NFL Mock Draft 2022: 1st-Round Projections for Most Exalted Prospects

NFL draft season is here.

For franchises that quickly learned 2021 would not be their year, it's been around for months.

The talent grab might be an educated guessing game (at best), but it's worth the hype because of the promise it holds. Future NFL stars will arrive this April; that much is a given. Correctly predicting which prospects become those stars is the hard part.

Speaking of predictions, we're mocking out a trade-free first round here, then following with two of our strongest hunches for the top of the draft board.

Mock Draft

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1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Aidan Hutchinson, Edge, Michigan

2. Detroit Lions: Kayvon Thibodeaux, Edge, Oregon

3. Houston Texans: Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU

4. New York Jets: Evan Neal, OL, Alabama

5. New York Giants: Ikem Ekwonu, OT, NC State

6. Carolina Panthers: Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh

7. New York Giants (via CHI): Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia

8. Atlanta Falcons: Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa

9. Denver Broncos: Malik Willis, QB, Liberty

10. New York Jets (via SEA): Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame

11. Washington Commanders: Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss

12. Minnesota Vikings: Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati

13. Cleveland Browns: Drake London, WR, USC

14. Baltimore Ravens: Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State

15. Philadelphia Eagles (via MIA): Jermaine Johnson II, Edge, Florida State

16. Philadelphia Eagles (via IND): Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson

17. Los Angeles Chargers: Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia

18. New Orleans Saints: Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati

19. Philadelphia Eagles: Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah

20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina

21. New England Patriots: Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State

22. Las Vegas Raiders: Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State

23. Arizona Cardinals: David Ojabo, LB, Michigan

24. Dallas Cowboys: Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State

25. Buffalo Bills: George Karlaftis, Edge, Purdue

26. Tennessee Titans: Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn

28. Green Bay Packers: DeMarvin Leal, DT, Texas A&M

29. Miami Dolphins (via SF): Kenyon Green, OL, Texas A&M

30. Kansas City Chiefs: Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama

31. Cincinnati Bengals: Zion Johnson, OL, Boston College

32. Detroit Lions (via LAR): Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State

Prediction: Aidan Hutchinson Will Lead the Draft

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Some drafts have an obvious candidate for the No. 1 spot well in advance of the actual selection. This is not one of them.

That's not a knock on the prospects themselves, as there are multiple players with the pedigree and production to go No. 1. It's just that none of them play quarterback, and perhaps the best two in this draft—edge-rushers Aidan Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux—aren't need-fillers for the team drafting at the top, the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Jags selected in this same spot last season and spent that No. 1 pick on quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Presumably, their top offseason priority is building around Lawrence and giving him a chance to succeed. That's probably why you'll see more and more mocks putting Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal at No. 1.

That wouldn't be a bad option for Jacksonville, but Neal isn't the best prospect in this class. Hutchinson is.

His motor is phenomenal. So is his strength. He processes things at a rapid rate and defeats blockers with a variety of pass-rush moves. He also holds his own in coverage and defends the run. But it's the pass-rushing juice that will move him to the top of the draft, whether the Jags take him for themselves or trade out of this spot. This past season, he had as many sacks as games played (14), not to mention 16.5 tackles for loss, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles, per Football-Reference.com.

Prediction: Someone Will Trade Up for Malik Willis

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Talent-wise, there probably shouldn't be a quarterback taken in the top 10 of this draft. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. doesn't rank a quarterback higher than 16th on his big board. His colleague, Todd McShay, didn't touch the position until 17th on his own.

But talent isn't always what drives this draft. Team needs matter, particularly those glaring voids under center that feel as if they can hold a franchise back forever.

It's one thing to feel less than great about any quarterback prospect in this draft. It's quite another to let them pass you by when you don't have a plan in place at the most important position in sports.

Quarterbacks always intrigue front offices, particularly those with sky-high ceilings. They might wind up as the next Johnny Manziel, but the chance—slim as it may be—they become Patrick Mahomes 2.0 instead is why front offices take the risk.

Malik Willis seems the likeliest quarterback in this class for a front office to fall in love with and decide he's the guy they have to go get. When defenses force him go off-script, he can improvise with the best of them, since he has the legs to extend plays and the rocket arm to throw missiles down the field. He has the strongest arm in the class and its most electric highlights.

There's a chance he won't pan out. He isn't the most accurate quarterback around, nor the most consistent with timing and anticipation. But when executives weigh that risk against the potentially massive reward, someone will decide he's worth a move up to acquire.