NFL Mock Draft 2022: Chickster’s Picksters
I usually try not to do too many mock drafts. Things change with Free Agency and trades that could change the entire draft plan. So this will probably be my only NFL mock draft for this year. But, to make up for only 1 mock, I’ll try to make this a little bit longer. This will be a 2 round mock draft but with no trades. I do mention teams that I think could trade out of their spot but there’s just no telling with these teams. I will also note that this is what I think WILL happen, not what SHOULD happen. We’d be looking at a completely different draft. Without further ado, let’s get into it.
Round 1
#1 Jacksonville Jaguars Select Evan Neal OT
Arguably the best offensive lineman on the board. Usually, with the first few picks in the NFL draft, it doesn’t matter what the team needs are, it’s usually the best player on the board. Luckily, this feels a need for the Jaguars at the same time. More suited at RT, Evan Neal could step in and start day 1 and protect Trevor Lawerence, but also help out their work-in-progress run game.
#2 Detroit Lions Select Aidan Hutchinson DE
I desperately almost went a QB here cause I can see them being that dumb. As the Old Man alluded to, none of these QBs are 1st round caliber QBs in this draft. Much less deserve to be drafted 2nd OVERALL. But it’s dumb enough that I think the Lions might. Regardless, I am proceeding with the notion that they are not this dumb. The Lions are probably looking for a DE here. While I think they should get Kayvon Thibodeaux because he is better, younger, and has a higher ceiling than Aidan Hutchinson. But, for some reason, Thibs is dropping in the draft. It could just be smoke, but I always operate with the notion that when there is smoke, there is fire. Aidan Hutchinson seems to be the rave right now. A little overrated in my opinion, but he is from Michigan and the hype is going for him. The Lions reach slightly on this one.
#3 Houston Texans Select Derek Stingley Jr. CB
After raving about Kayvon Thibodeaux in the pick before, you’d think I would go with him here, however, I think Derek Stingley Jr. is a better player overall. He might be the best player in the draft. The Texans have too many holes to fix anyway, they should take the best player they can and press on. I chose Stingley, but it could very well be Thibodeaux as well here.
#4 New York Jets Select Kyle Hamilton S
If it were up to me, Thibodeaux would definitely be picked here if not before. But there’s no way he should drop past 4th overall. HOWEVER, it’s not up to me, this is what I think will happen, not what should happen. Therefore I think the Jets select Kyle Hamilton. I think the Kyle Hamilton hype is WAY TOO HIGH. I think he’s the best safety in the class and a 1st round pick. But, there’s no way that he should be considered a top 5 pick in my opinion. But he is, and Kyle Hamilton fills a need at Safety that the Jets have. I don’t agree with it, but I think it’s what happens here. I would have picked Thibs here.
#5 New York Giants Select Ikem Ekwonu OT
Rounding out the top 5 in this NFL mock draft, I think Ikem Ekwonu is the best tackle in the draft. Evan Neal has the hype, but I think Ekwonu has the highest ceiling out of this draft class for Tackles. The Giants are setting themselves up for success by having a young and promising LT with Andrew Thomas and then they’re getting the best tackle in the draft with Ikem Ekwonu? Sheesh. There’s uncertainty with the QB position with Daniel Jones leading it, and frankly uncertainty at RB with Saquon Barkley trade rumors. What will be certain is that the Giants are fixing the line effectively with these two tackles so whatever they do at QB and RB, they’ll have a promising line to protect them.
#6 Carolina Panthers Select Charles Cross OT
No, the Panthers will not be taking a QB here in this NFL mock draft. I am still a believer in Sam Darnold but he is trying my patience as a believer. When will enough be enough to say he might not be as good as I thought? We’ll see. But for the time being, the Panthers will continue to try to help Darnold as much as they can until they find a new QB if Darnold doesn’t work out. Enter Charles Cross. Charles Cross should be the 3rd best tackle in the draft and the Panthers’ biggest need. The NFC South sucks and no one is touching the Bucs in that division. However, the Panthers should focus on building a solid foundation so that when Tom Brady does retire in 10 years, they’ll be ready. (I’m only slightly kidding).
