2022 NFL Mock Draft | Picks 17-32
Teams don’t value this receiver class the way they did the past few seasons, but there are a lot of different archetypes to choose from in the back half of Round 1.
17) Los Angeles Chargers: David Ojabo, EDGE, Michigan
David Ojabo would be a slam dunk selection with the 17th pick. He’s far from a finished product but has arguably the highest upside of any defensive prospect in this class outside of Hamilton.
Ojabo already showed an ability to improve week-to-week as the season progressed. It was like his Call of Duty experience points and weapons were on a 2XP weekend and then he also hit them with another 2XP multiplier.
The issue here is Ojabo doesn’t exactly help with the Chargers’ inability to defend the run. However, there are plenty of legitimate run-defending defensive tackles in this draft class, and most of them will be available when Los Angeles selects in Rounds 2 and 3.
18) New Orleans Saints: Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State
Chris Olave did not need to return for another collegiate season. He ended up being Ohio State’s third-leading receiver, being outpaced by Wilson and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. However, he also led the Buckeyes in touchdowns in 2019, 2020, and 2021, because in the red zone, it becomes harder to separate with a limited route tree.
Olave separates in tight spaces. In other words, he’s a smooth operator. Without knowing what the Saints’ quarterback situation looks like, Olave feels like the best fit. Like Michael Thomas, Olave will thrive underneath and make things easier for a middling quarterback.
19) Philadelphia Eagles: Drake London, WR, USC
Hear me out Eagles fans. Instead of looking for a second tight end who can catch some passes, just sign a decent blocker for the run game and draft Drake London to play heavy slot snaps.
This isn’t to say that London couldn’t or shouldn’t be used outside. It’s just that 6-foot-5 receivers with his skill set don’t grow on trees, and the Eagles could find mismatches against usually smaller slot defenders.
Eagles fans might feel a certain way about a Pac-12 receiver who wins a lot in contested situations, but this is different. The 2021 campaign was London’s first as a one-sport athlete. He didn’t necessarily play for the USC basketball team, but he was on the roster. His historic contested catch rate shouldn’t be a surprise, because he treats them like rebounds.
London will continue to fill out as an NFL player and grow as a receiver now that his entire focus is on football. But he already is a good route runner, particularly for his size.
20) Pittsburgh Steelers: Zion Johnson, G, Boston College
Some of you may be surprised to see Zion Johnson as the first interior offensive lineman drafted. Don’t be. Johnson showed positional versatility while in Mobile, Alabama, for the Senior Bowl, alongside some outstanding tape in his final collegiate season.
Trai Turner is a free agent, and if he doesn’t re-sign, the Steelers could practically close their eyes and point to a piece of paper to choose which interior spot Johnson will start at in 2022. That’s not to say the young line is immune to improvement, but it underwhelmed in 2021, and we can’t count on that development to materialize. The Steelers should attack the offensive line in most 2022 NFL Mock Drafts.
21) New England Patriots: Kaair Elam, CB, Florida
Put him in press and let him eat. Kaiir Elam doesn’t have the fluidity in his hips that other cornerbacks in this class offer, but they also don’t have his length. If Elam progresses mentally, begins to read cues from receivers, and understands which routes come at certain depths, he’ll be a force.
And once he does, the Patriots will decide not to pay him. J.C. Jackson could hit the market, and if he does, I doubt New England would be the team to get into a bidding war over him. Elam possesses the ideal build for a Bill Belichick cornerback, and he’s no slouch at attacking passes in the air either.
22) Las Vegas Raiders: Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington
The Raiders have had their struggles recently in the early rounds. But they get back on the tracks with their selection of Trent McDuffie out of Washington. Many probably skim over or miss his name on many mock drafts because of East Coast bias, but that would be a major mistake.
Like so many Washington cornerbacks, McDuffie is about as pro-ready as they come. Coaches have come and gone, but that fact remains.
McDuffie is different, though. Usually, there are red flags with Huskies DBs. They’re either small or a bit underwhelming as athletes. While McDuffie isn’t the biggest cornerback, he fits the new modern mold, as long as he actually is 5-foot-11.
He’s freaky explosive and his coverage intelligence should make him an immediate impact player for Las Vegas. His pairing in a Patrick Graham defense is a match made in heaven.
23) Arizona Cardinals: Jermaine Johnson II, EDGE, Florida State
Jermaine Johnson II has been a steady riser since before the Senior Bowl that he thoroughly dominated. However, he’s still an older prospect who’s a little bit tight as a pass rusher. Although he is powerful and explosive, he’s not one to turn a tight corner, which limits his ceiling a bit.
But what Johnson will bring is a disciplined and powerful presence against the run, plus a few go-to pass-rush moves that dismantle offensive tackles attempting to block him. Chandler Jones is a free agent, so replacing that perceived void was imperative here in this 2022 NFL Mock Draft.
24) Dallas Cowboys: Kenyon Green, G, Texas A&M
Cowboys fans cringe when they hear about “position flexibility” because they watched Byron Jones play out of position for years. Kenyon Green is a solid replacement for Connor Williams at left guard. Green played a ton of snaps at four different positions in 2021. Because of that, he was asked to do things he wasn’t used to doing, which created some bad habits and penalties.
