National Football League

2022 NFL Mock Draft: Walker, Gardner, Pickett make big jumps

Updated Apr. 13, 2022 8:23 p.m. ET

By Jason McIntyre
FOX Sports Betting Analyst

Our post-free agency mock draft has plenty of shakeups: offensive linemen sliding, pass rushers rising and four QBs sticking in the first round.

With a little more than two weeks until the 2022 NFL Draft on April 28, let’s dive in.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Aidan Hutchinson, Edge, Michigan

No change here with the top pick. As mentioned in my mock last month, Josh Allen and Hutchinson would form an edge-rushing tandem for Jacksonville to build around.

2. Detroit Lions: Travon Walker, Edge, Georgia

The steam is too much to ignore here, despite the Lions' sending seven reps to the Pro Day of Oregon edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux. Walker's measurables (6-foot-5, 275 pounds) don’t match the production (9.5 career sacks). Physically, he’s a taller Myles Garrett with longer arms and bigger hands. He ran a faster 40, too, but doesn’t have the athletic ability (vertical jump, broad jump). Walker started for only one year at Georgia, but he was athletic enough to cover kicks as a freshman. He was a five-star recruit and also a big-time high school basketball player.

3. Houston Texans: Kayvon Thibodeaux, Edge, Oregon

This is where the draft pivots. The Texans don’t want a QB here, as they believe in Davis Mills — for this year, at least. Houston has the least-talented roster in the NFL and needs impact players everywhere. It makes a lot of sense to draft the safe offensive lineman here, and Evan Neal did an unexceptional job in the national title game against first-round lock Walker. The past three edge rushers the Texans took in the first round turned out pretty well: Jadeveon Clowney, Whitney Mercilus, J.J. Watt. Thibodeaux has all the tools to be that class of player.

4. New York Jets: Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati

The dream of drafting Gardner with the No. 10 pick has long since sailed. The Jets picked up D.J. Reed in free agency, but he projects as a No. 2 cornerback. Gardner will be a top-five CB in the league in three to four years. He didn't allow a touchdown catch in more than 1,100 snaps with the Bearcats. Gardner totally shut down Alabama star Jameson Williams in the College Football Playoff game (one catch, minus-2 yards). The Jets gave up 72 explosive pass plays last season, ranking 30th in the NFL. Their explosive pass rate allowed was dead last. There’s a chance Thibodeaux falls out of the top three, and if so, it’ll be damn near impossible for the Jets to pass up the edge-rushing superstar.

5. New York Giants: Evan Neal, OT, Alabama

The OL-needy Giants are in a great spot to have their pick of offensive linemen here if the top four shakes out this way. Having two SEC bookends at tackle (Andrew Thomas, 2020 first-round pick) is a great start for new head coach Brian Daboll.

6. Carolina Panthers: Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh

The Panthers swung and missed on Russell Wilson, Deshaun Watson and any other QB they chased in free agency or via trade. The Sam Darnold experience turned sour after September, and his leash will be short this fall. Back in January, we outlined Matt Rhule’s history with Pickett, and the third-year coach can’t resist the urge to potentially upgrade at QB. Do the Panthers trade back to grab Pickett? That would be ideal.

7. New York Giants (via Chicago): Jermaine Johnson, Edge, Florida State

Johnson is in the same boat as Georgia’s Walker — off-the-charts measurables, but the knock here is that he’s already 23 years old. But the draft isn’t about what you are. It’s about what you can be. Have we seen the best of Johnson, who at 22 years old last season rolled through the ACC? Johnson saw far more double-teams than Walker did, and he produced more: 46 pressures, 14 sacks. Johnson’s Senior Bowl domination really set his path to a potential top-10 pick.

8. Atlanta Falcons: Malik Willis, QB, Liberty

Arthur Smith and Terry Fontenot surprise everyone by going with a QB. Willis is a year away from being close to ready, but Marcus Mariota isn’t Atlanta’s long-term option. The division is rebooting, with two head coaches moving on and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers doing a lot of work on both lines. The Falcons can bolster the weakest wide receiver group in the NFC — maybe the NFL — at No. 43 or No. 58. Willis sits for a year, then maybe the Falcons make a splashy trade for D.K. Metcalf and make the jump to light speed in 2023.