#7 New York Giants Select Kayvon Thibodeaux DE
The Giants should be early winners of the NFL Mock draft so far. Getting the best tackle and the best DE in the class at 5 and 7 is disgusting. I’m not even a Giants fan, I just think this is how the board falls due to the stupidity of other teams. The Giants should be more than happy to add premier pieces to both lines. Such a good draft for the Giants, I really hope it works out this way for them. The way it’s looking, I think it is a possibility.
#8 Atlanta Falcons Select Malik Willis QB
Look, I don’t agree with any of these QBs chosen in the 1st round, but I don’t think it could be avoided, too many teams are too dumb to see otherwise. This is the first one I see on the board for a couple of reasons. Malik Willis probably doesn’t start this year. He is too raw and needs some coaching. Marcus Mariota will start and they’ll let Willis develop. He might learn how to use his legs more effectively under Mariota, but he definitely won’t learn anything in the throwing department from him. Also, Willis went to High School in Atlanta GA, I’m sure he would love to play for the Falcons and the Falcons would love some homegrown talent for the culture.
#9 Seattle Seahawks Select Kenny Pickett QB
The Seahawks can’t be confident in their QB situation after trading away Russell Wilson and having Drew Lock be the de facto starter. While this roster is just not good and has plenty of work, the Seahawks probably press the panic button and grab a QB instead of building a foundational roster. I do think Kenny Pickett is the best QB in the draft at the moment, but he doesn’t have the highest ceiling. It seems very Seahawk (more Pete Carroll) like to ignore all the other needs on the team and just grab a QB as the answer to their problems. Good luck.
#10 New York Jets Select Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner CB
The Jets are going to attempt to make a no-fly zone here. After choosing Kyle Hamilton 4th overall, now they are choosing the 2nd best corner in the draft. The Jets might not be very good, but they are trying to build a good defense to at least give the Jets a chance to win games. With the juggernaut of the Bills in their division and the Dolphins having Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, it makes sense for the Jets to add to their secondary to do whatever they can to counter that.
#11 Washington Commanders Select Garrett Wilson WR
The Commanders do not have a ton of holes to fill. It might be bold of me to have the Commanders take a WR here with Terry McLaurin and Curtis Samuel here. But, their defense is stout, I don’t really think any guard deserves to go here. Plus Carson Wentz getting one more weapon to help the offense would be helpful. Karl Heiser loves Carson Wentz as his new QB and surely he would be for getting a WR to help his QB out. The NFC East is wide open in my eyes. The Cowboys lost a lot of pieces due to cap, the Eagles are so-so, if the Giants pick who I put at 5 and 7 they’ll be better, and the Commanders got Carson Wentz who can play but is inconsistent at times. This division is wide open and with their defense, they can stop any offense in this division, but they will need to score on any defense in this division is the problem. Having a trio of Terry, Samuel, and Wilson is a fantastic start. Wentz already has more weapons than he did in Indy.
#12 Minnesota Vikings Select Devonte Wyatt DT
I think the Vikings’ offense is good, not great because I’m not sure what to do with Kirk Cousins yet, and maybe I never will. But I know Dalvin Cook, Adam Thielen, and Justin Jefferson are disgusting and will keep this offense going. Which points to the defense. The Vikings honestly get a gift here because none of those Georgia defensive freaks have been chosen yet. Honestly, you could put Jordan Davis here too and I would agree. Some are not as high on him as Wyatt, but either is great and will suffice. The Vikings add premier talent to the DL to help reshape the defense. I am old school and believe that the key to a defense’s success should start with the line. Run stopping and pressure on the QB will lead to better defense and that is what the Vikings get here.
#13 Houston Texans Select Travon Walker DE
I just mentioned those Georgia freaks, but now they are going to start rolling. The Texans picked Derek Stingley Jr. to get a lockdown corner, but now they add a freak on the line in Travon Walker. Just looking at his 40, 4.51 for a lineman is FLYING. QBs should be frightened that Travon Walker doesn’t come for them. He is scary and versatile, look for the Texans to place him all over the line to throw offenses off.
