NFL mock draft through first 4 rounds

There’s nothing wrong with a simple first-round NFL mock draft, but it can only tell you so much.

By diving deeper into the class, a clearer picture emerges. Teams don’t always address their biggest holes early in the draft, and the players picked on Day Two and Day Three can often be just as impactful as the ones celebrated on opening night.

Here are The Baltimore Sun’s projections for all 143 picks in the first four rounds of the 2022 NFL draft, which begins April 28 in Las Vegas. (Teams are listed in alphabetical order.)

ARIZONA CARDINALS

♦ Round 1, No. 23: Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia

♦ Round 2, No. 55: Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State

♦ Round 3, No. 87: Coby Bryant, CB, Cincinnati

The Cardinals have an uphill battle in the rugged NFC West, so they need each of these picks to hit — especially if they want to keep quarterback Kyler Murray long-term. Wyatt, an explosive athlete with pass-rushing upside, and Bryant, a rugged and productive corner, fill two of the biggest holes on a defense that needs to improve to hang with the top offenses in its division. Hall, meanwhile, is a tackle-breaking machine who can form a dynamic one-two punch with veteran James Conner.

ATLANTA FALCONS

♦ Round 1, No. 8: Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State

♦ Round 2, No. 43: Travis Jones, DT, Connecticut

♦ Round 2, No. 58: Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss

♦ Round 3, No. 74: Brandon Smith, LB, Penn State

♦ Round 3, No. 82: Dylan Parham, G, Memphis

♦ Round 4, No. 114: Max Mitchell, OT, Louisiana

After adding a dynamic receiver in Wilson to make up for the loss of suspended star Calvin Ridley, the Falcons retool in the trenches. Jones and Smith are two elite athletes at their respective positions, while Parham and Mitchell help bolster one of the worst offensive lines in the league. At pick No. 58, Corral is worth taking a chance on. He’s still a bit raw after excelling in a quarterback-friendly scheme at Ole Miss, but he can sharpen his skill set behind veteran Marcus Mariota.

BALTIMORE RAVENS

♦ Round 1, No. 14: George Karlaftis, EDGE, Purdue

♦ Round 2, No. 45: Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn

♦ Round 3, No. 76: Nicholas Petit-Frere, OT, Ohio State

♦ Round 3, No. 100: Dameon Pierce, RB, Florida

♦ Round 4, No. 110: Neil Farrell Jr., DT, LSU

♦ Round 4, No. 119: Cam Jurgens, C, Nebraska

♦ Round 4, No. 128: Jeremy Ruckert, TE, Ohio State

♦ Round 4, No. 139: Zachary Carter, EDGE, Florida

♦ Round 4, No. 141: Mario Goodrich, CB, Clemson

Just about every need gets filled with this haul. With Karlaftis and McCreary, the Ravens add valuable depth at two premier positions with the potential for both to emerge as starters sooner than later. On the offensive line, Petit-Frere can serve as a much-needed swing tackle, while Jurgens can compete for a starting spot at center or guard. Pierce — Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded rusher in the FBS last season — might not get much playing time behind J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, but we saw how fast the running back room disintegrated last season because of injuries. Ruckert, a solid in-line blocker, can eventually fill Nick Boyle’s role, while Carter and Goodrich offer important depth at key positions.

BUFFALO BILLS

♦ Round 1, No. 25: Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson

♦ Round 2, No. 57: Kenneth Walker III, RB, Michigan State

♦ Round 3, No. 89: Kellen Diesch, OT, Arizona State

♦ Round 4, No. 130: Tyquan Thornton, WR, Baylor

What do you get for the team that has everything? How about a versatile corner, a complete running back, a highly graded tackle and a lightning-fast deep threat. Getting a receiver like Thornton, who ran a 4.28 40-yard dash at the scouting combine, to complement Stefon Diggs, Gabriel Davis and Jamison Crowder would further cement Buffalo’s status as the Super Bowl favorite behind star quarterback Josh Allen.

CAROLINA PANTHERS

♦ Round 1, No. 6: Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State

♦ Round 4, No. 137: Thayer Munford, G, Ohio State

With no second- or third-round picks, the pressure is on general manager Scott Fitterer to make the most of what he’s got. There’s a good chance Carolina goes after a quarterback, but with so many holes on the roster, a trade for a veteran like Jimmy Garroppolo or Baker Mayfield might make the most sense. If the Panthers don’t find a way to turn that No. 6 pick into more selections, Cross would be a worthy choice as the anchor of a struggling offensive line.

CHICAGO BEARS

♦ Round 2, No. 39: George Pickens, WR, Georgia

♦ Round 2, No. 48: Kenyon Green, G/T, Texas A&M

♦ Round 3, No. 71: Martin Emerson, CB, Mississippi State

Much has been made about the Bears’ inability to put a more competitive roster around young quarterback Justin Fields, but that’s the price you pay for trading up in the draft. Without a first-round pick, this would be a home run for new general manager Ryan Poles, who adds a pair of potential stars in Pickens and Green to fill some glaring holes.

