THE PICKS ARE IN
The three-day NFL draft is here – ample time to cobble together one more mock draft and hope to hit first-round blackjack before the proceedings officially begin Thursday night in Las Vegas.
Even though teams’ draft boards are largely set, plot twists await – some players perhaps getting a belated push, others dogged by newfound questions ... not to mention the possibility a major trade (Deebo Samuel, anyone?) could significantly shake up Round 1’s outlook at the eleventh hour.
But, based on what we think we know, here’s one more projection attempting to forecast how the opening night of the annual Player Selection Meeting unfolds:
1. Jacksonville Jaguars
DE Travon Walker, Georgia: He completes his pre-draft rocket ride all the way to the top. The gulf between his potential and production (91⁄2 career sacks for the Bulldogs) represents quite a gamble, but his ability to line up wide or go head up on centers and guards is an asset on passing downs. Yet his hustle and dedication to stopping the run are especially alluring in a division featuring Titans RB Derrick Henry and Colts RB Jonathan Taylor.
2. Detroit Lions
DE Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan: The Wolverines star and Plymouth, Michigan, native could be the needed face of a franchise that lacks one while juicing up a pass rush that produced just 30 sacks in 2021 and no longer has DE Trey Flowers.
3. Houston Texans
OT Ikem “Ickey” Ekwonu, North Carolina State: Good luck finding an offensive line prospect this year with more upside. A devastating run blocker, he could start out at guard or right tackle – or settle in on QB Davis Mills’ blind side if the Texans decide to eventually move on from LT Laremy Tunsil as part of their ongoing rebuild. The 6-4, 310pound Ekwonu ran a sub-5-second 40-yard dash at the scouting combine, one indicator of his elite athleticism.
4. New York Jets
CB Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, Cincinnati: A franchise that’s been looking for Darrelle Revis’ successor for the past half-decade would benefit greatly from the 6-3, 190pounder Gardner, who never surrendered a TD pass for the Bearcats. The consensus All-American allowed only 20 receptions in 2021, picked off three passes and – evidence of his all-around game – posted 40 tackles and three sacks. He’s not going to sustain that kind of shutdown rep in a division now featuring WRs Tyreek Hill and Stefon Diggs, but he’d certainly upgrade the league’s worst defense.
5. New York Giants
OT Evan Neal, Alabama: If Big Blue’s new regime wants to give QB Daniel Jones and RB Saquon Barkley a fighting chance at relevance in 2022, no better avenue than bolstering the offensive line with the 6-8, 337-pounder. Neal can play guard or either tackle spot and would help Jones remain much cleaner ... Barkley, too, given the size of the running lanes Neal can create.
6. Carolina Panthers
OT Charles Cross, Mississippi State: Assuming GM Scott Fitterer – not scheduled to pick again until late in Round 4 – can’t find someone to take this selection off his hands, probably wiser and safer to address his gaping left tackle issue with arguably the draft’s premier pass blocker than roll the dice on a quarterback who may or may not be much better than Sam Darnold ... especially if he has to drop back behind this line as currently constructed.
7. Pittsburgh Steelers
(PROJECTED TRADE with Giants) QB Malik Willis, Liberty: A win-win for both teams, as trades are intended to be. Spinning off the pick acquired from the Chicago Bears in last year’s Justin Fields deal, rookie New York GM Joe Schoen could pull down the Steelers’ 2023 first-rounder (in addition to No. 20 this year), giving him an insurance policy in next year’s quarterback-rich draft. On the other side, the Steelers make the bold move they’ll almost certainly have to try at some point in order to bring in retired Ben Roethlisberger’s successor.
8. Atlanta Falcons
WR Garrett Wilson, Ohio State: After laying down a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at the combine, the 6-foot, 183-pound Wilson bolstered the argument he might be the top pass catching prospect in a very extensive class of them. He would pair very nicely in the pass game – in whatever form it takes – with last year’s first-rounder, TE Kyle Pitts.