#14 Baltimore Ravens Select Jordan Davis DT
Have I mentioned Georgia and freaks of nature? I have? Just making sure. Another one falls off the board as the draft goes Georgia crazy. While the Ravens likely being a 3-4 means that Jordan Davis needs to make a significant improvement in his run-stopping ability. I do think the Ravens still get Davis and try to coach him up on it. CB was the other option here, but you can’t be mad at the opportunity to get Jordan Davis here.
#15 Philadelphia Eagles Select Jameson Williams WR
The Alabama connection continues to grow. While Jalen Hurts and Jameson Williams didn’t play together, they and Devonta Smith all went to Alabama, that has to count for something right? It seems that the Eagles like Alabama players (as they should) and are willing to go the Bama route again. The Eagles should be desperately trying to make up for the Jalen Reagor and JJ Arcega-Whiteside mistakes. They need to hit a homeroom at WR and Jameson Williams is just that. Somehow the Eagles were overthinking those WR picks. They got the Devonta Smith one right and they need to stay the course and get this one right too. This will be beneficial for them for their offense in a wide-open NFC East.
#16 New Orleans Saints Select Matt Corral QB
Did you think we were done with QBs yet? Not quite. I can’t imagine a scenario where the Saints are thinking “Yeah, Jameis Winston is our Franchise QB.” The Saints are paying $14 million a year for 2 years for Winston on what seems like a prove-it deal. Why not apply more pressure by drafting a QB, seeing as how Taysom Hill is now a TE and Winston was injured last year, drafting a QB makes sense. It also makes sense to wait a year for a QB, but the Saints probably take a QB here and roll the dice.
#17 Los Angeles Chargers Select Nakobe Dean LB
Back to the Georgia prospects. Nakobe Dean is probably the best LB in the draft. With Uchenna Nwosu going to Seattle, the Chargers want to try to fill that void. While they got Khalil Mack to play on the other side of Joey Bosa, and JC Jackson in the secondary, adding Nakobe Dean to the middle level of the defense will be nasty. The Chargers’ defense has to be elite with the offensive firepower in the AFC West, they might have the best defense and that might make them the AFC West winners, unfortunately.
#18 Philadelphia Eagles Select Andrew Booth Jr. CB
While Darius Slay is a stud and Avonte Maddox played well last year, I would say there is still a need at corner for the Eagles. Andrew Booth Jr. is probably the 3rd best corner in this draft and adding to the Eagles’ secondary can do no harm. The Eagles take care of two skill positions to try to win the NFC East which will be a crapshoot.
#19 New Orleans Saints Select Chris Olave WR
Even though Michael Thomas is coming back next year, his absence left a glaring hole at WR last year. Marquez Callaway disappointed, the Saints have Tre-Quan Smith, Deonte Harris, and not much else. That might not even tickle your fancy either. None of these guys showed enough danger to be on the other side of MT and cause trouble. That’s where Chris Olave comes in. Suave Olave (I want to say I came up with this nickname if no one else has thought of it) should help MT, with these other guys in the mix on the offense, the Saints’ offense just might be dangerous enough to make the wildcard. They have no shot to win the NFC South but the NFC is in a weak state to where they can make the playoffs maybe as a 6th or 7th seed.
#20 Pittsburgh Steelers Select Sam Howell QB
This is probably the most likely solution if the Steelers were to take a QB this year. None of the other 3 drop this far in my mind of how the draft will go. The Steelers don’t have a lot of holes, the OL still isn’t where they would like, obviously the QB situation, and maybe an interior lineman. Before the Steelers fans at the site get mad at me, I just want to reiterate that this is what I think will happen, not what I would do. It would be smarter to wait until next year for a QB, but you can’t roll out Mitch Trubisky and be happy with the QB situation, it’s just not possible. I will say I thought about going with Tyler Linderbaum here, which would be entirely possible, but for the sake of chaos, I put a QB here just to have fun.
