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NFL Draft: Todd McShay releases first 2022 mock draft

275133747_4796292347117549_592518599057046758_nby:Jonathan Wagner•12/14/21•

Jonathan Wagner

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ESPN NFL Draft expert Todd McShay has released his first 2022 mock draft. With just a month remaining in the NFL’s regular season and bowl season about to get underway in college football, the NFL Draft picture continues to take shape. McShay’s first 2022 NFL mock draft contains some surprises, and no quarterbacks taken inside the top ten.

McShay’s first 2022 NFL mock draft

  1. Detroit Lions: Michigan DE Aidan Hutchinson
  2. Houston Texans: Oregon DE Kayvon Thibodeaux
  3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Alabama OT Evan Neal
  4. New York Jets: LSU CB Derek Stingley Jr.
  5. New York Giants (via Chicago): Purdue DE George Karlaftis
  6. Carolina Panthers: Mississippi State OT Charles Cross
  7. New York Giants: Georgia LB Nakobe Dean
  8. Atlanta Falcons: Alabama WR Jameson Williams
  9. New York Jets (via Seattle): Notre Dame S Kyle Hamilton
  10. Philadelphia Eagles (via Miami): Michigan DE David Ojabo
  11. Las Vegas Raiders: Texas A&M DL DeMarvin Leal
  12. Pittsburgh Steelers: Pittsburgh QB Kenny Pickett
  13. Washington Football Team: Ole Miss QB Matt Corral
  14. Philadelphia Eagles: Utah LB Devin Lloyd
  15. Minnesota Vikings: Cincinnati CB Ahmad Gardner
  16. Cincinnati Bengals: Iowa C Tyler Linderbaum
  17. Denver Broncos: Liberty QB Malik Willis
  18. Cleveland Browns: USC WR Drake London
  19. New Orleans Saints: Cincinnati QB Desmond Ridder
  20. Philadelphia Eagles: Ohio State WR Garrett Wilson
  21. Miami Dolphins (via San Francisco): NC State OL Ikem Ekwonu
  22. Baltimore Ravens: Northern Iowa OT Trevor Penning
  23. Buffalo Bills: Auburn CB Roger McCreary
  24. Los Angeles Chargers: Georgia DT Jordan Davis
  25. Detroit Lions (via LA Rams): North Carolina QB Sam Howell
  26. Tennessee Titans: Clemson CB Andrew Booth Jr.
  27. Dallas Cowboys: Georgia DE Travon Walker
  28. Green Bay Packers: Ohio State WR Chris Olave
  29. Kansas City Chiefs: Penn State WR Jahan Dotson
  30. Arizona Cardinals: Florida CB Kaiir Elam
  31. New England Patriots: Arkansas WR Treylon Burks
  32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: San Diego State DE Cameron Thomas

McShay predicts five first round quarterbacks, but none in the top ten

As is the case with most NFL Drafts, once one team takes a quarterback, others usually follow. McShay did not have a single quarterback taken in the first round in his first 2022 mock draft, but once he had one go, the rest quickly followed. The first quarterback taken in McShay’s mock was Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett, who went No. 12 to the Steelers.

Washington followed that up by selecting Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral at No. 13. Denver (Liberty’s Malik Willis, No. 17), New Orleans (Cincinnati’s Desmond Ridder, No. 19), and Detroit (North Carolina’s Sam Howell, No. 25) also took quarterbacks.

If there are no quarterbacks taken in the top ten, it would be the first time that has happened since 2013. In the 2013 NFL Draft, EJ Manuel was the first quarterback taken at 16th overall.

McShay projects an even 16-16 split in the first round between offensive and defensive players. While the draft order is a long ways from being finalized, McShay gave us an interesting look into what we could see come draft night.