Seahawks, Steelers move up to take quarterbacks: Mock Draft 6.0
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We are now within two weeks of the 2022 NFL Draft.
As promised, the sixth edition of my mock draft series incorporates trades, with four such transactions down below.
Which teams moved up to grab their guy? Which ones chose to trade back? Find out much more in Mock Draft 6.0.
1) Jacksonville Jaguars: EDGE Aidan Hutchinson - Michigan
With Cam Robinson receiving the franchise tag, Jacksonville can wait to add to their offensive line. By selecting Hutchinson, the Jaguars will add an explosive athlete whose effort matches his talent and would form a scary pass-rushing duo with Josh Allen.
2) Detroit Lions: EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux - Oregon
Willis had been the pick in my recent mocks, but Thibodeaux is now the pick. Questions about his motor and love of the game have reportedly caused him to slide on multiple teams’ boards, but Thibodeaux’s talent will be too enticing for second-year head coach Dan Campbell.
3) Houston Texans: OT Ikem Ekwonu - North Carolina State
Davis Mills showed promise as a rookie last season. However, the Texans need to improve the offensive line to assess his skillset to evaluate his skill set. Ekwonu’s athleticism pops up on his tape, and he has the positional versatility to play multiple positions on the line.
4) New York Jets: EDGE Jermaine Johnson - Florida State
The Jets elect to take Johnson here with Hutchinson, Thubideaux, and Ekwonu off the board. Johnson’s build (6-foot-5, 254 pounds) and athleticism (4.58-second forty-yard dash) would fit well with Carl Lawson, Quinnen Williams, and the rest of the Jets’ defensive front.
5) Seattle Seahawks (from NYG): QB Malik Willis - Liberty
Trade Proposal
NYG receives: 9th overall, 109th overall, 2023 Round 2 Pick (DEN)
SEA: 5th overall, 112th overall
Boom. The Seahawks make our first trade in the draft as they use some of their extra capital from the Russell Wilson trade to jump in front of the quarterback-needy Panthers.
Here, they secure their future franchise quarterback in Malik Willis. Willis is a powerful athlete with a cannon of an arm that makes him a worthy investment in the top-5.
6) Carolina Panthers: QB Kenny Pickett - Pittsburgh
The Panthers have shown zero intention of entering the new season with their current quarterback room. Incumbent quarterback Sam Darnold will play the season on his fifth-year option, but the Panthers are not tied to him past this season.
Pickett is viewed as the safest quarterback prospect in the draft. He doesn’t offer any elite physical traits, but he can make every throw and has some sneaky athleticism to help him elude defenders.
A perceived lack of upside has clouded his stock, but there have been worse quarterback prospects that teams have taken in the past than Pickett.
7) New York Giants (from CHI): Ahmad Gardner - Cincinnati
After giving up their rights to the fifth pick in the Seattle deal, the Giants land the possible best corner in the draft here at seven.
With fluid hips and the straight-line speed (4.41-second forty-yard dash) to keep up with the twitchiest receivers in the NFL, Gardner has the make-up to be a shutdown corner at the next level.
8) Atlanta Falcons: CB Derek Stingley Jr. - Louisiana State
The Falcons are in the beginning stages of a rebuild and need to infuse their team with young talent. Here, they opt to take a swing on another corner from the SEC with the selection of Stingley Jr.
Injuries and inconsistent play have clouded his draft outlook, but Stingley Jr. has the makeup of a shutdown corner when engaged. With A.J. Terrell’s emergence as one of the top corners in the league, Atlanta will have an elite cornerback duo for the next decade.
9) New York Giants (from SEA): OL Evan Neal - Alabama
Trade Proposal
NYG receives: 9th overall, 109th overall, 2023 Round 2 (DEN)
SEA: 5th overall,112th overall
The Giants secured their future star cornerback with their first selection and now get some much-needed offensive line help.
The Alabama product possesses a rare combination of size and athleticism and offers positional versatility, with experience at both guard and tackle. Neal can slot in at guard or replace Matthew Peart at right tackle to complement Andrew Thomas on the left side.
10) New York Jets (from SEA): WR Garrett Wilson - Ohio State
The Jets’ attempt to trade for Tyreek Hill indicates that the team wants to invest a premium asset in the wide receiver position. Wilson has the elite body control and athleticism to be a dangerous weapon in the NFL from day one.
With last year’s second overall pick Zach Wilson entering a critical second season, the Jets need to surround him with more playmakers.
