2022 NFL DRAFT

[Blotto 24025]

On 3/3/2022 at 11:34 AM, Blotto said:

the shit these guys analyze....

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/33412899/qb-kenny-pickett-registers-8-1-2-inch-hand-measurement-nfl-combine

 

This just in

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/33565847/kenny-pickett-hand-size-increases-eighth-inch-nfl-combine-pittsburgh-panthers-pro-day 

When asked to comment, his agent had the following to say

 

[Texzilla58 4793]

Watching Pitt pro day on NFLN. Kenny Pickett of 8.5” hand size fame, is wearing gloves on both hands that are about the size of catcher mitts. Aditi Kikabwala kept asking about the hand size thing. I thought she was going to pull his pants down for and inspection. (She does have a hot little bod)

[Murfdogg21 4563]

Tiny Hands Burrow did alright. 

[Texzilla58 4793]

Tiny Hands Burrow did alright. 

Dallas has a qb named Tony Banks who had hands like a third grader. Fumble machine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[LTtxfan 50007]

 

[TonyTexas 10776]

Maybe they should change their name to the laggys 

[LTtxfan 50007]

USA Today:  "The move appears to be Howie Roseman covering all of his bases for 2023 and ensuring that Philadelphia has the opportunity to land a top quarterback in the draft next spring if Jalen Hurts doesn’t take the next steps as a passer this season."

 

 

Eagles-Saints trade: Howie Roseman, Jeffrey Lurie hedge bet on Jalen Hurts after ‘committing’ to QB 

By:   Les Bowen | For NJ Advance Media    Apr. 05, 2022

Quote

 The countdown clock on the Eagles’ commitment to quarterback Jalen Hurts started at 4 p.m. Monday, when the team announced a big trade with the New Orleans Saints.

The Eagles sent the 16th and 19th overall picks in the first round of the April 28-30 draft, along with pick 194, in the sixth round, to New Orleans for the Saints’ first-rounder, 18th overall, plus a 2023 first-round pick, a 2024 second-round pick, and 2022 third-round (No. 101) and seventh-round selections (No. 237).

So the Eagles, in “building” mode as owner Jeffrey Lurie and general manager Howie Roseman said last week at the NFL Annual Meeting, still have 10 overall picks, as they did before the trade. Previously they’d owned five slots in the first 100. Now it’s five in the first 101. They no longer have three first-round picks, but nobody actually makes three first-round selections, and nobody really expected the Eagles to do so. They will still pick 15th and 18th in the initial round.

The big story on Action News is the Saints’ 2023 first-rounder. This gives the Eagles two first-round picks next year, from what is expected to be a much better quarterback crop than 2022′s bunch.

Lurie and Roseman also talked last week about how they were “committed” to Hurts, coming off and up-and-down second NFL season, his first full season as a starter. Many reports have painted them as less committed to Hurts than they are resigned to the fact that he is their best 2022 option, since neither Russell Wilson nor Deshaun Watson wanted to come to Philly and the top college QBs in the draft are viewed as middling prospects. In fact, Lurie’s next words after speaking of that Hurts commitment were: “Who knows what the future holds, right?”

The Eagles do like Hurts, especially his character, and they’re willing to give him another year to make his case. But now they have options for 2023. Right now, Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud and Alabama QB Bryce Young are viewed as prime draft targets next year.

If Hurts improves his accuracy and vision and leads the Eagles through a wonderful season, they don’t have to draft or trade for a quarterback in 2023. They can certainly apply their draft capital to other areas of the roster.

Did the Eagles win Monday’s trade decisively, as many pundits posited on social media?  On paper, according to sources of evaluating the abstract value of draft picks, yes. But in reality, we have to see how the picks are used. If Saints general manager Mickey Loomis nabs a couple of future Pro Bowl mainstays in this year’s first round, and Roseman opts for 2022 versions of Danny Watkins and Marcus Smith, the Saints win the trade, hands down.

Monday’s social media reaction was similar to what experts were saying after the Eagles sent Donovan McNabb to Washington, exactly 12 years before Monday’s maneuver. The Eagles got two draft picks, a second-rounder in 2010 and a fourth-rounder in 2011, which they ended up trading to Tampa Bay. This was initially viewed as a great triumph. McNabb was a huge disappointment in Washington, but the precious second-round pick the Eagles got, they used on safety Nate Allen, a decent but unexceptional player who failed to live up to expectations.

A similar letdown followed the Eagles’ trade of another quarterback, Kevin Kolb, to Arizona in 2011. Again, the team on the other end of the trade definitely was disappointed. But again, the Eagles failed to strike gold -- the trade centerpiece they acquired, cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, was gone after a year. The Eagles were able to parlay the 2012 second-rounder the Cards gave them into defensive end Vinny Curry and corner Brandon Boykin, so maybe they did win the trade, but they’d thought they were getting a long-term, Pro Bowl-worthy corner in Rodgers-Cromartie.

It will be interesting to see what Hurts makes of all this. As he has made plain, he is accustomed to being doubted. This is the guy who had to leave Alabama for Oklahoma after being usurped by Tua Tagovailoa, the guy who waited until the second round of the 2020 draft to hear his name called, the guy who heard the Eagles say they’d prefer to patch things up with Carson Wentz after the 2020 season. Hurts got the job for 2021 only after Wentz asked to be traded.

Given Roseman’s frenetic trading history, we probably shouldn’t assume he is done with his draft maneuvering. Roseman still has plenty of ammunition to move up or down, or trade picks for players.

But whatever happens, don’t look for Roseman to part with that 2023 Saints first-rounder. It’s his insurance policy.

 

[Texzilla58 4793]

Eagles being smart. Wouldn’t surprise me to see them trade that 18 down for multiple picks this draft. It is deep in everything but QBs. I’d like to know what Saints are thinking for those two ones which can be really costly guaranteed contracts.

[LTtxfan 50007]

3 minutes ago, Texzilla58 said:

Eagles being smart. Wouldn’t surprise me to see them trade that 18 down for multiple picks this draft. It is deep in everything but QBs. I’d like to know what Saints are thinking for those two ones which can be really costly guaranteed contracts.

Not just problems at QB in 2022 NFL Draft per PFF...

PFF:   "We can see that 2022 shapes up to be a very strong class for offensive tackles and a fairly strong class for wide receivers, but a weak class for quarterbacks, running backs and tight ends. Here are the results for defensive positions. We are looking at a very strong class for edge defenders, but a weak class for interior defensive linemen." 

https://www.pff.com/news/draft-investigating-postion-group-strengths-and-weaknesses-2022-nfl-draft#:~:text=We can see that 2022 shapes up to,but a weak class for interior defensive linemen.

[LTtxfan 50007]

Ranking Each Positional Group in the 2022 NFL Draft

BRENT SOBLESKI    JANUARY 29, 2022

TomTom Hauck/Getty Images

Quote

Talent fluctuations make each and every NFL draft class vastly different. 

A year ago, Trevor Lawrence ran the table as the projected No. 1 pick. In total, five quarterbacks heard their names called among the initial 15 selections. Conversely, no team selected an edge-rusher in the top half of the first round. 

Both are premium positions, yet one proved to be far more valuable based on availability. 

The incoming crop sits on the opposite side of the spectrum. Spoiler alert: The current group of quarterbacks is marginal at best with few standing out as first-round options. Meanwhile, pass-rushers will be at a premium. 

All the pieces will eventually fit neatly into place even though the puzzle isn't the same. Franchises must decide how to piece together their boards and attack their need areas while weighing the quality of prospects and the depth of each position. In doing so, every front office will determine the strongest and weakest positions in the class. 

Coincidentally, the 2022 class starts and finishes with the defensive front. 

11. Defensive Line

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

A shift seems to have occurred in the past year or so where teams are once again in need of bigger or more powerful interior defenders since certain offenses are taking advantage of defenses trying to go smaller and faster. 

Granted, a defensive tackle still isn't as valuable as an edge-rusher, unless they're a true three-down option capable of holding up at the point of attack and consistently collapsing the pocket. This year's class lacks true all-around interior defenders and the depth is even worse. 

Georgia's pair of potential first-round defensive tackles is the only reason this group isn't a complete flop, and even some questions exist there. 

Generally, Jordan Davis is considered the top prospect at this position group. He's a difference-maker as a mountainous 6'6", 340-pound defender. The reigning Outland Trophy winner is exceptional at taking on double-teams while stacking and shedding blocks. But his explosive qualities as a pass-rusher and his usage rate are worrisome since he may be nothing more than a two-down defender at the NFL level. 

Teammate Devonte Wyatt is a more complete option and could ultimately surpass Davis on draft day as a result. Wyatt shows the best first-step quickness among the position class and can be a three-down threat.

Beyond those two, only a handful of prospects look like future contributors. Houston's Logan Hall and Georgia's Travon Walker are more likely to play base end while reducing down in certain sub-packages. Phidarian Mathis is yet another well-coached Alabama defensive lineman. Texas A&M's DeMarvin Leal didn't meet preseason expectations. Connecticut's Travis Jones is a 333-pound space-eater. 

Still, there's just not much at the position this year.  

10. Safety

Icon Sportswire/Getty Images

The safety class is essentially built around one individual, but what a prospect to claim since Notre Dame's Kyle Hamilton should be considered the unicorn in this year's incoming crop. 

The 6'4', 220-pound Hamilton is perfect for modern defenses, and could reasonably be a top-five pick—maybe even top-three. He's capable of playing at all three levels and presents immense growth potential since he'll be a 21-year-old rookie. 

Teams are searching for versatile defenders who don't need to be taken off the field when certain sub-packages are deployed. Hamilton can immediately step into any situation and serve as a defensive eraser thanks to his size, range and versatility. 

Other safety prospects may have to wait until Day 2 to hear their names called. 

Penn State's Jaquan Brisker played exceptionally during his final season on campus. Currently, he's viewed as a fringe first-round option, according to Bleacher Report's grading scale. The second-team All-American cleaned up some areas as a senior, but his overall excellent play continued as the highest-graded in coverage since the start of the 2019 campaign, per Pro Football Focus. 

