Alright…the moment you’ve all been waiting for. The release of the 1st 2022 NFL mock draft from 2 Guns at Someday Sports. Now remember this mock is 100% accurate. If you don’t like who your favorite team gets don’t get mad at me. This isn’t what I think they should do…it’s what I KNOW they’ll do if the draft were to happen today… Sunday January 23rd. Now if the draft were to happen on January 24th, it could be completely different.

Anyways, let us know your thoughts on where players fall! Who is going higher than you think or lower?

  1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Evan Neal OT Alabama

Jacksonville doesn’t go with BPA, but they instead go and get someone who will keep Trevor Lawrence upright and comfortable in the pocket. Protecting Lawrence is the main focus in Jacksonville. Neal is HUGE! At 6’6, 360 lbs, he’s an absolute monster at RT. He’s not who I would take at #1 but I understand why the Jaguars would draft him.

2. Detroit Lions: Aiden Hutchinson DL Michigan

Lions get arguably the best player in the draft. Keep Hutchinson in state after a dominant season in Ann Arbor. Dan Campbell has been building this defensive line since he became the HC in Detroit, and Hutchinson will be the star that they need. Lions only had 30 sacks last season good for 30th overall. Hutchinson should change that. Hutchinson was dominant as a senior having 16.5 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks and taking Michigan to the College Football Playoffs this season.

3. Houston Texans: Kayvon Thibodeaux DL Oregon

This gives me vibes of a former Oregon Duck freakishly athletic pass rusher drafted #3 overall….Dion Jordan…ish. The talent is absolutely there and Thibodeaux might have the highest ceiling of all the DL in this years draft. He’s big, strong, and quick. Can win with his quickness and athleticism or just bull rush the OL. Still a little raw, but could end up being a dominant player. If the new coaching staff can capitalize on the potential, they could end up with a top 5 pass rusher for years to come.

  1. New York Jay’s Jets: Kyle Hamilton S Notre Dame

The Jets used their first 4 picks last year to protect and give Zach Wilson weapons. This year Robert Saleh gets his weapon on the defensive side of the ball. The Jets were last in points against and yards against in 2021 and Kyle Hamilton will help turn around a pathetic defense.

  1. New York Football Giants: George Karlaftis DL Purdue

The Giants only mustered up 33 sacks last season, tying for 22nd in the NFL. Karlaftis would bolster the defensive line both in the pass rush and shutting down the run. Plus, a pass rush tandem of Karlaftis and last year’s 2nd round pick, Azeez Ojulari would be sexy.

  1. Carolina Panthers: Jordan Davis iDL Georgia

Putting Jordan Davis right next to Derrick Brown is a scary thought. Teams could be forced to give up running between the tackles all together. Davis and Brown on the inside with pass rushers like Brian Burns and Haason Reddick on the outside makes a pretty enticing front 4 for Carolina.

  1. New York Football Giants: Ikem Ekwonu OT NC State

As of right now, it looks like the Giants will run in back one last time with Daniel Jones. However, with a new GM (Joe Schoen) and a new head coach that could change in the next few weeks. Ikem Ekwonu will help give Daniel Jones enough time to throw the ball and open up some holes for Saquon Barkley.

  1. Atlanta Falcons: Chris Olave WR Ohio State

With Calvin Ridley’s status up in the air right now, the Falcons need weapons offensively. They had a nice surprise in Cordarrelle Patterson this season, but he’s a FA. A future duo of Olave and Kyle Pitts, with the possibility of Ridley returning would quite the offensive punch. I wouldn’t rule out a QB here at #8 but wouldn’t be surprised if the Falcons wait until next season which figures to be a stronger QB class.

  1. Denver Broncos: Kenny Pickett QB Pittsburgh

There’s no way around it…Denver NEEDS a QB. The offense is filled with playmakers like Javonte Williams, Jerry Jeudy, Melvin Gordon, Courtland Sutton, Noah Fant, Tim Patrick, and KJ Hamler. With all that firepower, it’s hard to believe they only scored 19 points per game. Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock have not been able to get the job done. I think Denver would rather trade for an established veteran like Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers, or Kirk Cousins. In this scenario, they do end up drafting their potential franchise QB. Pickett started 4 years for the Panthers and absolutely exploded his last season in Pittsburgh.

