They went through the needs of the three teams and whether or not they could pick a quarterback in the first round. (3:03) The NFL draft is four weeks away. At the moment, 24 teams will have the chance to add at least one impact player in Round 1 -- eight teams no longer have a first-round selection -- and while this year's class might be light on surefire franchise quarterbacks, it certainly has plenty of game-changing prospects. I have been through the draft process before, from building a big board to submitting the picks. It is difficult to manage one team's picks. I will be making selections for every team with a first-round pick in 2022. This is not a traditional mock draft. I am leaving the predictions to my colleagues. This is not what I am expecting or what I am hearing. If I were representing each of the 24 teams with at least one Day 1 selection, I would make each first-round pick. It is based on my own evaluations and preferences, along with what I believe makes the most sense for every team on the board. The first 32 picks, starting with a no-brainer for Trent Baalke, are my GM selections. You can watch the SportsCenter Special at 5 p.m. On Wednesday. Adan Hutchinson is from DE, Michigan. TheJaguars have allocated a lot of resources to their offensive line. They signed guard Brandon Scherff to a three-year deal. I thought about an offensive tackle here and might have gone that way a month ago, but it has to be Hutchinson. He had 66 pressures in 2021, and he can be a culture-setter for years to come. Ahmad Gardner is a CB in Cincinnati. If Jacksonville goes another way, Hutchinson will have an easy win here at No. 2. That is not how things happened. I am aware that the Lions used the 3rd overall pick on Jeff Okudah two years ago, but I am also aware that he has only played 10 games in his two pro seasons. The Lions gave up the third-best opponent QBR last year and still need a corner. In the entire season, he didn't give up more than 13 yards in a game. Kyle Hamilton is from Notre Dame. I am not concerned about the subpar 40-yard dash times he posted at the combine. Hamilton would be an instant-impact player on the back end because of his rareVersatility and trait for a safety. Houston needs help everywhere, but it is tied for the second-most yards allowed per play in the NFL last season. Wilson is a receiver for Ohio State. The Jets did a nice job in free agency, but they still need a true No. 1 receiver after Tyreek Hill chose Miami over New York in a trade from the Chiefs. Wilson is a difference-maker, but the others are a solid trio. Wilson needs that. According to the information tracking, on 102 targets, Wilson had two drops and caught 89.7% of his catchable balls. Evan Neal is from Alabama. Daniel Jones needs protection from the offensive tackle pair of Neal and Andrew Thomas. Neal has 40 career starts and gave up just one sack last season. I thought of NC State's Ikem Ekwonu, but I think there is more certainty with Neal considering the level of competition he faced at Alabama. Being dominant against SEC pass-rushers is something. Kenny Pickett is a quarterback for Pittsburgh. Ekwonu is still available for the panthers, but they still need a left tackle. The most important position on the field is what I am thinking about as the stand-in GM. Carolina didn't address a glaring weakness at quarterback and missed out on Deshaun. The year for Matt Rhule is consequential, and the panthers need to start winning. The most NFL ready signal-caller of the bunch is Pickett, who has 49 career starts. Maybe it is a slight reach, but we are talking about a quarterback who could start right away for a team that desperately needs a better option. Kayvon Thibodeaux is from Oregon. The Giants have been looking for a game-changing pass-rusher for several years. They can't pass on his ceiling, which is extremely high despite some concerns about his motor. He had 19 sacks over three seasons at Oregon, and he has the size, speed and power. I am pretty happy with the haul here for New York, landing Neal and Thibodeaux to address holes in a massive way. Take a look at Kayvon Thibodeaux's most aggressive plays at DE and see why he could be the best player to come out of the draft. Drake London is a USC player. After trading Matt Ryan, Atlanta is searching for its next franchise quarterback, but Marcus Mariota can hold on for a year. There will be more options under center in the 2023 class. The Falcons have a star at tight end, but they don't have a wide receiver room. The current group includes some of the most well-known people in the area. London is a great talent and makes a lot of sense for the Falcons. Ikem Ekwonu is from NC State. The pass-rusher is going to be a spot to watch. They haven't re-signed tackle Duane Brown, who is a free agent, and could get a rebuild going with a young franchise left tackle. Ekwonu is a big man with lots of mobility. Since 2015, Seattle has allowed at least 42 sacks and finished in the bottom 10 every season. Ekwonu allowed nine pressures and three sacks. Florida State has a DE named Jermaine Johnson II. I traded away John Abraham 16 years ago. The Jets still lack edge rushing depth even with Carl Lawson set to return from an injury. Only six teams had fewer sacks than the Jets last season, but Johnson had 12 at Florida State. He is a physical edge Setter, too, and I think he is a more consistent prospect than Georgia's Travon Walker, who might also get consideration here. If I walk away from Round 1 with Wilson and Johnson, I will be happy. Chris is a receiver for Ohio State. The Commanders were in the bottom half of the league in almost every passing category last season, and they could use a boost. The receiver market is only getting more and more expensive as Terry McLaurin is a free agent in 2023. Adam Humphries is the only other Washington wide receiver who has more than 25 catches, and he is unsigned. The Commanders have a solid duo outside with Olave and McLaurin. Walker is from Georgia. Walker had a great combine workout, but he only had 9.5 sacks over 36 games. I have him falling to 12 because of that. He can develop into a force off the edge. Danielle Hunter, Za'Darius Smith and Walker would cause problems for opposing quarterbacks. McShay and Kiper have the same rank.