9. Seattle Seahawks (via Denver): Ikem Ekwonu, OT, NC State

The rebuild doesn’t have a face yet. The Seahawks' starting tackles on the depth chart are undrafted 24-year-olds. Quarterback Drew Lock isn’t going to do well regardless of the line, but you start to put the pieces in place for when that QB does fall into your lap, either via the draft or free agency.

10. New York Jets (via Seattle): Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State

The Jets haven’t yet added any receivers in free agency, despite reportedly trying for Tyreek Hill and Amari Cooper. It’s what they should be spending on, considering that their QB is on a rookie deal (see Buffalo, Miami, Jacksonville, Arizona). Sure, maybe they overpay for Metcalf in a trade, but it seems unlikely. I don’t love drafting a 6-foot wide receiver this high, but I don’t think Drake London is can’t-miss, either.

11. Washington Commanders: Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama

If you’re going to give Carson Wentz a chance, at least get him a receiver to join Terry McLaurin. Williams scored 15 touchdowns last season, and 11 of them were of 30-plus yards, flashing Will Fuller-like big play ability. Williams was a state hurdles champion in high school but wasn’t able to break through at Ohio State before he became an All-American at Alabama.

12. Minnesota Vikings: Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU

Two years ago, Stingley Jr. looked like a top-five lock. Injuries and uninspired play have derailed that. But if you’re drafting him, it is under the assumption that he’ll return to that form. And if he does, the Vikings have a steal, more than making up for misses on recent first-round DBs Jeff Gladney and Mike Hughes.

13. Houston Texans (via Cleveland): Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame

Hamilton's testing profile was phenomenal until a less-than-ideal 4.59 40. The thing is, he plays fast, and his talent at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds makes him one of the best overall players in the draft. If the Texans landed both Thibodeaux and Hamilton, they’d get an A+, and those two would be among the best players on the roster.

14. Baltimore Ravens: Boye Mafe, Edge, Minnesota

No change. The Ravens' pass-rushers are getting old; Derek Wolfe is 32, and Calais Campbell is 35.

15. Philadelphia Eagles (via Miami): Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia

Los Angeles Chargers fans are crestfallen that the best defensive tackle doesn’t fall to them. Philly’s Fletcher Cox is only 31, but he’s had two — by his standards — subpar seasons since being one of the best in the league.

16. New Orleans Saints (via Philadelphia): Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State

The loss of Terron Armstead in free agency means the Saints must add a tackle to protect Jameis Winston. Cross gave up just one sack last season, despite facing a tough SEC schedule. This feels like it comes down to Cross or Trevor Penning.

17. Los Angeles Chargers: Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa

I wonder if Justin Herbert is having flashbacks to his right tackle, Storm Norton, getting abused in the Week 17 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders? Norton gave up 11 pressures and eight hurries. He also gave up nine pressures vs. Dallas and eight to the Patriots (both losses). It’ll be a major upset if the Chargers don’t take a tackle.

18. Philadelphia Eagles (via New Orleans): Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington

The Eagles haven’t drafted a first-round cornerback since 2002. The Eagles were 22nd in DVOA defending No. 1 receivers last season, which was the worst in the NFC East. After the 18th pick, Philly won’t draft again until 51st, at which point the top eight CBs are almost certainly going to be gone.

19. New Orleans Saints (via Philadelphia): Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State

He set the Ohio State all-time touchdown receptions mark with 35, and he’s a YAC machine, which should work very well on turf. As long as he’s the No. 2 while Michael Thomas draws the top opposing CB, Olave should eat early and often.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss

From a football perspective, the tragic death of Dwayne Haskins leaves the Steelers with just Mitchell Trubisky and Mason Rudolph at QB. Both are solid backups. Pittsburgh needs to add a QB, and the world knows that Mike Tomlin is enamored with Willis, but with Willis gone, it’s Corral or Desmond Ridder, with Sam Howell the deep sleeper.

21. New England Patriots: Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia

Remember how incredible he was during the season? After three months of just seeing workouts and in-person interviews, Dean feels forgotten. He’s going to be a steal this late. He feels like the quintessential Bill Belichick leader, the same way Jerod Mayo and Dont’a Hightower once were in New England.

