With the first pick in the 2022 Orange Huddle Mock Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars select:

Evan Neal, OL, Alabama



The Detroit Lions are now on the clock.

The Lions select Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan.

picture and writeup to follow.

With the 3rd pick in the 2022 OM Mock draft.... The Houston Texans select..........

From the University of Pittsburg.... QB Kenny “Small Hands” Pickett

The Texans are more than happy to change the narrative from “reach around” to “reach”.

This was my ideal pick. The Texans can go the old Bronco route and mess around with Davis Mills etc etc etc. or they can go the new Bronco route and find a guy that they can hang their hat on. To me, Pickett is that guy in this draft.

Overview
Pickett has five years of game experience and four years of starting experience for Pitt. He's a fairly toolsy pocket passer with good mobility. He operated in a passing scheme featuring vertical concepts that created big-play opportunities but left food on the plate when he failed to play chess against the back-end of the coverage. Pickett works with average anticipation but drives the ball with good velocity, which should help him shine in pre-draft passing drills. Pickett's touch and placement need work, but his accuracy stats were damaged by an inordinate amount of drops throughout his career. The top indicator for future success or failure will likely rest in a team's ability to build Pickett's trust, poise and discipline from the pocket. He can make all the throws, but he'll only be able to execute against disguised fronts and NFL pressure if he's willing to hang in and win with his eyes first. He carries a boom/bust label, but the 2021 tape and productivity showed off his potential to become a good starter in time.
Strengths

• Broke Dan Marino's Pitt passing records.
• Comes from athletic family and bloodlines.
• Has good size and all the physical tools needed as a pro.
• Jaw-dropping improvement across the board from 2020.
• TD-INT ratio went from 13:9 in 2020 to 42:7 in 2021.
• Passing scheme required full-field reads.
• Good recognition and decisions on combo-route throws to all levels.
• Potential to get better at recalibrating reads with more work.
• Worked with improved anticipation and tight spiral throwing into windows.
• Velocity to stay ahead of closing coverage.
• Arm strength to push deep outs without a problem.
• Able to extend the play and win on the move with his arm.
• Arm talent to make off-platform throws.
• Elusiveness to escape a free runner and scramble for yards.

Weaknesses

• Some scarring from previous protection issues.
• Nervous feet and poise can get the best of him despite clean pockets.
• Drifts outside pocket rather than climbing to scan.
• Feet don't always follow his eyes when throwing.
• Poor placement and touch added to drop issues.
• Finesse throws into buckets are below average.
• Better timing would prevent contested catches.
• Can improve at making leading throws.
• Doesn't throw with much of an expedited release.
• Needs to take the incompletion instead of the sack.

With Pick #4 in the 2022 NFL Draft the New York Jets select:

Kyle Hamilton, S, from Notre Dame

6'4 220 pounds

4.59 40
38 vertical Leap

Jets safeties are underachievers or washed veterans. I get a freakish safety, that plays way faster than he times. I feel he will improve time if he runs again at his pro day and could go as high as #2 overall.

Giants select with the #5 pick

Ikem Ekwonu (Ickey), T/G, NC State

6'4" 310lbs

4.93 40

Ekwonu is a prototypical left tackle with excellent size and athleticism. He uses these traits to consistently dominate the opposing defensive player, as he only gave up three sacks on 500 snaps during the 2021 season, including an eight-game streak where he gave up none.

Ickey’s strongest trait is his run blocking. He’s a ferocious mauler that likes rolling through defenders with ease, using his state-champion wrestling skills to shift defenders and open up massive holes for ball-carriers. When you watch his tape it becomes very clear NC State’s run game was designed to run through Ekwonu, and he should see similar results at the next level as he excels in all run-based schemes as a tackle or guard.

His long limbs and athletic build will serve him well at the next level, as he will be pinned as a franchise left tackle for whatever team selects him.


Panthers on the clock, 3:30pm

With pick #6, the Carolina Panthers select Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State

The Giants, with the number 7 pick, select:

Travon Walker, Edge, Georgia

6'5"

272lbs

HAND: 10 3/4"

ARM: 35 1/2"

WINGSPAN: 7'0 1/4"

40: 4.51

— Great length. Tall frame with long arms.

— Flashes a very good first step.

— Violent hands. Packs a major punch.

— Great upper-body strength. Can control blocks with ease.

— Very good lower-body strength. Anchors consistently.

