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2022 NFL Draft: First Round Mock Draft After Key Free Agency Quarterback Moves

2022 NFL Draft: The latest first round mock draft after several teams made huge quarterback moves in free agency. Now where do the top QB prospects go?


2022 NFL Draft: First Round Mock Draft, Free Agency Version

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Washington really, really needed a quarterback. It got Carson Wentz, and it still needs a quarterback – but it’s not going to take one in the first round.

Pittsburgh really, really needed a quarterback. It got Mitchell Trubisky, and it still needs a quarterback – and his contract is workable enough to go get a top option to build around.

Denver really, really needed a quarterback. It got Russell Wilson, and now Seattle is a player in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Indianapolis landed Matt Ryan from Atlanta, Cleveland got Deshaun Watson, and the quarterback prospects for the draft are quickly running out of options that make sense.

So what does the first round possibly look like now after teams filled needs through free agency – and not just at quarterback? Here’s the latest NFL mock draft.

2022 NFL Draft Underclassmen. Early Entrants
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | OTs | OG/Cs
Edge | DEs/DTs | LBs | CBs | Safeties | P/Ks
Top 30 2021 NFL Draft Early Entrants
2022 NFL Draft Early Entrants By College

32. Detroit Lions (from Los Angeles Rams)

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: WR Jahan Dotson, Penn State

Team Needs: 1) Edge, 2) WR, 3) CB

Everyone will be clamoring for the Lions to go hard after a quarterback here, but Jared Goff might not be the problem if he has parts to work with. Getting Dotson to stretch the field – and opens things up for Amon-Ra St. Brown and TJ Hockenson – changes the offense.

31. Cincinnati Bengals

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: OT Bernhard Raimann, Central Michigan

Team Needs: 1) Edge, 2) CB, 3) OT

There’s a chance the Bengals go to another position after a free agent haul of offensive linemen, but they’ll keep throwing options at the problem. Even with the investments into improving the line right away, they need to get younger and better.

30. Kansas City Chiefs

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: LB Boye Mafe, Minnesota

Team Needs: 1) LB, 2) Edge, 3) OT

There’s a chance the Chiefs go with another safety – like Michigan’s Daxton Hill – to pair with free agent pickup Justin Reid to secure the position for the next several years. However, they also need pass rushing help. Flip a coin between Penn State’s Arnold Ebiketie and Mafe.

29. Miami Dolphins (from San Francisco)

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: DT Devonte Wyatt, Georgia

Team Needs: 1) OL, 2) LB, 3) WR

Everyone will want the Dolphins to go with a speedster like Jahan Dotson or Skyy Moore to work on the the other side of Jaylen Waddle, but Wyatt would be a value pick to set the tone for the defensive side. Receivers and options for the offensive line will be available later.

28. Green Bay Packers

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: TE Trey McBride, Colorado State

Team Needs: 1) WR, 2) DL, 3) TE

So here’s the Green Bay call. Aaron Rodgers needs guys to throw to, but it’ll have to wait a bit on the star target it’ll grab at the 22. They’ll take the most talented player on the board there, and 12 gets a new friend here at the 28.

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: OG Zion Johnson, Boston College

Team Needs: 1) CB, 2) DB, 3) OG

The Buccaneers addressed the offensive interior in free agency, but Johnson is a versatile young upgrade who can play any of the three spots. He doesn’t have to be the star of the line, but he showed in the workout process that he’s ready to produce immediately.

26. Tennessee Titans

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: OG Kenyon Green, Texas A&M

Team Needs: 1) WR, 2) OT, 3) DL

Team after team will have Green there for the taking, and it’ll kill them to not grab him. The Titans don’t desperately need a fixture at guard, but he allows the line to play around with the options … and he’s way too good to pass up.

25. Buffalo Bills

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: DE David Ojabo, Michigan

Team Needs: 1) CB, 2) DL, 3) RB

This is still a rising team that doesn’t have too many desperate needs to fill after loading up in free agency. With Von Miller signed, the Bills can wait a year – potentially – for a guy who’d have likely been a top ten pick if he didn’t tear his Achilles heel at his pro day.

