Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) - The 2022 NFL season has officially come to an end with the Kansas City Chiefs hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy for the third time in franchise history over the Philadelphia Eagles.
Now is the time to look ahead to the offseason and, perhaps, the main event every spring: The NFL Draft.
This year's draft will be held in Kansas City, Missouri, with the first round of picks only featuring 31 selections. That's because the Miami Dolphins were forced to forfeit their first-round pick due to multiple violations of the league's anti-tampering policy.
Without further ado, here is the first mock draft of the offseason with no trades involved:
1.) Chicago Bears
SELECTION: Jalen Carter - DT - Georgia
I don’t expect Chicago to pick here come late April, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this is who they end up with anyways.
Carter is a fantastic interior rusher with explosive athleticism, and Chicago needs great athletes to fill out a poor roster.
Offensive line and wide receiver are of course massive needs, but at No. 1 overall, Carter is the best player available at another position of need.
2.) Houston Texans
SELECTION: Bryce Young - QB - Alabama
With no trades, Houston will have their pick of an interesting quarterback class. There are no sure fire prospects in this year's class unlike in past classes like Trevor Lawrence or Andrew Luck, but it's still an overall solid class at the top with Young being the best.
Young’s biggest issue is his size, standing at 6-foot tall and under 200 pounds. After winning the Heisman Trophy in 2021 with almost 5,000 passing yards and 47 touchdowns, Young took a step back with a notably less talented Alabama squad.
However, he should still be the pick due to the upside college football writers saw in 2021.
3.) Arizona Cardinals
SELECTION: Will Anderson Jr. - EDGE - Alabama
Arizona is a team I’m honestly trying to figure out. They seemingly have the quarterback figured out, but Kyler Murray often raises more questions than answers. Even then, he will be out much of next year recovering from a torn ACL.
For the Cardinals, under new head coach in Jonathan Gannon, they might be best served to get the best player available and figure out the quarterback heading into next year's draft, which will likely have a much better talent pool at the position.
4.) Indianapolis Colts
SELECTION: Will Levis - QB - Kentucky
Traits, traits and more traits.
The Colts may be better served drafting C.J. Stroud out of Ohio State, but the arm talent for Levis and the hiring of Shane Steichen to be their next head coach may have the Colts thinking potential rather than more NFL ready.
Levis would still be an exciting pick, due to having a head coach who got Jalen Hurts to take a massive step forward. This move would lead many to believe this Colts team could get to the potential of Levis down the road.
5.) Seattle Seahawks (from Denver Broncos)
SELECTION: Tyree Wilson - EDGE - Texas Tech
Seattle is in a very unique position thanks to the Russell Wilson trade, and the Seahawks, themselves, exceeding expectations by making the playoffs this year.
I believe Geno Smith is going to stay in Seattle, so with that in mind, why not take a freak athlete off the edge that could help an otherwise awful defense that, at times, really overshadowed Smith’s great play this year.
6.) Detroit Lions (from Los Angeles Rams)
SELECTION: Christian Gonzalez - CB - Oregon
Speaking of a terrible defense, Detroit ranked dead last in yards allowed per-game in 2022 at 392.4. The Lions also allowed 25.1 points per-game.
With quarterback play going up across the league, it may be a good idea for the Lions to get some help for their secondary. Especially with defensive end Aidan Hutchinson showing a lot of promise in his rookie campaign with 9.5 sacks and three interceptions, they will need to shore up their pass defense going forward.
7.) Las Vegas Raiders
SELECTION: C.J. Stroud - QB - Ohio State
Derek Carr is out in Las Vegas, and Josh McDaniels is entering his second year as head coach of the Raiders. It only makes sense for the team to lock up their young quarterback of the future and start building something in the desert.
Stroud does not have the athleticism you normally look for in a first-round quarterback, but he makes up for it in size, poise in the pocket and delivering a very good ball.
With Davante Adams already there at wide receiver and McDaniels being offensive based, it should help Stroud develop quickly.