— Very good speed and fluidity in space, especially for his size.

— Above-average bend and flexibility around the edge for his size.

— Great discipline and technique versus the run.

— Positional flexibility. Lined up anywhere from 3-tech to a stand-up 6-tech.


Falcons on the clock 4:45 MDT

Coloradobuff and the Falcons select Malik Willis, QB, Liberty.

6' 0 1/2
219 lbs

HANDS:
9 1/2"

Overview
Upside quarterback with special parts of his game, but with no guarantee they will be assembled properly into a finished product. Willis uses his rare combination of elite rushing talent and a rocket-launching right arm to unlock explosive plays in two different ways. He has the arm to beat safeties to the deepest parts of the field and makes impressive throws from inside and outside the pocket. On the flip side, Willis' mechanical and operational inconsistencies lead to erratic timing and accuracy, and he doesn't throw with enough touch. Protection and receiver separation were both issues, but Willis also pressed over the second half of the season and never looked comfortable in the Liberty offense. On the pro level, additional film work and a layered, pro-style passing attack could allow for more focused reads and help him see the field faster and more clearly from the pocket. Play-callers must lean into his special talent as a runner and include called runs into the game plan. Even if Willis fails to reach his passing potential, running ability doesn't slump and he has the talent to produce on the ground at a level between Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson.

StrengthsNFL Comparison
Jay Cutler (arm) / Jalen Hurts (build/play style)

"Some people talk about thermostat leaders. Do they change the temperature of the room when they walk in? He appears to have all the things to raise the energy. I like that," Brooks said. "He appears to have that personality. People like being around him. That matters."

• Electrifying dual-threat ability and potential.
• Frame is compact, broad and powerful.
• Rare escapability and elusiveness on the go.
• Finishes strong and gets what is needed on called runs.
• Ran for 100-plus yards five times over the last two years.
• Able to pace his release according to need.
• Ability to recognize blitz and get the ball out.
• Makes drive throws with twitchy hips.
• Arm strength capable of winning in tight windows.
• Beats safeties on deep sideline throws.
• Ability to work through progressions when protected.
• Wide-lens field scan on rollouts and scrambles.
• Rapid mesh-point transition to throw on RPOs.
• Strong hands for fluid pump, reset and launch.

With the 9th pick, the Seattle Seahawks select....

Kayvon Thibodeaux, DL, Oregon



6'4" 254 lbs.
4.58 40 yd

Pro Day April 1

Thibodeaux showed absurd burst off the snap and followed that up with acceleration to get around tackles to bring down the QB. As our coach Pete Carroll said after the season:

"You've got to create them (turnovers), and you create them with pass rush. The quarterback is the number one critical aspect of turning the football over. That is an area that we need to get better in."

Washington Commanders select WR Garrett Wilson Ohio State

With pick #12 in the 2023 NFL Draft the New York Jets select:

Jermaine Johnson, EDGE, Florida State

6'5 254
4.58 40
32" VL

Building up that defense for Mr Saleh. Add him plus Kyle Hamilton in the secondary improves the talent on defense immensely.

With the 13th pick in the 2022 OM Mock draft, the Houston Texans select.......

From LSU, CB Derek Stingley

Overview
Uniquely gifted cornerback with rare blend of size, speed and explosiveness that will have teams willing to judge his upside off of tape from two seasons ago. Stingley played in just 10 games over the last two years, offering flashes of his upside rather than sustained play. Regardless of season, he's long, loose and extremely athletic. Elite speed and ball skills give him a chance to thrive as a bump-and-run corner capable of shadowing top talent around the field. He allows some separation from off-man but bursts to close distance instantly. He's well-suited for a variety of zone coverages but needs to play with much better zeal and toughness in run support. Stingley will likely measure and test like Marshon Lattimore, Patrick Peterson and Antonio Cromartie (depending on his weight), but he needs to find that breakthrough 2019 form in order to reach his potential as a lockdown cover talent.
Strengths

• Cornerback prototype with all the measurables in one package.
• One of the best athletes in the draft class.
• His 2019 tape shows a player with everything a team could want in a CB.
• Backpedal is low and smooth.
• Long arms and oily hips for press.
• Anticipates out-breaking routes and looks to undercut.
• Has the swivel-and-sprint to carry vertical targets the distance.
• Burst to recover and close distance when beaten.
• Congests and walls off downfield catch space.
• Springy leaper with sudden hands to dominate 50/50 balls.
• Instant plant-and-drive trigger from the top of the drop.
• Has size to become a more efficient tackler.

