NFL Draft: 2022 NFL Mock Draft - Defense Dominate at the Top

As the college football season comes to an end, let's take a look at the latest first-round 2022 NFL Mock Draft. View the breakdown of each team's picks and their scouting reports.

NFL Draft: 2022 NFL Mock Draft

As the college football season comes to an end, let's take a look at the latest first-round 2022 NFL Mock Draft. View the breakdown of each team's picks and their scouting reports

With the college football season coming to an end shortly, it's time to dive deep into these mock drafts. The NFL Draft order at the top will be solidified soon enough and we can start predicting the early portion of the first round. Let's dive into the first round of the latest 2022 NFL Mock Draft.

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1. Jacksonville Jaguars: OT Evan Neal, Alabama

"A huge two-year starter at left guard and right tackle. Neal has rare athleticism for his size, possessing quick feet and lower body flexibility to get out of his stance and work to the second level."

"Kayvon Thibodeaux is one such prospect who has been considered a future first-overall pick contender since his debut college season. The Oregon star’s game is predicated on his incredible athleticism. Thibodeaux boasts excellent burst, change of direction and long speed."

3. Houston Texans:  DE Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan

"Already an intriguing prospect heading into 2021, Aidan Hutchinson is an experienced, productive and well-built defensive end. He primarily wins with his length and technique, managing distance well."

4. New York Jets:  DE George Karlaftis, Purdue

"A player’s draft profile largely comes down to traits, production and favorable projection to an NFL scheme. Purdue’s George Karlaftis boasts all three. A well-built athlete, the Boilermakers’ star has high-level starter potential at defensive end in both a 4-3 and a 3-4 defense; he is a better fit in a 4-3 front. He can kick inside to 4-3 defensive tackle on passing downs."

5. New York Giants: FS Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame

"Kyle Hamilton has both in a 6040, 220-pound frame. The Notre Dame product exhibits excellent short-area burst, long speed, change of direction and clean transitions. The oversized safety also has excellent play strength. The Fighting Irish’s defensive chess piece has experience in the slot, in the box, in two-high, in single-high and more."

6. Carolina Panthers: QB Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh

"Pickett has very good athletic ability, displaying the foot speed+acceleration to escape the pocket and some agility to make a LB miss in space. While he has a large amount of career rushing attempts, Pickett is always keeping his eyes downfield, scanning the defense while he scrambles, exhibiting a pass-first mentality when the play breaks down."

7. New York Giants (via CHI): DE David Ojabo, Michigan

"Explosive two-point stance rusher with very good length. Ojabo possesses a great get-off and burst to consistently threaten and win the outside shoulder of tackles from wide alignments. His speed causes tackles to be off-balance, allowing him to extend and knock them off balance at the top of the rush."

"Instinctive reactionary quickness at the line of scrimmage to slide feet and mirror releases while utilizing a kick step to cut off vertical releases. Easy mover with excellent hip flexibility to transition and flip without losing speed to stay in phase."

9. Denver Broncos: OT Ikem Ekwonu, North Carolina State

"Having lined up at left guard and left tackle, Ekwonu is a very aggressive run blocker who creates a push upfront with great strength. He is very competitive, looking to finish defenders and successfully doing so."

10. New York Jets (via SEA): WR Treylon Burks, Arkansas

"Burks aligns as the starting outside receiver for the Razorbacks. Possesses a very large frame, ideal for a X-receiver. Extremely fluid athlete, long strider who showcases his acceleration and burst in a flash."

11. Washington Football Team:  QB Malik Willis, Liberty

"Malik Willis has a thicker, more well-built frame than some people may give him credit for. He is a dynamic runner who can execute on designed run plays and also extend plays with his legs to save a bad situation."

"Has extreme length on the outside at corner. Is able to bump and run at the line of scrimmage in press coverage with his longer frame and is able to stay with receivers stride for stride down the field."

13. Cleveland Browns: DT DeMarvin Leal, Texas A&M

"Leal was moved all over the defensive line in 2020 for the Aggies defense, which hints at one of his biggest strengths, versatility. His size suggests he will move to an interior role on the defensive line, but he has shown to be proficient in every technique"

14. Baltimore Ravens: OT Charles Cross, Mississippi State

"Keeping a wide base with great knee bend, Cross stays on balance and can recover quickly because of it. His reactive quickness to mirror in pass protection is excellent. Anchoring at an above-average level, he uses his base to maximize his strength."

15. Philadelphia Eagles (via MIA): OC Tyler Linderbaum, Iowa

"Linderbaum aligns as the starting center along the Hawkeyes’ offensive line. For an undersized offensive lineman, his strength is absolutely phenomenal. A former high school state champion wrestler, firmly understands how to use his hands and basically wins every battle in the trenches."