11) Washington Commanders: S Kyle Hamilton - Notre Dame
The Carson Wentz trade likely eliminates Washington from the list of potential quarterback landing spots. So instead, Ron Rivera adds another chess piece to his defense with Hamilton.
Concerns about his burst and top-end speed have dampened the hype around Hamilton to an extent. But while he may not be a top-10 selection, the Commanders would get fantastic value from Hamilton here at 11.
With excellent size (6-foot-4) for the safety position, Hamilton has the range and instincts to roam the field and be a playmaker at all levels. Adding Hamilton to an already talented defense should help Washington push for a playoff spot.
12) Minnesota Vikings: CB Trent McDuffie - Washington
Plagued with poor play in the secondary over the last few years, Minnesota will be ecstatic to see a player of McDuffie’s caliber available at 12. Though he does not possess the ideal size for an outside cornerback, McDuffie has the skill set to be excellent on the boundary.
The addition of McDuffie should improve a secondary that has been the Achilles heel of Minnesota in recent years.
13) Houston Texans (from CLE): EDGE Travon Walker - Georgia
After addressing the offensive line earlier with Ekwonu, the Texans could look to stick to the trenches with their pick here. Unfortunately, he didn’t receive many opportunities to showcase his talent, but Walker’s athletic traits at his size give him the potential to be one of the best players in this draft class.
Of course, he will need time to fine-tune his game to get past NFL offensive linemen, but the tools are there to become a versatile chess piece for Houston’s defense.
14) Baltimore Ravens: LB Devin Lloyd - Utah
With all four of the consensus first-round pass rushers gone, the Ravens upgrade their linebacker room with the selection of Lloyd.
Lloyd is an athletic, physical linebacker who would immediately be a tone-setter for the Eagles’ defense. Placing Lloyd next to Patrick Queen will give the Ravens one of the better linebacker duos in the league.
15) Pittsburgh Steelers: QB Desmond Ridder - Cincinnati
Trade Proposal
PHI receives: 20th overall, 2023 3rd-round pick
PIT receives: 15th overall
Not willing to risk losing their future signal-caller, the Steelers trade up to 15 to select Ridder.
The Steelers have met with Ridder multiple times and there looks to be some interest in the Cincinnati product. A four-year starter at Cincinnati, Ridder has the experience and physical traits to be a starting quarterback in the NFL.
16) New Orleans Saints (from PHI): OT Charles Cross - Mississippi State
Standout left tackle Terron Armstead’s departure has created a significant hole on the offensive line. Also, in possession of the 19th overall selection, the Saints can address multiple positions in the round. Here, they select the best remaining tackle on the board.
The best pass-protecting tackle in the draft, Cross’s experience in an Air Raid offense should help lessen the learning curve of the transition to the NFL.
17) Los Angeles Chargers: OT Bernhard Raimann - Central Michigan
In last year's draft, the Chargers hit the lottery with Rashawn Slater and will look to do the same with Raimann.
Still less than two years into his transition from tight end to tackle, there will be some bumps along the road in Raimann’s development. However, Raimann has the size and athleticism to become an above-average starting tackle in the NFL.
18) Philadelphia Eagles (from NO): WR Drake London - Southern California
DeVonta Smith flashed in a promising rookie season, but Philadelphia could use another playmaker on the outside.
At 6-foot-4, London is an elite 50/50 ball catcher whose basketball background is evident in his playstyle. Surprisingly agile for his size, London is a good route runner and makes catches well outside his frame.
19) New Orleans Saints (from PHI): WR Jameson Williams - Alabama
Mike Thomas’s extended absence has exposed New Orleans’ lack of depth at the receiver position. Here, the Saints get the most explosive receiver in the draft.
A former standout high school track performer, Williams has the top-end speed and acceleration to get behind defenses and create opportunities for the other receivers. With Jameis Winston back on a two-year deal, the Saints might have a solution to their recent lack of explosive plays.
20) Philadelphia Eagles: LB Nakobe Dean - Georgia
Trade Proposal
PHI receives: 20th overall, 2023 3rd-round pick
PIT receives: 15th overall
The Eagles’ loss to the Buccaneers exposed the lack of functional athleticism and natural talent in their linebacker room.
A standout on a loaded Georgia defense, Dean, flashed the athleticism, coverage ability, and sideline-to-sideline tackling ability of a long-term pro in the NFL. With a pass rusher already in tow, the Eagles would walk out with two impact starters for their defense.