#21 New England Patriots Select George Pickens WR
The Patriots have lost JC Jackson and a lot of the LB group. So why didn’t I go defense here? For 1, Bill Belichick is an undisputed defensive genius. He finds these no-name guys and squeezes the production out of them. He could find guys off the street and start for the Patriots and they will be alright. I am more worried about the offense. The Patriots lost Josh McDaniels and others of their offensive staff. They have a 2nd year QB in Mac Jones, and nothing in their WR room that screams WR1. The Patriots’ defense (Bill Belichick) will find a way to put a solid product on the field, but their offense will make or break them. Adding George Pickens to the equation makes it that much easier for them to succeed. Trey has him ranked 1 in the draft for WR, and that very well could be the case. Mac Jones needs a bonafide WR1, not a bunch of guys like DeVante Parker, Jakobi Meyers, Nelson Agholor, N’Keal Harry, and Kendrick Bourne trying to be WR1. You need a reliable guy for Mac Jones to throw to and Pickens already sounds more reliable than these guys.
#22 Green Bay Packers Select Treylon Burks WR
A FUCKING WR, NOT A QB, A WR. They should have done this the year they picked Jordan Love, they should have picked a WR. I sincerely hope a team that lost Davante Adams and MVS is not dumb enough to skip a WR again. Sammy Watkins is the de facto WR1. YIKES. While Burks might not be the best WR in this class, he will definitely be of help to a dying WR room. Aaron Rodgers is great, yes, but he needs help. Especially after he just lost Adams. Don’t overthink this one.
#23 Arizona Cardinals Select George Karlaftis DE
This one was kinda easy to make. Lose Chandler Jones, you probably have to draft a DE. George Karlaftis might be a good value pick at 23. Some had him as a top 10 pick after the college football season, the hype has sizzled and him still being a later 1st round pick is nothing to scoff at. No, the Cardinals didn’t get the 2 best DEs, but they got a solid guy they can plug in to try to compete in the NFC West.
#24 Dallas Cowboys Select Trevor Penning OT
The Cowboys lost La’el Collins, so the need at Tackle is glaring. Trevor Penning is in contention for OT4 in this draft class, he is big and mean and could help the Cowboys’ offensive line. However, the Dallas Cowboys offensive is becoming depleted. Zeke costs too much, Amari Cooper traded, losing OL, this could be a rough transition for the Cowboys. We’ll see.
#25 Buffalo Bills Select Roger McCreary CB
Who’s the other corner on the other side of Tre’Davious White. AH AH AH. Do not google it like I did. That’s why Roger McCreary here makes sense. Roger McCreary is still a good corner in a strong CB class. The Bills are going to make a run for the Super Bowl. They’ve been flirting with the idea for a while, but grabbing one of the better corners in the draft is surely only going to help. Coby Bryant could be a surprise here with the draft hype he’s been getting, don’t let that go overlooked as well.
#26 Tennessee Titans Select Devin Lloyd LB
I thought about going WR here, but would it really even matter? Ryan Tannehill is just not good. What else is not good? The Titans LB room. They have Bud Dupree and not much else. That’s where Devin Lloyd comes into play. Great value pick that fills a need. While the Titans defense kept them in most games last year, the offense might let their defense down again. That’s a Tannehill issue though.
#27 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Select Kenyon Green G
Not the best draft for top-end Guard talent, but getting Kenyon Green in the late 1st is probably where he needs to go. Tom Brady is old as dirt, and still just won’t stay retired, so I guess we have to help his old bones and keep him upright. Also, the Bucs run game is just not ideal, a guard would certainly help with moving the ball instead of letting Brady throw so much in his old age. I really do hate the guy.
