A year ago, we were all trying to talk ourselves into a draft class that ended up with precisely one quarterback going in the first round. This year, the QB class appears considerably deeper, though not quite as deep as the 2021 group that saw five go in the first 15 picks, or the 2020 group that had three go off the board in the first six picks. In our first mock draft of the fall, four quarterbacks make their way into Round 1: C.J. Stroud, Anthony Richardson, Bryce Young and Will Levis. That could change, of course, and this feels like the year where a name or two Joe Burrow or Mac Jones their way up the board with strong performances this season.
Meanwhile, six edge rushers are drafted -- including with the top pick -- in this draft, along with five cornerbacks, four wide receivers, four defensive linemen, three offensive linemen and two tight ends.
One more thing: There are only 31 selections in this mock draft because the Dolphins were stripped of their first-round pick because of tampering.
Keep reading to see how all the picks unfold.
One other thing, and this is important: The draft order below was determined using SportsLine's Super Bowl odds, but in reverse order. We know folks are going to be very angry about why we have their team picking so high, but it's not our fault. These are your team's odds of winning a Lombardi Trophy this season.
NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
Round 1 - Pick 1
Anderson is the best player in college football, and he may end up being the best player to come out of Alabama during the Nick Saban era. Let that sink in for a minute.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
This isn't an indictment of Desmond Ridder, but instead the realization that the Falcons would like to get out of the "picking in the top 10" business. Landing a bona fide franchise QB is the best way to do that.
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Round 1 - Pick 3
The Seahawks' Russell Wilson contingency plan involved trading for Drew Lock and, well, not much else. Geno Smith won the starting job, but it's hard to imagine that either QB on the roster is considered the long-term answer.
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Round 1 - Pick 4
Justin Fields could use some help on the offensive side of the ball, and offensive line could be a consideration here, but there's also not much depth on the interior defensive line. Carter flashed consistently last season when watching all the other draft-eligible Georgia prospects on that side of the ball, and he'll be a difference-maker at the next level, too.
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Round 1 - Pick 5
The Jets used one of their first-round picks on Sauce Gardner, who won a starting job as a rookie. It's hard not to get excited about the possibility of pairing him with Ringo, arguably the best cornerback in this class.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
It's a recurring theme to last spring: a defensive-heavy draft at the top of the board. The Jags got things rolling last April when they took Travon Walker first overall, and they'll continue their front-seven makeover on the inside with Bresee.
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Round 1 - Pick 7
Murphy looks the part, but he's not quite in the same conversation as the top edge rushers in last year's class. That said, he'd be a nice complement to the 2022 No. 2 pick, Aidan Hutchinson, in Detroit, which would make it a lot harder for offenses to double-team the former Michigan standout.
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Round 1 - Pick 8
Is this too high for Smith-Njigba? Not necessarily, especially given how much better WRs are coming out of college now -- and specifically, just how good Buckeyes pass catchers have been in the NFL. Plus, the Panthers need to find Baker Mayfield as many weapons as possible, and Smith-Njigba is a consistent contributor for Ohio State.
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Round 1 - Pick 9
The biggest question facing Young is his slight frame. There's a reason to love nearly everything else about his game. And if Daniel Jones can't show progress under Brian Daboll, then there might be a parting of ways after the season.
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Round 1 - Pick 10
Skoronski was dominant at times against Nebraska in Week 0, and if preseason is any indication, the Steelers' biggest weakness will be along the offensive line. This feels like a no-brainer.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
Sure, this might be a tad high for Gilbert, but he has the chance to be special. And if Carson Wentz does indeed prove to be the guy in Washington, he'll need as many weapons as possible.
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Round 1 - Pick 12
If you built a quarterback in a lab he'd look like Will Levis. The Vikings have already moved on from Kellen Mond, the team's 2021 third-round pick, and while Kirk Cousins has been good at times, the team might be hard-pressed to pass on Levis here.
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From
New Orleans Saints
Round 1 - Pick 13
Yes, Jalen Reagor didn't work out, and perhaps the team should be more deliberate when it comes to taking WRs in the first round. But Devonta Smith is special, and more importantly, there are needs at the position beyond Smith and A.J. Brown.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
There aren't a lot of household names in the Patriots secondary, and while that doesn't mean this unit won't be good, they'll certainly miss J.C. Jackson, who signed with the Chargers in the offseason. Phillips isn't a physical freak, but he's a smart player who is rarely out of position and feels like someone who would thrive in Bill Belichick's system.
