2022 NFL Mock Draft | Round 2
Let’s see how hypothetical Day 2 would start for this 2022 NFL Mock Draft.
33. Houston Texans: Drake London, WR, USC
After selecting a quarterback first overall, the Texans give new QB Sam Howell an incredibly gifted target in Drake London. A two-sport athlete at USC, London may be the best yards-after-catch threat in the entire 2022 NFL Draft class.
34. Detroit Lions: Kingsley Enagbare, DE, South Carolina
Detroit goes offense with their first-round picks and quickly pivots to a talented pass rusher to aid their defense with Kingsley Enagbare. A skilled pass rusher, Enagbare is rounding into his own entering Year 4 in Columbia. He’s constantly improving and has all the traits to play a bevy of positions on the defensive line in Detroit.
35. Jacksonville Jaguars: Jalen Wydermyer, TE, Texas A&M
Jalen Wydermyer is the top tight end in the class by a long shot, entering his third season at Texas A&M with 12 touchdowns already. He’s an incredibly talented athlete as well and should fit in nicely as a move-TE around Urban Meyer’s offensive scheme.
36. New York Jets: Nik Bonitto, OLB, Oklahoma
The first three picks for the Jets are on the defensive side of the ball as they continue to rebuild around what head coach Robert Saleh wants to do. After addressing offensive needs heavily in 2021, the defensive rebuild continues with a strong pass rusher with plus-ability in coverage as a well-rounded off-ball defender in Nik Bonitto.
37. Cincinnati Bengals: Rasheed Walker, OT, Penn State
With well-rounded pass sets, Rasheed Walker injects a bit of size and talent into a Bengals’ offensive line unit void of both. Walker’s selection not only allows Jonah Williams the potential to kick inside, but it also allows the Bengals to move on from Riley Reiff as the stop-gap after the one-year deal he signed this past offseason expires.
38. Philadelphia Eagles: Sevyn Banks, CB, Ohio State
The next great Ohio State defensive back entering the NFL may very well just be Sevyn Banks. A member of the all-name team in college football, Banks is far from anything less than a top-flight cover cornerback with sticky coverage ability in a variety of coverages.
39. New York Giants: Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, CB, TCU
LaDainian Tomlinson’s nephew goes next as the bloodlines of the 2022 NFL Draft start to take center stage. A bit undersized at cornerback, Hodges-Tomlinson makes up for that with fiery skills at the catch point and a tremendous physical nature against outside receivers.
40. Atlanta Falcons: Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati
The future is now. The future is Desmond Ridder. Though he has a ways to go before becoming a downfield passer, Ridder presents a unique skillset in the fact that he’s incredibly accurate to the short-and-intermediate levels of the field while bringing plus-rushing ability. Ridder leads all returning college quarterbacks in 2021 in yards per attempt on the ground, meaning if the play breaks down at the next level, his rushing ability and elusiveness will keep him alive as he develops his downfield passing.
41. New York Jets: Isaiah Likely, TE, Coastal Carolina
The Jets finally get back to the offensive side of the ball with a valuable pass catcher at the tight end spot. A well-rounded pass-catching tight end is pivotal for a timing offense like the Jets want to run, and Isaiah Likely‘s skills fit perfectly.
42. Chicago Bears: Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington
Chicago’s first pick of this class is on defense with the talented outside playmaker Trent McDuffie. A Jimmy Lake-coached defensive back will always be ready to compete in the pros in Year 1. McDuffie is next in line with his unique blend of football intelligence and coverage ability in both man and zone.
43. Denver Broncos: Zion Nelson, OT, Miami
The big man from South Florida should continually rocket up draft boards as his 2020 season was something to behold. With tremendous athletic ability for his size, Zion Nelson is terrific on the move and is a great blocker in space on zone-blocking schemes while not being a slouch in pass protection.
