2022 NFL Mock Draft: Trades dominate bottom half of Round 1

2022 NFL Mock Draft | 17-32

Which prospects in the bottom half of Round 1 could end up as steals?

17) New England Patriots: Brandon Joseph, S, Northwestern

Looking at the Patriots’ secondary, they could be due for turnover at the safety position. Patrick Chung retired earlier this year, and the rest of Devin McCourty’s contract voids in 2022. Alongside versatile piece Kyle Dugger, Northwestern’s Brandon Joseph would be an exciting fit. Joseph has a long frame at 6’1″, but beyond that, he’s a great athlete and incredibly instinctive as a playmaker.

18) Pittsburgh Steelers: Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida

The 2021 season may sort out a few things for the Steelers, but by 2022, questions will likely remain at several positions, including quarterback and cornerback. Pittsburgh could finally entertain a signal-caller here, but instead, they pick the best CB left on the board in Florida’s Kaiir Elam. Elam, like Stingley, is another elite athlete with size and speed. He has tremendous closing burst and fluidity for his 6’2″, 193-pound frame.

19) Green Bay Packers (from Philadelphia): Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas

And we have our first trade of many to come. The Packers swapped their 30th pick with the Eagles’ 19th pick, and with this move, they’ve chosen to add Arkansas WR Treylon Burks to their receiving corps. The Packers need to ensure that this group is fully stocked for when Aaron Rodgers inevitably leaves and gives the keys to Jordan Love. With his size, Burks would be a great complement to Davante Adams and Amari Rodgers.

20) Cleveland Browns (from New Orleans): Myjai Sanders, EDGE, Cincinnati

The Browns opted to trade up to the 20th pick, leaving the Saints to fall to 26th. With the 20th pick in this 2022 NFL Mock Draft, the Browns add Cincinnati edge rusher Myjai Sanders. Because Cleveland has such a strong roster around Baker Mayfield, they can afford to trade up for guys they really like. Sanders, in particular, has the explosiveness, length, and bend capacity to be a stellar pass rusher opposite Myles Garrett.

21) Dallas Cowboys: Zach Harrison, EDGE, Ohio State

Zach Harrison might be one of the most anticipated players in college football this year. Joey Bosa, Nick Bosa, and Chase Young worked together to create near impossible expectations for Harrison — and yet, Harrison might have the upside to reach them. He needs more work than his predecessors did, but Harrison has 4.47 speed at 6’6″, 268 pounds. With his length and explosiveness, he can be a devastating force on the edge.

22) Tennessee Titans: Drake London, WR, USC

The Titans don’t necessarily need to pick a wide receiver. Julio Jones and A.J. Brown form a dangerous duo, and rookie Dez Fitzpatrick should also provide some value as well. Still, it’s become an increasingly enjoyable exercise to see what the Titans’ offense looks like with even more weapons. Drake London, in particular, has the size and run-after-catch ability that Tennessee has craved from its playmakers in the past.

23) New York Jets: Jordan Battle, S, Alabama

Marcus Maye’s long-term future is uncertain — and outside of him — the Jets’ secondary is very suspect. A Round 1 combination of Stingley Jr. and Jordan Battle can help Robert Saleh’s defense get back on the right track in the back third. Battle has an NFL-ready frame with good athleticism. He’s also impressively instinctive and versatile. As he trends up, his upside should only become more apparent.

24) Indianapolis Colts: Rasheed Walker, OT, Penn State

It’s safe to say the Colts have had trouble replacing Anthony Castonzo at left tackle. They’re currently rotating Julie’n Davenport, Will Holden, and Sam Tevi, and no one is running away with the job. Eric Fisher might take the lead once he’s healthy, but a safer bet might be to reinvest in the position in Round 1 next year. Rasheed Walker has the athleticism, length, and football IQ to be a solid starter for a long time.

25) Chicago Bears (from Miami): Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati

It’s strange to see the Bears trading up into Round 1, given how talent-deficient their roster is at certain spots. They could use more picks; a trade up would be costly. Nevertheless, for the player listed, it might be worth it. Ahmad Gardner can be a star with his length, closing speed, and awareness. Gardner and Jaylon Johnson is a duo that draws envy. The Dolphins win this too, as they get more picks to complete a playoff roster.

26) New Orleans Saints (from Cleveland): Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Michigan

Two of the Saints’ last three first-round picks have been defensive ends. While it’s not the most pressing need as a result, that frequency shows that the Saints value the position a great deal. And even though Marcus Davenport’s fifth-year option was exercised, he needs to produce more to stick around. Aidan Hutchinson is the Saints’ prototype at the position. He’s long, reasonably athletic, and versatile. Furthermore, the trade back provides more picks to use.

27) Kansas City Chiefs (from Buffalo): Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson

The Chiefs are masters at playing the board. We saw this in 2021 when they scored center Creed Humphrey in Round 2 and offensive guard Trey Smith in Round 6. They do it again here in this 2022 NFL Mock Draft but differently. Andrew Booth Jr. has fallen to No. 27, but many would argue he has the upside to go much higher. Booth’s physical tools are elite, and his propensity for making plays might ultimately rival Stingley Jr.’s.

28) Detroit Lions: Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson

A lot hinges on Justyn Ross‘ return to the football field after missing the 2020 season with a neck injury. Still, Ross has been medically cleared. If he can return to pre-injury form, he’s a first-round prospect in this 2022 NFL Mock Draft. Ross stands at 6’4″, 205 pounds, but he’s an incredibly smooth playmaker for his size. With exceptional lateral burst, fluid hips, and superb contested-catch ability, Ross brings a valuable dynamic to Detroit.

29) Baltimore Ravens: Zion Nelson, OT, Miami

The Ravens may need to perform maintenance on their offensive line next offseason. Alejandro Villanueva could be a decent stop-gap, but Baltimore could use a better long-term starter opposite Ronnie Stanley. Offensive tackle Zion Nelson could ultimately be the guy. He needs to clean up some mechanical issues in 2021, but he has an intriguing combination of size, strength, and athletic ability.

30) Philadelphia Eagles (from Green Bay): Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington

I’m curious if the MDS is a closet Eagles fan because it gave Philadelphia one of the best deals of the draft. Getting Howell at No. 6 is nice, but trading back from No. 19 and getting one of the best cornerbacks in this 2022 NFL Mock Draft is arguably even nicer. Trent McDuffie is a rare CB who has the combination of athletic and mental quickness necessary to be a do-it-all defender on the back end.

31) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State

The Buccaneers still don’t have many needs. And while the MDS can’t look into the future (but Kent Lee Platte’s a mad genius, so never say never), it seems to agree that Tampa Bay can afford a luxury pick here. The fact that Ronald Jones II, Leonard Fournette, and Giovani Bernard are all free agents next year only strengthens the sentiment. In this 2022 NFL Mock Draft, Breece Hall is an excellent pick and a great fit behind that line.

32) Buffalo Bills (from Kansas City): Perrion Winfrey, DT, Oklahoma

The Bills may ultimately pick here without a trade back when it’s all said and done. For now, however, they’re still working their way up to the pinnacle. One way to quicken that process is to keep bolstering the defensive line. Teams win and lose in the trenches, and with Perrion Winfrey, the Bills would have another high-upside, versatile lineman with pass-rushing ability. Winfrey’s twitch for his size is unnatural, and his ceiling excites.