CINCINNATI BENGALS

♦ Round 1, No. 31: Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa

♦ Round 2, No. 63: Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State

♦ Round 3, No. 95: Cam Taylor-Britt, CB, Nebraska

♦ Round 4, No. 136: Terrel Bernard, LB, Baylor

In adding Linderbaum, the Bengals would complete their offensive line overhaul. The Iowa star is a consensus top-20 prospect, but positional value bumps him to the bottom of the first round. Cincinnati also gets the top tight end prospect in the class in McBride, a productive downfield threat who would pair nicely with former Ravens first-round pick Hayden Hurst and give quarterback Joe Burrow yet another weapon.

CLEVELAND BROWNS

♦ Round 2, No. 44: Logan Hall, DL, Houston

♦ Round 3, No. 78: Khalil Shakir, WR, Boise State

♦ Round 3, No. 99: Myjai Sanders, EDGE, Cincinnati

♦ Round 4, No. 118: Cade Otton, TE, Washington

After trading away a huge package of draft picks for quarterback Deshaun Watson, including their next three first-rounders, it’s even more important for Cleveland to find value in the middle rounds.

Hall and Shakir fill two important spots after some big losses in free agency, while Sanders represents a worthy bet on a player who could be better than his struggles throughout the predraft process might suggest.

DALLAS COWBOYS

♦ Round 1, No. 24: Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia

♦ Round 2, No. 56: DeMarvin Leal, EDGE, Texas A&M

♦ Round 3, No. 88: Calvin Austin III, WR, Memphis

♦ Round 4, No. 129: Chris Paul, G/T, Tulsa

The Dallas defense needs some reinforcements, especially up the middle. In steps Dean and Leal, two former five-star prospects who have the potential to make an instant impact. On offense, the Cowboys could use a gadget player like the 5-foot-8, 170-pound Austin, an impressive athlete who’s dynamic in the open field. Paul, meanwhile, helps bolster the offensive line after the departure of right tackle La’el Collins in free agency.

DENVER BRONCOS

♦ Round 2, No. 64: Troy Andersen, LB, Montana State

♦ Round 3, No. 75: Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota

♦ Round 3, No. 96: Matthew Butler, DT, Tennessee

♦ Round 4, No. 115: Amare Barno, EDGE, Virginia Tech

♦ Round 4, No. 116: Alontae Taylor, CB, Tennessee

The Broncos have one of the best rosters in football behind quarterback Russell Wilson, so this draft is all about depth and filling in at the margins. Andersen, a converted running back and quarterback, is an intriguing player, and the same can be said of the 6-8, 384-pound Faalele and the freakishly athletic Barno. Those players can adapt slowly to the NFL and grow into valuable pieces down the road.

DETROIT LIONS

♦ Round 1, No. 2: Travon Walker, EDGE, Georgia

♦ Round 1, No. 32: Daxton Hill, CB, Michigan

♦ Round 2, No. 34: Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State

♦ Round 3, No. 66: Jalen Tolbert, WR, South Alabama

♦ Round 3, No. 97: Damone Clark, LB, LSU

This draft will be a crucial part of the Lions’ rebuilding plan under coach Dan Campbell, so it stands to reason they’ll go after the kind of tough, hard-nosed players he likes. Walker, Hill, Brisker and even Clark can immediately solidify the defense from back to front. The secondary in particular could use some help, and the versatile Hill — a safety and slot corner — and the ball-hawking Brisker would be huge difference-makers.

GREEN BAY PACKERS

♦ Round 1, No. 22: Zion Johnson, G, Boston College

♦ Round 1, No. 28: Arnold Ebiketie, EDGE, Penn State

♦ Round 2, No. 53: Chad Muma, LB, Wyoming

♦ Round 2, No. 59: Alec Pierce, WR, Cincinnati

♦ Round 3, No. 92: Greg Dulcich, TE, UCLA

♦ Round 4, No. 132: Joshua Williams, CB, Fayetteville State

♦ Round 4, No. 140: John Ridgeway, DT, Arkansas

No wide receiver until the end of Round Two? That’s just the Packers’ philosophy. Even after trading star Davante Adams, it’s unlikely they’ll change their stripes. Johnson and Ebiketie can be immediate starters up front, while the athletic Muma would pair nicely with star De’Vondre Campbell in the middle. The 6-3, 211-pound Pierce has the size and blocking chops the Packers covet while also providing a deep threat for two-time defending MVP Aaron Rodgers.

HOUSTON TEXANS

♦ Round 1, No. 3: Evan Neal, OT, Alabama

♦ Round 1, No. 13: Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia

♦ Round 2, No. 37: David Ojabo, EDGE, Michigan

♦ Round 3, No. 68: John Metchie III, WR, Alabama

♦ Round 3, No. 80: Kerby Joseph, S, Illinois

♦ Round 4, No. 107: Deangelo Malone, EDGE, Western Kentucky

♦ Round 4, No. 108: Zyon McCollum, CB, Sam Houston

For a team that needs help at just about every position, this would be a dream scenario. Neal and Davis might not end up being stars, but they certainly raise the team’s floor. The Texans are a long way from being competitive, so drafting and stashing Ojabo — a consensus top-20 player — while he recovers from a torn Achilles tendon would be incredibly valuable. New coach Lovie Smith even reunites with a familiar face in Joseph from his days at Illinois.