#28 Green Bay Packers Select Jahan Dotson WR
I am absolutely picking another WR for the Packers here. I cannot stress enough how bad the WR room is in Green Bay. Other than Davante Adams it wasn’t that good anyway, it is so much worse without him. They traded him to the Raiders and got that 1st and 2nd round pick. They chose a WR with that 1st pick if you haven’t noticed. They need to take another one. Sure they might be able to take one in the next one or even find decent talent in the 3rd, but they lost Davante Adams. They need some guys that can come and play NOW. This spreads out the defense like Davante Adams did for the Packers’ offense. Hopefully, it’s enough for Aaron Rodgers.
#29 Kansas City Chiefs Select Lewis Cine S
Between this pick and the next pick for the Chiefs, they are in a prime position to trade up or keep one of these picks and trade down. But I fully expect the Chiefs to move from one of these picks if not both. I will operate that they keep both of these picks and pick accordingly. But, back to the pick, we just can’t get enough of these Georgia Bulldogs. Their defense was unreal this year and having 5 of those defensive players picked in the first round is an example of that. With Tyrann Mathieu gone, the Chiefs do have a hole at Safety despite signing Justin Reid. Lewis Cine has risen up in the draft stock to where he’s taken as the 2nd S off the board.
#30 Kansas City Chiefs Select Derion Kendrick CB
This might be a bit of a reach, but I think Kendrick can play. I do think the Chiefs are going to start fixing their secondary. I did say I expect the Chiefs to move up to grab a player or move one of these picks down. I just had to go with another Georgia guy because sheesh, these guys are insane. If the Chiefs really want to start fixing their defense, going with two Georgia guys that can play back to back is a great start.
#31 Cincinnati Bengals Select Kalir Elam CB
The Bengals fixed their OL issue, they made it a motherfucking priority given they had a Super Bowl appearance, they are giving Joe Burrow his best shot at winning a Super Bowl soon. CB was also a bit of a question mark for the Bengals before the season. They didn’t play bad, but I do think it’s one of the positions they could improve. They signed Eli Apple and Tre Flowers to one-year contracts, essentially prove-it deals. They add that pressure by taking advantage of a deep CB draft class and grab the CB from Florida to compete.
#32 Detroit Lions Select Daxton Hill S
Closing out the 1st round of this NFL mock draft, the Lions pick Daxton Hill. Remember for the 2nd overall pick that I had the Lions picking the DE from Michigan by the name of Aidan Hutchinson? Well, I think the Lions get another guy from Michigan that plays safety by Daxton Hill. Arguably the 2nd best safety in the class, the Lions stay in-state with their picks and get two Michigan guys to fill holes on their team to wrap up the 1st round in this NFL Mock draft.
Round 2
#33 Jacksonville Jaguars Select Jermaine Johnson II EDGE
For the first pick of the 2nd round in this NFL mock draft the pick is Jermaine Johnson II. Jermaine Johnson II can probably play as a DE and an OLB. The Jaguars add to both the offensive and defensive sides of the line with their first two picks. Jermaine Johnson II might be the 3rd best EDGE in this draft. The Jaguars tried to address the offense in Free Agency, but now they have to address the defense. This would be a start.
#34 Detroit Lions Select David Ojabo DE
The Lions are Michigan crazy in this NFL Mock Draft. They are going to try to keep these guys in-state and hope to bring some more fans to their games. This team isn’t good, but Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo were a good duo for Michigan. The Lions are hoping that this translates to the NFL in the long run after Ojabo may be out this year due to an Achilles Tear.
#35 New York Jets Select Sean Rhyan OT
The Jets are rebuilding with a young QB, the best thing they can do is protect Zach Wilson. They’re not going to win the division, so they need to build a roster over the years to compete for the AFC East or at least for an AFC Wild Card spot. Their offense is getting better and having a Tackle that can protect him (probably RT) could be beneficial to their future.
#36 New York Giants Select Tyler Linderbaum C
The Giants do have a need at Safety they could address here, but the Giants are going to address the OL again. They have paired up Andrew Thomas and Ikem Ekwonu at Tackle, now they are going to get the best Center in the draft with Linderbaum. The Giants still have a need at the guard positions, but getting 3 of the 5 on the OL taken care of helps. Getting Linderbaum at 36 is a steal and a half. However, I can see Linderbaum also going at 20 to the Steelers too.