  1. New York Jay’s Jets: David Ojabo EDGE Michigan

Robert Saleh gets his pick again. Once again, this Jets defense was pathetic last season, as they only had 31 sacks all year. Ojabo had only one season of meaningful playing time at Michigan and made the most of it, having 12 tackles for loss and 11 sacks. Ojabo is raw and needs some fine tuning, but if there was anyone to get the most out of him, it would be Robert Saleh. This is a HUGE potential pick for the Jets.

  1. Washington Football Team: Matt Corral QB Ole Miss

Washington is sort of in the same boat as the Denver Broncos. Desperately needing a QB. Taylor Heinicke has shown flashes at times, but it’s obvious he’s not a long term solution. Matt Corral brings some excitement and should be able to get the ball out to Terry McLaurin more consistently than Heinicke.

  1. Minnesota Vikings: Derek Stingley Jr CB LSU

Stingley was considered a top 5 pick after he had 6 INTs as a freshman on the 2019 National Championship team. He’s struggled the last couple seasons with injuries, which could cause him to slide a little bit, but the talent is definitely there. Minnesota desperately needs help in the secondary. 2020 1st round pick Jeff Gladney was released in training camp and FA acquisitions Mackenzie Alexander and Bashaud Breeland were absolutely duds. This would be the 5th CB drafted in the 1st round for Minnesota since 2013.

  1. Cleveland Browns: Drake London WR USC

Cleveland has a great OL and a great running game, but they don’t have receiving threats. OBJ was traded half way through the year and left a big void at WR. Jarvis Landry is a rock solid WR and Donovan Peoples-Jones has shown some promise, but they still need more firepower to keep up with teams. London is a big bodied receiver who has some speed as well. He’s great in contested catches and could be that game changer in the passing game the Browns offense has lacked.

  1. Baltimore Ravens: Charles Cross OT Mississippi State

Last year the Ravens traded RT Orlando Brown away to the Kansas City Chiefs. They opted to sign FA Alejandro Villenueva, the longtime Steeler, to replace him. Villenueva is 34 years old and past his prime. Look for the Ravens to find his replacement. Put Cross at RT, along with Ronnie Staley at LT, and you’re looking at one of the better tackle tandems in the AFC. Cross is a great athlete for his size and could provide Lamar more time and running room.

  1. Philadelphia Eagles: Sauce Gardner CB Cincinnati

The Eagles traded for Darius Slay a couple of years ago…but outside of him there’s just not much. While Slay is still a top CB, he’s 31 and needs help. Sauce is a long lanky CB, who’s developed into one of the best zone coverage guys in the nation. 

  1. Philadelphia Eagles: Jameson Williams WR Alabama

With 3, 1st round picks this year, the Eagles can afford to draft a redshirt player. Williams tore his ACL in this years National Championship, so will likely be out for most, if not all of the 2022 season. Having Devonta Smith to pair with the speedy Jameson Williams will be a dynamic duo come 2023 for Jalen Hurts or whoever the QB is in ’23.

  1. Los Angeles Chargers: Jermaine Johnson EDGE Florida State

Chargers get Joey Bosa some help on the opposite side. Jermaine Johnson is a great pass rusher, recording 11.5 sacks in his only season at FSU, along with 17.5 tackles for loss. At 6’5, 265 lbs, Johnson is an absolute beast on the outside. Great quickness and strength. He’s absolutely relentless and plays hard. Will help on the the pass rush and very good against the run as well.

  1. New Orleans Saints: Andrew Booth Jr. CB Clemson

Who cares. Whoever the Saints pick will be a bust.

  1. Philadelphia Eagles: Devin Lloyd LB Utah

Philly goes BPA here. Devin Lloyd is an absolute stud. Can go sideline to sideline. Great nose for the ball. Just a straight playmaker. Had 7 sacks, 4 ints, and 22(!) tackles for loss in his final season at Utah. He’ll take the Eagles defense to the next level.

  1. Pittsburgh Steelers: Kenyon Green iOL Texas A&M

Finding a replacement for Big Ben is an obvious concern, but the guys on the board might not be much of an improvement from Mason Rudolph or Dwyane Haskins. Instead, they improve on what might have been the absolute worst OL in the NFL. Najee Harris was constantly running into his own lineman. Kenyon Green is the perfect pick at #20. Big and physical like a typical Steelers lineman. He’ll give Najee a few more holes in 2022.

  1. New England Patriots: Demarvin Leal DL Texas A&M

New England gets great value falling right into their lap once again. Demarvin Leal is a disruptor on the inside. He’s a great athlete for how big and strong he is. Can play inside or outside on the DL. Could be a nice piece for a defense that was strong this year, but also just got blown out by the Bills.