Weaknesses

• Has played in just 10 games over the past two seasons.
• Tape was more good than great in 2020 and 2021.
• Coverage was lackadaisical against Auburn in 2020.
• Inconsistent finding the football over the last two seasons.
• Needs to trust his technique in tight man.
• Missing hardcore competitiveness on every snap.
• Disappointing run support and tackling at times.

With the 14th pick in the 2022 Orange Huddle Mock Draft, The Baltimore Ravens select Jordan Davis DL Georgia.



The Philadelphia Eagles are now on the clock.

With the 15th pick, the Philadelphia Eagles select:

George Karlaftis, Edge Rusher, Purdue

With the 16th pick, the Philadelphia Eagles select:

Tyler Linderbaum, Center, Iowa

With the 17th pick in the 2022 OM (I mean OH) Mock Draft, the Chargers are proud to select:

Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa



This absolute savage will play RT and form the finest set of young OT bookends in the league (with Slater, who I correctly picked last year), keeping stupid Justin Herbert protected for the next decade.

With the 18th pick in the 2022 Orange Huddle Mock Draft, the New Orleans Saints select Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss.



6'2" 212 (junior)

Experts disagree, but some have Corral as the top-rated QB in this draft class. Strong arm, incredibly fast release, good mobility and accuracy. Solid work ethic and leadership skills. Coming off an ankle injury at the Sugar Bowl, it was important for him to perform well at his pro day, which he did earlier today.

The Saints are in QB hell, at least at the moment, so this certainly serves a need.





The Philadelphia Eagles are back on the clock.

With the 19th pick, the Philadelphia Eagles select:

Drake London, WR, USC

With the 20th pick in the 2022 Orange Huddle Mock Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers proudly select:

Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati



Height: 6' 03" 3/8
Weight: 211 lbs.
Hand: 10"
Arm: 32" 6/8
40-yard dash: 4.52
Vertical Jump: 36"
Broad Jump: 10' 7"

Overview (by Lance Zierlein of NFL.com)
Four-year starter and four-year winner whose hard work at his craft altered his standing from good college quarterback to early-round draft pick. There is nothing special about Ridder's size or arm talent but his improved confidence and field command has really helped him mature at the position. He plays in rhythm and operates with consistently repeatable footwork and mechanics. He's intelligent and processes quickly, which should help him find where the football needs to go regardless of passing scheme. Getting the ball to NFL targets accurately and safely, however, is not a given. Despite favorable mechanics, his accuracy and ball placement need work and he doesn't have the arm strength or release quickness to consistently survive off-target throws against pro coverage. He can run but is more of a pocket passer who can win with his legs than a true dual-threat quarterback.

BowlenBall's Rationale for the Pick
Desmond Ridder is my 4th-rated quarterback in this draft (behind Corral, Willis, and Pickett respectively), and I have him as the 39th best prospect in this draft overall. However, the Steelers are officially in Quarterback Hell (does anybody really think Mitch Trubisky is the answer?), and have no other choice than to make a reach pick here. Ridder has a high floor, but I'm not sure how high his ceiling is....

Player Comp
Less Political Colin Kaepernick

With the 21st and 22nd picks in the 2020 Orange Huddle Mock Draft, MY Green Bay Packers (yes proud owner, can say that) select:

Chris Olave - WR - that school down south

Treylon Burks - WR - Arkansas

With the trade of Adams, and MVS and St Brown both FAs, my WR room only consisted of old man Randall Cobb, Alan Lazard, and Amari Rodgers. Burks gives me a big bodied WR to throw to, and Olave will fill in as the deep threat, and get the ball to him in space, and let him get the RAC.

With the 23rd pick the Arizona Cardinals select:

CB TRENT MCDUFFIE, WASHINGTON

Outside of length, McDuffie has everything you could want from a high-end cornerback. At only 5-foot-11, McDuffie plays consistently bigger than his listed size. He's allowed only 16 catches from 36 targets for 111 yards with no scores and five pass breakups.



Mcduffie is a great run filler and willing to stick his nose in there to make a play. Cardinals need that on their back end.


Dallas is otc

With the 24th pick the Cowboys select Zion Johnson, OG, Boston College.


The Bills are otc

With the 25th pick, the Bills select Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama

The Titans are on the clock.