8.) Atlanta Falcons
SELECTION: Bijan Robinson - RB - Texas
It’s no surprise the Falcons love to run the ball, finishing third in rushing yards per-game at 159.9 last year.
Robinson will certainly be the best running back to enter the draft since Saquon Barkley went second overall in 2018 to the New York Giants.
While it may not be the best move long-term, Atlanta feels like a team without direction. Adding Robinson will give them star power and a face to the franchise they lost in Matt Ryan and Julio Jones.
9.) Carolina Panthers
SELECTION: Anthony Richardson - QB - Florida
When the Panthers hired Frank Reich as head coach, it felt like the natural progression for the team to then draft a quarterback in the first round. Depending on how the team feels, they may need to trade up in the draft order to get their desired target.
In this mock, though, Richardson falls to the Panthers in, what could become, a match made in Heaven. Richardson is this year's Josh Allen traits pick.
At 6-foot-4 and around 230 pounds, Richardson has a cannon of a right arm that will make scouts salivate at the idea of having him on their team. With Reich at the helm, Carolina might have the best mentor for a very raw Richardson.
10.) Philadelphia Eagles (from New Orleans Saints)
SELECTION: Devon Witherspoon - CB - Illinois
The Eagles find themselves in a fantastic position. While they may not have won the Super Bowl, the Eagles still find themselves with a top-10 pick thanks to a trade with New Orleans.
With James Bradberry playing this past season on a one-year deal, the Eagles may elect to go cheaper and younger by drafting someone like Witherspoon out of Illinois.
11.) Tennessee Titans
SELECTION: Quentin Johnston - WR - TCU
12.) Houston Texans (from Cleveland Browns)
SELECTION: Lukas Van Ness - EDGE - Iowa
13.) New York Jets
SELECTION: Paris Johnson Jr. - OT - Ohio State
14.) New England Patriots
SELECTION: Peter Skoranski - OT - Northwestern
15.) Green Bay Packers
SELECTION: Jordan Addison - WR - USC
16.) Washington Commanders
SELECTION: Michael Mayer - TE - Notre Dame
17.) Pittsburgh Steelers
SELECTION: Anton Harrison - OT - Oklahoma
18.) Detroit Lions
SELECTION: Bryan Breece - DL - Clemson
19.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
SELECTION: Brian Branch - S - Alabama
20.) Seattle Seahawks
SELECTION: Dawand Jones - OT - Alabama
Miami Dolphins
***PICK FOREFEITED***
21.) Los Angeles Chargers
SELECTION: Jaxon Smith-Njigba - WR - Ohio State
22.) Baltimore Ravens
SELECTION: Zay Flowers - WR - Boston College
23.) Minnesota Vikings
SELECTION: Joey Porter Jr. - CB - Penn State
24.) Jacksonville Jaguars
SELECTION: Dalton Kincaid - TE - Utah
25.) New York Giants
SELECTION: Kelee Ringo - CB - Georgia
26.) Dallas Cowboys
SELECTION: Jalin Hyatt - WR - Tennessee
27.) Buffalo Bills
SELECTION: O’Cyrus Torrence - G - Florida
With five wide receivers going in the first round, the Bills will instead look to add to the offensive line. In this mock, they land one of the more interesting guards in the class.
Torrence comes in at 6-foot-5 and 357 pounds, but also has plenty of playing experience throughout his college career at Louisiana Tech for three years and one year at Florida. Pro Football Focus gave Torrence an 88.0 overall grade and logged him allowing only eight pressures during his lone season in Gainesville.
Torrence’s size makes him a unicorn, and should be a Day 1 starter for the Bills at one of the guard positions.
28.) Cincinnati Bengals
SELECTION: Darnell Washington - TE - Georgia
29.) New Orleans Saints (from Denver Broncos via San Francisco 49ers)
SELECTION: Matthew Bergeron - OT - Syracuse
30.) Philadelphia Eagles
SELECTION: Jahmyr Gibbs - RB - Alabama
31.) Kansas City Chiefs
SELECTION: Brodrick Jones - OT - Georgia