21) Kansas City Chiefs (from NE): WR Chris Olave - Ohio State
Trade Proposal
KC receives: 21st overall
NE receives: 29th overall, 94th overall, 121st overall
Tied with the Jaguars for most picks in the draft (12), the Chiefs move up eight spots to grab the Ohio State speedster.
Olave is the best route runner in the class with verified deep speed (4.39-second forty-yard) and the instinctual ability to read the ball's trajectory to make tough catches. With Patrick Mahomes as his quarterback, Olave has the potential to be a dangerous weapon for the AFC powerhouse.
22) Green Bay Packers (from LV): OT Trevor Penning - Northern Iowa
Green Bay would’ve loved to have Olave here, but they choose to address their offensive line with Penning with him gone.
Penning is an imposing specimen who plays with a nasty demeanor on the field. The Northern Iowa alum also has the versatility to play guard with David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins entrenched at the tackle spots.
23) Arizona Cardinals: EDGE George Karlaftis - Purdue
After fading down the stretch in two consecutive seasons, Arizona needs to infuse more depth and talent into their roster. With Chandler Jones set to hit free agency, Karlaftis would slide in as an instant impact performer at the edge position with the potential to develop into a plus starter at the position in time.
A First-team Freshman All-American in 2019, Karlaftis looks like a standout edge defender. Although not the twitchiest athlete, Karlaftis has a deep arsenal of pass-rushing moves and counters to maneuver past or through opposing linemen.
24) Dallas Cowboys: IOL Zion Johnson - Boston College
With so much money invested in Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas needs to add more depth to its once-vaunted offensive line to help create more explosive plays for the offense.
With the positional flexibility to play guard or center, Johnson is a plug-and-play offensive lineman who will help keep the star attractions in Dallas upright.
25) Bills: CB Andrew Booth - Clemson
Tre’Davious White’s injury and Levi Wallace’s departure to Pittsburgh have left Buffalo thin at cornerback.
Booth is a physical corner who has the size and length to be a plus starter at the cornerback position.
26) Tennessee Titans: IOL Kenyon Green - Texas A&M
With unproven players at multiple positions on the offensive line, the Titans could use an infusion of young talent.
Green has logged significant snaps at all offensive line positions other than the center and would provide Tennessee with another mauler to pave the way for Derrick Henry and their vaunted rushing attack.
27) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: IDL Jordan Davis - Georgia
Interior offensive line could be an option here for Tampa Bay, but they instead choose to add to their defensive front.
Blessed with unheard-of athleticism (4.78-second forty-yard dash) for his size (6-foot-6, 340 pounds), Davis would boost an already stout run defense.
28) Green Bay Packers: IDL Devonte Wyatt - Georgia
The extra first-round pick gives Green Bay the ability to address the trenches again at 28.
Yet another member of the Georgia defensive line in the first round, Wyatt flashed the traits to become a disruptive player at the next level.
29) New England Patriots: EDGE Boye Mafe (from KC) - Minnesota
Trade Proposal
KC receives: 21st overall
NE receives: 29th overall, 94th overall, 121st overall
After trading back to the latter part of the first round, the Patriots still came away with one of the draft’s best athletes.
Undoubtedly one of the biggest winners of the pre-draft process, Mafe has soared up draft boards due to his rare explosiveness and athleticism at the position. While he could stand to polish his skillset, Mafe has all the tools to develop into a productive pass rusher in the NFL.
30) Kansas City Chiefs: CB Kaiir Elam - Florida
After the departure of Charvarius Ward, Kansas City must add more talent to their cornerback room.
Elam is a talented corner with intriguing traits and a good track record in the SEC. You would’ve liked to see him challenged more and more commitment as a run defender, but Elam’s talent is worth taking a chance on in his range.
31. New York Jets: IOL Tyler Linderbaum - Iowa
Trade Proposal
NYJ receives: 31st overall
CIN receives: 35th overall, 117th overall
The Jets reach into their treasure trove of picks and move up to select the best center prospect in the draft.
Connor McGovern was solid last season, but the Jets can shave $9 million with his release and replace him with a younger player with more long-term upside. Linderbaum is a plug-and-play prospect who will help neutralize pressure from defensive linemen.
32) Detroit Lions (from LAR): WR Jahan Dotson - Penn State
The fifth-year option makes quarterback a possibility, but the Lions instead choose to add a dynamic playmaker to their receiving corps.
Despite a below-average frame, Dotson has top-level play speed and a large catch radius (5-foot-11, 184 pounds). With D.J. Chark and Amon-Ra St. Brown already in tow, the Lions will enter the season with improved receiver room.