Getting back to his natural left guard position should quell those issues. He’s everything you want in an interior blocker. Green has powerful and accurate hands, a dense frame, and an outstanding ability to reach the second level as a blocker. If the Cowboys want to continue to lean on runs from B gap to B gap, he’s a great fit.
25) Buffalo Bills: Derion Kendrick, CB, Georgia
Derion Kendrick‘s stock was probably hurt by his transfer, but the joke is on everyone else, as he got to win championships at two different schools. If Kendrick’s arms were just a tad longer, he’d be a perfect replica of the new mold of cornerback sweeping football. Buffalo does a lot of different things in coverage, which suits Kendrick.
He’s an intelligent zone defender who can work through route concepts and match correctly, or he can line up and remain in the hip pocket of a receiver. As a former pass catcher himself, his ball skills hold up, even if he lacks length.
26) Tennessee Titans: Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah
I spoke about “typical Washington cornerbacks” earlier, and now it’s time to talk about western US linebackers. Devin Lloyd is reminiscent of what we’ve seen from guys like Fred Warner, Logan Wilson, and Sione Takitaki. Guys that can cover their tushes off but might leave a bit to be desired against the run. Warner’s become arguably the best linebacker in football, and Wilson was nearly one of the heroes of the Super Bowl.
The Titans desperately need a linebacker in 2022 NFL Mock Drafts who’s comfortable in coverage. But Lloyd is a better run defender now than any of those three were coming out of college. He has good hands, and although he will need to get a bit stronger, he can stack and shed to pursue or scrape and make blockers miss at the second level. He’s also shown a few impressive flashes as a pass rusher, which is important in Tennessee, where they really mix up their pressure looks.
27) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss
Matt Corral has the most “he just looks like a quarterback” energy in this draft class. Although he doesn’t have the prototypical size, his game is excellent. He’s got a plus arm and plus athleticism, and he made some incredibly impressive throws from awkward positions in 2021.
If the Bucs strike out on a deal for a high-end veteran, taking a shot on Corral seems like a better option than throwing Kyle Trask into the fire. Blaine Gabbert shouldn’t even be in our vocabulary at this point.
Corral didn’t run many (any?) NFL concepts at Ole Miss, so his learning curve could be incredibly steep. However, reverting to a “heck it, Mike Evans is out there somewhere” mentality isn’t the worst option ever.
28) Green Bay Packers: Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State
In my last mock draft, Stingley somehow managed to slip to the Patriots. In this one, the Packers are the recipient of the Garrett Wilson tumble.
Wilson has the best feel for attacking leverage in the class. He will decimate any sort of off coverage he goes up against. He also has some of the most disrespectful leaping and finishing ability I’ve ever seen.
He’ll need to work at the line to get off press coverage, but Wilson’s quite possibly the most well-rounded receiver in this class. Wilson can separate at the top of his routes with good feet and explosiveness in and out of breaks. The only thing he really won’t do is be a burner vertically, although he still finds a way to win downfield.
29) Miami Dolphins (from SF): Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa
I keep gently reminding folks that Creed Humphrey had some of the best center tape I’d ever seen dating back to his redshirt freshman year, tested as the best athlete ever at the position, and still somehow remained on the board until the end of Round 2.
The NFL hates centers. They especially hate ones that are sub-300 pounds. Tyler Linderbaum was listed at 290 in college. Although he plays with great power, NFL teams have thresholds for a good reason (usually). But Miami will be going to a zone-heavy rushing attack, and that makes the Iowa center a homerun-scheme fit in this 2022 NFL Mock Draft.
30) Kansas City Chiefs: Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama
In this episode of “Just how fast can the Chiefs get,” we find them adding another 4.3 receiver. Jameson Williams needs to round out his game a bit, but he’ll immediately bring a true downfield element with length to the Chiefs passing attack.
Tyreek Hill is and will be Kansas City’s top target on the outside for the foreseeable future. Williams forces the defense to maintain over-the-top leverage, which will only open things up more for Hill and Travis Kelce.
Have fun trying to chase Williams across the field in man coverage when he’s running deep over routes. Demarcus Robinson and Byron Pringle are both free agents, and neither brings the skill set Williams does to an offense.
31) Cincinnati Bengals: Darian Kinnard, OT, Kentucky
The Bengals might be the best situation for Darian Kinnard before we know what they do in free agency. Although his style screams that he’s a guard, if he cleans up technically, he could be a fine right tackle at the NFL level. He’s an absolute bully as a blocker. If he learns to better use his lower body as a blocker, he’ll maul folks.
Cincinnati’s offensive line needs are the most glaring of any unit in the NFL. The fact they made it to the Super Bowl with that group is astonishing. If they’re able to somehow pull a Kansas City-type line turnaround, they could be the AFC favorites to make it to Arizona in February.
32) Detroit Lions (from LAR): Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan
Skyy Moore is the closest route runner to Jerry Jeudy that I’ve seen over the past three draft classes. He’s a violent route runner, meaning his change of direction is so sudden it sends a shock down your spine. That suddenness extends to the line of scrimmage too, which is why I don’t believe he’ll struggle mightily with press coverage at the NFL level.
Moore possesses outrageous foot speed and flexibility but also an understanding of how to out-leverage defensive backs. He probably won’t ever be a true No. 1 receiver, but he’ll get open against man practically whenever he wants, so he could have a Hunter Renfrow-type impact alongside Amon-Ra St. Brown. That’s not bad for the final pick in this 2022 NFL Mock Draft.