With Super Bowl LVI in the rearview mirror and the NFL combine only a week away, the 2022 NFL draft is in clear focus.
The draft is the lifeblood of the NFL. It means youth, vitality and hope. Some portion of the league is carved from each draft class. There will be big hits and bigger misses and some players will turn out to be like hidden gems.
The teams selecting at the top of the draft typically are the most interesting. Will they stay put? Will they trade down? Who is on their radar either way?
It all starts with the Jacksonville Jaguars … again. Picking at or near the top of the draft is an all-too-familiar process for the franchise, but it will be a new front office making this year’s selection to go with last year’s No. 1 overall pick, Trevor Lawrence.
We paired NFL draft analyst Jordan Reid with nine of our NFL Nation reporters whose teams hold the most interesting picks and had them ask each other a question heading into April’s draft.
Will the Jaguars go heavy on offense to bolster Lawrence? Will the Jets use both of their top-10 picks to help a historically bad defense? What can the Eagles hope to parlay their three first-rounders into? Here are their answers to 18 questions:
Jump to a team:
Jaguars | Lions | Texans
Jets | Giants | Panthers
Falcons | Broncos | Eagles
The Jaguars are likely going to take an offensive tackle or defensive end here. Which way do you think they’re leaning?
Michael DiRocco: It depends on what they do with left tackle Cam Robinson, who played on the franchise tag last season but ranked 48th among qualifying tackles with an 86.1% pass block win rate. If the Jaguars choose to tag him again or sign him to an extension, they’ll likely go with an edge rusher. If they let Robinson walk, offensive tackle is definitely in play. At this point, the best guess would be tackle — like you went with in your latest mock draft — because it should be about getting the most out of quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Would the Jaguars be better off taking a receiver with the first pick in the second round or grabbing a pass-rusher there and waiting until Round 3 to address receiver?
Reid: If they do go with an offensive tackle here — whether it’s Evan Neal, Ikem Ekwonu or Charles Cross — I’m of the opinion that they need to do everything in their power to surround Lawrence with as many talented players as possible. Taking a wide receiver with the first pick in Round 2 would be a great way to invest in their franchise quarterback. Two wideouts who make sense and could be available at No. 33: Jahan Dotson and George Pickens.
Will the Lions take one of the top edge rushers (Kayvon Thibodeaux or Aidan Hutchinson), or could they go in a different direction with the No. 2 pick?
Eric Woodyard: Nothing is 100 percent set, but I would be shocked if they didn’t go in the direction of Thibodeaux or Hutchinson — if they keep the No. 2 pick. The Lions desperately need an upgrade on the defensive line — they had 30 sacks last season, which ranked 30th — and these two playmakers could make an immediate impact. It makes perfect sense and I don’t see the front office messing this up by going in a different direction.
Should the Lions take a quarterback with the final pick of the first round or go in a different direction with Jared Goff already on the roster?
Reid: Goff showed progress last season, and I don’t think the Lions should be in a rush to address the quarterback position. Why? Because there’s no guarantee that there will be an upgrade at No. 32. They are still in the early stages of their rebuild, so it makes more sense to take the best prospect available. Plus, if the Lions really want to take a quarterback and think they can find their future long-term starter, it would make more sense to take one with the No. 2 pick, when they could get their pick of the entire class. I don’t see that happening.
With a roster that needs help everywhere, which positions could general manager Nick Caserio view as the priorities in this draft?
Sarah Barshop: While there are many holes in this roster, one position that stands out is safety. Justin Reid is expected to leave in free agency, and the Texans aren’t in a place where they plan to make big splashes on the open market. They need to find a shutdown option in the secondary and they could try to accomplish that early in the draft. Houston also could look for a pass-rusher and later, a running back.
Is there a quarterback in this class who you think is an upgrade over Davis Mills?
Reid: I don’t think so, because we have already seen what Davis Mills is capable of. He had plenty of ups and downs as a rookie, but there were spurts of promising play. Over his last five starts, Mills, ranked 15th in the league in Total QBR (44.9), 13th in yards per attempt (7.4) and ninth in touchdown passes (nine). That stretch will likely keep the Texans from drafting a quarterback high in April, especially with Pep Hamilton being elevated to offensive coordinator under new coach Lovie Smith.
After the Jets’ defense was historically bad in 2021, is there a chance they invest both top-10 picks on the defensive side of the ball, or could they try to add help for quarterback Zach Wilson with one of the picks?
Rich Cimini: It depends on what happens in free agency, but, yes, it’s possible they could double down on defense. The most glaring needs are edge rusher, safety and cornerback, which brings defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux, safety Kyle Hamilton, cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner and potentially defensive end Travon Walker into play. Word has it they like Hamilton a lot.
1:35
Projected top-5 NFL draft pick Kayvon Thibodeaux joins SportsCenter to discuss his plans for the combine as well as his best intangible as a player.
Is No. 4 too high for a safety?
Reid: In most years, I would say yes, but Hamilton is an exception to the rule. He’s the No. 1 overall prospect on my board. The Jets and their fanbase likely have some buyer’s remorse after the team picked safeties Jamal Adams (2017) and Calvin Pryor (2014) in Round 1, but Hamilton brings a different skill set than either of them. He’s one of the unique prospects in this class and would immediately provide a playmaking presence to a defense that had just seven interceptions last season.