9. Seattle Seahawks
(from Denver Broncos) CB Derek Stingley Jr., LSU: His talents as a cover man are undeniable and were apparent for the 2019 national champions, for whom he had six interceptions, earning All-American honors for his efforts. But Lisfranc surgery limited him to three games in 2021. However a promising showing at LSU’s pro day seems to have allayed concerns about Stingley’s health and readiness to play.
10. New York Jets
(from Seahawks) WR Jameson Williams, Alabama: With the final piece of the 2020 Jamal Adams trade, Jets GM Joe Douglas needs a home-run draft after failing to lure any blue-chip free agents this year and coming up short in the derby to pry Hill out of Kansas City. Williams could well become that caliber of playmaker for second-year QB Zach Wilson ... once he fully recovers from the ACL tear suffered in the national championship game against Georgia.
11. Washington Commanders
S Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame: Hamilton is widely regarded as a top-five talent in this draft who’s being undercut by the positional value of safeties.
12. Minnesota Vikings
OLB/DE Jermaine Johnson II, Florida State: Pass rushers are always at a premium, but especially for a team apparently counting on Za’Darius Smith and Danielle Hunter, who combined to miss 26 games in 2021 – this after Hunter was injured for the entire 2020 campaign. A Georgia transfer, Johnson comes off a productive senior season that included 111⁄2 sacks and 171⁄2 tackles for losses.
13. Houston Texans
(from Cleveland Browns) DE Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon: The Texans also need to regenerate their pass rush. Thibodeaux, who will probably be under consideration by Houston GM Nick Caserio at No. 3, is so talented, he once seemed ticketed for the No. 1 pick. But he still has to prove his commitment to the game is as important as the commitment to his brand.
14. Baltimore Ravens
CB Trent McDuffie, Washington: He has 4.4 speed, elite cover skills, smarts and the versatility to play in just about any scheme. The Ravens have historically stockpiled first-rate DBs yet have developed a need with Tavon Young moving to Chicago and Marcus Peters, who’s got a year left on his contract, trying to rebound from a torn ACL.
15. Philadelphia Eagles
(from Miami Dolphins) WR Drake London,
Southern Cal: Yes, this would mean a firstround wideout for a third straight year in Philly. London’s size would be a plus for sometimes scattershot QB Jalen Hurts, who could use a Mike Evans-type target. London had 88 catches for 1,084 yards and seven scores in eight games in 2021 before a broken ankle cut his season short.
16. New Orleans Saints
(from Indianapolis Colts via Eagles) OT
Trevor Penning, Northern Iowa: A talented, nasty player for the blind side, he’d remind Saints fans of Kyle Turley and hopefully help them forget about departed LT Terron Armstead.
17. Los Angeles Chargers
WR Chris Olave, Ohio State: With sub-4.4 speed, he has the juice and smooth route running to beautifully supplement rebounding WR Mike Williams and technician counterpart Keenan Allen.
18. Philadelphia Eagles
(from Saints) DT Jordan Davis, Georgia: A 6-6, 341-pound All-American who somehow ran a 4.78 40 at the combine, he can crush a pocket and is also a valuable run stuffer. Philadelphia will need such an anchor with DTs Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave headed for free agency next year.
19. New Orleans Saints
(from Eagles) WR Jahan Dotson, Penn
State: The 5-11, 178-pounder with 4.4 speed and supple hands might be an ideal complement to big-bodied possession WR Michael Thomas and do-it-all RB Alvin Kamara. Dotson, who could also add pop as a returner, would definitely – in conjunction with Thomas’ return – elevate what was the league’s worst passing attack in Year 1 post-Brees.
20. New York Giants
(PROJECTED TRADE with Steelers)
LB Devin Lloyd, Utah: The draft’s best prospect at his position is more compelling than dipping into the next tier of edge rushers.
21. New England Patriots
CB Andrew Booth Jr., Clemson: Georgia LB Nakobe Dean is tempting, and maybe the Pats can move up in Round 2 to get him. But a fourth-ranked defense badly needs to replenish at corner after losing J.C. Jackson in free agency. Booth is the type of versatile player – comfortable in any coverage technique or scheme – this organization tends to value.