16. Philadelphia Eagles (via IND): DT Jordan Davis, Georgia

"Nose tackle with great size and strength. Davis eats up space on the interior with his strong anchor. Putting on a clinic in how to stack and shed, he takes advantage of his length and upper body power to extend as he pleases. With that strength, he enforces his will, twisting opponents and disengaging with violent hands."

17. Los Angeles Chargers: WR Garrett Wilson, Ohio State

"Garrett Wilson is a twitched up athlete with excellent suddenness and flexibility. He displays inside-outside versatility with a diverse route tree. Excellent overall release package vs a variety of techniques and coverages."

"Matt Corral has improved every year as the Rebels quarterback and should hear his name called early in the 2022 draft. Corral has tremendous feel for maneuvering around in the pocket and while keeping his eyes downfield he gets low to slide up, back, or to the side to evade incoming defenders."

19. Philadelphia Eagles: CB Kaiir Elam, Florida

"Well put together outside cornerback with desired size and length. Elam is a good athlete with sufficient long speed, acceleration and above-average recovery speed. His hips are low and fluid in space allowing him to flip them easily."

20. Pittsburgh Steelers: CB Andrew Booth Jr., Clemson 

"Great overall athlete with springy explosiveness. Booth is shot out of a cannon, allowing him to break and make up lost ground quickly. Trusting his deep speed, he does not have to get hands on receivers as he can run with them stride for stride."

21. New England Patriots: OLB Devin Lloyd, Utah

"Displaying versatility, Lloyd lines up as the middle and weakside linebacker as well as on the line of scrimmage for the Utes. He possesses great length and quick hands which he uses to avoid second-level blockers."

22. Miami Dolphins (via SF): ILB Nakobe Dean, Georgia

"Dean reads and reacts quickly in the run game, coming downhill well and especially excelling in pursuit. The further the season progressed, the more of a communicator he became."

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23. Las Vegas Raiders: WR Jameson Williams, Alabama

"Williams displays track-level speed and explosiveness at all times. Hard cuts at the top of routes are able to create separation. Has a unique ability to drop his hips and stop his momentum instantly. "

24. Arizona Cardinals: OG Kenyon Green, Texas A&M 

"Kenyon Green has a thick build at his position of offensive guard. Furthermore, his frame is very balanced so his athleticism does not slack because of his size. Has the flexibility to drop low in his stance to get good leverage at the beginning of every play."

25. Cincinnati Bengals: OLB Darrian Beavers, Cincinnati

"Beavers has a very long frame with good reach and length at the second level. He shows functional strength in and around the line of scrimmage to be physical with blockers. He has the ability to stack and shed in the box when offensive lineman lead block to the second level."

26. Detroit Lions (via LAR): OG Darian Kinnard, Kentucky

"Plays with strong and feisty hands as a run blocker. Also plays with a constant mean streak and a sense of determination on every down. Lower half is extremely strong. Thick legs from hips all the way to the calves give him the power to move defenders wherever he wants."

27. Buffalo Bills: RB Isaiah Spiller, Texas A&M 

"Isaiah Spiller has extremely good size for his position and his weight seems to have a good distribution through his frame. Has very good contact balance as defenders close down on him."

28. Dallas Cowboys: OLB Jermaine Johnson, Florida State

"Jermaine Johnson is an athletic playmaker on the defensive line with a muscular build and long arms giving him a physical advantage. Johnson excels versus the run, playing from 4, 3 and 2 point stances from both the strong and weak side."

29. Kansas City Chiefs: DS Daxton Hill, Michigan

"Hill isn’t afraid to get physical at the point of contact and in his tackling efforts. Tremendous play speed. Shows flashes that he can fly around the field, both in coverage and as a run defender."

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers:  WR Alec Pierce, Cincinnati

"Lining up on the outside and in the slot, Pierce finds most of his success on vertical routes. He is tall which translates to a big catch radius, making late adjustments and hauling in off-target passes."

31. Tennessee Titans: OLB Terrel Bernard, Baylor

"Terrel Bernard is an athletic, attacking linebacker who makes flashy plays for the Baylor defense. Bernard often quarterbacks the defense, regularly communicating, pointing and sliding defenders into the right position for their assignment. "

32. Green Bay Packers: OT Trevor Penning, Northern Iowa

"Penning possesses powerful hands that can uproot defenders. He plays in a calm and composed manner, his footwork is smooth. He isn’t the most athletic, free-moving guy but he showed enough competence to block in space."

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