With the Los Angeles Rams having defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI, here is the latest 2022 NFL Mock Draft from Audacy Sports, less than a month before the start of free agency:
Jaguars use top pick to protect Trevor Lawrence
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1.) Jacksonville Jaguars: Evan Neal - Offensive Tackle - Alabama
2.) Detroit Lions: Aidan Hutchinson - Edge Rusher - Michigan
3.) Houston Texans: Kayvon Thibodeaux - Edge Rusher - Oregon
4.) New York Jets: Ikem Ekwonu - Offensive Tackle - N.C. State
5.) New York Giants: Travon Walker - Edge Rusher - Georgia
While Doug Pederson and the Jaguars would probably love to take either of the two top-rated edge rushers in this year's class, priority No. 1 moving forward has to be protecting Trevor Lawrence and trying to undo any damage done during a tumultuous rookie season in Jacksonville.
One way to do that will be upgrading an offensive line that Pro Football Focus ranked as the No. 24 overall unit in 2021. Selecting Evan Neal with the top overall pick would allow them to do that.
The Draft Network touts Neal's ability to play at either tackle position, and suggests that he could be "a dominant run blocker." ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. believes that Neal could be a "stalwart left tackle" at the NFL level. NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah says that Neal "has the tools to emerge as a front-line starting tackle early in his career."
D.J. Chark is scheduled to become a free agent, but with a stable coach, the addition of Neal and the returns of James Robinson and Travis Etienne, Lawrence and the Jaguars' offense could take massive steps forward in 2022.
Panthers select Pickett as they look to stabilize quarterback position
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6.) Carolina Panthers: Kenny Pickett - Quarterback - Pittsburgh
7.) New York Giants: Charles Cross - Edge Rusher - Mississippi State
8.) Atlanta Falcons: Kyle Hamilton - Safety - Notre Dame
9.) Denver Broncos: Nakobe Dean - Linebacker - Georgia
10.) New York Jets: Derek Stingley - Cornerback - LSU
It's admirable that Panthers owner David Tepper wants to do everything in his power to land a star quarterback, but he's been, perhaps, too aggressive in his quest, which is why his team will be left to pay Sam Darnold $18.85 million next season.
With $16.58 million in cap space this offseason, the Panthers could take another swing at a veteran quarterback via trade. But it's fair to wonder if they are an attractive landing spot when you consider that head coach Matt Rhule may be entering 2022 with as hot of a seat as any coach in the NFL, and the team hasn't exactly shown a tendency to be patient with quarterbacks.
The Panthers, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, were willing to trade for Deshaun Watson before the trade deadline, even if he wasn't able to settle all 22 of the civil lawsuits against him. Watson declined to waive his no-trade clause to be traded from the Texans to the Panthers, which gives you an idea of how other quarterbacks without massive legal problems hanging over them may view the idea of being traded to Carolina.
So after failing to find their franchise quarterbacks in the forms of Darnold and Teddy Bridgewater, perhaps the Panthers' best route is to try to find a star quarterback in the NFL Draft. Unless the Giants fall in love with Pickett or another team leapfrogs them, the Panthers should have the chance to take the top-rated quarterback in this year's class with their first round pick.
Commanders land prospect they hope develops into franchise quarterback
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11.) Washington Commanders: Malik Willis - Quarterback - Liberty
12.) Minnesota Vikings: Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner - Cornerback - Cincinnati
13.) Cleveland Browns: Jordan Davis - Defensive Tackle - Georgia
14.) Baltimore Ravens: Kenyon Green - Offensive Guard - Texas A&M
15.) Philadelphia Eagles: David Ojabo - Edge Rusher - Michigan
Ron Rivera hasn't made any bones about it so far this offseason, the Commanders are looking for a star quarterback.
But for as great of a leader as Rivera is, his presence and that of quite a few talented players on both sides of the ball for Washington don't outweigh the storm cloud that is Daniel Synder owning the team. From here, the Commanders will struggle to attract an established star quarterback until they have a more stable and ethical ownership situation.
So their best path to figuring out the quarterback position in the long run is to find their answer via the NFL Draft. That doesn't mean they should force a selection, but if there's a prospect they believe has a high ceiling, they would be wise to pounce.
Liberty's Malik Willis is far from a sure thing. He may be a guy that takes two or three years to start to look like a star quarterback. Sometimes when you take a risk on a prospect that's raw with immense talent, you can get left with nothing, as it appears that the Packers may have with Jordan Love. Other times, you can get Josh Allen, a player that becomes a superstar in his third season, although he may be an extreme example.
Anyway, Kiper Jr. says that while Willis is a hard prospect to project, "NFL evaluators are really high on his ceiling, and he's the most talented quarterback in this class." If Washington is willing to be patient with Willis in the way that the Bills were with Allen, he may represent their best chance at landing a star at the most important position in the sport.
