Here’s the second round of our first 2022 NFL mock draft. 

2022 NFL Mock Draft

33. Jacksonville Jaguars: Georgia WR George Pickens

Jacksonville spent a ton of money in free agency addressing the receiver position but they acknowledged the draft is where you usually find true long-term answers. A torn ACL limited Pickens’ final collegiate season but he still flashed big-time potential. He’s the type of long receiver QB Trevor Lawrence has thrived with in the past. 

34. Detroit Lions: Baylor DB Jalen Pitre

The Lions addressed receiver in free agency and hit the first two levels of their defense with their prior two picks. Cornerback is a need but there are some intriguing developmental pieces already on the roster and at some point players need reps. That leaves safety. Pitre has been impressing scouts with his range and versatility. He adds something a little different than the safeties already on the roster. 

35. New York Jets: Washington CB Kyler Gordon

New York likes a lot of its players in the secondary as developmental options but Gordon would be hard to pass up here. He’s a good fit in the scheme as an athletic corner who is also a willing run defender. 

36. New York Giants: Penn State DE Arnold Ebiketie

The depth chart is rather barren for the Giants at edge rusher and Ebiketie should help with that right away as a speed rusher. 

37. Houston Texans: Minnesota DE Boye Mafe

A project player with drool-worthy athletic ability, Mafe could find himself going as high as the back end of the first round. Though he’s raw, he has the tools to develop into a strong pass rusher, and Houston has the luxury of time to work with him on his development. 

38. New York Jets: UConn DT Travis Jones

The Jets hammer the defensive line again. Even though it’s a strength, they don’t have a replacement for Folorunso Fatukasi as a run stuffer. Jones brings that plus the athletic ability to be more than just a two-down nose tackle if he can develop. 

39. Chicago Bears: Washington CB Trent McDuffie

This is a long slide for McDuffie but a lot of teams have athletic thresholds for cornerbacks that McDuffie won’t meet. He’s 5-11 but the real red flag is his 29-inch arms. That lack of length could have some teams seeing him as a slot-only prospect. However, McDuffie is sticky in coverage and he could remind new Bears HC Matt Eberflus of another slot corner he used to coach in Kenny Moore who has transcended that role. 

40. Seattle Seahawks: USC DE Drake Jackson

It’s a deep group of edge rushers with a number of guys who should be at least solid NFL contributors. Jackson’s athleticism gives him more of a ceiling, however. Pete Carroll hasn’t been at USC in ages but maybe he has some connections he can still lean on. 

41. Seattle Seahawks: UTSA CB Tariq Woolen

The Seahawks have relaxed their measurable thresholds for cornerbacks in recent years but Woolen would be a dream fit. He’s a rangy 6-4, over 200 pounds and ran his 40 in a blazing 4.26 seconds. It’s not just long speed, his 10-yard split was 1.49 seconds and he added a 42 inch vertical jump for good measure. His SPARQ chart is almost a circle (his hands are “only” nine inches). He needs refinement obviously coming from a small school but Seattle isn’t afraid of taking on projects. 

42. Indianapolis Colts: Penn State WR Jahan Dotson

The Colts have downplayed their need for a receiver but the depth chart outside of Michael Pittman is rather bare. Dotson would provide a deep threat with some speed, and while he’s not big he has perhaps the best hands in this class. 

43. Atlanta Falcons: Ole Miss QB Matt Corral

What I think ends up happening with the quarterbacks is there’s a flurry of trade action to get back into the late first round in order to secure the fifth-year option. The Falcons don’t have to take a quarterback this year, they’ve already made it clear 2022 is about “taking it on the chin” to a degree. But if they like a guy, especially if they can give him time to develop behind Marcus Mariota, they could take the plung. 

44. Cleveland Browns: Houston DL Logan Hall

Hall has been generating some buzz as a late-riser similar to former teammate Payton Turner last year. He’s more of a base defensive end and pass-rushing defensive tackle, but either way the Browns can find some use for him. 

45. Baltimore Ravens: Clemson CB Andrew Booth

The Ravens should be a lot better in the secondary with Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey back from injury. They more than any other team embody the ethos that you can never have too many quality corners, though. 

46. Minnesota Vikings: Georgia S Lewis Cine

The Vikings could use some help at safety so they aren’t putting all their eggs into former fourth-rounder Camryn Bynum‘s basket. Harrison Smith isn’t getting any younger either. Cine is big, explosive and athletic. 

47. Washington Commanders: Georgia LB Nakobe Dean

Washington spent a first-round pick on Jamin Davis last year but the mental requirements for middle linebacker were a lot for him as a rookie and the team seems to view his best fit as outside. That won’t be an issue for Dean, who would be a potential top-15 pick if he were bigger. 

