Mel Kiper 2022 NFL Mock Draft 3.0: Aidan Hutchinson to Jags, Kyle Hamilton to Lions

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. projected the Jacksonville Jaguars to select Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson with the first overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft in his latest mock draft, released Tuesday.

Kiper predicted the Jags would pick NC State offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu in his previous mock, which came before the NFL Scouting Combine, but his outlook changed after the team used the franchise tag to keep left tackle Cam Robinson.

Here are the top five selections from Kiper's third mock of draft season:

1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan
2. Detroit Lions: Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame
3. Houston Texans: Ikem Ekwonu, OT, NC State
4. New York Jets: Drake London, WR, USC
5. New York Giants: Evan Neal, OT, Alabama

If Hutchinson is not the consensus No. 1 pick with the draft set to kick off April 28, he's getting awfully close.

The 21-year-old edge-rusher is coming off a breakout senior season with the Wolverines. He recorded 62 total tackles, 14 sacks, three passes defended and two forced fumbles in 14 games. It helped him win the Ted Hendricks Award as the top defensive end in college football.

In the NFL, the two most important keys to success are a quarterback and edge-rushers who can make opposing signal-callers' lives miserable.

The Jags selected Trevor Lawrence with the first overall pick last year, and while he endured a rocky rookie campaign, his long-term outlook remains strong. His numbers should get better as the roster around him improves.

So it makes sense for Jacksonville to focus on the other roster-building hallmark after ranking 27th with 32 sacks last season. Hutchinson would provide a major boost in that area.

Meanwhile, with the top pick starting to come into focus, the uncertainty shifts toward the Detroit Lions at No. 2.

Kiper noted that Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux will also be an option for the Lions, but he went with Hamilton, whom he described as a "unique and special defender."

The safety tallied 138 total tackles, 16 passes defended, eight interceptions and a touchdowns in 31 appearances across three seasons at Notre Dame.

He's an eraser in the secondary, which is exactly what Detroit could use after ranking 29th in total defense (379.8 yards allowed per game) last season. The team also has a starting safety spot available alongside Tracy Walker III, so it's a good fit on paper.

Hutchinson and Hamilton could represent the beginning of a defense-heavy start to the draft, with eight of Kiper's first 13 projected picks coming on that side of the ball.