Bucky Brooks NFL Mock Draft 2022: Ickey Ekwonu No. 1; Malik Willis to Steelers

Ahead of the NFL draft beginning Thursday, many questions remain, such as who will the Jacksonville Jaguars select No. 1 overall and where will the top quarterbacks land.

Throughout the majority of the predraft process, the Jaguars have been projected to take a top defensive end like Aidan Hutchinson or Travon Walker. But NFL.com's Bucky Brooks threw a curveball in his most recent mock draft, projecting the team to select stalwart offensive tackle Ickey Ekwonu. He also predicted that promising quarterback Malik Willis will be chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 20.

Ekwonu is ranked as the No. 3 overall player in this year's draft class by the B/R NFL Scouting Department. He's highly regarded for his "special blend of size, power and athletic ability to go along with a tenacious, nasty demeanor as a finisher."

NFL Network's Bridget Condon reported earlier this month that the Jaguars had grown "impressed" with Ekwonu as well as Hutchinson. Condon stated that Jacksonville was intrigued by Ekwonu because of "how smart he is and his willingness to learn and understand he has room to grow as a player."

It's imperative for the Jaguars to have a strong offensive line to protect quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who was selected with last year's No. 1 pick. The 22-year-old was sacked 32 times in 17 games as a rookie. Jacksonville made moves in free agency to address that by signing Pro Bowl right guard Brandon Scherff and placing the franchise tag on offensive tackle Cam Robinson. But drafting Ekwonu would give the Jags a long-term answer in the trenches.

Willis is the only quarterback Brooks projects to be selected in the first round. One general manager recently told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero that Willis is "the No. 1 guy in the class" at the position.

If Willis is selected by the Steelers, he will have big shoes to fill following the retirement of longtime signal-caller Ben Roethlisberger. Pairing him with one of the best head coaches in the league in Mike Tomlin would give Willis a great chance to develop and reach his full potential.