  1. Las Vegas Raiders: Trent McDuffie CB Washington

Raiders are in the AFC West, and have to play Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert a combined 4 times every year. They need to be able to stop the pass. McDuffie is a smooth athlete. He’s fast,  aggressive, and plays tough…just what the Raiders need.

  1. Arizona Cardinals: Treylon Burks WR Arkansas

This pick should probably go defense but the Cards quietly have holes at the WR position. Christian Kirk is a FA, Hopkins is getting older and dealing with injuries, and AJ Green isn’t what he used to be. Hopkins and Rondale Moore are not enough. Treylon Burks would give Kyler a different type of WR to work with. Not the greatest route runner, but instead a contested catch guy, who uses his 6’3, 225 frame to dominate smaller defensive backs. 

  1. Dallas Cowboys: John Metchie III WR Alabama

The Cowboys were top 10 in both offense and defense this year. There aren’t too many glaring needs. But they will be losing Michael Gallup, who’s been a very good receiver the past couple of seasons. Cedrick Wilson has filled in nicely but the speed of John Metchie III is just too much to pass up. Metchie brings something to the table that is different from Ceedee Lamb or Amari Cooper. STRAIGHT SPEED. That speed will keep defenses honest and open things up for Lamb and Cooper.

  1. Cincinnati Bengals: Tyler Linderbaum C I-O-W-A

Even though he’s from a dumb school, Linderbaum is by far the best center in this years draft. He’s a little undersized for the interior line but he moves well and plays with good leverage. Bengals need a 10 year starter at center and he falls to them here at #26.

  1. Miami Dolphins: Trevor Penning OT Northern Iowa

Miami has been building their OL through the draft the last couple of seasons, with the selections of Liam Eichenberg (2021), Austin Jackson (2020), and Robert Hunt (2020). They continue this trend with Penning, a big strong physical lineman who played mostly left tackle, but will most likely shift to right tackle, protecting Tua’s blind side. He’s also versatile enough to slide inside to guard if need be. 

  1. Buffalo Bills: Travon Walker DL Georgia

Bills have taken 3 DE’s in the past 2 drafts, but when you’ve got a team as complete as Buffalo you can afford to continue accumulating pass rushers. Walker is a force to be reckoned with. One word to describe him is powerful. He can play all around the DLine and even dropped back a few times at Georgia. Zach Wilson, Tua Taigovailoa, and Mac Jones are going to have nightmares about the Bills young front 4.

  1. Detroit Lions: Jahan Dotson WR Penn State

I love Dotson. He’s a big play receiver. The Lions have already started rebuilding their OL with Penei Sewell and their DL with Aidan Hutchinson. It’s time to start rebuilding with the skill positions. Amon Ra St. Brown was a steal last year in the 4th and now pairing him up with an outside playmaker like Dotson would be great for Jared “Goof” next season and the future QB after that. 

  1. Kansas City Chiefs: Nakobe Dean LB Georgia

KC’s defense finished really strong this year, but they still have holes. Nakobe Dean would really solidify that defense. Put him out there with Nick Bolton and Willie Gay and the LB position has a nice core for a number of years. 

  1. Tennessee Titans: Desmond Ridder QB Cincinnati 

Ryan Tannehill has had a great bounce back in Tennessee, but he still can’t quite get over the hump. He’s got two years left on his contract and will be 34 once the 2022 season starts. The Titans might start looking for his replacement sooner than people think. Ironically ,they would be replacing Ryan Tannehill with the guy that comps out to Ryan Tannehill. Ridder would have the opportunity to sit behind Tannehill and not have the pressure right away of starting. 

  1. Gr**n B*y *ack*rs: Tyrese Robinson OT Oklahoma

Who cares this pick will be a BUST no matter what. Packers suck.

  1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Garrett Wilson WR Ohio State

I think at this point, we expect Tom Brady to play for at least another season or two and he’s going to want to continue having weapons. Antonio Brown dipped out in the middle of the Jets game and the biggest loss this offseason could be WR Chris Godwin. He’s a free agent after this season and is recovering from a torn ACL, leaving the cupboard a little bare. Tampa needs a dynamic WR to help offset the loss of Godwin and AB. Insert Garret Wilson, exactly that, a dynamic WR that is great after the catch and could be a great weapon for Brady and Bruce Arians.

Tommy Two Guns – Someday Sports

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