Georgia's Lewis Cine and Oregon's Verone McKinley III will help populate what looked like a significant dearth of talent beyond Hamilton and Brisker since both declared early for the draft. 

Baylor's Jalen Pitre definitely deserves to be mentioned as the reigning Big 12 Defensive Player of Year, who like others in the class can contribute in multiple different areas. However, he's a slightly older prospect, as he's set to turn 23 before the start of training camp. 

Michigan's Daxton Hill is interesting as well, but his value derives from playing nickel corner. 

9. Quarterback

Icon Sportswire/Getty Images

The 2022 quarterback class is best represented by the "Stop trying to make 'fetch' happen" GIF. 

No matter how much those on the outside want to force the situation, a clean top-10 prospect doesn't exist among the incoming signal-callers. Sure, a few have enough upside to warrant a first-round selection, but this group isn't anywhere near last year's prospects. As a result, no clear-cut top option exists. 

For Bleacher Report, Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder is QB1 and a top-20 prospect. 

"Overall, Ridder is a competitive player who showed a leap in improvement throughout the 2021 season," scout Nate Tice wrote. "He's athletic but doesn't just rely on his legs to make plays happen and constantly showed an advanced understanding of Cincinnati’s offense with his pre- and post-snap operation. His ability to operate from the pocket with his polished movement and balance, while still maintaining the athleticism to create plays when things break down, is a fun package."

Ridder is merely one option. Talk to others, and their answers when asked who QB1 is could be Pittsburgh's Kenny Pickett, Liberty's Malik Willis, Ole Miss' Matt Corral or North Carolina's Sam Howell. The uncertainly makes this a highly volatile year to need help behind center. 

Interested parties can't overlook Ridder's erratic ball placement, Pickett's marginal physical tools, Willis' lack of development in a simplistic passing offense, Corral's slight frame or Howell's regression as a passer. 

Some teams will still take a chance on upside. But the boom-or-bust quotient among these options, with very few deserving of later-round consideration, places an eyeball emoji firmly on this position class. 

8. Linebacker

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

Don't expect another Micah Parsons to be in this year's draft class. In fact, don't expect another Micah Parsons to show up ever again. 

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and NFL teams adore copying successful programs, plays, setups, etc. Unfortunately, the idea of this year's linebackers following what Parsons did is too much to ask. Yet the group has multiple first-round options in the pipeline. 

Generally speaking, Georgia's Nakobe Dean has been considered the best linebacker prospect after being a playmaker and team leader on the nation's best defense. ESPN's Matt Miller heard otherwise. Of those who talked to Miller about current linebacker rankings, none of them had Dean as the best at his position based on his smallish frame. Instead, Alabama's Christian Harris received plenty of positive reviews. Utah's Devin Lloyd should be in the mix as well. 

Again, none of those mentioned should be considered elite prospects. All three are more than capable of being first-round picks and using their skill sets to fly all over the field next season. 

The real issue with his position is what happens beyond those three names.

Wyoming's Chad Muma is a safety convert who's gained interest throughout the season. He will likely be a Day 2 selection. Penn State's Brandon Smith is excellent in coverage but inconsistent. Cincinnati's Darrian Beavers is at his best working between the tackles. Georgia's Channing Tindall was a one-year starter. Wisconsin's Jack Sanborn and Leo Chenal are both reliable tacklers and smart players, but they must prove capable of doing more. 

The good thing about a linebacker investment is they don't just contribute on defense. They usually participate in special teams as well. Looking at this group, it has plenty of talent up top and others who can help in some manner or another.  

7. Tight End

Matthew Holst/Getty Images

The tight end position has been hit or miss over the past few years. 

In two of the past four classes, a tight end heard his name called among the top-10 selections. Kyle Pitts and T.J. Hockenson lived up to expectations. During even years, the first tight end either wasn't taken until later in the first round or in the second frame.

The 2022 crop certainly fits in the vein of the latter. No slam-dunk first-round prospect exists. But this does not mean teams should bypass the position altogether. While a premium prospect doesn't exist, plenty of depth does. 

Texas A&M's Jalen Wydermyer and Colorado State's Trey McBride should vie to become the first selected. What makes both intriguing is they're true Y-tight ends who can play on or detached from the line of scrimmage. They're athletic enough to make plays in the passing game yet still serviceable when asked to perform in-line. 

The same can be said of Washington's Cade Otton and Ohio State's Jeremy Ruckert. Neither emerged as a big-time weapon, but they were never used in that manner. Both should be more prevalent threats at the NFL level where tight end mismatches are emphasized. Even if one or neither does more than already do, they can contribute by doing the little things required of the position. 

On the flip side, the San Jose State Spartans featured Derrick Deese Jr. in the passing game more this past season, yet the tight end carries the genes of a long-time NFL offensive lineman and it shows. 

More than anyone in this position class, Coastal Carolina's Isaiah Likely is the most interesting prospect, because he's clearly a pure F-tight end. Don't ask him to block in-line. However, Likely did real damage as a receiver with 89 receptions for 1,513 yards and 17 touchdowns over the past two seasons. Whoever drafts the 6'4", 240-pound target must have a specific plan for his usage, though. 

6. Running Back

Mike Mulholland/Getty Images

So many exhaustive arguments can and have been made about a running back's value in the modern NFL. Whatever anyone chooses to believe, the position still produces stars, with certain teams sinking early-round picks on ball-carriers. 

There's never really a shortage of capable running backs, either. How highly they're drafted falls almost solely on how they're viewed by each individual organization. Some still believe a workhorse can be valuable even in a pass-first league, while others feel significant investments are unnecessary since production can be found almost anywhere. 

For those looking in the draft, they'll find quality. 

Michigan State's Kenneth Walker III burst onto the scene as a potential Heisman candidate. The 2021 Doak Walker Award winner led all Power Five backs with 1,636 rushing yards. More importantly, he displayed an important combination of toughness and explosivity to generate chunk plays. Walker led college football with 89 broken tackles during the 2021 campaign, per Pro Football Focus. 

Iowa State's Breece Hall, on the other hand, relies on excellent vision and contact balance to thrive as he did in the Big 12 with 3,044 rushing yards and 46 total touchdowns over the last two seasons. Hall is only 20 years old, too. 

BYU's Tyler Allgeier moves like a runaway freight train. The 5'11", 220-pound back tied for the most rushing touchdowns last season with 23, but he's not just a between-the-tackles runner.

Notre Dame's Kyren Williams and Michigan's Hassan Haskins look like early contributors on third down for entirely different reasons. Williams is a natural pass-catcher, while Haskins is the class' blocking back. 

These five prospects fit immediate roles. But multiple others will come in and provide a roster with quality reps as part of a rotation. 

5. Interior Offensive Line

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A bevy of interior blockers should start for NFL teams in short order. 

Typically, a guard or center isn't worth a pick in the top half of the first round unless they're Quenton Nelson. Then again, Iowa's Tyler Linderbaum might be the highest-drafted center of the modern era. The Miami Dolphins chose Mike Pouncey with the 15th pick in the 2011 draft. 

Bleacher Report's scouting department had Linderbaum graded as the class' ninth-best player on its end-of-season draft board. 

"With only a couple of true top-five talents in this class, positional value or lack thereof becomes less of a concern since Linderbaum is arguably one of the best overall players," scout Brandon Thorn mentioned. 

"What makes Linderbaum special is what he does as a run-blocker, using a rare blend of play strength, power, athletic ability, tenacity and technique. This combination makes him an immediate impact player that a play-caller can build a run game around."

Lindenbaum is the headliner while others look like early contributors. 

Boston College's Zion Johnson is a plug-and-play starter, particularly for a gap-heavy offense. Texas A&M's Kenyon Green is a former 5-star recruit who can play all over the line of scrimmage. Virginia Tech's Lecitus Smith and Oklahoma Marquis Hayes are extremely physical run-blockers. Georgia's Jamaree Salyer, Kentucky's Darian Kinnard and Central Michigan's Luke Goedeke should make the transition from high-level collegiate tackles to guard. Memphis' Dylan Parham will intrigue suitors because of his position versatility as a tackle, guard or even center. 

4. Offensive Tackle

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Offensive tackle gains a slight edge over its interior counterpart for a very simple reason: A pair of tackles are counted among the class' top four prospects, according to Bleacher Report's rankings. 

Alabama's Evan Neal and North Carolina State's Ikem Ekwonu can both stake a claim why they should be this year's No. 1 pick. 

Of the two, Neal is the more traditional left tackle option because of his size (6'7", 350 pounds), length and unbelievable athleticism for a blocker of his stature. At 21 years old, he's already a relatively smooth pass protector and a potentially devastating force in the run game. To make the first-team All-SEC performer even more enticing, he's only played left tackle for one season after starting his career at left guard before moving to right tackle and ultimately settling as a blindside protector. 

Whereas, Ekownu is an already dominant force in the run game. He easily displaces defenders at the point of attack and graded as the best run blocker among offensive tackles since the start of the 2019 campaign, per Pro Football Focus. Like Neal, Ekwonu presents experience at guard, but the difference lies in pass protection where the latter still has some issues with oversetting and aiming points. Plus, his 6'4" frame won't be preferred by every scouting department. 

The offensive tackle portion of the draft isn't a two-horse race. Yes, Neal and Ekwonu are elite talents.

At the same time, Mississippi State's Charles Cross is the best pure pass blocker of the three and should also be a top-10 selection. Northern Iowa's Trevor Penning is another first-round option who plays with unbridled physicality. Central Michigan's Bernhard Raimann is an older prospect (24), but his potential is tantalizing since he came to the game late. Minnesota's Daniel Faalele is man-mountain at 6'9" and 380 pounds, yet he moves extremely well. 

The position may seem a tad top-heavy but that's not a bad thing. 

3. Cornerback

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Cornerback was already considered a premium position, and the number of quality prospects is starting to meet demand. During the past two drafts, 11 cornerbacks—five last year and six during the previous event—came off the board in the first round. 

This year's class could surpass both with the possibility of seven or eight opening-frame options. Who exactly the top cornerback is remains in question, though. 

Derek Stingley Jr. has been tabbed as that guy since he thrived as a freshman during LSU's national championship run. However, the choice isn't so obvious for NFL scouts. According to ESPN's Matt Miller, Stingley isn't considered the top corner among the five he asked. 