The Giants need help along the offensive and defensive lines. Could general manager Joe Schoen invest both picks in the trenches, or is it more likely that he takes the best prospects available?
Jordan Raanan: It’s not a stretch at all to think the Giants go offensive line and pass-rusher with these picks. Those are massive needs and premium positions. It’s also somewhat convenient that these are some of the stronger positions at the top of the draft. The Giants’ needs also offer flexibility. They could use a guard, tackle, edge or interior rusher. Gives them lots of options. Maybe defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux or offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu can fall into their laps?
Which of the best prospects on the board are likely to be available at pick No. 5?
Reid: Ekwonu or Charles Cross are the two most likely to be available. There isn’t yet a clear-cut prospect in the driver’s seat to be the No. 1 pick like in previous years, which makes this class so fascinating. But either Ekwonwu or Cross would give the Giants’ a boost in the pass and run games.
The Panthers see-sawed between Cam Newton, Sam Darnold and P.J. Walker at quarterback last season. Will they invest the No. 6 pick in a QB or are they more likely to go in another direction?
David Newton: Fixing the offensive line is a priority and there are three solid left tackles at the top of the draft who make a lot of sense here. The position has been a revolving door since Jordan Gross retired after the 2013 season. Carolina had 14 different starters there between 2014-20, and four different players started there last season for a team that gave up 52 sacks. Having said that, if the Panthers fix that problem in free agency it wouldn’t be a surprise if they went with a quarterback such as Kenny Pickett or Malik Willis. Pickett actually committed to Matt Rhule at Temple before his senior season in high school, so there’s a history there.
1:43
Todd McShay and Mike Tannenbaum make the argument for Kenny Pickett to have the best year as a rookie quarterback.
How would you rank the top three tackles (Evan Neal, Ikem Ekwonu or Charles Cross)?
Reid: Right now, I have it:
Each brings different traits to the table. In the end, I don’t think the Panthers could go wrong with selecting any because all three project as long-term starters. Neal and Ekwonu have the versatility to potentially slide inside to guard, while Cross is strictly a tackle.
With the selection of Kyle Pitts last year, general manager Terry Fontenot has a reputation for taking the best prospect available regardless of position. Could we see that happen at No. 8 or is there a position the Falcons sorely need?
Michael Rothstein: Yes, we can — and should — see it happen. The Falcons have holes, either at starter or in their depth, at every position on the roster except maybe safety. Some of that could be changed in free agency, but Atlanta remains in a situation where it needs to dig out of cap constraints. Fontenot has already indicated he’ll go best player available at No. 8 and there’s no reason to think he’ll come off that, regardless of position. Now, who that player is might end up as a disagreement, but that has been the strategy, and there’s no reason to think that’ll change with the roster the way it’s currently constructed.
If the Falcons have an option of lineman, edge rusher or receiver at No. 8, which makes most sense in the context of the depth of this draft?
Reid: It has to be an offensive lineman or an edge rusher. The Falcons had a league-low 18 sacks a season ago, and they have struggled to generate any type of consistent pass rush. With this being a strong edge class in the first round, getting their pick of the bunch could be huge for the franchise. The wide receiver class is also strong through the first two days of the draft, so waiting until Rounds 2 or 3 to select a pass-catcher could still yield a starter.
What’s more likely to happen: Denver making the selection at No. 9 or the team trading the pick for a veteran quarterback such as Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson?
Jeff Legwold: At the moment, the Broncos are more likely to stay here and make the pick. Until Rodgers or Wilson are considered available in trades, or even in a conversation between the Broncos and another team, they are most likely to use this pick. It’s prime draft real estate and the bluest of the blue-chip players are available in the top 10-12 picks each year. To move out of that spot means they don’t have any players left on their board graded there.
Is there a quarterback you think is worthy of the No. 9 pick with his actual grade and how big a reach would it be if the Broncos took one in that spot?
Reid: Based on how I see the class right now, I wouldn’t feel comfortable selecting any of the 2022 quarterbacks in the top 10. We know that teams overdraft signal-callers every year, however, and it’s possible two quarterbacks could go in the top 10 (Kenny Pickett and Malik Willis), based on need and teams placing a premium on the position. If I had to pick one to go to the Broncos, I think Willis is more likely. As you mentioned, there’s still a long way to go, so stay tuned.
With three first-round picks, what is the early strategy general manager Howie Roseman is thinking as he tries to build up the roster?
Tim McManus: Roseman loves maneuvering up and down the draft board, and with three first-round picks, he can wheel and deal to his heart’s content. Edge rusher is both a glaring need and a position the organization values highly. If a good one comes into range, I’d expect Philly to pounce. We could also see him trade back with one of the picks, perhaps all the way back to the 2023 draft to built assets should quarterback Jalen Hurts not pan out.
Is this finally the year the Eagles take a linebacker in the first round?
Reid: Roseman has shown in previous years that he doesn’t place much value in using premium assets on the second level of the defense. I expect Roseman’s strategy — patchworking it with a combination of free-agent signings and late-round draft picks — to continue. With three first-round picks, the Eagles could address cornerback, edge rusher and potentially wide receiver (for the third consecutive year). My post-Senior Bowl mock draft had them taking defensive end Jermaine Johnson II at No. 15 and cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner at No. 16.