#37 Houston Texans Select Myjal Sanders DE
The Texans continue to add to their defense. Davis Mills has shown that he is at least competent to play the QB position, they will probably wait to add to their offense until there is a clear path in mind. The best thing they could do is try to fix up their defense. In the weak AFC South, they might be able to win a few division games and have a higher win total than projected. Defense is the way to go for the Texans at the moment.
#38 New York Jets Select Trent McDuffie CB
The Jets got Kyle Hamilton early in the 1st round, they’ve added a OT for Zach Wilson, the Jets are going to add to their secondary again. In a division where Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs, Jaylen Waddle, and Tyreek Hill exist, adding a Corner can not do any harm. Trent McDuffie should be good value here in the 2nd round and will ultimately help the Jets limit any of those guys, but good luck.
#39 Chicago Bears Select Drake London WR
A lot of the guys here at Vendetta are out on Drake London, I can’t certainly blame them. But having him be the 7th WR off the board is a lot better than 3rd or 4th. I do think he goes earlier than this considering how dumb certain teams are, but this does help a little bit. A 2nd round bust, as some project him to be, is a lot better than a 1st round bust (as a Raider fan, I would know). The Chicago Bears attempt to help out Justin Fields with the departure of Allen Robinson, but I think they’re in for a rude awakening.
#40 Seattle Seahawks Select Christian Harris LB
After an ill-advised pick of a QB early in the 1st round where there are no 1st round QBs in the draft, the Seahawks get smarter in the 2nd and get the 3rd best LB in the class. Getting Christian Harris at #40 is a steal. The loss of Bobby Wagner will hurt and the Seahawks will try to fill that void with Harris. With the Seahawks picking 40 and 41, the Seahawks could move up or they could move down from one of these picks. Keep that in mind, but if Christian Harris does fall in their lap, that is a win.
#41 Seattle Seahawks Select DeMarvin Leal DT
The Seahawks have a better 2nd round than they do 1st round in my opinion. They had solid 2nd round talent in Christian Harris and then DeMarvin Leal afterward. DeMarvin Leal was seen as a 1st round talent early in the offseason but his draft stock has dropped since. Still, I think he could be solid in the 2nd round for draft value. The Seahawks’ roster isn’t good, they probably choose a QB in the 1st but they should focus on picking talent at holes for the rest of the draft.
#42 Indianapolis Colts Select Zion Johnson OG
The Colts may get the best guard in the draft in the 2nd round. Some are sold on Kenyon Green and Zion Johnson might be better. There’s more depth than talent in this class for guard. Not high-end but guys that may start or be solid depth on your line. That’s something the Colts need on the OL especially at guard: depth. Zion Johnson provides that and hopefully more for them.
#43 Atlanta Falcons Select John Metchie III WR
The Falcons do not have Calvin Ridley for the year which is a huge blow. Yes, Cordarrelle Patterson COULD play WR, but I fully expect the Falcons to use him as a utility knife. I had the Falcons choosing a QB in the first round (not a decision I agree with, but I think it happens), now they get a WR that can have an immediate impact and also hopefully line up on the other side of Ridley. John Metchie is nothing to scoff at, the guy can play and will help the Falcons even if Mariota is throwing to him.
#44 Cleveland Browns Select Justyn Ross WR
If people were smart, they would realize that Justyn Ross can play and should be chosen in the 2nd round. Sure, his stock is down and this might be a reach, but with the Browns WR room and the acquisition of Watson, they have to try to find for sure talent now. This offense can be dangerous but it won’t be that much if Davis Peoples-Jones is the WR2. Justyn Ross makes it scary, not DPJ.
#45 Baltimore Ravens Select Arnold Ebiketie EDGE
Don’t expect me to spell out ole Arnold’s last name out over and over again. Guy is athletic as fuck. The Ravens are going full athleticism here with Jordan Davis and Arnold E on the line. They’re hoping to coach them up some, but shouldn’t be bad to have at least some athleticism on the line.