A big part of the questions swirling around Stingley deal with his injured foot, which required surgery, and how he'll hold up at a listed 195 pounds on a 6'1' frame. 

Cincinnati's Ahmad Gardner may be made of slightly sturdier stuff. The 6'3", 200-pound defensive back is both physical against the run and exemplary in coverage, allowing a 26.7 completion percentage last season, per CFB Film Room. He could leapfrog Stingley and find himself among the top-10 selections. 

Those are just the top two options. Florida's Kaiir Elam, Washington's Trent McDuffie, Clemson's Andrew Booth Jr., Georgia's Derion Kendrick, Washington's Kyler Gordon and Auburn's Roger McCreary will be in the first-round conversation. If any slip out of the opening frame, a slight slide will create a cascading effect with other quality corners being driven down the board.

2. Wide Receiver       

Jay LaPrete/Associated Press

Loaded wide receiver classes are now a regular occurrence. 

In the past four drafts combined, 133 wide receivers heard their names called. There's no reason to believe the same won't happen again this year, especially with a strong group stacked with the first-round options. 

Last year, Ja'Marr Chase established himself as WR1 as the draft neared. He proved he was well-worth the designation by setting the Cincinnati Bengals' single-season and overall rookie record with 1,455 receiving yards. 

The current group doesn't feature a similar elite talent, though one might be close. 

USC's Drake London looks like the complete package as a 6'5", 210-pound target who moves like a much smaller receiver when working in and out of his breaks. Obviously, he excels at the catch point. The former member of the Trojans basketball team displays outstanding footwork and body control. How he runs after suffering a fractured ankle last season will go a long way in determining how high he's drafted. 

London has the best shot at establishing himself as WR1, but the class features talented options of all shapes and sizes. 

Ohio State's Chris Olave is a silky-smooth route-runner, while former teammate Garrett Wilson has been a big-play machine since he stepped onto campus. The 6'3", 225-pound Treylon Burks is fantastic at beating man coverage and creating after the catch. Penn State's Jahan Dotson is a dynamic receiving threat and punt returner. Alabama's Jameson William could have been the first wide receiver drafted if not for a torn ACL in the national championship game. 

Those mentioned are just the tip of the iceberg. Wide receiver may not have a top-five talent counted among its ranks, but it's still deeper than any other position. 

1. Edge       

Carlos Osorio/Associated Press

The 2022 NFL draft will be defined by its edge-rushers. 

The trio of Oregon's Kayvon Thibodeaux, Michigan's Aidan Hutchinson and Purdue's George Karlaftis could very well be off the board among this year's initial five selections. 

Thibodeaux and Hutchinson, in particular, are in the conversation to become the No. 1 selection depending on what the Jacksonville Jaguars decide to do with the pick. The two are both excellent prospects, though they present differing skill sets. 

Thibodeaux is a more traditional top-tier edge prospect thanks to his fluidity, explosivity and flexibility. He can fly past blockers, turn the edge and harass opposing quarterbacks. Hutchinson's isn't as bendy, but he presents an impressive combination of power, pass-rush plan and relentlessness that should make him quite effective as well. 

The 20-year-old Karlaftis, meanwhile, retains significant upside. The same could be said of Michigan's David Ojabo, who came to the game later in life after coming to the United States from Nigeria with a plan to play basketball. Ojabo's raw athleticism and potential could easily make him a top-15 selection. 

Pass-rushers of all skill sets can be found in this year's class. 

As stated earlier, Houston's Logan Hall and Georgia's Travon Walker are potential first-round picks with inside-out versatility. San Diego State's Cameron Thomas, USC's Drake Jackson and South Carolina's Kingsley Enagbare are straight-line pass-rushers with developing skills. Cincinnati's Myjai Sanders, Oklahoma's Nik Bonitto and Penn State's Arnold Ebiketie may be best working from a two-point stance. 

Throw Florida State's Jermaine Johnson II, Kentucky's Josh Paschal and Texas A&M's Michael Clemons into the mix, and Bleacher Report will have at least 15 edge-rushers graded with first- or second-day grades. 

 

Edited April 6, 2022 by LTtxfan

[futureman 22704]

this was not a fun graphic to see on my ticket app. 

[LTtxfan 50007]

USA TODAY

2022 NFL mock draft: Four pass rushers go in top 10

April 19, 2022 6:31 pm ET

The 2022 NFL Draft begins next week Thursday, April 28 with the first round and runs through Saturday, April 30. The Jacksonville Jaguars own the No. 1 overall pick (again) as 32 players will be selected opening night as teams look to improve.

This year’s draft class is deep at receiver, pass rusher and cornerback. It is not considered a good crop of quarterbacks.

Below, we bring you a 2022 NFL mock draft with projections for all 32 first-round picks. In addition, we share the available pertinent betting odds for players, positions and teams.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Michigan EDGE Aidan Hutchinson

2. Detroit Lions: Georgia EDGE Travon Walker

3. Houston Texans: N.C. State OT Ikem Ekwonu

4. New York Jets: Oregon EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux

5. New York Giants: Alabama OT Evan Neal

6. Carolina Panthers: Liberty QB Malik Willis

7. New York Giants: Florida State EDGE Jermaine Johnson Jr.

8. Atlanta Falcons: Alabama WR Jameson Williams

9. Seattle Seahawks: Mississippi State OT Charles Cross

10. New York Jets: Cincinnati CB Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner

11. Washington Commanders: Ohio State WR Garrett Wilson

12. Minnesota Vikings: LSU CB Derek Stingley Jr.

13. Houston Texans: Notre Dame S Kyle Hamilton

14. Baltimore Ravens: Georgia DT Jordan Davis

15. Philadelphia Eagles: USC WR Drake London

16. New Orleans Saints: Arkansas WR Treylon Burks

17. Los Angeles Chargers: Georgia DL Devonte Wyatt

18. Philadelphia Eagles: Utah LB Devin Lloyd

19. New Orleans Saints: Northern Iowa OT Trevor Penning

20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Pitt QB Kenny Pickett

21. New England Patriots: Boston College OL Zion Johnson

22. Green Bay Packers: Ohio State WR Chris Olave

23. Arizona Cardinals: Washington CB Trent McDuffie

24. Dallas Cowboys: Purdue EDGE George Karlaftis

25. Buffalo Bills: Clemson CB Andrew Booth Jr.

26. Tennessee Titans: Tulsa OT Tyler Smith

27: Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Penn State EDGE Arnold Ebiketie

28. Green Bay Packers: Washington CB Kyler Gordon

29. Kansas City Chiefs: Penn State WR Jahan Dotson

30. Kansas City Chiefs: Florida CB Kaiir Elam

31. Cincinnati Bengals: Iowa OL Tyler Linderbaum

32: Detroit Lions: Michigan S Daxton Hill

 

[LTtxfan 50007]

Peter Schrager 2022 NFL mock draft 2.0: Bills add offense; Chiefs double down on D

Published: Apr 19, 2022 at 06:53 AM

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With the 2022 NFL Draft on the horizon, it's time to take my second crack at a mock of the first round.

REMINDER: As always, this isn't what I would do -- it's what I'm hearing from my sources around the league.

Pick  1     Jacksonville Jaguars

Travon Walker

Georgia · DL · Junior

I'm told by people in the know that the decision on this pick is far from made. With less than two weeks to go, the Jaguars are still building their board. The fact that it remains a debate makes me think Trent Baalke is leaning toward Walker.

Pick  2       Detroit Lions

Aidan Hutchinson

Michigan · Edge · Senior

If the Jags go with Travon Walker, Detroit won't waste a second turning in this draft card. Local ties aside, Hutchinson is everything the Lions are looking for in a franchise building block and future 10-year starter up front.

Pick 3   Houston Texans

Ickey Ekwonu

N.C. State · OT · Junior

I've heard a lot of noise from folks around the league that Houston could pick one of the two corners -- Sauce Gardner or Derek Stingley Jr. -- but this seems too rich a spot in the draft to take a DB. Houston will address the lack of talent in their current defensive backfield at some point. 

Pick. 4   New York Jets

Kayvon Thibodeaux

Oregon · Edge · Junior

If Evan Neal, Sauce Gardner and Thibodeaux are all on the board at No. 4, it will be a simulation and conversation the Jets have explored for weeks. I'm told the team is still sorting its board, but that its meeting with Thibodeaux last Friday went extremely well. At some point, the Jets front office needs to get Robert Saleh an edge rusher.

Pick  5   New York Giants

Charles Cross

Mississippi State · OT · Sophomore (RS)

Your first big shocker of the draft: The Giants take Cross over Evan Neal and Sauce Gardner. I've heard the Giants love the Mississippi State product, who's not only rising up their board, but several other teams', as well.

Pick  6   Carolina Panthers

Kenny Pickett

Pittsburgh · QB · Senior (RS)

Pickett's meeting with the Panthers last week went really well. In fact, all of the QB prospect meetings with Carolina did. With only one other pick in the top 140, I think the Panthers just take their QB of choice, hold their nose and deal with any draft-day critiques suggesting they reached with this selection.

Pick  7   New York Giants (from CHI)

Sauce Gardner

Cincinnati · CB · Junior

New defensive coordinator Wink Martindale will be the happiest man on the planet if Sauce falls to No. 7. The former Bearcat is one of the few DBs in recent college football history who could be left on an island and come out on top. Considering Wink's blitz-everyone-and-their-brother-and-mother approach, Gardner would be a perfect fit in the Giants' defensive backfield.

Pick. 8    Atlanta Falcons

Evan Neal

Alabama · OT · Junior

The Falcons sit pretty at No. 8 and take the best player available in Neal. This situation would be a lot like what happened to the Chargers last year when Pro Bowler Rashawn Slater unexpectedly fell out of the top 12.

Pick  9     Seattle Seahawks  (from DEN)

Derek Stingley Jr.

LSU · CB · Junior

Defensive back might not be the most pressing need for Seattle, but Stingley can ball. There's a big drop-off on teams' overall boards at the corner spot after Gardner and Stingley. Seattle gets another LSU Tiger to join Jamal Adams in the secondary.

