This week marks the final projection before next week's seven-round mock draft. After that point, there will be just two weeks remaining until the 2022 NFL Draft. Those final mock drafts are truly going to be indicative of how teams are expected to draft rather than providing some alternative opinions on a weekly basis.
Without further ado, let's kick this thing off!
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NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
Round 1 - Pick 1
Although I believe Aidan Hutchinson will ultimately be the first overall selection, I would be lying if I thought the door was completely closed on Jacksonville drafting an offensive lineman. There no is bigger objective than constructing a quality offensive line for Trevor Lawrence. If Lawrence is able to stay clean and develop in 2022, then no one is going to consider the season a failure. If your defense has some exciting moments but Lawrence is battered by opposing defenses, then the franchise itself is exposed to ridicule.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
If Hutchinson does not go No. 1 overall, then it would seem there is a good chance his fall ends at No. 2 overall. The Michigan product seems like a perfect fit athletically and culturally for what head coach Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes are trying to build in the Motor City. His presence, along with the return of a healthy Romeo Okwara, should be exciting for Lions fans.
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Round 1 - Pick 3
Houston is trudging on with Davis Mills as the starting quarterback. He might never be the franchise quarterback but he is the quarterback of the present and has an opportunity to earn a longer look. If the Texans are going to get a fair assessment of Mills' capabilities, then they need to bolster the offensive line and give him a chance to distribute the football to Brandin Cooks, Nico Collins, etc...
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Round 1 - Pick 4
With Ikem Ekwonu off the board, it would seem that New York is essentially settled on taking an edge rusher. With Hutchinson off the board, the Jets' decision comes down to Kayvon Thibodeaux, Jermaine Johnson II and Walker. From a physical standpoint, there is not a more impressive combination of size and athleticism; except maybe Jordan Davis. General manager Joe Douglas brings in the Georgia Bulldog to pair with last year's prized free agent signing Carl Lawson.
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Round 1 - Pick 5
If the rumors of New York's interest in moving on from James Bradberry are true, then it creates an immediate need at the cornerback position, especially with the way Wink Martindale coaches the unit. Gardner is an incredibly long, fast, productive and confident cornerback. He is one of the blue-chip prospects that we discuss in this draft class.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
There could be some tension in Carolina's war room this year. Head coach Matt Rhule held a commitment from Pickett before the coach left for Baylor. Owner David Tepper is also a big donor at the University of Pittsburgh. It could mean nothing but to this point in Rhule's tenure, he has shown that he values preexisting relationships. The tension could arise from general manager Scott Fitterer's stance. It is pure conjecture but Fitterer could reasonably favor Liberty's Malik Willis considering his time around Russell Wilson in Seattle.
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From
Chicago Bears
Round 1 - Pick 7
New York's first-round trade haul is complete with the additions of Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner and Thibodeaux. Those are two premier players at cornerstone defensive positions for the Giants. It does not solve the need for right tackle help but the board did not play out in New York's favor and there is a lot of danger in reaching at this stage of the draft.
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Round 1 - Pick 8
Atlanta played tight end Kyle Pitts on the boundary last year in the absence of Calvin Ridley, who has now been suspended for the entirety of the upcoming season. Head coach Arthur Smith comes from Tennessee where he had size in Corey Davis and post-catch ability in A.J. Brown. With Pitts in tow, there is a line of thinking that suggests the Falcons might prefer a quicker wide receiver that is capable of creating his own opportunities.
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From
Denver Broncos
Round 1 - Pick 9
Stingley tested very well at LSU's Pro Day on Wednesday. His performance is going to lead some of the cattle back to the trough. Stingley has always been a good football player and one pro day performance did not change that. Injury history is a concern but teams should not overlook the talent that he has shown when available.