22. Green Bay Packers
(from Las Vegas Raiders) WR Treylon Burks,
Arkansas: Perhaps 4.55-second 40 speed is unremarkable for his position, but the momentum it generates for a 6-2, 225-pounder who’s been compared to Deebo Samuel could be distinctive. Burks averaged more than 16 yards per reception in each of his three seasons with the Razorbacks, and he has 18 TDs among his past 117 grabs.
23. Arizona Cardinals
OL Zion Johnson, Boston College: Strong as an ox (combine-high 32 repetitions on the 225-pound bench press) but with light feet, Johnson can line up at guard or left tackle.
24. Dallas Cowboys
OL Kenyon Green, Texas A&M: He played every O-line position but center for the Aggies in 2021 but took most of his college snaps at left guard. That kind of versatility – and a nice streak of nastiness – would be a boon to a once dominant unit that lost RT La’el Collins and LG Connor Williams in free agency and had shown signs of slippage.
25. Buffalo Bills
RB Breece Hall, Iowa State: It’s strongly worth considering. Buffalo hasn’t had a 900-yard rusher since QB Josh Allen was drafted in 2018, and he’s had to shoulder too much of the run game’s responsibilities. For a team that appears primed for a Super Bowl run, especially amid Kansas City’s loss of Hill, why not add one more difference-maker? Hall (5-11, 217) could be an every-down option who had 3,526 yards from scrimmage and 46 TDs during his last two seasons with the Cyclones.
26. Tennessee Titans
QB Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh: He might be the most NFL-ready passer in the draft ... though Nashville isn’t a place Pickett would have to play immediately. However, change may be necessary as Ryan Tannehill’s playoff shortcomings continue to mount.
27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
DB Daxton Hill, Michigan: The Bucs are suddenly thin at safety and slot corner. Hill can kill two birds with one stone. His 4.38second 40-yard-dash speed is an asset at nickel, the box or center field and would create more options for newly promoted head coach Todd Bowles, who will remain intimately involved with the defense.
28. Green Bay Packers
DE George Karlaftis, Purdue: He could do a lot of damage breaking in on passing downs and augmenting a rush led by OLBs Rashan Gary and Preston Smith. In two full seasons (2019, 2021) for the Boilermakers, Karlaftis compiled 13 sacks, 32 QB hits and 64 hurries.
29. Kansas City Chiefs
(from San Francisco 49ers via Dolphins) WR
George Pickens, Georgia: He suffered an ACL tear in spring practice a year ago but made it back in time to participate in the Bulldogs’ 2021 championship drive, averaging 21.4 yards on five catches. But a 6-3, 195-pounder with sub-4.5 speed offers plenty of intrigue and has even been mentioned favorably in the same breath as former Dawgs legend A.J. Green. Imagine that kind of impact on a K.C. offense trying to move forward without its Cheetah.
30. Kansas City Chiefs
DE Arnold Ebiketie, Penn State: After transferring from Temple last season, he burst onto the scene in Happy Valley by posting 91⁄2 sacks and 18 TFLs. He’s not the stoutest guy (6-2, 250) and might benefit by focusing early on what he does best – hunt quarterbacks – as a sub package stud alongside DE Frank Clark and DT Chris Jones. Maybe in a year, Ebiketie is ready to replace Clark and his $21 million salary for 2023.
31. Cincinnati Bengals
CB Kaiir Elam, Florida: The AFC champs can actually look to improve other areas of their roster after getting three new offensive linemen for quarterback Joe Burrow in free agency. Elam is a big (6-2, 191), fast (4.39 40) corner who could immediately push to replace Eli Apple as a starter for Cincy’s defense.
32. Detroit Lions
(from Los Angeles Rams) DE/OLB David
Ojabo, Michigan: What could be better than one Wolverines pass rusher in Detroit? Two, naturally. Ojabo and Aidan Hutchinson combined for 25 sacks in 2021, the former exploding for 11 while seeing significant snaps for the first time. The 6-4, 250-pounder, who once seemed headed for the top half of Round 1, is also coming back from an Achilles injury suffered at his pro day. But given he might have benefited from a limited role as a rookie anyway, why not invest in Ojabo here – ensuring you potentially have him for at least five seasons with the option year?