Pick   10    New York Jets   (from SEA)

Jameson Williams

Alabama · WR · Junior

Williams is still working his way back from ACL surgery, but that shouldn't eliminate his chances of going in the top 10. The Jets are still looking to beef up their receiver room, and Williams has WR1 potential. 

Pick  11    Washington Commanders

Garrett Wilson

Ohio State · WR · Junior

Whether or not Washington extends Terry McLaurin isn't a contributing factor with my pick here. The Commanders can go a variety of ways, but if Wilson slips out of the top 10, I think they'd pounce on the former Buckeye.

Pick  12    Minnesota Vikings   

Jermaine Johnson II

Florida State · Edge · Senior (RS)

Derek Stingley Jr.'s defensive coordinator at LSU, Daronte Jones, is now coaching with Minnesota (defensive backs), and I think the talented corner is the apple of the Vikings’ eye. If he’s off the board, look for Johnson, an Eden Prairie, Minnesota, native who’s viewed by most teams as the fourth pass rusher off the board. 

 

Pick  13   Houston Texans  (from CLE)

Kyle Hamilton

Notre Dame · S · Junior

The Texans need to address their defensive backfield. In Hamilton, they get the best safety in this draft and a guy who could be a captain his first year on the field.

Pick  14   Baltimore Ravens

Trevor Penning

Northern Iowa · OT · Senior (RS)

Love this fit, both for the landing spot and value. Lamar Jackson will relish playing behind Penning, who has a nasty streak the Ravens may have lost when they traded Orlando Brown Jr. a year ago.

Pick  15      Philadelphia Eagles    (from MIA)

Drake London

USC · WR · Junior

Could Philly draft a wide receiver in the first round for the third straight year? Yes. Yes, they can. Remember, they have 10 total selections, and Nick Sirianni is an offensive coach with a big say in this pick.

Pick  16     New Orleans Saints    (from IND through PHI)

Chris Olave

Ohio State · WR · Senior

New Orleans takes a WR with elite speed and tremendous upside to pair with the big, physical Michael Thomas.

Pick  17   Los Angeles Chargers

Treylon Burks

Arkansas · WR · Junior

The run at WR continues with the Chargers scooping up another target for Justin Herbert. Burks is the 2022 prospect most often compared to Deebo Samuel, in that he's a prolific playmaker from the perimeter and out of the backfield.

Pick  18  Philadelphia Eagles   (from NO)

Devin Lloyd

Utah · LB · Senior (RS)

Lloyd's a great player and person and has the X's-and-O's know-how to be the shot-caller of the Eagles' D. He has exceptional pass-coverage skills (check out his INT against Stanford) and can line up with tight ends in the passing game.

Pick  19    New Orleans Saints    (from PHI)

Jordan Davis

Georgia · DT · Senior

The NFL Scouting Combine superhero would find a great defensive coaching staff and core to learn from in New Orleans. Is he going to be the 340-pound physical freak we all saw in Indy or the 360-pound player at UGA who struggled to stay on the field versus Alabama the first time they played last season?

Pick  20    Pittsburgh Steelers

Malik Willis

Liberty · QB · Senior (RS)

Drafting Willis wouldn't be an indictment on Mitchell Trubisky -- it'd be a move toward the future. May the best man win. Willis, who'd be a value pick at No. 20, has a lot of fans around the league -- just not sure there's one willing to take him in the top 10 at this point.

Pick  21  New England Patriots

Trent McDuffie

Washington · CB · Junior

The Patriots didn't re-sign J.C. Jackson and are looking at Jalen Mills and Malcolm Butler as the likely starting corners. Neither is the long-term answer at CB1. McDuffie has a lot of fans around the league.

Pick  22  Green Bay Packers (from LV)

Jahan Dotson

Penn State · WR · Senior

I think the Packers take the best WR left on the board. Dotson isn't going to be Davante Adams anytime soon (or likely ever), but he's a quality receiver who can contribute right away from multiple spots on the field. Eventually, by the end of the season, he could be the Packers' No. 1 or 2 option. 

Pick  23     Arizona Cardinals

Zion Johnson

Boston College · IOL · Senior

Incredibly intelligent and versatile, Johnson would immediately find a spot along Arizona's offensive line. I don't see the Cardinals taking a defensive player in the first round for a third straight year -- regardless of who's on the board.

Pick  24     Dallas Cowboys

Tyler Linderbaum

Iowa · C · Junior (RS)

The Cowboys need offensive line help, and if Linderbaum is still available at No. 24, I could see the former standout wrestler as the team's starting center from Day 1.

Pick  25    Buffalo Bills

Breece Hall

Iowa State · RB · Junior

Everyone's loading up with offensive weapons in the AFC. The Bills are no different. Hall is the only running back I have going in the first round and would immediately become Buffalo's RB1. 

Pick   26      Tennessee Titans

Kenyon Green

Texas A&M · IOL · Junior

Green has interviewed well with teams the past few weeks and has an edge to him that will jell with that Titans offensive line. 

Pick  27.    Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Dax Hill

Michigan · S · Junior

The Bucs were able to keep Carlton Davis in free agency, but lost well-regarded safety Jordan Whitehead to the Jets. With a still-loaded defense up front, Tampa looks to the school where Tom Brady (and front office impresario John Spytek) went so many years ago. 

Pick  28    Green Bay Packers

Devonte Wyatt

Georgia · DT · Senior

Wyatt had an amazing combine performance that was overshadowed by his Georgia teammate, Jordan Davis. Nimble for his size (6-3, 304), Wyatt can be an immediate impact player on Joe Barry's defensive front.

Pick  29    Kansas City Chiefs    (from SF through MIA)

George Karlaftis

Purdue · Edge · Junior

Karlaftis could go anywhere from the 20s to the 40s. If he's still on the board at No. 29, the Chiefs could scoop him up; he'd be a good fit in Steve Spagnuolo's 4-3 defense. Karlaftis, who spent his early years in Greece playing water polo, has emerged as a polished talent over the last few seasons in the Big Ten.

Pick  30.   Kansas City Chiefs

Kyler Gordon

Washington · CB · Junior (RS)

The Chiefs respond to the AFC's arms race by adding another defensive back. Gordon is well-regarded around the league, with some teams liking him as much as his Washington teammate, Trent McDuffie. 

Pick  31      Cincinnati Bengals

Tyler Smith

Tulsa · OT · Sophomore (RS)

Smith is only a redshirt sophomore, but he's viewed as having one of the highest upsides of any lineman in this class. In the offseason of "Protect Joe Burrow AT ALL COSTS," Cincinnati keeps the theme going strong.

Pick   32    Detroit Lions    (from LAR)

Matt Corral

Mississippi · QB · Junior (RS)

Corral has fans around the league and conceivably could go as high as the top 10. I think Detroit grabs a quarterback (for the fifth-year option) with the 32nd pick. 

 

Edited April 19, 2022 by LTtxfan

[LTtxfan 50007]

Right now on ESPN...

LIVE Mock Draft 3 Rounds by Mel and Todd

 

currently in last part of Rd 1

[Mitch Hedberg 2117]

7 round mock draft on CBSSports and only Texas player drafted was Dicker the kicker as Mr. Irrelevant. 
That’s not the way this is supposed to work. 

[Mother mopar 3387]

Right now on ESPN...
LIVE Mock Draft 3 Rounds by Mel and Todd
 
currently in last part of Rd 1

People still listen to those two blowhards.

[LTtxfan 50007]

Lots of arguments about this Georgia DL -- should he even be a Top 5 pick??

 

HARRISON RENO        4 HOURS AGO

Travon Walker Given Second Best Odds to Go No. 1

What does Vegas think of Travon Walker's chances at going No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft?

As we head into the week of the 2022 NFL Draft, talk begins to muddy around who will go off the board when National Football League Commissioner Rodger Goodell announces the number one overall pick, which belongs to the Jacksonville Jaguars this year. 

Many would've told you that Michigan's defensive end Aidan Hutchinson would be the No. 1 pick a few months ago. Instead, Georgia's Travon Walker has entered the conversation following an impressive combine and pro-day. 

A surprising ascension for Walker for those who didn't pay close attention to Georgia over the 12 months. All the talk throughout the season revolved around nose tackle Jordan Davis. Then as the attention turned to the pre-draft festivities, Davis's teammates DeVonte Wyatt and Travon Walker started to dominate the conversations. 

Now Walker is looking to become the first taken in the Draft out of the three Georgia defensive linemen expected to go on day one. Even those in Vegas who set the betting odds for the number one overall pick did not see this as a possibility for Walker. Then, Walker held 30-1 odds of becoming the No. 1 pick. With six days until draft day, Walker has the second-best odds at +140, right behind the Wolverine Hutchinson. 

After a junior campaign with six sacks and 37 total tackles, many still question the former Thomaston, Ga. native's ability as a pass rusher due to his lack of production. That being said, a 4.51 forty-yard dash, 35-inch vertical jump, and a 6.89 3-cone time, all while measuring in at 6-foot-5 and weighing over 270 pounds, is making NFL front offices re-evaluate the tape on Walker. 

[TonyTexas 10776]

2 hours ago, LTtxfan said:

Lots of arguments about this Georgia DL -- should he even be a Top 5 pick??

 

 Workout warriors have too high of a bust rate to take in the top 5. 

[LTtxfan 50007]

 

[LTtxfan 50007]

 

[LTtxfan 50007]

 

[LTtxfan 50007]

 

[LTtxfan 50007]

6 hours ago, LTtxfan said:

Lots of arguments about this Georgia DL -- should he even be a Top 5 pick??

Travon Walker Given Second Best Odds to Go No. 1

What does Vegas think of Travon Walker's chances at going No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft?

As we head into the week of the 2022 NFL Draft, talk begins to muddy around who will go off the board when National Football League Commissioner Rodger Goodell announces the number one overall pick, which belongs to the Jacksonville Jaguars this year. 

Many would've told you that Michigan's defensive end Aidan Hutchinson would be the No. 1 pick a few months ago. Instead, Georgia's Travon Walker has entered the conversation following an impressive combine and pro-day. 

