2022 NFL Mock Draft. There are tons of directions that a team like the Atlanta Falcons could go, with so many needs to address. The best solution to that problem? Go with the best player available. To me? That is Jermaine Johnson.

At the Senior Bowl, arguably no one helped their case more than Jermaine Johnson. The Florida State edge defender showed that he belongs in the conversation with the other top defenders in the 2022 NFL Draft, and could very easily end up in the top 10 come April.

Johnson has impressive size and athleticism which, again, is what NFL teams are looking for early in this 2022 NFL Mock Draft. He is still a bit raw as a one-year starter, but Johnson absolutely possesses the desired traits in a top prospect.

For Atlanta Falcons fans, this may be a scary selection. The team has tried their hand at high-upside, raw but athletic edge rushers time and time ago, with very little sustained success. Vic Beasley, Dante Fowler and Takk McKinley all had their ups with Atlanta, but they certainly were not long-term and quickly turned to downs. But I think Johnson is a different prospect who will work to develop his game into a top-notch starter for Dean Pees’ defense.