Kayvon Thibodeaux was the surefire number one selection for the Detroit Lions just a few weeks ago. However, the recent surge of Aidan Hutchinson has got many thinking that's not so much of a guarantee any longer.

In Michigan's upset win over Ohio State, Hutchinson was a key cog in shutting down Ryan Day's threat of hanging "100 on them".


Hutchinson pressured QB C.J. Stroud a total of 15 times, which is obviously insane. 3 of which he got home on and registered a sack. The performance helped push Hutchinson as Michigan's all-time single season sack leader with 13 by surpassing LaMarr Woodley and David Bowens with 12 respectively.

This is ultimately great news for the Detroit Lions, to now have the ability to have their pick of the litter, so to speak. Does it make the decision more difficult? Probably, but that's a good thing.

- Doug Hyde, Lions Analyst

Dave Culley's seat is as hot as it's ever been!

Not only is losing to the New York Jets a fireable offense, but Texans HC Dave Culley, continues to needlessly stir the pot after benching veteran safety, Justin Reid, after an alleged disagreement. Culley would later go on to say it was over "rules and standards."

My favorite shot from the Egg Bowl. Matt Corral spinning into the endzone and @Lane_Kiffin going bonkers on the sideline...but then getting lit up by Nick Broeker. pic.twitter.com/dJ1GzMzxX0

— Nick Niehaus (@nickniehausWAPT) November 26, 2021

With tensions at an all-time high in the locker room, look for Houston to enter rebuild mode with a new set of coaches. The Texans will once again look to revamp their franchise by selecting rookie gunslinger QB, Matt Corral out of Ole Miss!

- Cody Lachney, Texans Analyst

In the Week 12 loss to the Falcons, the Atlanta defense generated 12 total pressures (mid-range) on QB Trevor Lawrence with 1 sack. In their game summary, PFF states: "Pass blocking looked pretty good from the line. They only allowed six pressures", meaning the remaining 6 pressures are credited elsewhere.

So if the OL isn't the problem, and we know that Atlanta's pass rush sucks - worst in the NFL in sacks and pressures, what's at issue?


Lawrence's (23-42-228 yards-1 TD) Time-to-Throw at 2.97, was 4th highest on the week. We're continuing to roll with an OT in this week's mock (due to Cam Robinson's impending FA), but I submit to you that WR needs to be a top draft consideration. DJ Chark is a free agent, Laquon Treadwell and Tavon Austin are journeymen, and an under-developing Laviska Shenault spells trouble for 2022.

Before the season started Jets' HC Robert Saleh told fans it was going to be a difficult year, and that a lot of our success would depend on the play of our D-Line. One common theme in all 3 Jets wins was just that, they played very well in the trenches on both sides of the ball. In the win over Houston, the Jets DL put on a fabulous display as they recorded 5 sacks, 7 QB hits, 7 Tackles for Loss and 1 interception.

All this without the injured Free Agent signing Carl Lawson. Maybe it seems a little strange to add more reinforcements to the unit in the shape of Kayvon Thibodeaux but you can never have enough Pass Rushers in todays' NFL. With the return of Lawson and the addition of Thibodeaux, the unit should hopefully be more consistent and be the platform for more wins next year.

In keeping with the theme of our first pick, we look to add some more talent in the trenches. The foundation a team requires to develop any young QB is to protect him. Well Wilson hasn't really had that luxury this year. The Jets have given up 31 sacks thru 11 games (tied 27th) and Wilson has missed game time because of injury.

Some of it is on the loss of Becton for the season, some of it is on the Rookie QB but most of it is on the O-Line and in particular, the interior. Using the 5th overall pick on an interior Lineman seems like a huge reach, so instead we opt for Charles Cross. Having Cross and Becton at both Tackle spots would be a nice young foundation to help Wilson in his development.