44. Las Vegas Raiders: Tyler Davis, DT, Clemson
A reach? Yes, perhaps, but we all know Jon Gruden loves him some Clemson Tigers. Davis is a serious people mover on the inside, ripping off double-digit sacks over the past two seasons while constantly eating up double-teams. Refining his skills as a run defender and tackler in space is key to his NFL development, but he has the pass-rush ability to help out right away.
45. Arizona Cardinals: Kyren Williams, RB, Notre Dame
Kyren Williams is a talented rusher with the ball in his hands but perhaps even a better receiver. With Jack Coan as his quarterback in 2021, it’s likely his receiving numbers will only rocket up. Thus, proving his ability as an every-down back for the Cardinals, who absolutely could use a durable home-run threat like Williams in their backfield behind Kyler Murray.
46. Washington Football Team: Zion Johnson, G, Boston College
With Brandon Scherff’s long-term status with the team unknown and Ereck Flowers an unknown inside, Johnson’s upside as a mauling run blocker in space should be a no-brainer here. Johnson is a tackle but projects inside as a guard with his size at 6’3″, 310 pounds, and could be a long-term solution to the long-term questions about Scherff.
47. Minnesota Vikings: Brandon Joseph, S, Northwestern
If he wants to make it into the first-round discussion, Brandon Joseph will have to prove that the 2020 season was not an anomaly. He picked off 6 passes but made very few other plays on the ball in coverage a year ago, giving pause to his overall coverage ability on the back end.
48. Los Angeles Chargers: Tyreke Smith, DE, Ohio State
The Chargers should have no pause in giving another talented pass rusher from THE Ohio State University another shot after what Joey Bosa has done for them. Though not nearly as talented as Bosa, Smith is a well-round athlete with plenty of the attributable assets for an edge rusher, including the oft-quoted bend and leverage ability.
49. New England Patriots: Allie Green IV, CB, Missouri
At this point, you’d expect Bill Belichick to do his homework on prospects far and wide. Inside that homework would showcase that Green is one of the bigger cornerback prospects in recent memory, and he plays like it. What’s most impressive about Green is the fact that he doesn’t lose any amount of speed through his 6’3″, 205-pound frame in coverage.
50. Pittsburgh Steelers: Josh Jobe, CB, Alabama
Alabama defenders in the secondary have been kind to the Steelers in the past, even if Pittsburgh didn’t draft them. Jobe has a long way to go if he wants to be compared to Minkah Fitzpatrick in any regard. Still, his experience in the Crimson Tide secondary and ability against a variety of receivers should melt some Steelers fans’ hearts.
51. Miami Dolphins: Eric Gray, RB, Oklahoma
Gray, a Tennessee transfer, will have his work cut out for him to see a hefty workload in Norman. But when he does touch the ball, hold on to your seats. He’s a home-run threat from anywhere on the field. Gray can take it the distance with a keen ability to shift his weight with decisive cuts and no lost speed. Honestly, 51 is likely too low for Gray.
52. New Orleans Saints: Jordan Battle, S, Alabama
The Saints need help on the back end as Malcolm Jenkins isn’t getting any younger. They addressed the front lines of their defense in the 2021 Draft and will likely need to address the secondary in this class as well. Jordan Battle is a hard-nosed player who can play both strong and free safety at the next level.
53. Dallas Cowboys: Tykee Smith, DB, Georgia
The term “flex defender” was made for Tykee Smith. A West Virginia transfer, Smith jumped to Georgia for the chance to play on the national stage and test himself against some of the nation’s best in coverage. He’s a short safety who lays the lumber, possesses the instincts of a tremendous linebacker, and the coverage ability of a sticky man corner. What’s not to like?
54. Atlanta Falcons: Abraham Lucas, OT, Washington State
With cornerbacks off the board and other positions of need already selected, the Falcons can go Lucas, one of the draft’s best pure pass-protectors here. Lucas has a bevy of experience in two uniquely shaped offenses under former head coach Mike Leach and current head coach Nick Rolovich at Washington State. He’ll be ready for whatever the NFL throws at him.
