Pop’s 2022 NFL Mock Draft: Jets Get Sauced, Detroit Get Their Guy and Falcons Find A Future Quarterback.

A wild and crazy draft! The draft value charts go out the window as many organizations are pressured to draft players, especially quarterbacks, that can change the fortunes of their franchise. It has been a very active start to the NFL league year with a lot of deal-making. I am looking forward to an exciting and eventful draft as the Jets, Giants Eagles, Saints, Chiefs, Texans, Packers, Seahawks, and Lions have two draft choices in the first round (Jets and Giants are in the best position for a trade). I expect to see a lot of trading as teams identify and overvalue  potential franchise QBs while other teams look for solid building blocks. This draft will be a wild one with a lot of wheeling and dealing. The teams that need franchise quarterbacks or game-changing players will be making moves. Remember the Cardinal Rule of drafting; if you don’t have a franchise QB, go and get one. 1. Jacksonville Jaguars Aidan Hutchinson – EDGE Michigan The Jaguars could use a solid, hard-working player that gets results. The pass rush improves the defence as a whole. Hutchinson compliments Josh Allen perfectly in an excellent building block move.

2. Detroit Lions Kayvon Thibodeaux – EDGE  Oregon The Lions say they won’t draft Thibodeaux, but teams say many things before the draft. The Lions take Thibodeaux, the best pass rusher in the draft.

3. Houston Texans Travon Walker – DL  Georgia The Texans have plenty of needs and have many selections in this year’s draft. An excellent place to start is with a versatile defensive lineman who may be the best athlete on the board.

4. New York Jets  Evan Neal – OT Alabama The Jets are a team with many needs, and they will address the offensive line; as they take the best tackle on their board.

5. (TRADE) Atlanta Falcons from New York Giants. Malik Willis – QB  Liberty Fortunately for the Giants, Joe Schoen does take calls, and there will be many so that the Giants get an excellent return from the Falcons. The Giants will receive the Falcon’s 2022 first and second-round pick number 58. They will also receive a first-round pick in 2023. Maybe the Giants should consider accumulating future draft capital from here to 2025 and be ready to draft Arch Manning in 2026.

6. Carolina Panthers Kenny Pickett – QB Pittsburgh  Last year the Panthers got off to a great start, but lousy quarterback play sank them. The Panthers have many elements that could make them a winning team. Kenny Pickett gives them a quarterback who is a dynamic playmaker and will lead them to a winning record. The coach and the GM will need a winning record to survive, and their best bet is to get a promising franchise quarterback.

7. (TRADE) New Orleans Saints from New York Giants Matt Corral – QB Ole Miss The phone rings again, and the Giants get  the 16th and 19th from New Orleans. The Saints get their franchise quarterback.

8. New York Giants from Atlanta Falcons Ikem Ekwonu – OT NC State The Giants are fortunate to get a tackle of this calibre in this spot. This move will go a long way in solving a problem that has haunted the Giants for ten years.

9. Seattle Seahawks  Kyle Hamilton – S Notre Dame The Seahawks have other needs but can’t pass the opportunity to take one of the best football players in the draft.

10. New York Jets Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner – CB Cincinnati The Jets get a player they covet in Ahmad Gartner. They have a lot of needs, and adding a talented player to a position of need is steering the franchise in the right direction.

11. Washinton Commanders Drake London – WR USC Drake London will either be an additional piece or an excellent cheaper replacement to Terry Maclaurin.

12. Minnesota Vikings Jermaine Johnson II – EDGE  Florida State Many draft analysts feel that Johnson is the best edge rusher in this draft class. He certainly has the production numbers to validate this claim.

13. Houston Texans Charles Cross – OT Mississippi State The Texans view Cross as the best player available and an essential component of a renewed offensive line.

14. Baltimore Ravens  Jordan Davis – DL Georgia The Ravens have other needs, but they will not be able to pass the best defensive tackle in the draft.

15. Philadelphia Eagles Derek Stingley Jr. – CB LSU Eagles need to spark their defence and can always use a dynamic corner. They are hoping that the 2019 version of Stingley will emerge.

16. Giants from the  New Orleans Saints  Trent McDuffie – CB  Washington The Giants are getting an extremely versatile player that can play nickel  packages and on the outside.

17. LA Chargers Trevor Penning – OT Central Michigan Drafting Penning a rough and tumble type of player is what they need to protect their young quarterback.

18. Philadelphia Eagles from New Orlean Saints Garrett Wilson – WR  Ohio State The Eagles need to add depth to the wide receiver position, and Wilson provides another outside threat that compliments Smith.

19. New York Giants from New Orleans Saints Devin Lloyd – LB Utah After many years of not drafting linebackers in the first round, the Giants sign a someone the hope could have the same impact on their defence as Parsons did last year for the Cowboys.

20 Pittsburg Steelers Nakobe Dean – LB Georgia The right thing to do for the Steelers is draft a linebacker. Dean adds more dynamism to an already good defence.

21. New England Patriots Kenyon Green IOL/OT  – Texas A&M The Patriots already have traded for a wide receiver to take the best player available. Green is not a flashy pick but provides a top-notch, versatile offensive lineman.

22. Green Bay Packers Zion Johnson – IOL Boston College Packers wisely choose an offensive line man here instead of a wide receiver.

23. Arizona Cardinals George Karlaftis – EDGE Purdue The Cards see in Karlaftis a Nick Bosa-type player that can quickly emerge as a strong edge setter and a disruptive pass rusher.

24. Dallas Cowboys Tyler Smith – OT Tulsa The Cowboys have a very good offensive line last season, but some cracks and missing pieces have emerged. Although the temptation for the Cowboys is always to go for a flashier player, good football sense will prevail.

25.Buffalo Bills Kaiir Elam – CB  Florida The Bills will focus on improving their defence. Elam is a long, flexible corner that will nicely fit into the Bills’ defence.

26. Tennessee Titans Andrew Booth Jr. CB  Clemson Titans could use help on the offensive line, but Booth offers better value than any offensive lineman left on the board.

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers  Devonte Wyatt – DL  Georgia The Buccaneers are letting Suh walk, and they need a replacement; Wyatt is one of many excellent players from the Georgia Bulldogs

28. Green Bay Packers Jameson Williams – WR Alabama The Packers need to find cap room to pay Rodgers, so Williams is much cheaper than Adams; hopeful he will prove to be as good.

29. Kansas City Chiefs Chris Olave – WR  Ohio State The Chiefs let Hill go knowing this is a deep, wide receiver class, and fortunately, Olave is available.

30. Kansas City Chiefs Daxton Hill – S  Michigan The Chiefs had to do something about their salary cap situation, and with these two picks, they replaced two highly talented and highly paid players.

31. Cincinnati Bengals Tyler Linderbaum – IOL Iowa The Bengals have already improved their offensive line and could look elsewhere, but Linderbaum is too good to pass up.

32. Detroit Lions Lewis Cine – S  Georgia The Lions finished the year improving but still have many needs; Cine will bring dynamic safety play to the defence.