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From
Seattle Seahawks
Round 1 - Pick 10
New York was not in a position to draft an offensive tackle at No. 4 overall and talent evaluators seem to believe it is too early for Mississippi State's Charles Cross. Rather than reaching, the Jets take a known commodity in Hamilton. At the end of night one, they reflect on landing Travon Walker and the safety.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
With Hamilton off the board, it should be a relatively easy decision for the Commanders. They have a solid tandem with Terry McLaurin and Curtis Samuel but adding London would give them more size on the perimeter. If Carson Wentz is going to find success, they need to load him up with outlets to spread opposing defenses thin.
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Mock Trade from
Minnesota Vikings
Round 1 - Pick 12
If the draft reaches this point and Willis is still available, Pittsburgh should be aggressive in moving up and getting a quarterback of the future. They suddenly find themselves in a division with Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow and Deshaun Watson and are coming to the gun fight with a knife. The Steelers moved up a few years back for a linebacker so this move is more justified. General manager Kevin Colbert leaves his legacy in the organization.
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From
Cleveland Browns
Round 1 - Pick 13
The Texans have to take good football players. They selected Ikem Ekwonu No. 3 overall as the future of the offensive line. With the second first-round pick, Nick Caserio takes a player reminiscent of Vince Wilfork. Davis should not be able to move the way he does at his size. He can be an elite run defender and has shown enough explosive traits to suggest he can push the pocket in pass-down situations.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
Some believe that Johnson could go in the top 10 so this represents good value for Baltimore, who attempted to sign Za'Darius Smith until it fell through. A year ago, the team took Odafe Oweh in the first round and now they bring in another young pass rusher to grow with him over the next decade.
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Round 1 - Pick 15
Philadelphia only has two first-round picks in this draft now and the first is spent on Karlaftis, who is a mature pass rusher that can set the edge. Some may question why the team would take an edge rusher after signing Haason Reddick but they are entirely different players. The thought is that Karlaftis plays down on the line with Josh Sweat while Reddick plays that detached role Micah Parsons excelled in last season. Karlaftis is more of an eventual replacement for Brandon Graham than Reddick.
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From
Indianapolis Colts
Round 1 - Pick 16
The Saints land a left tackle in the absence of Terron Armstead. Cross is a prospect that carries wide-ranging opinions but should be valued in this area. New Orleans supposedly acquired a second pick in the first round because it believes it's a few pieces away from contention and Cross certainly provides some clarity at the position.
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Round 1 - Pick 17
Williams was trending toward becoming the first wide receiver taken prior to his injury. The Chargers are getting great value here assuming that he does not feel any lingering effects of the injury. The Alabama product's presence gives Justin Herbert three high-caliber options in the present while also giving the team some salary cap flexibility down the road if they eventually wanted to move on from either Mike Williams or Keenan Allen.
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From
New Orleans Saints
Round 1 - Pick 18
The Eagles address the front seven again with No. 18 overall. They could add another interior defender for the future but this is a unit that is not only a present strength, but is set up well to be successful for quite some time. I do wonder if they are going to be more drawn to a bigger linebacker that is going to be more of an enforcer given how pass happy the rest of the front has been built in this hypothetical situation.
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From
Philadelphia Eagles
Round 1 - Pick 19
New Orleans is counting on the return of a healthy Michael Thomas but that is a risky proposition considering he has missed 26 games over the past two seasons. The Saints need another threatening playmaker and Olave is someone that brings significant speed and polished route-running to the table. He would be a great complement to Thomas and quality insurance.
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Mock Trade from
Pittsburgh Steelers
Round 1 - Pick 20
Minnesota is able to slide back, pick up a 2023 second-round pick and still get a prospect at a position of need. McDuffie is smaller than the ideal boundary cornerback but is a student of the game and a tenacious competitor. He can learn a lot from Patrick Peterson this season and hopefully lock down a spot for many years to come. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah comes from Cleveland where the Browns took Greg Newsome II in the first round despite having Denzel Ward, Greedy Williams and Troy Hill on the roster. They value cornerbacks and it is reasonable to suggest Adofo-Mensah may as well.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
Bill Belichick has always valued bigger cornerbacks that can play on the boundary. They acquired DeVante Parker from Miami so a need at wide receiver has diminished but cornerback still looms. Elam can step in and be counted upon much in the same way as Stephon Gilmore or J.C. Jackson.