55. Seattle Seahawks: DeMarvion Overshown, LB, Texas
The Seahawks’ first selection of this draft sees them select a potential Bobby Wagner replacement in Overshown. A gifted athlete at the position, Overshown has remarkable size at 6’4″, 217 pounds, but moves through the trash like a smaller man. He has positional versatility and figures to patrol the middle of the field in the mold of a box safety at times with terrific coverage ability.
56. Philadelphia Eagles: Owen Pappoe, LB, Auburn
Stopping the pass is the name of the game in today’s NFL, and Owen Pappoe brings with him coverage ability in bunches. He’s got great speed and terrific instincts to patrol the middle, but coverage is his specialty. The Eagles address cornerback, safety, and linebacker in one 2022 NFL Mock Draft. Sign us up.
57. San Francisco 49ers: Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa
San Francisco fans will have to wait a while for their first selection, but if Tyler Linderbaum is there, it’s a no-brainer. The 49ers signed veteran Alex Mack to a team-friendly, three-year contract this offseason as more of a stop-gap at center. Linderbaum is the draft’s top center prospect and among the top interior offensive linemen in the 2022 class.
58. Cleveland Browns: Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson
Odell Beckham Jr. won’t be around for too much longer in Cleveland, and the jury is still out on Donovan Peoples-Jones. An influx in youth, talent, and depth at receiver are just what Baker Mayfield and Co. need as they likely work on a massive contract for their signal-caller. The more receivers on a rookie contract, the better, and Justyn Ross has tremendous upside if he can stay healthy and replicate his freshman season at Clemson.
59. Buffalo Bills: Perrion Winfrey, DT, Oklahoma
Ed Oliver has had his troubles, and Vernon Butler is already restructuring his contract to save cap space. Perrion Winfrey can come in and continue to develop as a pass rusher while seeing situational run-defense spots as a rookie. The intangibles are there for Winfrey, who wins easily at the point of attack with his leverage and strength for his size.
60. Los Angeles Rams: Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah
With their first pick in this 2022 NFL Mock Draft, the Rams make the smart call to draft an incredibly talented sideline-to-sideline linebacker in Devin Lloyd. Most linebackers with gaudy statistical tackle outputs are just the product of their position on the field. Not Lloyd, who uses gifted athleticism mixed with elite instincts to constantly find the right path to the ball carriers. A Morgan Scalley-coached player will always be ready for the NFL, and Lloyd is next up.
61. Baltimore Ravens: Haskell Garrett, DT, Ohio State
If you’d heard of Haskell Garrett‘s name prior to the 2020 college football season, raise your hand. If you heard of Haskell Garrett’s name after he suffered a gunshot wound that went through his cheeks prior to the season, raise your hand. Either way, all Garrett did after a tumultuous offseason in 2020 was produce and dominate with his pass rush. Garrett is still rounding into form as one of the better all-around defensive interior linemen in this 2022 class.
62. Green Bay Packers: Sean Rhyan, OT, UCLA
A mountain of a man heads to Green Bay in this 2022 NFL Mock Draft, largely set up to take over along the right side of the offensive line while he awaits a shift back to the left side when David Bakhtiari’s run as one of the elite tackles is over.
63. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Deslin Alexandre, DT, Pittsburgh
The Bucs enter the 2021 season without true needs and can draft the best player on their board. After addressing running back at the tail-end of the first, the Bucs go back to the defensive line with an undersized interior prospect in Alexandre. With 10 sacks to his credit over the past two seasons, Alexandre is largely still coming into his own and has all the traits to develop into a three-down defensive tackle.
64. Kansas City Chiefs: John Metchie III, WR, Alabama
John Metchie III has the chance to rocket up draft boards. Thus, his spot here is largely based on how everything fell before the Chiefs in this 2022 NFL Mock Draft. A player with Metchie’s raw talent and ability to win at every level should be coveted if he can show he is a true No. 1 receiver in Tuscaloosa this fall.
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