Eagles, Saints start the run on wide receivers
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16.) Philadelphia Eagles: Drake London - Wide Receiver - USC
17.) Los Angeles Chargers: Andrew Booth Jr. - Cornerback - Clemson
18.) New Orleans Saints: Jameson Williams - Wide Receiver - Alabama
19.) Philadelphia Eagles: Tyler Linderbaum - Center - Iowa
20.) Pittsburgh Steelers: DeMarvin Leal - Defensive Tackle - Texas A&M
Would the Eagles really draft a wide receiver in the first round for the third-consecutive season? Well, if they keep all three of their picks - probably not likely - and 2020 first round pick Jalen Reagor isn't back with the team for a third year - a very real possibility - then perhaps.
Howie Roseman and the Eagles enter the offseason with $21.53 million in cap space, so they could be players in free agency for wide receiver to pair alongside DeVonta Smith, such as Mike Williams.
However, the Chargers are in an even better place financially than the Eagles, with $56.30 million in cap space. While that flexibility could erode quickly when you consider that Justin Herbert will be eligible for a new contract after the 2022 regular season, they'd probably like to keep Williams at his disposal, when you consider that he had 1,146 receiving yards and nine touchdowns this past season.
If not Williams, USC's Drake London - who Jeremiah has at No. 10 overall on his big board and compares to Williams - could be an intriguing fit.
Meanwhile, two picks later we have the Saints selecting Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams, who almost certainly would have been the top wide receiver taken in this year's draft had he not suffered a torn ACL in January's National Championship Game.
The Saints are in such a disastrous cap situation that 2022 will probably be a lost year anyway, so they can afford to be patient with Williams. Perhaps former All-Pro wide receiver Michael Thomas will return to form in New Orleans next season, and him and Williams will form a dominant one-two punch. If not, the Saints will need a top-end wideout, and Williams projects to be that if his recovery goes well.
Looking to boost weapons at Josh Allen's disposal, Bills draft wide receiver who has been compared to Stefon Diggs
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21.) New England Patriots: Devin Lloyd - Linebacker - Utah
22.) Las Vegas Raiders: Chris Olave - Wide Receiver - Ohio State
23.) Arizona Cardinals: Trent McDuffie - Cornerback - Washington
24.) Dallas Cowboys: Jaquan Brisker - Safety - Penn State
25.) Buffalo Bills: Garrett Wilson - Wide Receiver - Ohio State
It already felt, at times, during the 2021 season that the Bills were too reliant on Allen to be Superman every week for them to win games. Now, the wide receiving corps around him could be in flux this offseason.
Isaiah McKenzie is set to become a free agent, and the same is true for veteran Emmanuel Sanders, who had 626 receiving yards in 2021.
Additionally, while Cole Beasley has been one of Allen's security blankets, he could be a cap casualty this offseason because the Bills currently have minus -$4.95 million in space.
Former All-Pro Stefon Diggs will still be in the fold, but for a team that doesn't have a star runner - unless you count Allen - one star wide receiver won't be enough to compete in an AFC that increasingly looks loaded.
So how about adding a second player in the mold of Diggs? Jeremiah has Ohio State's Garrett Wilson as his No. 9 overall prospect in this year's class, and his top overall rated wide receiver. And he compares Wilson to Diggs, another former Big Ten star receiver.
With pick acquired in Matthew Stafford trade, Lions potentially find their long-term answer at quarterback
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26.) Tennessee Titans: Treylon Burks - Wide Receiver - Arkansas
27.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Kyler Gordon - Cornerback - Washington
28.) Green Bay Packers: Jahan Dotson - Wide Receiver - Penn State
29.) Miami Dolphins: John Metchie III - Wide Receiver - Alabama
30.) Kansas City Chiefs: Jermaine Johnson - Edge Rusher - Florida State
31.) Cincinnati Bengals: Nicholas Petite-Frere - Offensive Tackle - Ohio State
32.) Detroit Lions: Matt Corral - Quarterback - Ole Miss
The No. 32 pick typically belongs to the defending Super Bowl champions, but in this case, the team that possesses it just watched their long-time quarterback hoist a Lombardi Trophy in his first year with a new team.
But the Lions knew when they traded Stafford last offseason that there was a chance this type of scenario would unfold, and for their troubles, they have two picks in the first round this year and next year.
After selecting hometown star edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson with the No. 2 overall pick, we're projecting that the Lions will use this pick to select a quarterback and assure they get the fifth-year option on his rookie contract.
In his junior season at Ole Miss, Corral had 20 touchdown passes to five interceptions, while also rushing for over 600 yards. Corral is the No. 34 overall prospect on The Draft Network's Big Board, with Drae Harris describing him as an "eventual starting quarterback."
The Lions don't have an out in Jared Goff's contract until after the 2022 season, so he could open next season as the team's starter and play until Corral is ready to supplant him.
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