#46 Minnesota Vikings Select Jalen Pitre S
I don’t think the next batch of corners deserves to be picked this high but Jalen Pitre does. I would say that Pitre is the #1 safety out of the tier 2 safety prospects. The Vikings have a huge need in the secondary, more CB than S, but a S would certainly help. The Vikings’ defense is preventing them from contending, they add premier DT talent with Wyatt, and now they try their best in the secondary.
#47 Washington Commanders Select Chad Muma LB
There might be better LBs here at 47, but Muma has been solid this year for Wyoming. He did not have a good day at the Combine but let’s hope that not telling of his future with Washington. Muma wouldn’t be starting anyway, he would be solid depth for an already stout defense. The Commanders took care of business addressing the WR position. They won’t address the QB position until next year when they see how Wentz plays, they’ll just add to their defense to compete in the NFC East.
#48 Chicago Bears Select Nicholas Petit-Frere OT
We’re now halfway through the 2nd round of this NFL mock draft. The pick is Nicholas Petit-Frere. He might be the 5th best tackle in the class, but he totally feels right here. Good middle-round pick in the 2nd. The Bears already grabbed a WR (a bad one but the idea is there) and now are trying to protect Justin Fields with a tackle that could start game 1 for the Bears. I like this pick more than the last one.
#49 New Orleans Saints Select Tyler Smith OT
I already chose a QB and a WR. The QB pick could be seen as a stretch but I do see it as a possibility. The Saints were hoping that Petit-Frere dropped one more pick and it could happen, but Tyler Smith might be as good as Petit-Frere if not better. Armstead leaving left a giant hole at tackle for the Saints. Even though their first 3 picks are offensive players, I think it’s necessary.
#50 Kansas City Chiefs Select Drake Jackson DE
Defense. Defense. Defense. I can say all I want about Tyreek Hill being gone. But the Chiefs still have an offensive genius in Andy Reid, and freak of a QB in Mahomes, and still have competent receivers with MVS and Juju, WITH Travis Kelce. The Chiefs’ offense will figure out a way to be great, but the defense is a question mark. Drake Jackson might be too high here but it is a need the Chiefs have. Fixing the defense is what is going to win the Chiefs close games. Tyreek Hill opened up their offense, it might be different for them but they will still score.
#51 Philadelphia Eagles Select Quay Walker LB
There goes them Georgia boys again. Georgia’s defense comes up in the draft once again after the Eagles select Quay. The Eagles already added to their secondary and their WR room, now they get a LB that they can depend on for the future. It was between Quay and Channing Tindall here, but Quay seemed like a Philly guy so I just put him here.
#52 Pittsburgh Steelers Select Jamaree Slayer OG
The Pittsburgh guys at Vendetta might plan to kill me if I don’t make an early OL pick. Especially after I chose Sam Howell in the 1st round for them. But I think this one makes sense Slayer is a good athlete, doesn’t care who’s in front of him, he will compete. He bullied kids at the combine and Senior Bowl, he has a certain nastiness that fits the Steelers identity. Don’t kill me Vendetta writers, I got you an offensive lineman.
#53 Green Bay Packers Select Channing Tindall LB
I already chose 2 WRs, there’s no way I’m choosing 3. Let’s start thinking defense here for the Packers. I think they have to go with the best defensive talent on the board here which could be Channing Tindall. Can’t say enough about these Georgia kids, I think this one might be the last one. Some draft guys have these players low but I think they could easily be 2nd round talent. The Packers have been needing an LB forever, but I had to address the WR room for the Packers, they have ignored it for too long.
#54 New England Patriots Select Coby Bryant CB
The Patriots have to do something after losing J.C. Jackson, luckily they might be having the draft of their life. We usually don’t see the Patriots draft as well as this, but it’s because of me. They get George Pickens in the 1st and a guy that drops to 54 when he might be picked well before that in Coby Bryant. The other stud on the other side of Sauce Gardner. This fills some of the void that JC Jackson will bring.
