2022 NFL Draft Sportskeeda Mock 4.0: Packers get a new weapon for Aaron Rodgers
The Green Bay Packers need to surround Aaron Rodgers with some more weapons, and there are several directions they could go in with their first-round pick.
The Packers haven't selected an offensive player in the first round since 2011 besides Jordan Love in 2020, Rodgers' backup. However, that could change this year with some options that are too good to pass up. Let's go through the first version of our mock draft for the 2022 NFL Draft.
Lucas Abrenica & Derek Ringer's 2022 Mock NFL Draft
#1. Jacksonville Jaguars - Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan
Aidan Hutchinson is the best prospect in this draft and the safest pick to go with for Jacksonville. The Jaguars will get a huge boost to their pass rush for years to come, with Josh Allen already on one side and now Hutchinson on the other.
#2. Detroit Lions - Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE, Oregon
Thibodeaux began the season as the majority consensus number 1 pick. However, some lack of production and effort has seen his draft stock plumment.
There is absolutely no denying his talent, though. Detroit is rebuilding and can afford to give Tibodeaux some time to polish his game. An elite pass rusher is a must for the Lions as they compete in the same division as Aaron Rodgers and Justin Fields.
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#3. Houston Texans - Ikem Ekonwu, OT, North Carolina State
The Texans' team needs can be categorized as “Everything”. Taking Ekonwu will give them the best offensive lineman of this year’s draft class. They could be tempted to go in another direction with several top edge rushers available, as well as cornerback Ahmad Gardner.
But Ekonwu is the most logical option for the Texans.
#4. New York Jets - Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati
Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner has New York written all over him. The cornerback has an extremely high upside and considering that this is a division with Stefon Diggs and Tyreek Hill, this pick makes a lot of sense. The Jets should look to improve their secondary early in the draft.
#5. New York Giants - Evan Neal, OT, Alabama
The Giants need an offensive tackle, and with Ekonwu likely off the board, the next best option is Evan Neal from Alabama. Andrew Thomas is locked in at left tackle, so adding Neal to play at right tackle can make life easier for the Giants.
#6. Carolina Panthers - Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State
The Panthers shouldn’t complicate things here. Yes, quarterback is a need, but the Panthers are most likely better off sticking with Sam Darnold or possibly Baker Mayfield if a trade can be arranged. Fix the offensive line to both keep the quarterback and Christian McCaffery healthy.
#7. New York Giants - Travon Walker, DE, Georgia
The Giants also need an edge rusher, and if Walker is available at seven, the Giants won’t blink twice to snag him. Walker has a very high ceiling and could turn out to be the steal of the draft when we look back in a couple of years.
#8. Atlanta Falcons - Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame
This looks to be a “best available” situation for Atlanta. After trading Matt Ryan and signing Marcus Mariota, this team seems to be in a full rebuild. It’s going to prove very difficult to dethrone the Buccaneers atop the NFC South, so there's no need to reach for a quaterback or wide receiver here. Hamilton is an athletic freak at safety and can provide a Defensive Rookie of the Year campaign if he falls into the right system.
#9. Seattle Seahawks - Jermaine Johnson II, DE, Florida State
With Russell Wilson joining the Broncos, the Seahawks are hunting for a new quarterback. But they don’t need to look for a quarterback replacement with this pick.
There are a lot of positions Seattle could upgrade, but given their options, they’ll likely target a defensive player here. With Hamilton off the board, Johnson II fills a need for an edge rusher for a Seahawks team that struggled to put pressure on their opponents last season.
#10. New York Jets - Drake London, WR, USC
The first receiver comes off the board and joins the Jets. After reports came out that the Jets offered this pick to the Seahawks for DK Metcalf, it’s clear that their front office want to address this need.
The 6’4" receiver out of Southern California seems to be a great fit for the New York Jets. With a large catch radius and elite size, London can have an impact on both the passing and running game.
#11. Washington Commanders - Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State
Even though receiver isn’t the highest priority for Washington, they can’t pass up the opportunity to draft one of the best players left here in Garrett Wilson. With great speed and route-running ability, Wilson would give the commanders a nice receiving core for next season.
#12. Minnesota Vikings - Derek Stingley Jr, CB, LSU
The Vikings still have to play Aaron Rodgers twice a year, so having a talent like Derek Stingley Jr. fall into your lap is tough to pass up on. It’s also worth adding that the LSU defensive coordinator that Stingley played for in college is now the defensive backs coach for the Minnesota Vikings.
#13. Houston Texans - Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington
The Texans could target a wide receiver here, but there’s no reason not to add a defensive back for their rebuild. McDuffie is the best player available, so Houston shouldn’t reach to fill a positional need or overthink this one too much.
#14. Baltimore Ravens - Jordan Davis, DL, Georgia
Love this landing spot for Davis here. Davis is a raw talent right now but has shown a solid work ethic by showing up to the combine 20 pounds lighter than he weighed in at Georgia. If he can improve his pass-rushing skills, Baltimore could have one of the steals of this draft. Jordan Davis was a menace in his time at Georgia and played a key role in leading them to a National Championship. Baltimore strengthens their defensive line here in a division where they play Najee Harris, Joe Mixon, and Nick Chubb twice a year.
#15. Philadelphia Eagles - Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah
The Eagles are looking for a linebacker with one of their first two-round picks, and Lloyd is the best all-round LB in this draft. The Utah product can come in right away and help a team looking to bolster their defense heading into next year.