24. Dallas Cowboys

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: DE George Karlaftis, Purdue

Team Needs: 1) Edge, 2) DB, 3) OG

Dallas might be in WIN YESTERDAY mode, but it would love to go for the value of David Ojabo at this spot. But can the franchise really wait a whole year and hope the Michigan pass rusher can be 100% and ready to go? Nope, and that puts all the pressure on Karlaftis to be a terror from the word go.

23. Arizona Cardinals

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: WR Treylon Burks, Arkansas

Team Needs: 1) WR, 2) DB, 3) DE

The offense has to find dangerous options for Kyler Murray to work with. Burks has been a darling of the scouting circuit from the start of the process, and best of all, he doesn’t have to be the No. 1 guy right away with DeAndre Hopkins there. He’ll be a strong 2, though.

22. Green Bay Packers (from Las Vegas)

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: WR Jameson Williams, Alabama

Team Needs: 1) WR, 2) OT, 3) DL

It might take a little while before Williams is ready after suffering a torn ACL in the national championship, but he should be a full go at some point in the second half of the season. No, he doesn’t fill the loss of Davante Adams right away, but he’s eventually going be a gamebreaker.

21. New England Patriots

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: LB Nakobe Dean, Georgia

Team Needs: 1) DB, 2) WR, 3) LB

The Patriots went and got a few linebackers in free agency, but they don’t have anything as versatile or as explosive as Dean should be. He’s a top ten type of player who’ll fall because other teams have bigger needs.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: QB Kenny Pickett, Pitt

Team Needs: 1) OT, 2, OG, 3) WR

The Steelers have to do it. Good luck trying to figure out Pickett’s real value right now – that goes for all of the quarterbacks in this draft – is all over the place depending on the day, but he’s not lasting any longer than this. Mitchell Trubisky isn’t likely to be the long term answer.

19. Philadelphia Eagles

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: LB Devin Lloyd, Utah

Team Needs: 1) OG, 2) LB, 3) Edge
WR CB

The Eagles would love – and might need – to go wide receiver here, but there’s no passing up Lloyd at this point. He’s the leader and future leading tackler who loads up a defense that gets night-and-day better in one draft.

18. New Orleans Saints

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: WR Chris Olave, Ohio State

Team Needs: 1) WR, 2) OT, 3) DT

Don’t assume the Saints are desperate for a quarterback – they seem committed to Jameis Winston … sort of. They have other quarterback options, but the offense has to come up with someone who can catch passes.

17. Los Angeles Chargers

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: OT Trevor Penning, Northern Iowa

Team Needs: 1) OT, 2) DT, 3) CB

The Chargers go with Georgia DT Jordan Davis if he lasts this long, and it might go corner if one of the top prospects slides. Penning could move into the top ten by the time the draft rolls around and is too good a value to not take. When you have a Justin Herbert to protect, the run defense can be addressed later.

16. Philadelphia Eagles (from Indianapolis)

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: DE Jermaine Johnson, Florida State

Team Needs: 1) OG, 2) LB, 3) Edge
WR CB

Haason Reddick was a strong free agent signing, but the Eagles need even more for the pass rush. Wide receiver will be tempting, and they could use a good blocker for the interior, but Johnson can work his way into the rotation and be an immediate factor.

15. Philadelphia Eagles (from Indianapolis)

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: CB Trent McDuffie, Washington

Team Needs: 1) OG, 2) LB, 3) Edge

The Eagles are about to get a whole lot better in a hurry. There are needs in several spots, but taking McDuffie here might be a bit of a luxury. You can snag a prospect of his caliber when you have three of the top 19 picks.

14. Baltimore Ravens

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: C Tyler Linderbaum, Iowa

Team Needs: 1) OG, 2) Edge, 3) DT

The Ravens have to give Lamar Jackson a little bit of help up front. Linderbaum is likely the quarterback of the line for the next ten years at center, but he could slip on over to guard if needed.

13. Houston Texans (from Cleveland)

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: DT Jordan Davis, Georgia

Team Needs: 1) OT, 2) DB, 3) DE

The Texans are almost certainly going to go offensive tackle at the 3 – assuming they don’t trade out of the pick – with the hope of a franchise anchor for the defensive line to last this far. The Lovie Smith defense builds around this pick.