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1. Jacksonville Jaguars
2. Detroit Lions
3. Houston Texans
4. New York Jets
5. New York Giants
6. Carolina Panthers
7. New York Giants (via CHI)
8. Atlanta Falcons
9. Seattle Seahawks (via DEN)
10. New York Jets (via SEA)
11. Washington Commanders
12. Minnesota Vikings
Charles Cross is from Mississippi State.
Houston is back on the board thanks to the Deshaun Watson trade, and I am giving the Texans a smooth- moving pass protector in Cross. When I was the GM in Miami, I drafted Laremy Tunsil, and now I want to draft him on the other side. Cross allowed six pressures on 683 pass-block snaps in the SEC. That is fantastic. The offensive line is important for the Texans, after they once again allowed 40-plus sacks last season and are trying to develop Davis Mills, their second-year QB. Hamilton and Cross were Houston's Day 1 picks.
Tyler Linder is a C.
This one is very easy. A team that needs to open running lanes for running back J.K. Dobbins and quarterback Lamar Jackson needs a Day 1 starter at center in Bradley Bozeman.
Lloyd is from Utah.
It would be fun to be the Eagles GM on April 28. There are three picks inside the top 20. Lloyd can be a do-it-all player in the middle of the Eagles defense. He is a three-down defender who plays faster than his time in the 40-yard dash suggests.
Green is from Texas A&M.
This guy is versatile. He has at least 100 snaps at four different positions along the offensive line. The Eagles could use a player like Green because center Jason Kelce re-signed but for only a year.
ILB, Georgia is named after Nakobe Dean.
Dean is similar to Jonathan Vilma. He is slightly undersized at 5-foot-11 and 229 pounds, but he plays with excellent instincts and has the production to be a three-down linebacker up the middle. Dean can help the middle, but he can also affect other parts of the game. Los Angeles gets a complete upgrade at every level of the defense, with Khalil Mack coming in off the edge opposite Joey Bosa, J.C. Jackson ballhawking outside, Sebastian Joseph-Day filling gaps against the run and Dean controlling the middle of the field. Two years ago, Los Angeles took Kenneth Murray Jr., but he has struggled a bit.
The rest of the experts break down the class.
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Penning is from Northern Iowa.
Penning is the perfect replacement for Terron Armstead. The offensive line is one of the Saints strengths, and he would keep it that way. Penning, despite being a big man, turned in a great combine workout, which included the fifth-fastest 10-yard split in the 40-yard dash among linemen.
Trent McDuffie is a CB for Washington.
I already have the Eagles a lineman in Green and a linebacker in Lloyd. Philly needs a starter opposite Slay in the corner. The Eagles had the worst completion percentage against in the year 2021, allowing opponents to connect on 70% of their attempts. McDuffie is shutdown material. He allowed just 3.8 yards per pass attempt last season, which was tied for the third-best number in college football, and he can play in man or zone schemes.
Liberty has a quarterback named Malik Willis.
With the help ofMitch Trubisky, who is serving as a bridge starter, the Steelers can take advantage of the availability of the Liberty quarterback, draft him and let him develop before taking over in the QB-dominated AFC North. I think he has a chance to be a very good starting quarterback in the NFL because of his mobility in and out of the pocket. Pittsburgh has to find its guy under center after Ben Roethlisberger retires.