The Giants' winning ways have moved them to an uncomfortable spot in the 2022 Draft, really with both their RD1 picks. Their top needs are EDGE and OT, but the top-2 prospects at each are gone in this week's mock. So the choices are to reach at the positions of need, as we've done here with George Karlaftis, or take a stud at a position of lesser need, such as Olave/Wilson/London at WR or Stingley at CB.

One thing is for certain and stats don't lie. The Giants rank 30th in the NFL in getting pressure on the opposing QB at just 18.7% of dropbacks. The Day-2 picks that Gettleman has drafted to rush the QB in recent years just aren't difference makers (Carter, Ximines, Ojulari). If this mock were to hold true, the team might be best served to trade up to get a top prospect. The #6 along with a 2nd and 4th could pry the #3 from Jacksonville.

Purdue EDGE rusher George Karlaftis (#5) is a top-10 prospect in this Draft class.

Impressive first step, great bend, he's technically sound. He's a vicious pass rusher who's also solid against the run. Do not sleep on Karlaftis. pic.twitter.com/nLGWCs282I

— Luca Sartirana (@SartiranaLuca) November 26, 2021

Xavier McKinney has emerged as a star in this his first full season with the Giants. The sure-tackling McKinney is tied for the lead among all safeties with 5 picks.

The choice of Kyle Hamilton seems a luxury as the G-men also field Logan Ryan at Free Safety, with Jabril Peppers also on the roster. However, Peppers is a free agent, and the aging Ryan isn't earning his $10M salary. Ryan is a great locker-room leader, and his contract structure promises he'll be with the team through the 2022 season, but Hamilton is a generational prospect who can cover like a corner and hit like a linebacker.

Despite an ugly loss to a division rival, the Eagles are one of 6 teams with 5 wins through 12 weeks still vying for a playoff spot. So, while the draft order is still very up in their air, what is not is the bounty of picks Philadelphia will enter the 2022 draft with; and it might be time to consider the possibility of moving up for Notre Dame S Kyle Hamilton if it comes to it.

With Hamilton off the board, LSU CB, Derek Stingley Jr. is an easy pick. The impressive play (and matching contract extension) of CB Avonte Maddox means the Eagles don't need a CB, but they do need talent and Stingley has it in spades. He may need to prove he's over the injury bug that marred his last two seasons, but Stingley has all the makings of long-term lockdown corner.

At 2-6, the WFT's season was dead and fans were questioning just how much of a grasp Ron Rivera had on his young team. After all, Washington was expected to have an elite defense, led by reigning defensive Rookie of the Year in Chase Young. Well, that once-vaunted, then-maligned defense has gone from ranking 31st in the league while performing historically bad on 3rd down (59%) to now being ranked 18th overall and giving up first downs on just 30% of third downs (league-best over the past 3 games).

Perhaps Chase Young and Montez Sweat were truly freelancing too much and their replacements are fitting into the scheme far better, or perhaps Rivera's teams really do start to gel in November. My lean? I trust Rivera and DC Jack Del Rio's defensive pedigree; they'll have Young and Sweat operating at a high level in 2022.

-Kennedy Paynter, Senior Draft Analyst (@Kennedy_Paynter on Twitter)

In the last two weeks, the defense has shown signs of life, and while they will absolutely need to address the pass rush this offseason, the recent offensive woes will merit attention in the draft as well.

The offensive line has already been tweaked with a platoon of sorts at center, but right tackle Kaleb McGary has been frustratingly inept. Unlike fellow struggler, Jalen Mayfield, McGary is a veteran; he's just not playing like one.

The absence of Calvin Ridley and the temporary absence of Cordarelle Patterson led to seven consecutive scoreless quarters. While some of the offensive woes can - again - be laid on the offensive line, the Falcons need one more playmaker to properly challenge an NFL defense.

Taking a WR in RD 1 for a third consecutive year is not where any team wants to find themselves, yet it is a position Philadelphia finds themselves sprinting towards (particularly acceptable with the RD1 "bonus" pick). While there was plenty of blame to go around in week 12's loss to the Giants WR's Greg Ward and Jalen Reagor both failed to reel in catches in critical moments that could have saved the game for the Eagles.