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From
Las Vegas Raiders
Round 1 - Pick 22
Kansas City and Green Bay are taking a 'we will take what we can get approach at the wide receiver position.' They are victims to what happen during the picks ahead of their selection. In this situation, Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Jameson Williams and Drake London are all off the board. Burks is the only one left of what is considered the big five. I would argue that it is a big two and then maybe a second seven or eight. Burks is a player that can win vertically but also create his own opportunities after the catch.
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Round 1 - Pick 23
More and more people believe that Linderbaum could fall outside of the first round. It would be foolish for a team, especially picking this late in the round, to bypass on a prospect that has little risk of failure. Center may not be a sexy position but general managers keep their jobs when they draft good players. Linderbaum is the heir apparent to Rodney Hudson and a big piece of that Arizona offense moving forward.
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Round 1 - Pick 24
Dallas has a lot of bodies along the interior defensive line but not a lot of difference-makers. Wyatt and the entire Georgia front were not asked to work vertically often and that leads to watered-down sack production but it is easy to see pass-rush potential in the way each of them move. Wyatt is no exception. Despite working in the shadows of Jordan Davis, Wyatt made his own name and cemented himself as one of the best interior defensive linemen in this class.
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Round 1 - Pick 25
Buffalo has made moves that signal their belief in being a championship-caliber team. The cornerback room is still one that could use some attention and Booth is a versatile prospect. He has the size to play more man coverage in the NFL but has had heavy exposure to zone coverage thus far. The Bills do not know how last year's injury could impact Tre'Davious White moving forward.
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Round 1 - Pick 26
Tennessee took a stab at fixing right tackle a few years back with Isaiah Wilson but that was the largest bust in recent memory. The Titans get a player that loves football and is looking to end his opponent's existence on a down-in, down-out basis. Penning will endear himself to Mike Vrabel's physical spirit.
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Round 1 - Pick 27
Tampa Bay's offensive line is once again complete with the selection of Johnson. From left to right, the Bucs have Donovan Smith, Johnson, Ryan Jensen, Shaq Mason and Tristan Wirfs. Despite losing two of their starters, the Buccaneers find themselves with one of the best offensive lines in the league yet again.
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Round 1 - Pick 28
Green Bay is not traditionally looking for a player like Hall up front but it gives them some versatility. He is a long player that does best using his hands to get off blocks and pillaging the backfield. At the end of the day, I think there is a good chance he sneaks into the first round.
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From
Miami Dolphins
Round 1 - Pick 29
Mafe has been a popular selection for Kansas City and rightfully so. The Chiefs need a long-term solution to rush the passer. I would have taken Mafe over a healthy David Ojabo honestly because the former is a more well-rounded player right now. The presence of Mafe allows them to keep Chris Jones inside where he creates havoc.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
The Chiefs are in danger of missing out on top wide receivers unless they trade up. Dotson is a fast wide receiver that, although historically undersized, has done a good job of working to all three levels. He has some of the best hands in the entire draft class. Andy Reid will have an easy time finding ways to use him in that offense.
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Round 1 - Pick 31
Walker is one of the best combinations of size and speed in this draft class. Logan Wilson has looked good at times but the Bengals were susceptible up the middle during the postseason. The Bulldog gives them a different element at the position. Cincinnati is probably one of the teams most impacted by how the board fell prior to its choice.
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From
Los Angeles Rams
Round 1 - Pick 32
When talking about best prospects available, Cine is near the top of the list. Detroit needs to add talent to the roster while not sacrificing culture. The safety comes from a program that was littered with talent and expects to contend. He plays the game in a physical manner and should fit right in to that unit.
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