2022 NFL Mock Draft - RD1 Picks 17-32

What a difference a week makes! In Week 1 the Saints destroyed the favored Packers (-3.5) and Jameis Winston was heralded as fixed, annointed the Saints QBofthefuture, and the league's next star. Alas, we saw totally the opposite in Week 2; a total offensive collapse with just 128 total yards and a really awful outing for Winston (11-22-111-0TD-2INT). Had Drafttek put out a mock draft following Week 1 a QB would have been considered off the table. Just 7 days later and that 2022 RD1 QB is back front-and-center, with some quality outside receiving help not far behind.

The 2022 QB crop at this point does not appear to possess the top-end surefire franchise talent that the 2021 group featured, yet here we are with Drafttek projecting 6 QBs for RD1. The Saints gett Cincinnati Bearcat signal caller Desmond Ridder. It's truly an evolving group, Spencer Rattler still maintains a tenuous hold on the top-QB-off-the-board, though we wonder if his newfound endorsement riches and lame brand logo are going to his head and soiling his play in 2021. Another pre-season favorite son, Kedon Slovis, is doing the best he can in the midst of mid-season coach-change chaos at USC. We wonder if Slovis will find his way thru the transfer portal to more friendly environs next season, to be ready for the 2023 draft. Meanwhile, a collection of pre-season nobodies are surging up the board with stellar early-season performances. Could Matt Corral, Brennan Armstrong or Jake Haener find their way to the Big Easy? Or will Jameis WInston get back on track and be the Saints long-term answer? Stayed tuned!

The 2020 Steelers team struggled mightily to have a multiple threat offense. The team relied on 4-wide spreads and quick passes to back over a soft schedule into playoffs and promptly exit at the hands of the Browns. The team didn't offer an explanation of why Ben was unable to pass downfield or why the team couldn't run the ball.

This offseason the Steelers retooled the O-line and it's coaching with an eye toward adding physicality on a budget. Roethlisberger, on his farewell tour, is still not connecting on the deep ball and is missing some touch passes in the backfield. Through week 2, Roethlisberger has a disappointing 5.1 Completed Air Yards, good for 24th in the league. Between his continued struggles and the growing pains of the O-line, the Steelers offense seems destined for a middling finish and another draft priority in the offseason

Slovis is a very accurate and efficient passer who's shown some great situational awareness to lead 3 comeback wins as a Freshman. As a Sophomore he took a bit of a step back. In his Junior year, with some continued progression, he can solidify himself as a RD1 QB. However with the coaching carousel ongoing at USC, we suspect that Slovis may find it worthwhile to use the transfer portal for another year of NCAA football at a more stable program. If that's the case, plug the next QB in line into this spot.

Mac Jones is outshining his 2021 draft class QB brethren as their careers hit the two game mark. Yes Jones is kept on a tight leash as the Patriots' quarterback, completing just 6.8 yards/attempt - which ranks in the lower third of starters. He's only thrown one TD pass in two games, but he's completed a crazy 73.9% of his throws - absolutely remarkable for a rookie as both Trevor Lawrence (50%) and Zach Wilson (55.7%) struggle as would be expected of rooks.

Jones has completed just 21 of his 51 completed to his WR group, with 15 each to the TEs and RBs.

Nelson Agholor represents the team's "deep threat" with at 11.9 yards per completion - the other WRs Bourne and Meyers are both under 10 ypc.

Yes we know that Jones is currently operating under restrictions, and we know that lack of said deep threat constantly confounded Tom Brady while in New England. Further, the few times they looked to address WR deficiencies in the draft have flopped (Betthel Johnson 2002, Chad Jackson 2006, Taylor Price 2010, N'Keal Harry 2019). Really you need to go back to 2002 and Deion Branch to find a true WR success.

So it is with some trepidation that we slot the Patriots with Garrett Wilson here, it's more Bill Belichick-like to just draft whatever defensive player presents the greatest value. In this mock the versatile Adam Anderson fits that description.

The LA Chargers have changed towns, coaches and quarterbacks, yet they retain their knack for the excruciating loss. Falling victim to Legatron and the Cowboys Sunday has the new regime at an unsatisfying 1-1 with a defense yielding 6.2 yards per play. The Chargers covet big-program talent, and CB Josh Jobe of Alabama has the look of being the ninth first-round DB of the Nick Saban era. A physical corner, Jobe is a willing tackler and could take on versatile assignments in Brandon Staley's defense.