#55 Arizona Cardinals Select Perrion Winfrey DT
The Cardinals continue to add to their defensive line. They got George Karlaftis in the 1st round, but now they are looking to secure the middle as well. The Cardinals offense was fine but the defense was shaky at times, they need any help they can get if they are looking to contain the Rams.
#56 Dallas Cowboys Select Ed Ingram G
Ed Ingram might go to the Steelers here and Slayer here at the Cowboys but you get the idea. The Cowboys added to their OL in the 1st and 2nd round to try to salvage any talent they have on the line. The Cowboys might struggle this next year with this line we will have to see.
#57 Buffalo Bills Select Kenneth Walker RB
I think the talk for RBs early in the draft has gone away. Kenneth Walker might be the best RB in this draft and getting him late at the end of the 2nd round is great value for him. It’s certainly better than Devin Singletary and Zach Moss. Look for Kenneth Walker to take over the RB room in Buffalo.
#58 Atlanta Falcons Select Boye Mafe DE
We know the Falcons have no problem drafting older players like Hayden Hurst. Surely, Boya Mafe is not as old as Hayden Hurst when he got drafted but Mafe is already 23 and is turning 24 in November. Yeah the Falcons fill a hole at DE with Mafe, but you have to think maybe other guys have more of a ceiling, still this is the one I think the Falcons take.
#59 Green Bay Packers Select Cameron Thomas EDGE
This guy is huge and was full of production while at SDSU. He’s 6’4 267 pounds. His motor might be worth noting and with his size, he can be versatile on the defensive line. Perfect for the Packers that took Channing Tindall a few picks before. Being able to thorw Cameron Thomas all over the DL and with his motor works perfectly for the Packers.
#60 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Kingsley Enagbare DE
This is more of a depth pick if anything in this NFL Mock Draft. Kingsley Enagbare hasn’t been labeled as good here at Vendetta, but it is a need of the Bucs. They currently only have 3 DE on the depth chart, hopefully Enagbare can learn and be better later on.
#61 San Francisco 49ers Select Calvin Austin III WR
Brandon Aiyuk. That’s probably the 49ers’ next best WR after Deebo Samuel. Do you see the problem? Calvin Austin III can play football and is a track guy. I think that’s different than a track guy that plays football if that makes sense. Anyway, look for Calvin Austin III to open up the offense for the 49ers with his speed and potentially be the WR2 for them. It will hopefully lighten the load for Deebo as well.
#62 Kansas City Chiefs Select Wan’Dale Robinson WR
I did talk about the Chiefs being fine with MVS, Juju, and Travis Kelce, however, they can’t pass the talent at 62 with Wan’Dale Robinson. He will fit nicely and make the Chiefs’ offense even more dangerous. The Chiefs may have lost Tyreek Hill, but they have 3 WRs that are arguably better than their WR2 last year, and still Travis Kelce. Andy Reid is an offensive genius and Patrick Mahomes is still the QB, would it be a stretch to say the Chiefs offense might be better than last year?
#63 Cincinnati Bengals Select Alec Lindstrom C OR Lecitus Smith G
This is the only one I put OR for. It depends on where Ted Karras and Alex Cappa, if they both play guard then Lindstrom is the pick here. If one of them plays Center, then Lecitus Smith should be the pick. Either way the Bengals will add another piece to the OL where the value is better in the 2nd. The corner in the first round was the right pick, but now we’re still adding some depth to the OL for the Bengals and getting this offense as scary as we can.
#64 Denver Broncos Select Bernhard Raimann OT
The last pick for this NFL mock draft. The Broncos add an OT here to help out their depth. They could trade out of this pick because I’m not sure Raimann deserves to be picked here. But, he’s here just to close it out. I already predicted 63 and I doubt I’m that much of a wizard to get all of these right, but maybe.
That concludes this NFL Mock Draft, doing 2 rounds of predictions was a little tough but before any trades and such on draft night, I do think I have a good grasp on this year’s draft…maybe. Who knows? I could be completely wrong on all of these but I hope not. Let’s see how it all shakes out on the draft weekend.
