The 2022 NFL Draft may be four months away, but it is never too early to take a look at what the first round could look like next year.
The 2021 NFL season is entering Week 14, and incredibly not a single AFC or NFC team has clinched a spot in the playoffs. For some, they are right on the doorstep, while others appear to be headed for another season on the outside looking in.
With that said, let us turn our attention to the 2022 NFL Draft, and take a look at what the first round could shape out to be.
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2022 NFL Mock Draft: Michigan star drafted by Detroit No. 1 overall
Aidan Hutchinson
Edge,Detroit Lions
Incredibly, the Detroit Lions won a football game this past Sunday, and after the win, they honored those injured and killed in the Oxford High School tragedy. For head coach Dan Campbell, win No. 1 will hopefully be a springboard for this franchise, as they defeated an NFC North rival in the Minnesota Vikings to pick up the victory.
Still, with one win on the season, Detroit holds the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, and with the selection, they keep a Michigan star in-state. Aidan Hutchinson is a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, an incredible achievement for a defensive player, and he would be a fan favorite playing for the Lions.
Evan Neal
Offensive Tackle,Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are an absolute mess, but you have to think that the combination of head coach Urban Meyer and quarterback Trevor Lawrence will turn the franchise around. After drafting No. 1 overall in 2021, using the pick on Lawrence, the Jaguars hold the No. 2 overall pick in 2022, and they turn their attention to protecting Lawrence with the selection.
With pick No. 2 overall, the Jaguars bring in the best offensive lineman in this draft class, selecting Evan Neal from Alabama. This is a player who is ready to come in and start from Day 1 on the left side, hopefully protecting their No. 1 asset in Lawrence for years to come.
Kayvon Thibodeaux
Edge,Houston Texans
Pick No. 3 in the 2022 NFL Draft currently belongs to the Houston Texans, who have more than an interesting offseason ahead of them. This franchise needs to figure out what they plan to do with quarterback Deshaun Watson, who is most likely going to be traded once the 2021 season ends.
Here, the Texans select Oregon edge rushers Kayvon Thibodeaux, who is the No. 1 prospect on many draft boards, and could certainly be gone by this slot. However, if the Lions go Hutchinson, keeping an in-state player in Michigan, and Jacksonville goes OT, Thibodeaux is the kind of elite player that can turn around this Texans defense right away.