Ohio State WR Chris Olave running a Fake Fade Out Route on the Goal Line pic.twitter.com/u8oHnQvzkw

— Coach Dan Casey (@CoachDanCasey) November 26, 2021

Lining up Ohio State WR, Chris Olave, alongside DeVonta Smith will really allow Philadelphia to open up their offense and give Jalen Hurts the ability to truly thrive. Olave's deep speed requires that he be accounted for on every play, but his precise route running makes him a nightmare for defenses.

Things are not going well for the Carolina Panthers.

Within the span of a day, the Panthers put superstar RB Christian McCaffrey, and burgeoning soon-to-be free-agent CB Donte Jackson, on season-ending IR.

It was once unthinkable to even consider that Panthers' HC Matt Rhule could be on the hot seat after only his 2nd season in the NFL. The last, here we are. While Cam Newton provided a temporary boost to the team's morale, it won't be enough to make the Panthers a legitimate playoff contender. The Panthers seem to enjoy taking a shot on overhyped QB's, so it's only right they decide to start over with UNC QB, Sam Howell!

Don't forget to check out the C3 Carolina Cat Chronicles podcast Tuesday nights at 9 PM and 30 minutes after every game to hear us discuss all the latest in Panther Nation!

- Cody Lachney, Panthers Analyst

Our DraftTek Big Board analysts recently fell into a debate over which Ohio State receiver is better, Chris Olave or Garrett Wilson? It is a close call... Wilson's reception % is 69.8, with 15.7 ypc and 11 TDs. Olave owns a 65.2 reception %, 14.6 ypc, and 13 TD. Contested catch rate: Olave (8 of 13) 65.1% betters Wilson's (4 of 7) 57.1%. However, when it comes to Missed Tackles forced, Wilson (17), the heavier WR, breaks more tackles and clearly shines above Olave (4). Wilson. He will make a nice weapon for (hopefully) Philip Rivers, or whoever is starting at QB for the Saints next year.

Our consensus on the better Ohio State WR? The 3rd guy, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who is not draft eligible this season.

~DatBudMan, Saints Analyst

The Steelers have all kinds of holes in this year's roster and will have even more next year with the presumed loss of Ben, Ju Ju and Joe Haden. Rumor-level reports point to the Steelers picking up a veteran QB so we'll set that aside for the moment. For most teams, an across-the-board talent deficiency would be perplexing.

The Steelers, however, tend to just draft a linebacker most of the time anyway (5 of the last 8 draft picks). Given the lackluster performance of Devin Bush, they have a chance of doing so again. Bush who has rehabbed remarkably from his ACL has had issues getting his head straight. There were random social media outbursts in the summer and his game performance has led respected Steelers alumni to call out his lack of heart.

"Bro we gave up 7 points. We're not supposed to give up this many points."@NakobeDean ???? pic.twitter.com/QMKbdxn9EY

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) November 5, 2021

The Vikings have many decisions to make with their upcoming free agents many of whom are defenders. I expect they will try to bring back the veteran Cornerbacks and a couple of others.

On offense, the interior line is still an issue, and the team's third-round pick from last year, Right Guard Wyatt Davis, has not played any snaps on offense yet. They have tried him at Center in the preseason. Garrett Bradbury was benched and Oli Udoh is very much a work in progress. Considering the money invested in the skill players on offense, it would be wise to continue to build a solid line.

Kenyon Green is a semifinalist for the Lombardi Award and has played 4 of the 5 spots on the offensive line this year alone. His versatility has increased his value and he may even be able to play center if asked.

What do you think? Given who is available in this mock, who should the Vikings select here?



Mark P, Vikings Analyst - DrafttekVikings@Gmail.com

Please visit our Vikings team page where you can see all the team's picks in the 7-round mock and more.

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