Many NFL teams have already started the process for the 2022 NFL Draft as many high-caliber college football stars prepare for their potential NFL careers. This past Wednesday, ESPN's NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. released his first mock Draft of the 2022 NFL Draft. There were several surprises resulting from a wild ending to the 2021 College Football season and the 2021 NFL regular season. Here are some of the biggest takeaways from Kiper's 2022 NFL Mock Draft 1.0.
Six of the teams listed in his first seven overall picks have either selected an edge rusher or an offensive tackle. According to Kiper, the Jacksonville Jaguars are projected to take Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, the Detroit Lions taking Oregon edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux, and the Houston Texans taking Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal.
The quarterback position is so important in the NFL that teams have to solidify the offensive line to protect the quarterbacks or have the weapons to make that player's life difficult. The Jaguars have their franchise quarterback in former Clemson Tigers quarterback Trevor Simian, but they have a glaring lack of efficient offensive line and pass rush. The same could be said for the Carolina Panthers, who have the sixth overall pick. Kiper has the New York Giants, who have the fifth and seventh overall pick in the Draft, picking Mississippi State offensive tackle and Georgia outside linebacker David Ojabo.
One of the main takeaways from the NFL Draft guru is the lack of elite quarterbacks in this Draft. Four quarterbacks have first-round grades from Kiper that do not appear in the top ten. Most of these quarterbacks will be going to teams that are one quarterback away from being in the NFL playoffs or advancing further into the playoffs.
The first quarterback taken off the board, according to Kiper, is Liberty's Malik Willis going to the Washington Football Team with the 11th overall pick. Out of all the teams in the top half of the 2022 Draft, they have the biggest quarterback need. While Willis is an efficient dual-threat quarterback, he is not the top-rated quarterback in the 2022 NFL Draft, according to Kiper. That is how lacking elite talent at the quarterback position this 2022 NFL Draft class is.
The second quarterback selected in the 2022 NFL Draft, according to Kiper, isn't taken until the 18th overall pick, owned by the New Orleans Saints. The Saints are projected to take Pittsburgh Panthers' quarterback Kenny Pickett. Two picks later, the Pittsburgh Steelers are projected to take Ole Miss' quarterback Matt Corral with the 20th overall pick. Finally, the last quarterback projected to be selected in the first round is North Carolina's Sam Howell with the 28th overall pick to the Detriot Lions.
This 2022 NFL Draft class is projected to be the weakest quarterback class since the 2013 NFL Draft. The 2013 NFL Draft was the last draft class that did not feature a quarterback selected in the top ten. That Draft featured only one quarterback being selected in the first round with that quarterback being Florida State's EJ Manuel being selected by the Buffalo Bills with the 16th overall pick.
One of the most surprising aspects of Kipers' first Mock Draft of 2022 is the exclusion of Arkansas wide receiver Trelyon Burks from the first round. Kiper has five wide receivers being selected in the first round and one tight end. In early December, Kiper originally had Burks as the 24th best prospect of the 2022 NFL Draft and the sixth-best wide receiver. Many other NFL Drafts from other media outlets had Burks among the top three wideouts. Burks was selected in the other Mock Drafts at 32nd overall to the Green Bay Packers. Kiper has the Packers selecting Colorado State's dynamic tight end Trey McBride, instead of Burks.
Burks will have a chance to boost his draft stock tremendously in the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine, his Arkansas Pro Day, and workouts/visits with NFL teams.