#16. New Orleans Saints - Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State
The New Orleans Saints land a proven playmaker from an elite conference. Olave ran a very impressive 4.26 40-yard dash at NFL Combine, which would pair very well alongside a physical receiver like Michael Thomas.
#17. San Diego Chargers - Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa
Justin Herbert is the future of the Chargers, so their first priority should be keeping him upright. At 6-7, 321 pounds, Penning will provide the protection for Herbert that the Chargers are looking for.
#18. Philadelphia Eagles - George Karlaftis, DE, Purdue
With many of the notable receivers off the board, the Eagles draft the best available player. Karlaftis has great NFL measurables at 6’4 and 260 pounds. Adding a solid pass rusher would help make the Eagles' pass rush a little more consistent with Fletcher Cox getting older.
#19. New Orleans Saints - Malik Willis, QB, Liberty
The Saints will look to target a quarterback with one of their two first-round picks, and Willis could be the long-term solution they’re looking for. He needs to work on his consistency, but there is no doubt that he can already improvise and create plays out of nothing at an NFL level.
#20. Pittsburgh Steelers -Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh
With Malik Willis and Trevor Penning off the board, the Steelers select their (hopeful) quarterback of the future. Pickett probably isn’t a guy that could come in and start on Day 1. But he could sit behind Mitch Trubisky for a year and learn the playbook before taking over in 2023.
Willis is probably the more promising quarterback prospect, but with him off the board, Pickett is probably Pittsburgh’s safest bet after his incredible season at Pitt.
#21. New England Patriots - Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama
The Patriots have glaring needs at several positions, with wide receiver being one of them. Even with the addition of DeVante Parker, it’ll be hard to pass up on Williams if he slides down this far. Since Williams tore his ACL in last year’s championship game, it’s not unfathomable that he ends up getting passed on by more than a few teams.
#22. Green Bay Packers - Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas
The Green Bay Packers have infamously not given Aaron Rodgers weapons in the draft. After losing Davante Adams because of the long contract dispute, the Packers must fill that need. Treylon Burks is a freak athlete from Arkansas and projects to have one of the highest upsides out of any receiver in the class.
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#23. Arizona Cardinals - Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa
The Cardinals will get their eventual replacement for Rodney Hudson in Linderbaum. Linderbaum possesses great athleticism and is the best O-Lineman remaining, which is Arizona’s main positional need.
#24. Dallas Cowboys - Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia
Jerry and Stephen Jones have both notoriously drafted the best player available rather than picking players who could address team needs. This was seen when they drafted Ceedee Lamb and Micah Parsons. If Nakobe Dean falls this far, expect Dallas to turn in their draft card very quickly. If the top-tier offensive lineman like Linderbaum or Penning aren’t available at 24, the Cowboys should look into other options in round 1.
#25. Buffalo Bills - Devonte Wyatt, DL, Georgia
The Bills have very solid depth all-round, but they could use a defensive tackle. Wyatt is a great athlete at his size, and the Bills would be fortunate to grab a player this talented towards the end of the first round.
#26. Tennessee Titans - Bernhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan
The former tight end has great measurables for an NFL offensive lineman. Standing at 6’6 and 330 pounds, Raimann has the tools to become one of the better linemen in this class. Tennessee is in a situation where they need to draft the best player available, and while receiver is a need, it’s more likely for that to be addressed in the 2nd or 3rd round.
#27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Zion Johnson, OG, Boston College
The Buccaneers could use another lineman to protect Tom Brady. Johnson impressively only allowed six pressures all year in the ACC, and Tampa Bay would welcome the Boston College guard who figures to be an already polished player.
#28. Green Bay Packers - Kenyon Green, OG, Texas A&M
After picking receiver Treylon Burks with the 22nd pick, the Packers need to address another huge need: offensive line. Kenyon Green’s versatility sets him apart from a lot of linemen in this class. Green can play outside or inside. He spent his college football career in the SEC, where the defensive linemen are top of the food chain. Green Bay can accomplish two things in this first round: getting Rodgers a weapon and beefing up the on-field security around him.
#29. Kansas City Chiefs - Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State
In the aftermath of the Tyreek Hill trade, the Chiefs will most likely draft his replacement with one of these next two picks. Dotson is slightly undersized, but he’ll be a tough cover for defenses, especially in the Chiefs' offensive scheme.
#30. Kansas City Chiefs - Andrew Booth Jr, CB, Clemson
The Chiefs are going to have a different look to the team without Hill on their squad. In a division where the Chargers and Broncos both have elite passing offenses, the Chiefs should realize that strengthening their secondary is a necessity. Booth Jr. has been sliding down draft boards because of injury history, but he is one of the more talented DBs in the draft.
#31. Cincinnati Bengals - Daxton Hill, CB, Michigan
With most of the Bengals’ offensive line targets off the board, they’ll have to rethink their draft strategy here. Daxton Hill is the best prospect to go after for the reigning AFC Champions, and they’ll be able to utilize his versatility to strengthen their secondary right away.
#32. Detroit Lions - Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati
With the pick the Lions received for Matthew Stafford, they select their quarterback of the future in Desmond Ridder.
Ridder was a proven winner at the University of Cincinnati as he finished his career with the 3rd most wins all time and had a perfect 26-0 record playing at home. With Willis and Pickett off the board, the Lions take the guy who will succeed Jared Goff once his time is over in Detroit.