A surprising ascension for Walker for those who didn't pay close attention to Georgia over the 12 months. All the talk throughout the season revolved around nose tackle Jordan Davis. Then as the attention turned to the pre-draft festivities, Davis's teammates DeVonte Wyatt and Travon Walker started to dominate the conversations. 

Now Walker is looking to become the first taken in the Draft out of the three Georgia defensive linemen expected to go on day one. Even those in Vegas who set the betting odds for the number one overall pick did not see this as a possibility for Walker. Then, Walker held 30-1 odds of becoming the No. 1 pick. With six days until draft day, Walker has the second-best odds at +140, right behind the Wolverine Hutchinson. 

After a junior campaign with six sacks and 37 total tackles, many still question the former Thomaston, Ga. native's ability as a pass rusher due to his lack of production. That being said, a 4.51 forty-yard dash, 35-inch vertical jump, and a 6.89 3-cone time, all while measuring in at 6-foot-5 and weighing over 270 pounds, is making NFL front offices re-evaluate the tape on Walker. 

 

[LTtxfan 50007]

2022 NFL Draft: Chiefs, Packers among teams most likely to trade up; Chargers, Giants candidates to move down

By Cody Benjamin        Apr 23, 2022 

If the 2022 NFL offseason is any indication, the draft could be chock-full of not only picks but trades. After a frenzied free agency that saw plenty of big names moved, it's possible this year's rookies will enter amid more wheeling and dealing, with several teams owning multiple first-round picks and a haze of general uncertainty clouding the top of the class.

But which teams are primed to move? Here's a look at clubs most likely to trade up or down at the start of the draft:

Most likely to trade up

Chiefs       Top picks: Nos. 29, 30, 50, 62

After dealing Tyreek Hill, they're still in the market for receiver help. Armed with two late firsts, they could easily try to move into the teens to secure one of the draft's top pass-catchers, keeping Patrick Mahomes' arsenal strong for another title push.

Eagles      Top picks: Nos. 15, 18, 51

They're just as likely to move down as they are up, but either way, general manager Howie Roseman loves to work the phones. With an additional 2023 first in their pocket, they may justify a leap to get a premium starter at WR, edge rusher or defensive back

Packers      Top picks: Nos. 22, 28, 53, 59

Much like the Chiefs, they sold their elite receiver and must now invest in the position, for Aaron Rodgers' sake. Standing pat and addressing two needs on Day One isn't out of the question, but this might be the time for Brian Gutekunst to get aggressive. It's very possible one of the top three or four WR prospects will be within a few picks' reach.

Saints      Top picks: Nos. 16, 19, 49

Perhaps their pre-draft trade with the Eagles, to add an extra first, was solely a play to ensure they add two potential starters to a team they still view as playoff-caliber. It's just as possible they're gearing up for a follow-up move, either to make a splash at QB or on defense, a la their move up for Marcus Davenport in 2018

Seahawks       Top picks: Nos. 9, 40, 41

Pete Carroll and Co. are prone to head-scratchers on draft day, and with three top-45 picks, they have the ammo to make noise. If a QB piques their interest post-Russell Wilson, they have the ammo to move farther up the top 10. They might also consider a move back into the first if a QB (Kenny Pickett? Matt Corral?) slides.

Steelers       Top picks: Nos. 20, 52

They aren't loaded with extra/premium picks, but they could use a QB to pair with Mitchell Trubisky in the first post-Ben Roethlisberger trial run. That could mean sitting still, but if Malik Willis is their target, a move up might be necessary.

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Most likely to trade down

Bills     Top picks: Nos. 25, 57

You might think Brandon Beane would be more inclined to move up with Buffalo in win-now mode, but their needs can be addressed more patiently. Sliding back -- or even out of -- the first round could help them take an additional swing on Day Two.

Chargers    Top picks: No. 17

They're all in on elevating Justin Herbert and Co. to a deep playoff run in 2022, but with no second-rounder, they might be able to drop a few slots, pick up an additional pick and still get a starting-caliber piece on Day One. 

Giants     Top picks: Nos. 5, 7, 36

If they sit tight and take two top-10 players, good for them. But new GM Joe Schoen understands this is a total rebuild, and a QB-hungry team might be itching to take one of their early picks, potentially boosting New York's 2023 draft capital in the process.

Patriots    Top picks: Nos. 21, 54

Bill Belichick is notorious for moving down in the draft, and while New England could use -- and find -- a Day One starter by standing pat, the Patriots might be able to do the same by sliding a few spots in the 20s. The remaining top prospects at their logical targets (CB, LB) could very well be on the board regardless

[LTtxfan 50007]

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PETER KING :    FMIA: 2022 NFL Mock Draft Features A Top 10 Trade, An Early Wideout Run And A Couple Quarterback Surprises

April 25th, 2022          PICKS 1-10

Truest statement about the 2022 NFL Draft, from NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah: “If this draft was an emoji, it’d be 🤷‍♂️.”

I have Bernhard Reimann and Arnold Ebiketie going in the first round, and Malik Willis not. I don’t have a quarterback going till the 20th pick. I have Kayvon Thibodeaux, the first pick in mockland last Thanksgiving, going 13th. I have teams fighting over a player out for the year with an Achilles injury.

It’s a strange year. I promise only one thing: We’ll forget about all these bad picks (at least I hope so) by midnight Thursday, when the real first round, live from Las Vegas, will be in the books.

This year’s mock:    The Lead: Mock Draft

1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Travon Walker, defensive lineman, Georgia

Expect a surprise, I heard out of Jacksonville recently. Hmmm. That would eliminate Aidan Hutchinson here. The trendy pick after that has been Walker, so that really wouldn’t be much of a surprise. Ikem Ekwonu, perhaps? I’ll go with the one-year-college-start upside guy, Walker.

It’s risky, and I’m as skeptical of one-year wonders as the next mock-drafter, but it falls into GM Trent Baalke’s history of taking the athletic playmakers. I’ve got a video to show you about Walker. 

 

You want to know why people around the NFL are smitten with Walker? The effort on this play—in the biggest game of his career, with other guys on his defense not selling out the way Walker was—is a big thing to football people. The troubling part for Walker and his 9.5 career sacks in 29 games is that if he’s the pick, the comparisons to Hutchinson will be forever. That’s something Baalke had better factor in.

2. Detroit Lions: Aidan Hutchinson, edge, Michigan

“A real Dan Campbell player,” one NFL GM told me about the steadiest player in this draft. Campbell got a lot of people to chuckle when he talked about wanting players who want to bite kneecaps. It was his way of saying he wants guys who love football, who don’t take off plays, who won’t allow the Lions to be downtrodden anymore. Ask scouts about Hutchinson and they’ll tell you that’s how he played every one of his 43 career games in Ann Arbor.

Hutchinson is a different cat. He’s been journaling—hand-writing, not typing—since he was 4. Some days he writes what he wants to be, he told me. “Just telling myself that I’m limitless,” he said. “I have an infinite mindset. I have no boundaries. There’s no mountain that I can’t reach. That’s how I view myself and me playing football.” Tell me Dan Campbell’s not going to froth at the mouth if GM Brad Holmes has the chance to draft this 6-6, 260-pound 10-year starter.

Final note: Some late buzz about the Lions being smitten with Kayvon Thibodeaux and strongly considering him here. I just can’t see them passing on Hutchinson. 

3. Houston Texans: Ikem Ekwonu, offensive tackle, North Carolina State

If you’re the Texans, you’re really drafting for 2024. GM Nick Caserio’s got to be thinking of the long haul, and the long haul probably doesn’t consist of Laremy Tunsil and Brandin Cooks, both of whom will be 30 on opening-day 2024. So if you’re smart, and you’ve seen the top two edge guys go 1-2, you draft into the strength of this crop, tackle and wideout. Ekwonu is versatile and athletic, not the mauler that the other two top tackles are, but a cornerstone and smart lineman who should be the long-time leader of a currently lousy group.

4. New York Jets: Sauce Gardner, cornerback, Cincinnati 

I know lots of people I like and trust are going Kayvon Thibodeaux here, but I’m leery. (By the way, notice the trend of the 2022 first round? “I wouldn’t rule out Kayvon Thibodeaux here,” 614 GMs and other football people said in the last week. I know, I know.) Jets GM Joe Douglas loves safe, and he especially loves safe when the stud (or so we thought) first-round pick of 2020, tackle Mekhi Becton, has struggled and has a major question mark over his head entering this season. Gardner might not have the feet or hips of Derek Stingley, but he has the consistent production, is highly competitive, and in a division with Tyreek Hill and Stefon Diggs (and Gabriel Davis), and whatever Bill Belichick has in store for the Jets, that’s six games a year when a top corner will be invaluable. And the Jets don’t have one.

5. New York Giants: Charles Cross, offensive tackle, Mississippi State 

Lots of spy versus spy here. By that I mean, at first blush, it’s logical to think GM Joe Schoen would want the best available right tackle here, with Andrew Thomas set on the left side. And because Cross was consistently on the left side in college, and Evan Neal started a season each at left tackle and right tackle, Neal’s a better fit here. And it may be Neal. Who wouldn’t want a 40-game starter at a great program in the SEC? But what many don’t know is the Giants put Cross through some work to judge whether he’d be a good right-tackle candidate and came away happy that he would be. Cross, one GM told me, is the best pass-protector of the three top tackles, a power-forward type (6-7 ½, 335) who will be competitive on day one against good edge rushers. If the Giants are comfortable enough with his ability to play the right side, this is a solid pick.

6. Carolina Panthers: Evan Neal, offensive tackle, Alabama 

I don’t know what Carolina will do. The Panthers could go Kenny Pickett here, because unless they trade their first-round pick next year to move into position to acquire another high pick, they won’t pick again till day three of the draft; they don’t have a second- or third-rounder currently. I know what they should do, and that’s take Neal if he’s there. The Panthers are as needy on the line as they are at quarterback, and there’s definitely not a sure long-term QB in this draft. Neal started 15 games at left tackle, 12 at right tackle and 13 at left guard in his three Alabama seasons. There’s been some chatter about teams downgrading him because of medical issues, but I’m told at least three-quarters of the teams in the league are good with his health. I won’t be shocked if they go Pickett or Malik Willis here, but the smarter play is getting a solution with versatility at a major need area.