.@AlabamaFTBL had only 2 defensive players drafted this year but that number will spike in 2022. Josh Jobe (@JoshuaMJobe) is the next early-round DB. Efficient in recovery & rarely panics. Competitive finisher routinely makes late-in-catch-process PBUs. #TheDraftStartsInMOBILE pic.twitter.com/PYf2FsVmfR

— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) May 16, 2021

Chargers rookie corner Asante Samuel notched his first career interception in Week Two; Jobe could prove an outstanding long-term running mate. With two matchups a year against Pat Mahomes, it's not like the Chargers can over-invest in defensive backs.

--Jud Branam, Chargers Analyst

While this Cowboys defense is forcing turnovers at a high rate, that doesn't mean it won't be the top priority next April. The Cowboys pass defense still needs a lot of work, whether it's getting more pressure on the quarterback, or holding up in coverage on the back end. Early on, Dallas has been so desperate for pass rushers, that they moved Micah Parsons to defensive end.

Yes, injuries have played a part in that, but this Cowboys' pass rush needed help before they lost Demarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory.

Adam Anderson would be an outstanding fit on this roster. Dan Quinn loves to mix his fronts, asking his edge players to line up with their hand on the ground and stand up at times. Anderson can do both, and getting to the quarterback is his specialty. He's a long-armed player with tremendous explosion of the snap and flexibility to turn the corner. In 2021, he's looking to prove he's an every-down player after being a pass-rush specialist early on. Thus far, he's off to a great start and could push his way into the top-ten conversation.

~Austin Smith, DraftTek Senior Analyst

A flair for the dramatics.

After cruising through the Titans in week 1 on the back of Chandler Jones' five-sack game, the Cardinals scraped by to their second win of the season on a comeback effort capped off by a missed game-winning field goal by the Vikings. I love the classics.

Vikings miss what would have been a game-winning kick to give Arizona the victory. ??

(??: @NFL) pic.twitter.com/OhoYTt66HT

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) September 19, 2021

Despite his nearly record-setting start, Jones and the Cardinals remain at odds with the premier pass rusher wanting more than the one-year deal the team is offering. Right now, Jones holds all the leverage with his performance, and a time will come where Steve Keim will have no other choice but to cough up the dough for Jones, and it will be well worth it.

Cards go on the road against the 0-2 Jaguars to have a chance for their first 3-0 start since 2015. They won't need anything special to get it done, but they will need to stay out of their own way.

For this mock draft, we're sticking with Josh Jobe because the loss of Malcolm Butler hurts - whether it shows yet or now - and Jobe has shown early this season that he's ready to step in at the next level and contribute early.

- Dylan Rudolph, Cardinals Analyst

Please visit our Cardinals Team Page, where you can see all the team's picks in the 7-round mock and more. Please also visit our Facebook page for additional content.

The Titans came dangerously close to an 0-2 start. The win against Seattle is impressive, but the blowout loss to Arizona in Tennessee is worrisome. Even with two star receivers the offense clearly starts and stops with Derrick Henry, the first two games of this season have shown that. Seattle and Arizona are both loaded with offensive talent, but it would be nice if we saw some growth from the Titans defense. They should look strong against division foe Indianapolis who will have injured Carson Wentz or strong armed but turnover prone Jacob Eason throwing against them. If the Titans let the Colts carve them up, it's time to start worrying.

Seeing a lot of young talent on the Titans defense, I figured it was time to add another playmaker on the offense. The Titans three active TEs haven't reached 100 yards receiving, combined. That's an issue. There just happens to be a TE factory called the University of Iowa and Sam Laporta looks to be on the verge of a breakout season. The Titans have AJ Brown and Julio Jones on the outside, so the middle should be wide open. Free agent signee Josh Reynolds hasn't contributed anything yet, so the Titans look to a TE to make those plays. Titans fans will hope that Laporta follows in the footsteps of his Hawkeye alumni George Kittle, TJ Hockensen and Noah Fant in the NFL.

After an embarrassing showing against NO in the opener, Green Bay got back on track with a win against DET in Week 2. While the offense's uneven play may foreshadow some ups and downs against two-high coverage, the defense looks like it could be in for a rough season. Joe Barry replaced Mike Pettine as DC, but his unit has struggled to generate pressure or stop the run. Green Bay allowed seven TDs on 12 drives over the first six quarters of the season before settling in to shut down the Lions in the second half.

It's clear the Packers will face some salary cap challenges in the upcoming offseason, with cap-specialist Russ Ball likely to lean heavily on restructures, void years, and backloaded extensions. Za'Darius Smith ($28.13 mil) and Preston Smith ($19.75 mil), who both rank in the top five for cap hits in 2022, could be prime targets as Green Bay scrambles to get below the cap. If one or both of the Smith Bros are gone, the Packers would be perilously thin at EDGE.