Andrew Booth Jr. is a CB.
Two years ago, J.C. Jackson and Stephon Gilmore were in the defensive backs room. They are starting Malcolm and Jalen on the outside. Booth has the ability to play all over the place. Booth over LSU's Stingley Jr. Stingley has only played 10 games over the past two seasons, and his production was not very good. I know what I am getting from Booth, so I am leaning toward him.
Penn State's Jahan Dotson is a receiver.
Dotson is undersized but has great speed and soft hands. The Packers need a possession receiver with Davante Adams and other players out of town, and Dotson caught a lot of passes last season at Penn State. He had only two drops on 142 targets and should be able to gain the trust of Rodgers quickly.
The teams that need a wide receiver are explained by Mel and Todd.
David Ojabo is from Michigan.
There is a chance that Ojabo will fall even further than this. Even if it means he won't debut until late in the 2022 season, Arizona should be excited to get a player with his pass-rushing skills. The man is gone. Watt and Golden are both 30 years old. We have seen players suffer injuries during the draft process and still go on to be high picks, including defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons. Arizona will have a productive disruptor off the edge once Ojabo is back to full strength.
The CB is from LSU.
Imagine Stingley covering up a receiver. There is a lot of potential there. Stingley is an intriguing prospect. He is one of the top four or five players in the class. He has an injury history that creates a lot of risk. Dallas could get a steal if he plays anywhere near his ceiling.
Kyler Gordon is a CB in Washington.
White and Wallace are both coming off injuries. The corners are coming off the board quickly, and Gordon has good size and can play strong man-to-man coverage on the outside. He picked off a pair of passes and limited the opposing receiver to just 15 catches and zero touchdown.
Arkansas is home to a wide receiver named Treylon Burks.
Jones was released by theTitans. Robert Woods is coming back from a knee injury. A.J. Brown will be entering a contract year. You understand the point. There are a lot of questions at the receiver position. He plays a physical style. Ryan Tannehill would love to have someone like him in the red zone, and I think he is a perfect fit for the team.
Jordan Davis is from Georgia.
I think opponents will try to rush up the middle against Vita Vea and Davis, even though Ndamukong Suh could still re-sign to fill the void at defensive tackle. The likes of Christian McCaffrey and Alvin Kamara are taking handoffs in the South. You have to have a great run defense in that division, and Davis is the best. If he stays in the 340-pound range, he will be a dominant defensive tackle in the NFL for a long time.
Boston College's G/C is Zion Johnson.
Johnson could potentially develop into a center if he were to be a Day 1 starter at guard or offensive tackle. He worked hard to become a center at the Senior Bowl, and there's no reason he can't end up in the NFL. Johnson had 34 inch arms and didn't allow a single pressure or sack in 2021. Johnson could replace Yosh Nijman on the right side if Elgton is able to return from his injury.
Williams is from Alabama.
Hill was traded by the Chiefs. They have the chance to use one of the picks that came to Kansas City in order to draft his replacement. Williams will not be ready for Week 1, but his speed and explosion make him an ideal pick. Williams had seven catches for 184 yards and two touchdown in the SEC Championship, and I was really impressed with him.
As he prepares for the NFL draft, check out the best moments from Jameson Williams at Alabama.
Arnold Ebiketie is from Penn State.
I want to get a productive edge rusher on the defense. Ebiketie had 9.5 sacks for Penn State last season after transferring from Temple, which was one of the three teams with fewer sacks than the Chiefs.
The CB is Roger McCreary.
The offensive line of the Bengals was the subject of a lot of work in the free agency period. I feel good about that, so I focus on the corner. Competition for Eli Apple and Chidobe Awuzie would be a good thing for Cincinnati, and McCreary is a feisty undersized corner with upside.
Matt Corral is a quarterback for Ole Miss.
The fifth-year option is important for drafting a quarterback. The Ravens used the 32nd pick on Lamar Jackson, giving them an extra year on his deal. Detroit can do the same thing with Corral. There is no need for the Lions to rush Corral into action since they have a new player under contract, and he is still working his way back from an ankle injury. He has a smooth release and is a quick prospect. I am interested in the upside here.
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