7. New York Giants: Kyle Hamilton, safety, Notre Dame

Just a warning: Don’t be shocked if the Giants go Thibodeaux here. Lots of stuff out in the ether right now about the Giants being down on Thibodeaux, but I can tell you they’re interested and have done a ton of work on him since his Pro Day. Also, the Giants would love to deal this pick and recoup a 2023 first-round pick and go down, say, 10 to 12 spots so they still could get a strong prospect plus be in prime position in the ’23 first round.

So the call here is Hamilton, despite the fact the Giants have a good young third-year safety in Xavier McKinney. New defensive coordinator Wink Martindale loves versatile safeties, which is precisely what Hamilton is. He’s huge (6-4, 220) and instinctive, and can blitz, play sideline to sideline and play down in the box as an extra linebacker. This pick would make the Giants’ secondary tough to gameplan against because of the versatility of McKinney and Hamilton.

8. Atlanta Falcons: Drake London, wide receiver, USC 

Kind of the first “they could do five things here” pick. I’m going with the receiver I hear they love. Some teams knocked London for not running a 40 in the runup to the draft after a late-October broken ankle caused him to miss USC’s last four games; he’s estimated at about 4.5, which is not top-end speed. Everything else about his game is top-end. His average game in 2021 (15 targets, 11 catches, 136 yards, one TD) was notable. Everyone knew the ball was coming to him, and his competitiveness in multiple coverages caught eyes. To keep up that level of production game after game is something that separates London from the other receivers in this crop. As for the Falcons’ need at wideout: When the guys in three-receiver formations look to be Olamide Zaccheaus, Auden Tate and Damiere Byrd … I rest my case.

*9. Houston Texans: Garrett Wilson, wide receiver, Ohio State

*Projected Trade: Texans trade the 13th pick overall and an early third-round pick, 68th overall, to the Seahawks for the 9th selection.

And so here comes the run on receivers. Houston leapfrogs the Jets to get the franchise receiver for Davis Mills (who has a chance this year to win this job) or whoever the Texans pick next year to be the franchise passer. There’s a lot of love for Wilson in the league, even though he never led Ohio State in receiving in any of his three years and he’s a lean (6-0, 183) receiver who probably won’t play much heavier. He played the slot in 2020 and outside last year, so teams have plenty of tape to see him play all over the field in different offenses. Team like his ability to get open and to make things happen after the catch.

I look at Houston’s draft this way. Post-Watson, the Texans need some franchise players. If they come out of this draft with a long-term left tackle and a top receiver who can be counted on for the next five to eight years, it’s a profitable draft. Plus: GM Nick Caserio has the 37th overall pick, and he could use that on a second-level cornerback (Washington’s Kyler Gordon?) to attack another need area.

10. New York Jets: Jameson Williams, wide receiver, Alabama 

The luxury for the constantly rebuilding Jets in taking a guy coming off a Jan. 10 ACL injury is that they don’t need to be in a hurry, and Williams, to many, was the draft’s top wideout before the injury. So whether he plays in late October or by Dec. 1 is not a make-or-break factor in what they do. Williams will be the number one receiver Zach Wilson needs to have a chance to be a good long-term quarterback. However the receivers line up on GM Joe Douglas’ board, getting one of the top three wideouts and Sauce Gardner in the first round would be a win for a franchise that hasn’t had enough of them.

Quote

Mock Draft: Picks 11-20

11. Washington Commanders: Chris Olave, wide receiver, Ohio State

How cool would it be if it fell Wilson-Williams-Olave … teammates at Ohio State in 2019 and 2020 before Williams transferred to Alabama? They combined for 40 touchdowns last season in Columbus and Tuscaloosa. I wish I could figure a way for Olave to fall to Green Bay, because with his precision route-running and vaunted football smarts, he’d be a perfect 2022 fit for Aaron Rodgers. But I can’t see him lasting to the twenties. The fourth of four straight wideouts makes too much sense for Washington, which I think loves Drake London but will be thrilled with the sub-4.4 speed and top football IQ of Olave.

12. Minnesota Vikings: Derek Stingley, cornerback, LSU 

There are good fits, and there is Stingley in Minnesota, where he’d be coached by his old defensive coordinator at LSU, secondary coach Daronte Jones, and he’d be mentored by former Tiger corner Patrick Peterson. This is a dream scenario for the Vikings. Stingley’s career fell off a cliff after a strong 2019 season, the same way the LSU program fell off a cliff in the last two years of Ed Orgeron. In ’19, Stingley battled in practice with J’Marr Chase and played high-level in games; some scouts thought he was the best corner in the country as a true freshman. Fate smiles on rookie Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on his first NFL draft choice—if indeed he can pick Stingley. “I think he was the best NFL prospect in the country as a freshman,” one GM told me, “and his workout this spring showed a lot of [Darrelle] Revis to me.”

*13. Seattle Seahawks: Kayvon Thibodeaux, edge, Oregon 

*Projected Trade: Texans trade the 13th pick overall and an early third-round pick, 68th overall, to the Seahawks for the 9th selection.

Perfect Pete Carroll pick. Thibodeaux’s an LA kid, he’ll be supremely ticked off at not being the first edge off the board and falling this far, and Carroll knows how to feed into the mental game that fuels players. That, plus Thibodeaux would be the kind of top talent that the Seahawks never get to pick in the draft because they’re always picking at the bottom of the round, or later. Thibodeaux, if he works out, would be a good pick for a team devoid of a top-end pass-rusher, in a division with some serious passing games.

I’d like this pick, in this spot, for Seattle. I’m not alone. “Thibodeaux at 13 would be a coup for Seattle,” one GM told me Sunday when I apprised him of my diabolical plan to send the Oregon edge down the draft board.

14. Baltimore Ravens: Trevor Penning, offensive tackle, Northern Iowa 

Kudos to Good Morning Football’s Peter Schrager for IDing Penning to the Ravens. The fourth tackle, clearly, on boards around the league would be a very good fit in Baltimore, where there’s a hole at right tackle (31-year-old Morgan Moses due to fill it as of today) and where left tackle Ronnie Stanley has struggled to stay healthy. Penning started 31 games at left tackle for Northern Iowa, and his size (6-7, 325) would play well on either side. I think the Ravens feel good enough about Stanley’s future to not be forced into taking a tackle here. Picking a corner (Trent McDuffie would be very good value) will not surprise me. 

2022 NFL Draft defensive tackle prospect Jordan Davis. (Getty Images)

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Jordan Davis, defensive tackle, Georgia 

Flip a coin here. Davis or Trent McDuffie. (And won’t WIP have a good laugh at my expense when the pick is neither guy.) But I’ll go with Davis because of his freakish athleticism at 335, his ability to impact the game all over the defensive front, and the prospect that he can succeed Fletcher Cox (32 in December) as the toughest guy to block on the Philadelphia defensive front.

The best thing I heard about Davis after his 4.78-second dash at the combine (at 341 pounds) was from one coach who thought Davis could play nose on first down and three-technique (the interior rush player) on second and third downs. That’s not common. He didn’t have great college production—19.5 tackles behind the line in 47 games at Georgia—and that would be a big concern to me. But someone will take him in the middle of the round, because he’s got such great potential.

16. New Orleans: Treylon Burks, wide receiver, Arkansas 

He’d be the physical presence to play opposite the returning Michael Thomas in the Saints’ attack, which is desperate for a receiver. A few words about the Saints’ intentions here, in the wake of their trade with Philadelphia two weeks ago leaving them with 16 and 19, then 49 in round two. New Orleans was chided for adding a mid-first-round pick this year, with the feeling that this wasn’t a good year to have a second pick in the middle of a mediocre round. But the way the Saints look at is different. The Saints think they’re better than Tampa Bay, and winning the four regular-season matchups against Tom Brady by 11, 35, 9 and 9 points would buttress that argument. The Saints have had a top-five scoring defense two years in a row. They need another weapon on offense.

There’s also the feeling around the NFL that after losing Drew Brees one year and Sean Payton the next, the Saints are due to slip back. That is decidedly not the feeling in the building, nor with new coach Dennis Allen. Saints GM Mickey Loomis wants to give Allen the chance to be an impact playoff team with two or three big contributors in 2022. I cannot argue with that logic.

17. Los Angeles Chargers: Trent McDuffie, cornerback, Washington 

If Jordan Davis is here, I bet the Chargers are tempted. Brandon Staley loves very big, very athletic people on his front seven. But the third corner off the board would be more valuable to the Chargers, I think, and give them a formidable threesome (J.C. Jackson, Asante Samuel Jr., McDuffie) to attack the Mahomes/Wilson/Carr trio of top QBs on the Chargers’ schedule every year.

I looked into the buzz that the Chargers would try to move up to get a Trevor Penning, a long-term bookend for Rashawn Slater to protect Justin Herbert. It’s possible, because the Ravens are always amenable to dealing down when there’s not one player they’re desperate for.

*18. Green Bay Packers: Jahan Dotson, wide receiver, Penn State 

*Projected Trade: Eagles trade the 18th pick to the Packers for the 22nd pick and a late third-round pick, 92nd overall.

Surprising for the sixth receiver in the round, if this is how it goes. Dotson is a better version of Randall Cobb, with maybe the best hands in the draft. Started 38 games and had 183 catches at Penn State. The knock on Dotson is he’s not as physically strong as his peers, and he’ll need to be feistier and a little bulkier to be a consistent weapon for Aaron Rodgers.

All along, I tried everything I could to get Chris Olave to the Packers. Barring a huge tradeup that might cost Brian Gutekunst next year’s first-round pick, it’s hard to see one of the top four receivers landing in Green Bay. Dotson’s a good alternative. He’s just not Olave.