22. Green Bay Packers (via Las Vegas): Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas

Burks isn’t quite in the Deebo Samuel mold, but in this draft, there might not be anyone closer. This selection will be a receiver because the Packers cannot go into the season with Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb and Amari Rodgers as their top pass-catchers.

23. Arizona Cardinals: Drake London, WR, USC

There’s a need at cornerback but also the large void left by Christian Kirk, who led this team in receptions, targets, yards and first downs. When DeAndre Hopkins went down, the offense was bleak. A fun chicken-egg debate about London: He’s the best receiver in this draft at contested catches. Well, that’s because he struggles to get separation. The former is much easier to do in the Pac-12 than the NFL.

24. Dallas Cowboys: Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State

Dallas lost both Cooper and Cedric Wilson Jr. this offseason. Michael Gallup won’t be ready to start the season after suffering an ACL injury on Jan. 2. Watson had an unbelievable 57 plays of 20-plus yards last season. This pick could also turn into an offensive or defensive lineman.

25. Buffalo Bills: Kenyon Green, OG, Texas A&M

No change. The Bills have a loaded roster and might be the Super Bowl favorites before Week 1. There’s a potential weakness on the interior of the offensive line, as Cody Ford struggled big-time, ranking 79th out of 82 guards, per Pro Football Focus.

26. Tennessee Titans: Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State

The Titans added Robert Woods via trade, but the murky A.J. Brown situation has to be unsettling for Tennessee. Dotson won’t have the same volume that DeVonta Smith had with the Eagles (64-916-5) as a rookie, but I expect more big-play scores, as long as he’s opposite Brown.

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Arnold Ebiketie, Edge, Penn State

The temptation is to take a CB, as Tampa has six cornerbacks who are free agents in 2023. Also, the Bucs could grab an offensive lineman, as two departed. But Todd Bowles is going to need to generate pressure from his front, something that was missing late last season. Ebiketie is a late bloomer who picked up football as a sophomore in high school, was under-recruited, starred at Temple and then made the leap to Penn State (9.5 sacks in 2021).

28. Green Bay Packers: George Karlaftis, Edge, Purdue

The Packers ranked 15th and 27th in pressure rate the past two years, and now they have lost Za’Darius Smith, who led the team with 12.5 sacks in 2020. Karlaftis joins Preston Smith and Rashan Gary on the edges to give Green Bay one of the best trios at the position in the NFC.

29 Kansas City Chiefs (via Miami): Skyy Moore, WR, Central Michigan

We had him in Mock Draft 4.0 in January, and Moore’s stock has been soaring since. The Chiefs need an explosive playmaker after trading away Tyreek Hill. Moore did it all at Central Michigan — jet sweeps, lining up in the slot, on the outside, you name it.

30. Kansas City Chiefs: Dax Hill, DB, Michigan

One of the buzziest names the past month, Hill slides in to replace Tyrann Mathieu. A playmaking thumper, Hill ran a 4.38 40, and depending whom you talk to, he’s not that far behind Hamilton in terms of safety prospects.

31. Cincinnati Bengals: Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah

Between Alex Kappa and La’el Collins, the Bengals' offensive line has been fortified. One weakness on defense is at linebacker, where Logan Wilson is the team’s single point of failure. The Chargers and San Francisco 49ers attacked the Bengals over the middle with Wilson out due to a torn labrum. Lloyd had 43 tackles for loss in his career at Utah.

32. Detroit Lions (via Los Angeles Rams): Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati

Getting that QB locked up for a fifth year is key; just ask the Ravens and Lamar Jackson. All anyone remembers from Ridder’s great career is the disaster against Alabama. But he has reportedly crushed the interview process, and his body of work at Cincinnati — 87 passing TDs, 28 rushing TDs and, of course, his 44-6 record — wasn’t bad. I have flip-flopped Howell and Ridder in this spot, but for now, give it to the 22-year-old, four-year starter.

Jason McIntyre is a FOX Sports betting analyst, and he also writes about the NFL and NBA Draft. He joined FS1 in 2016 and has appeared on every show on the network. In 2017, McIntyre began producing gambling content on the NFL, college football and NBA for FOX Sports. He had a gambling podcast for FOX, "Coming Up Winners," in 2018 and 2019. Before arriving at FOX, he created the website The Big Lead, which he sold in 2010.