48. Chicago Bears: Western Michigan WR Skyy Moore

The Bears don’t have the worst receiving corps in the league but QB Justin Fields could still use a lot of help. Moore projects as a starting slot receiver with the potential for more. 

49. New Orleans Saints: Penn State S Jaquan Brisker

Penn State just churns out athletes and Brisker is one of the latest. He has the size and speed to do just about anything from the safety position and should be a fit for the Saints as they are almost starting over after losing Marcus Williams and Malcolm Jenkins this offseason.

50. Kansas City Chiefs: Oklahoma DT Perrion Winfrey

The Chiefs need to reload their defensive line. Winfrey gives them another penetrating presence along with Chris Jones and maybe a successor long-term if he continues to develop. 

51. Philadelphia Eagles: Georgia LB Quay Walker

Philadelphia hasn’t put a lot of value on the linebacker position, cutting corners there in favor of dedicating resources elsewhere. Walker is a big enough talent to make an exception, though, especially in the second round. At 6-4 and 241 pounds, he ran a 4.52 second 40-yard dash. That’s an outstanding combination of size and range. 

52. Pittsburgh Steelers: North Carolina QB Sam Howell

There’s an argument to be made that if the Steelers aren’t going to take a quarterback in the first round, they should just wait until 2023. I think they like Howell, though, and he could use some time to develop rather than being rushed into the lineup right away. He should have that in Pittsburgh. 

53. Green Bay Packers: UCLA OL Sean Rhyan

The Packers like former tackles with positional versatility. Rhyan fits the bill and gives them more options on their offensive line which is in a little bit of flux for 2022. 

54. New England Patriots: Wisconsin LB Leo Chenal

A freak athlete who wreaked havoc at Wisconsin in a role that’s all too easy to see translating to what the Patriots ask from their backers. 

55. Arizona Cardinals: Oklahoma DE Nik Bonitto

He’s a little bit undersized but that’s mitigated as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 and he has terrific explosiveness and quickness. The Cardinals need more pass-rushing juice after losing Chandler Jones and Bonitto could help the group effort to replace that from Markus Golden, Devon Kennard and Dennis Gardeck. 

56. Dallas Cowboys: Ole Miss DE Sam Williams

The Cowboys need to keep adding to their pass rush after losing Randy Gregory and Williams is one of the players they’ve had in for a visit. 

57. Buffalo Bills: Memphis OL Dylan Parham

Parham is athletic for a lineman and can play anywhere along the interior, which is in a bit of flux for the Bills. They have a bigger need at cornerback but there will be intriguing fits for their zone heavy scheme later on. 

58. Atlanta Falcons: Alabama WR John Metchie

The torn ACL Metchie is recovering from is a bit of a curveball, but if that hadn’t been a factor, he would have been regarded as a safe, down-the-middle receiver prospect. The Falcons need to rebuild their receiving corps from the ground up, so solid if not flashy prospects like Metchie are welcome. 

59. Green Bay Packers: Washington TE Cade Otton

Robert Tonyan is on a one-year deal and coming off a torn ACL. Marcedes Lewis can’t outrun Father Time forever. The Packers place a high value on tight ends who can block, which is Otton’s strength at this point. 

60. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Alabama LB Christian Harris

Sticking with the future theme, Lavonte David can’t play forever. Harris could learn behind him and White while playing in sub-packages and then take over when David’s time in Tampa is done. 

61. San Francisco 49ers: Wake Forest OL Zach Tom

Remember this name for the back half of the second round. Tom has been a left tackle for the Demon Deacons but at his size will probably move to the interior. He’s a top athlete compared to other interior linemen which make him a perfect fit for the 49ers and their wide zone rushing attack. 

62. Kansas City Chiefs: Georgia CB Derion Kendrick

A converted wide receiver and transfer from Clemson, Kendrick looks a lot more natural on film than the way he tested. Still, Kansas City needs help in the secondary and Kendrick could develop into a plus starter. 

63. Cincinnati Bengals: Georgia OL Jamaree Salyer

Salyer has the size and competitiveness the Bengals are looking for on their line. He’d give them more depth and options on the interior. 

64. Denver Broncos: Georgia LB Channing Tindall

Georgia’s entire defense was filled with NFL starters and you’re seeing that here. All of their linebackers can cover ground fast and with bad intentions, including Tindall. The Broncos don’t have many holes, which is good considering this is their highest pick, but linebacker is a spot they could use help. 

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