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Round 1 - Pick 15
QB was a consideration here, but the Titans did draft Malik Willis, who begins the season behind Ryan Tannehill. And if things go as expected, Willis will rarely, if ever, see the field in 2022. Instead, we have Tennessee bolstering its pass rush with Smith, who becomes the fourth Bulldog drafted in the top half of the first round.
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Round 1 - Pick 16
The Cards traded for Trayvon Mullen, who joins Byron Murphy and Marco Wilson, but there's not a whole lot on the depth chart behind them. And while they're young, and you could argue that their best football is in front of them, depth at the position is key in one of the toughest divisions in football.
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Round 1 - Pick 17
Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones are difference-makers on the outside, but there's room for a playmaker inside, too. Dexter is good against both the run and the pass, and his ability to consistently get into the backfield lightens the burden for the rest of the defensive line.
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Round 1 - Pick 18
After adding a WR with the No. 13 pick, the Eagles circle back here to take a running back. Is this too high to fill that position? Maybe. But this is a team with very few holes, and an offense that features a mobile QB who would certainly benefit from someone like Robinson behind him in the backfield.
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Round 1 - Pick 19
Porter balled out against Purdue, and it just reinforced what he put on tape last season. He also fills a role on a Colts team that moved on from Rock Ya-Sin in the offseason and needs to add depth at the position.
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From
Cleveland Browns
Round 1 - Pick 20
Johnson played guard in 2021 and has moved to left tackle for this season. The versatility is a plus, for sure, but he has an opportunity to prove that he's a legit NFL tackle, something the Texans could certainly use in front of Davis Mills.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
Baltimore had Odafe Oweh and Justin Houston and not much else in terms of pure pass rushers. The defense, which is much healthier than a season ago, will be better, but there's room on the roster for more edge rushers, and Wilson would make sense at this point in the round.
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Round 1 - Pick 22
A disruptive presence on the interior can wreck an offense, and to have that sort of player on a unit that includes Sam Hubbard and Trey Hendrickson -- not to mention a criminally underrated secondary -- would spell trouble for the rest of the division. Ika is a house but moves like someone 50 pounds lighter than his listed weight of 350.
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Round 1 - Pick 23
Duncan looks the part, though he'll need to add weight at the next level. And while the Cowboys need depth at WR, the loss of Tyron Smith was a reminder that there was very little margin for error along the offensive line, too. Forty-year-old Jason Peters will be the stopgap, but bolstering the unit is a priority, even after using a 2022 first-rounder on Tyler Smith.
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From
Denver Broncos
Round 1 - Pick 24
Bobby Wagner is now with the L.A. Rams, and while former first-rounder Jordyn Brooks remains, there is room on the field for a playmaking linebacker. Simpson fits the mold of what the modern off-ball linebacker has evolved into, and it's hard to imagine his transition to the NFL won't be anything but smooth.
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From
San Francisco 49ers
Round 1 - Pick 25
Quarterback could be in the mix here, for sure, but we're buying into all the hype Mike McDaniel and Tyreek Hill have been selling: Tua Tagovailoa is going to be much-improved this season. And if so, the team can focus on other needs, starting with edge rusher.
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Round 1 - Pick 26
This team has very few holes, especially on offense. And while the TE position is solid with Gerald Everett and Donald Parham Jr., why not give Justin Herbert another playmaking target in the middle of the field? Mayer is already a first-round talent, and he could end up improving his stock with a solid 2022 campaign.
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From
Los Angeles Rams
Round 1 - Pick 27
Perhaps this is the year it all comes together for Jeff Okudah, who hasn't yet lived up to his first-round pedigree in Detroit. Either way, the Lions need more playmakers at a position where journeyman Mike Hughes is poised to see a lot of snaps, at least early in the season.
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Round 1 - Pick 28
Yep, that's right, Army. Carter passes the eyeball test with flying colors, and he gets you even more excited when you see him play. The Chiefs play in the toughest division in football, in part because of the QB play. It means getting into the backfield is at a premium in the AFC West.
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Round 1 - Pick 29
We're going to keep force-feeding the Packers Round 1 wide receivers until it actually happens. Addison, a Pitt transfer, is a special talent who would flourish with Aaron Rodgers. The big question, of course, is if Rodgers will retire after the 2022 season.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
Johnston is a long-strider who can eat up a cushion and consistently make plays downfield. He reminds us a little of Mike Evans in that regard, but like the Packers above, the biggest question is whether Tom Brady will call it a career after the season.
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Round 1 - Pick 31
The Bills have very few needs. Perhaps depth along the offensive line, but instead we go with Johnson, a versatile safety for the Aggies. Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde are both 31 years old, and Poyer's contract expires after this season.
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