 

19. New Orleans Saints: Devonte Wyatt, defensive tackle, Georgia 

It’s either reach for CB4 or take one of the best two defensive tackles in the class and get the corner in the middle of the second round. This is what I’d do. Wyatt is probably the best three-technique in this class, and, like Travon Walker, was a versatile fit on the Georgia front. I bet Cam Jordan would lead the parade for Wyatt, knowing that attention Wyatt would draw in the middle of the line would give Jordan more chances to impact the game on the edge. Amazing: Georgia could have three defensive front players (Walker, Davis, Wyatt) get drafted in the top 20, three players who played a lot on the interior. I’d love to know if that ever happened before.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Kenny Pickett, quarterback, Pitt 

Upset special: Pickett over Malik Willis—and it’s a gut feeling more than anything else. How cool would it be if the Steelers, who passed on Pitt’s Dan Marino is 1983 when a successor to Terry Bradshaw was desperately needed (they picked Gabe Rivera) would 39 years later take Pitt’s Pickett to be the long-term sub for Ben Roethlisberger? Pretty cool to think Pickett, who for the entirety of his college career has walked into the door to the right of the Steelers/Pitt complex on the South side of the gritty city, might walk into the left door as a pro now.

We’ve gotten so used to excoriating any team that would even think of drafting a quarterback high this year that we haven’t just sat back and considered, “Maybe Kenny Pickett is actually, you know, good.” It’s true that you can find two or three throws that any quarterback makes to make him seem really good or really bad. But you’ve got to have some level of talent to make the first throw on this Greg Cosell analysis of Pickett:

 

That ball traveled 39 yards in the air, was a perfect strike, and came with Pickett under pressure and on the run. A big-time NFL throw. Could it be Willis here? Yes, it could. I wouldn’t he surprised. But I’ve heard the Steelers think Pickett’s more likely to succeed as a pro.

 

 

Quote

Mock Draft: Picks 21-32

21. New England Patriots: Bernhard Raimann, offensive tackle, Central Michigan 

Toyed with Nakobe Dean. Toyed with Devin Lloyd. Toyed with Jermaine Johnson. Toyed with Lewis Cine, who is Bill Belichick’s kind of player. Even toyed with the corner who might go around 45th overall, Kyler Gordon. But the secondary tackle market is better than the secondary edge or corner market, for sure.

Raimann is one of the best stories in this draft, by far. Austrian kid who first played football on a club team in Vienna at 14. As a high school exchange student, he played receiver on his Michigan high school team for a year. Back to Austria to finish high school. Bitten by the football bug. Committed to Central Michigan for the 2017 season—but had to fulfill a six-month Austrian military commitment, so he didn’t start working with the team till 2018. Tight end for two years. Then the pandemic. When football practice began again, Raimann was moved to tackle as a 290-pound player, and he started 18 games at left tackle in the last 1.5 seasons.

Big, big upside—and the Patriots can likely use 2022 as a developmental year if they pick him. Great point by Daniel Jeremiah: “Reminds me of the Sebastian Vollmer pick.” The native of Germany played college football at Houston, and was a second-round pick of the Pats in 2009—and played on two Super Bowl-winning teams. The Patriots would take a replay of that, as would Mac Jones.

*22. Philadelphia Eagles: Devin Lloyd, linebacker, Utah

*Projected Trade: Eagles trade the 18th pick to the Packers for the 22nd pick and a late third-round pick, 92nd overall.

Dart throw. Howie Roseman could trade down again here. The receiver and corner markets, both of which he needs to hit before the end of day two, don’t align with what’s left on the board in this mock. Lloyd had experience doing everything in 32 starts over three Utah seasons. His 43 career tackles for loss show he’s a play-wrecker in the run game too.

One other point about Lloyd, wherever he goes: NFL Network will have an emotional feature story Thursday night about the two Utah players lost to gun violence in 2021. I’m told Lloyd’s words will be emotional and heavy in the piece—he was the Utah captain who had a huge burden on his shoulders helping his teammates get through the double-ordeal.

23. Arizona Cardinals: Jermaine Johnson, edge, Florida State 

I think the Cards would love to get another weapon for Kyler Murray, and if I were GM Steve Keim I’d define that weapon differently. I’d be looking just as fervently at the offensive line that put Murray under so much pressure last season; fixing his protection is as important as getting him a home-run threat—especially when there are no more home-run threats left now the way I mock it.

So why Johnson here? Because of the big need to find a pass-rusher two years after the departure of Haason Reddick and a month after the loss of Chandler Jones. I understand the pick, but I’d probably pick Zion Johnson instead. 

24. Dallas Cowboys: Tyler Linderbaum, center, Iowa 

Tea leaves pick, because of Dallas’ love of building the offensive line (Travis Frederick, Zack Martin, Tyron Smith); because of high regard for Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz; and because Linderbaum is rated consistently the best center and a top-20 overall prospect on many boards. Which, for a guy who plays only one position, is saying something. Linderbaum is a rock-solid center, with 35 starts at the position over the past three years. He’s a little undersized for NFL center (6-2, 298) and doesn’t have position versatility—at least not yet. But he’s a physical, competitive player with the Ferentz pedigree. Iowa turns out terrific offensive linemen.

25. Buffalo Bills: Zion Johnson, offensive lineman, Boston College 

One of the very few issues that Buffalo has is at guard where Rodger Saffold is due to start at right guard this year at age 34 and the undrafted Ryan Bates is the likely left guard. To me, Johnson’s the perfect call here because even if Saffold and Bates turn out great in 2022, it seems a short-term fix. In five college seasons—two years at Davidson, one at BC after transferring—Johnson started 49 games. Give me a guy with 36 starts at guard and 13 at left tackle (in the ACC). Give me a guy who was a two-year captain after transferring. Give me a guy who never missed a game in five college seasons due to injury (58 games played in all). He’s a likely interior lineman, which lessens his value slightly. But his intelligence, football acumen and experience gives NFL GMs confidence Johnson can be a starter in 2022.

26. Tennessee Titans: Tyler Smith, offensive tackle, Tulsa

I chickened out. Originally I penciled in: Malik Willis, quarterback, Liberty. Thought process: Titans earn top seed in AFC playoffs. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill throws three picks in the first playoff game, including one in the final minute that allows Cincinnati to kick a field goal and knock Tennessee out of the playoffs. Coach, GM sign extensions. Building has hard time getting over toothless loss to Cincinnati. Tannehill, because of onerous contract cap number in 2022, has to be kept for this season but if he is mediocre, Titans can move on next March. If he is mediocre, maybe Titans can get a rookie ready to play by Thanksgiving this year.

As you can see, some real science was used to make that choice. But the Titans have not been front and center at the QB workouts this spring. And with left tackle Taylor Lewan turning 31 in July, it’s time to invest in the tackle market—particularly after the Isaiah Wilson first-round debacle of two years ago. They’ve got to feel Smith is a sure thing here.  

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: David Ojabo, edge, Michigan

Ojabo tore his Achilles at the Michigan Pro Day and likely will not play football in 2022. Before the injury, he was considered a prospect to go somewhere between seven and 15. I don’t know that he’ll get picked in the first, but I do know four teams are intently interested in him. One is having some significant medical tests done on him in the next two days, to see how his recovery is progressing and to judge whether he can play maybe very late this season or, if not, how healthy he will be a year from now.

Ojabo was the complement to Aidan Hutchinson on the Michigan defensive front, and his will and tenacity are much admired. If you’re the Bucs, you might not need the edge play of Ojabo this year. But with veteran rusher Shaq Barrett due to be 31 next year and the unsigned Jason Pierre Paul likely a one-year play this year if that, a duo of Ojabo and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka for the future is something the Bucs would love to have going forward.

28. Green Bay Packers: Arnold Ebiketie, edge, Penn State 

This has shades of a late-first-round Penn State riser at edge from last year, Odafe Oweh. Ebiketie, a native of Cameroon, moved to the Washington area when his dad got a job at the Cameroon Embassy. Ebiketie fell in love with football. And now, with the Pack having lost Za’Darius Smith to the casualties of the cap, a promising edge player would fit well.

I do make this proviso: The Packers may need this pick, or one of two in the second round, to move up significantly to take a receiver to replace Davante Adams. This pick could be one of the most interesting in the round because of all the directions GM Brian Gutekunst could go. He could move way up to target a Chris Olave around 10th, or he could (as I predict) move up a lesser number of spots to take a lesser receiver. Green Bay’s a fascinating team in round 1.

29. Kansas City Chiefs: Christian Watson, wide receiver, North Dakota State 

I am going to have Kansas City keep both picks here, 29 and 30, because I don’t have a great idea of what to do with them … unless GM Brett Veach gets very bold and uses both and maybe something more to move up in range to get one of the best receivers in the draft. Kansas City lost Tyreek Hill and replaced him with lesser free agents; Green Bay lost Davante Adams and replaced him with no one except Sammy Watkins. Both teams are likely to try to make a score in the draft at receiver.

If the Chiefs don’t put a ransom together to move up to the eight-to-12 area of the first round, I think the 6-4 and blossoming Watson is a strong play here. He runs sub-4.4, he’s played in significant bad weather, and he averaged a huge 20.4 yards per catch against lesser competition. He could be the kind of receiver Andy Reid lets learn and play a small role this year, while getting him ready for 2023. The reward could be good.

30. Kansas City Chiefs: Lewis Cine, safety, Georgia 

One of the great stories in this draft, and one of the players scouts like the most. Cine (pronounced “Seen”) was born in Haiti to a 16-year-old mom; it’s why he wore “16” at Georgia. His early life was split between Haiti and Florida, and he moved to Massachusetts to be with his dad for a few years, then finished high school in Dallas. That’s where he was tutored by Deion Sanders as a player and became a big-time recruit. At 6-2 ¼ and 200 pounds, he runs a 4.37 40-yard dash and hits like a strong safety. “What a lot of us like about him is he’s a natural leader, and he played his best in the biggest games,” said one GM. That includes being the defensive MVP in the national championship game against Alabama. Kansas City would be a good spot for him, and he could make a 2022 impact.

31. Cincinnati Bengals: Trey McBride, tight end, Colorado State 

Warning: The Bengals will have options to trade out of this pick, and they’re a more willing trade team on draft weekend than they used to be. This is a golden spot to trade up and get the fifth-year luxury that a late first-round pick would provide, particularly with a team seeing quarterbacks remaining on the board. (First-round picks are in team control pre-free-agency for five years; second-rounders, four years.)