12. Minnesota Vikings

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: CB Derek Stingley Jr., LSU

Team Needs: 1) DB, 2) DT, 3) LB

Minnesota got its pass rusher in Za’Darius Smith, but it could use more defensive tackle help than Harrison Phillips. The secondary, though, it the most pressing need, and Stingley is an instant No. 1 coverman.

11. Washington Commanders (from Seattle)

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: CB Ahmad Gardner, Cincinnati

Team Needs: 1) CB, 2) OG, 3) WR

Carson Wentz? Okay … maybe. That takes the quarterbacks off the table, and that’s okay if the best corner in the draft really does drop this far.

10. New York Jets (from Seattle)

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: WR Garrett Wilson, Ohio State

Team Needs: 1) OT, 2) DB, 3) WR

Assuming the Jets get their offensive tackle at the 4, they blow off the value at corner for a gamebreaking receiver to go along with Elijah Moore. Here comes the vertical attack.

9. Seattle Seahawks (from Denver)

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: OT Charles Cross, Mississippi State

Team Needs: 1) QB, 2) OT, 3) CB

In a relatively weak quarterback class, there’s decent value a bit later on – the franchise did okay with that Russell Wilson guy selected outside of the first round. Drew Lock isn’t the long term answer, but at least he can step in for now. The O line needs an upgrade first.

8. Atlanta Falcons

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: WR Drake London, USC

Team Needs: 1) QB, 2) WR, 3) Edge

Is this really going to be the Marcus Mariota show? Kenny Pickett will be the hot name – and Malik Willis could be the call if he slides this fall – but it doesn’t matter who the quarterback is if the receiving corps doesn’t have playmakers.

7. New York Giants (from Chicago)

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: DE Travon Walker, Georgia

Team Needs: 1) OT, 2) WR, 3) Edge

The Giants might think about OTs Charles Cross or Trevor Penning, but Walker has the needed pass rushing upside to be a dominant force right out of the box.

6. Carolina Panthers

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: QB Malik Willis, Liberty

Team Needs: 1) QB, 2) OT, 3) DT

It’s a franchise-changing call. This is way too early for any of the quarterbacks in the draft, but Willis is the one guy in the bunch with the high-end skill set to be a true difference maker. If nothing else, he’s the jump-start the Panthers need.

5. New York Giants

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: S Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame

Team Needs: 1) OT, 2) WR, 3) Edge

The Giants would love for Evan Neal or Ikem Ekwonu to fall here, and they might reach for a receiver, but Hamilton is too good a talent let slip any further.

4. New York Jets

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: OT Evan Neal, Alabama

Team Needs: 1) OT, 2) DB, 3) WR

The Jets put a bandage on the defensive back problem in free agency, but they’ll have a hard time passing out Notre Dame’s Kyle Hamilton. They’ll do it for the offensive tackle to help keep Zach Wilson upright.

3. Houston Texans

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: Ikem Ekwonu, NC State

Team Needs: 1) OT, 2) DB, 3) DE

The Texans have to start building up their infrastructure. They can get a killer defensive star for Lovie Smith at the 13, but having their pick of one of the franchise offensive tackles here is massive.

2. Detroit Lions

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: Mock Draft Call: DE Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon

Team Needs: 1) Edge, 2) WR, 3) CB

The Lions have the last pick in the first round and should have plenty of great talents fall to the spot. They don’t need an offensive tackle, but that’s where the talent is here. They need a pass rusher, and while the opinions are everywhere on Thibodeaux, the upside is too great to pass up.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars

2022 Mock Draft Latest Call: DE Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan

Team Needs: 1) Edge, 2) OT, 3) DB

The offensive tackles up top might be a wee bit stronger than the edge rushers – and more of a must-have to protect Trevor Lawrence – but Hutchinson is the safest of excellent options.

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2022 NFL Draft Underclassmen. Early Entrants
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | OTs | OG/Cs
Edge | DEs/DTs | LBs | CBs | Safeties | P/Ks
Top 30 2021 NFL Draft Early Entrants
2022 NFL Draft Early Entrants By College

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