Zach Harrison, a former five-star recruit with a reported 4.47 forty-yard dash and 38" vertical, fits the mold of the premium athlete GM Brian Gutekunst likes to target. Though Harrison has just 5.5 sacks through his first 18 collegiate games, he could have the physical tools to develop into a devastating pass rusher.

- James Siebers, Packers Analyst (Twitter@DraftTekPackers)

How quickly hope turns to despair in the NFL. A solid, if not spectacular, win in Foxboro' should have laid the foundation for a memorable season. A week later, and Fins' fans are wondering whether we'll finish 1-16. Okay. we're not as good as The Bills, but the scoreline was misleading. The defense played well and actually kept Josh Allen under wraps for most of the game. The good news is that we can't play as badly again (can we?)

Tua, or no Tua, the offense is listless. From left to right, the Offensive Line is struggling and, almost definitely, the worst in the league. I expect personal changes going forward. The joint OCs need to find a formula that allows enough time for plays to fully develop. I fear that we might never get to fully utilize our dynamic receiving corps. We've already seen how quickly things can change. The Fins have a tough early season schedule, but there aren't many men I'd trust more than Coach Flores to turn this back around.

Unless we trade it away for that QB in Houston, the RD1 pick in 2022 has to be used on whichever OT, OG, or OC is the best available.

- David Payne, Dolphins Analyst Please visit our Dolphins Team Page where you can see all the team's picks in the 7-round mock and more. Please also visit our Facebook Page for additional content.

The recent loss to the Pats had only 1 of the 9 players drafted by Joe Douglas in 2020, take the field. Bryce Hall was the lone representative of Joe Douglas's first draft class, with 4 of the 9 currently on IR. The 2021 Jets' Draft class seems to be fairing a little better, leading the rest of the league by a long way in Rookie Snap count. The current crop have taken over 800 snaps thru Week 2 and there have been some impressive displays by the mid/late round guys.

RB Michael Carter (RD 4) had a very good outing against the Patriots, with 11 rushes for 59 yards, with 2 catches thrown in for good measure but for me, the play of both Rookie CB's Brandin Echoles (RD 6) and Michael Carter II (RD 5) have surpassed expectation. Both have been tested and will continue to be all year but they have shown some very good football instincts. With 13 Tackles, Carter is just 1 behind team leaders' Mosley and Maye, cementing his impressive start.

CB's can have a notoriously slow start to their NFL careers but they already look have the potential to surpass both Dee Miliner and Klye Wilson, the last 2 CB's drafted by the Jets in RD 1, so maybe Roger McCreary will not be hearing his name called here after all.

This is a home-run swing for a team that doesn't have many holes on their roster. Pickens tore his ACL in March, but if he can prove to be fully healthy at some point between now and April, I think we will see him declare. When healthy, Pickens has a combination of size and fluid athleticism that remind me of a slightly smaller A.J. Green. However, I think Pickens is a better route-runner than Green ever was. Yes, that is extremely high praise, but Pickens is a special talent.

His recovery will be at the forefront of scouts' minds during the draft process, and could see his stock sink or soar. As for the Browns, Odell Beckham Jr. is still working his way back from an injury last year, while Jarvis Landry is on injured reserve. If one, or both, end up on the chopping block this coming offseason adding a receiver will jump to the top of the Browns' priority list.

~Austin Smith, DraftTek Senior Analyst

What a win against the AFC Champion Chiefs. A crazy game and a gutsy 4th-down call; this is why we love football. Lamar can walk taller after getting one over Mr Mahomes. Lamar will never be the greatest passer, but he's a winner. The surprise, week-1 loss in Vegas can be consigned to history as the Ravens join the rest of the AFC North at 1-1.

The running game, led by Lamar, is still the bread and butter of this offense, but it's great to see Hollywood showing up in a big way in the passing game. After losing their top two RBs to season-ending injuries, the Ravens invited every unsigned RB, except O.J. Simpson, in for a workout. Eventual signings, Devonta Freeman and Latavius Murray, provide veteran value behind Ty'Son Williams. Expect to see Rashod Bateman back soon to add another receiving option.

The defense is a concern, but the unit improved against The Chiefs. Injuries, and we're always talking about injuries with the Ravens, haven't helped. Odafe Oweh showed well in the Chiefs' game and should be an even greater force moving forward. In the Secondary, Anthony Averett, Tavon Young, and Brandon Stephens have been forced into increased action. Averett has played well, but the Ravens still look short at the Safety positions.