As for the tight end need, the Bengals are still in mourning after losing valuable starter C.J. Uzomah and his 965 snaps last year to the Jets in free agency. The Bengals did sign Hayden Hurst, but the former first-round Raven will be playing for his third team in four years; I doubt he’s the every-down tight end Cincinnati lost in Uzomah. McBride’s a versatile player with an excellent résumé at Colorado State as an inline blocker and a possession receiver. He caught a team-high 90 balls last year in a run-first offense. “McBride would be a classic Mike Brown pick,” one veteran GM told me. “He likes to use draft choices to fill holes.”

*32. Atlanta Falcons: Matt Corral, quarterback, Ole Miss

*Projected Trade: Lions trade the 32nd pick to the Falcons for a second-round pick this year (43rd overall) and a second-round pick in 2023.

This is all about a team, Atlanta, believing in a quarterback this year, and investing a chunk of draft capital in him that isn’t cost-prohibitive. (I hear the Falcons like Corral.) If you think you might have a long-term quarterback and it costs you two second-round picks, is that really a major cost? No, it’s not. This pick is not something I’m convinced about. It’s more about the concept of it. If a team wants a quarterback but isn’t positive about this group, it can still invest in one. It’s a conservative investment, keeping in mind that quarterbacks don’t come cheap. If you really want Corral or Malik Willis or Desmond Ridder, wouldn’t you think a price of two second-round picks would be worth the risk?

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/04/25/nfl-mock-draft-fmia-peter-king-2022/

Edited April 25, 2022 by LTtxfan

[LTtxfan 50007]

NFL Draft broadcast may have just improved... No Herbie

 

[RockyMountainHighHorn 929]

Are we really not going to have someone drafted? I’m struggling to think of who was at our pro day but really? Maybe only dicker? Jeez

[LTtxfan 50007]

1 hour ago, RockyMountainHighHorn said:

Are we really not going to have someone drafted? I’m struggling to think of who was at our pro day but really? Maybe only dicker? Jeez

[Murfdogg21 4563]

Mike Florio had a rant in favor of abolishing the NFL Draft due to federal labor laws and allowing free agency straight out of college/NIL “playing school”. In theory and in line with capitalism, it would work but practically it would bankrupt teams when players bust (which is around 25% of first rounders, 40% of second, and higher thereafter), and IMO it will start an NBA situations that favors hip cities like NY, LA, Miami, ATL and teams in Midwest cities would have to grossly overpay to get equivalent talent. The draft evens it out quite a bit. 

[Zeus 6864]

Is there something medically wrong with Mel Kiper? I've always thought he looked like he over caffeinated or something but this show right now he's shaking uncontrollably and looks like he's trying to keep it under control

[LTtxfan 50007]

17 minutes ago, Zeus said:

Is there something medically wrong with Mel Kiper? I've always thought he looked like he over caffeinated or something but this show right now he's shaking uncontrollably and looks like he's trying to keep it under control

You might be on to something... Several different posts on internet blogs from past years asking questions about him shaking --  wondering what issue was.   (A few wonder about Parkinson's ??)

Mel definitely not attending this year's NFL Draft:

Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. will be a part of the TV coverage, but he won’t be in Sin City with his colleagues. Kiper tweeted last week that he’s staying home because he has not received the COVID-19 vaccine.

“The NFL Draft is the highlight of my year and I am looking forward to taking part in my 39th this month on ESPN. For all three days, I will appear from my home studio in Maryland rather than onsite in Vegas as I am unvaccinated from COVID-19. I completely support everyone determining what’s best for their individual circumstance and recognize the value of vaccines. Simply put, my COVID vaccine decision is very specific to my personal medical history. I appreciate my colleagues, particularly the production staff and my fellow commentators, for their support and flexibility. NFL fans are the most passionate in all of sports and I can’t wait for another great NFL Draft.”

[Murfdogg21 4563]

I assumed he had some kind of auto immune or neurological disease (MS or Parkinson’s possibly) and he feared the inflammatory spike after a Covid vax might cause more long term harm than good. 

[Zeus 6864]

28 minutes ago, Murfdogg21 said:

I assumed he had some kind of auto immune or neurological disease (MS or Parkinson’s possibly) and he feared the inflammatory spike after a Covid vax might cause more long term harm than good. 

Yeah damn that sucks

[Texzilla58 4793]

I’m not a huge Mel kiper fan, but respect the hell out of him. He changed the game by making the draft a separate industry for the league. And one of the guys that made ESPN into a juggernaut.

[LTtxfan 50007]

How many legit 1st Rd picks in this class??

• One back office says only 9 players
• Rumor is Cowboys only think their are 14 players w/1st Rd grades
• WRs and Edge Rushers are two strong positions with depth

[Murfdogg21 4563]

Consensus is no more than 18 players with first round grades. It may cost teams in the 20s more to trade up than usual considering the drop off. 

[LTtxfan 50007]

5 minutes ago, Murfdogg21 said:

Consensus is no more than 18 players with first round grades. It may cost teams in the 20s more to trade up than usual considering the drop off. 

Hopefully some teams in Top 18 reach early for QBs or an early run on WRs goes crazy...   

[Texzilla58 4793]

It’s going to be hard to trade down as well. Trading up for anything other than a sure fire franchise QB is rarely worth the draft capital it costs. If everyone wants to trade down this draft that means you won’t get enough to just draft someone with a high 2nd round grade especially if an O lineman as you get a fifth year option.

[LTtxfan 50007]

1 hour ago, Texzilla58 said:

If everyone wants to trade down this draft that means you won’t get enough to just draft someone with a high 2nd round grade especially if an O lineman as you get a fifth year option.

[Texzilla58 4793]

Wife was yelling at me about something while I typed that. It makes no sense. Basically you won’t get good value trading down so unless you get a surprise deal you should just stay put and draft the best available OL at 24.

[Juicy 729]

As a lions fan I want no part of Walker. Take Hutch if he is there, if not say fuck it and grab Willis.

[Texzilla58 4793]

As a lions fan I want no part of Walker. Take Hutch if he is there, if not say fuck it and grab Willis.

As a Cowboys fan we are chasing the ineptitude of the Lions. Please show us the path to acceptance of perennial failure instead of chasing these illusions we will relive the glory of the Roger and Troy years.

[Murfdogg21 4563]

3 hours ago, Juicy said:

As a lions fan I want no part of Walker. Take Hutch if he is there, if not say fuck it and grab Willis.

The other 31 teams say “please take Willis at #2!”

 

9 hours ago, Texzilla58 said:

Wife was yelling at me about something while I typed that. It makes no sense. Basically you won’t get good value trading down so unless you get a surprise deal you should just stay put and draft the best available OL at 24.

yeah the 5th year option on a first round pick adds value to the last couple picks #28-32 if teams picking at 33-40 want to jump up at the cost of something like a 3rd rounder. 
 

Since it seems like a buyers’ market on moving up, I am hoping the Texans can go from #13 to #6-8 without giving up a second rounder. 

[Murfdogg21 4563]

364 days ago, Vegas odds had Spencer Rattler as the favorite to go #1 overall tonight (and they thought it would be Houston).

[LTtxfan 50007]

On 4/26/2022 at 11:28 AM, RockyMountainHighHorn said:

Are we really not going to have someone drafted? I’m struggling to think of who was at our pro day but really? Maybe only dicker? Jeez

From FCB

SCOUTS: TEXAS IN DANGER OF SUFFERING NFL DRAFT SHUTOUT

After talking to a few NFL scouts, there seems to be a consensus among them that former Longhorns’ cornerback Josh Thompson, who is projected as a safety at the next level, is Texas’ best bet to be selected in the late rounds of the NFL Draft, which starts Thursday and runs into the weekend.

Thompson and Texas kicker/punter Cameron Dicker were the only Longhorns invited to the Senior Bowl and to the NFL Combine. Usually, only one (sometimes two) kicker(s) are selected in all seven rounds of the NFL Draft.

Remember, Phil Dawson, who had a 20-year NFL career, and Justin Tucker, the most accurate kicker in NFL history, were both undrafted free agents out of Texas.

Texas was shut out of the 2014 NFL Draft, failing to have a player selected in any round for the first time since 1937.

The Longhorns have had at least one player selected every year since 2014, including five players taken last year: Samuel Cosmi (second round, Washington); Joseph Ossai (third round, Cincinnati Bengals); Ta'Quon Graham (fourth round, Atlanta Falcons); Caden Sterns (fifth round, Denver Broncos); Sam Ehlinger (sixth round, Indianapolis Colts).

Ten members of the 2021 Texas roster worked out for NFL personnel at UT’s pro day in March along with Thompson and Dicker: Cade Brewer, Ben Davis, Darion Dunn, Jacoby Jones, Derek Kerstetter, Justin Mader, Denzel Okafor, Brenden Schooler, Ray Thornton and Gabriel Watson.

[TonyTexas 10776]

19 minutes ago, Murfdogg21 said:

Since it seems like a buyers’ market on moving up, I am hoping the Texans can go from #13 to #6-8

I could see that, particularly if Thibodeaux or Stingley slide, which seems possible. A Neal/Ikwonu and Thibodeaux/Stingley 1st round would be an excellent start to the rebuild. 

Edited April 28, 2022 by TonyTexas

[TonyTexas 10776]

^^^
Sorry.. Wrong thread

[LTtxfan 50007]

Yeah, this has to get better... 

 

[runthebone 8377]

You just wonder why Texas isn't better when it never loses any talent to the NFL!

[LTtxfan 50007]

15 hours ago, LTtxfan said:

How many legit 1st Rd picks in this class??

• One back office says only 9 players
• Rumor is Cowboys only think their are 14 players w/1st Rd grades
• WRs and Edge Rushers are two strong positions with depth

Just heard some 2022 draft thoughts from NFL Draft Analyst (missed his name)

• 1st and 2nd Rd graded picks are thinner vs previous draft classes
• This 2022 NFL Draft is incredibly deep vs other classes
• Many more 3rd, 4th, 5th Rd grades will be available in 7th Rd or as Free Agents

Attributed more depth to Covid players that stayed in CFB in 2023. 

Thinks a lot more players in this draft will make NFL rosters than from previous drafts.

 

 

Edited April 28, 2022 by LTtxfan