- David Payne, DraftTek Senior Analyst

Please visit our Ravens Team Page where you can see all the team's picks in the 7-round mock and more. Please also visit our Facebook Page for additional content.

Our old pal Dean has reiterated to me that I need to stay patient, and that a 35-0 shellacking of a divisional-foe in the Miami Dolphins is a great sign, but I can't help but be slightly worried about Josh Allen. In 2020, gone were the errant short-to-intermediate throws, the questionable decisions, and the big misses on deep shots. So far in 2021, those concerning signs are back; Allen is only completing just over 50% of his passes and his game just looks...off.

The good news is that Allen is beloved by his teammates, coaches, and organization as a whole for both having a heart of gold and an incredible blue-collar work ethic, so I have no doubts that he will be the best QB he can be...we just have to hope that last season's MVP-like numbers weren't an aberration.

Defensively, this team also has reset to its 2019 form, but that's a good thing! The pass rush that was lacking entirely in 2020 has returned and the secondary is tighter than it was a year ago. While the unit may not be world-beaters this year, they are back to looking like a consistent, Sean McDermott-coached defense. If the D can maintain their current form and Josh Allen can regain his 2020 form, this team truly will be a Super Bowl contender.

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

Given the Lions' 0-2 start and watching this offense work, it's ever more apparent they are truly lacking a deep threat in their receiving corps. Granted, Tyrell Williams was supposed to be that guy and Quintez Cephus has had some opportunities, but the team is truly missing a Marvin Jones or Kenny Golladay-esque presence in their receiving group.

Bulding on this, through the first two weeks, Jared Goff has a 6.3 average yards per completion rating. This is a career low, not counting his rookie season at a 5.3 average yards per completion. It's clear Detroit lacks downfield weapons, which is why yet again we are addressing receiver with their second first rounder by selecting Drake London from USC.

Yes, the Lions would be pairing up two former USC Trojan teammates, Amon-Ra St. Brown with Drake London, but London is a totally different receiver than St. Brown. Standing at 6'5", London does give off some Golladay vibes with his size and ability to make athletic grabs downfield. I'm not necessarily comparing him to Golladay here, but the size comparison (6'4" - Golladay) and the film suggests they're fairly similar.

Regardless, Detroit needs that downfield threat, someone to go up and nab a contested catch or two in a game and London would be the guy. It's hard watching this offense work its way 5 yards at a time, knowing they can't hit a big play with consistency.

- Doug Hyde, Lions Analyst

The Chiefs have a brutal start to the season. The first two opponents are ranked #5 (BAL) and #6 (CLE) in Drafttek's power rankings. Week 3 brings the Chargers into Arrowhead - another upper echelon team at #13. Upcoming weeks have some "easier" tilts with three NFC East sides. Not your "grandfathers NFC East" from 2020, the Eagles, WFT and Giants play solid defense.

The good news is that Mahomes, Kelce and Hill are operating like a precision drill team, the bad news is that the Chiefs' defense can't seem to stop anyone. The Chiefs are allowing a league-worst 938 yards thru 2 games. On the ground, KC has surrendered 404 yards, an NFL-bottom by 79 yard over #31 Seattle. The Chiefs are surrendering 7.6 yards/play more than double the Bills (Week 5 opponent) 3.7. Derrick Henry (Week 7) is licking his chops already!

The pass-rush is lowest in the league with just 10 total pressures, and lowest in QB knockdowns with 6. So yes, be sure to include Justin Herbert-Keenan Allen stacks into your Draft Kings lineups this week and expect a 45-35ish final score (Chiefs Win!)

The Chiefs will look to the draft to help plug pass-rush deficiencies, adding South Carolina's Kingsley Enagbare in this week's mock.

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

Tom Brady has set the new record for TD passes for a 44-year old (season). The former record was held by former Buc QB Vinny Testaverde at 5. Brady is now at 9 through two games and counting.

To ensure continuity for Brady's final season (or two), we're taking top center Tyler Linderbaum here. Not only is he a nice value, but the Hawkeye will immediately represent a modest upgrade over aging incumbent Ryan Jensen. Letting Jensen walk in Free Agency will allow the Bucs to re-allocate his $10M salary to retain key component's Chis Godwin, Carlton Davis, JPP, Gronk, et. al.. Heck, Jensen will quite possibly re-up anyway at a much friendlier cap hit, adding to the depth necessary to keep Brady in good health.

The Bucs project to have needs all over (RB, DL, Secondary) with many key players limping along on 1-year mercenary salaries, but if Tristan Wirfs' former Iowa teammate is available at #32, that's about as solid an outcome as fans can hope for.