2022 NFL mock draft: KC Chiefs stay and address needs in first round

There is no doubt that the Falcons wanted to upgrade their talent at quarterback. They ultimately decided on Marcus Mariota taking over Matt Ryan’s post. With all of that in mind, they saw their wide receiver room virtually disintegrate. Calvin Ridley has been suspended for the next season and beyond this, the talent at wide receiver is very limited. While they may be in the market to sign Jarvis Landry or make a trade for DK Metcalf or Tyler Lockett, it seems likely that they would invest in a long-term option. Jameson Williams is that investment.

Looking beyond this season, if the Falcons decide to move on from Marcus Mariota, they will want to provide the next quarterback with a lot of weapons. Jameson Williams combined with Calvin Ridley and Kyle Pitts is a serious problem for defenses.  Williams is not only fast enough to go the distance every time that he touches the ball, he is also a crisp route runner that rivals that of Jerry Jeudy or DJ Moore.

The Falcons could truly invest at any number of positions here. However, they are incredibly thin at wide receiver. Currently, their top receiver is Olimade Zaccheaus who had a nice season last year, but nowhere near number one receiver capabilities. Jameson Williams is the best player at his position in the draft.

(FROM DENVER BRONCOS)

With the one of the picks that the Seahawks received after dealing Russell Wilson to the Broncos, Seattle goes with a player with tremendous athletic ability and potential. While the Seahawks hit the ‘restart’ button and are in full rebuild mode, they seem willing to wait on a quarterback. Drew Lock has not had a great start to his career, but could be a placeholder for the next couple of years.

Jordan Davis is a behemoth that can run as fast as some linbackers, safeties, or tight ends. The Seahawks have had a tendency to draft whomever they truly love. There is absolutely no way that the Seahawks will let Jordan Davis go by without at least doing their due diligence on him. In a base defense, he could become an absolute terror for interior linemen. Davis could completely tear apart an offensive game plan on his own, let alone with Quinton Jefferson and Shelby Harris on the same defensive line.

Again, like a lot of teams, the Seahawks could truly go any number of places with this pick, but this team is likely looking to be relevant in a three year period. Davis gives them an excellent chance to do this defensively.

(Hypothetical trade with Jets via Seahawks)

Perhaps a stunner to some, in this mock draft, our first trade isn’t until 10 overall. In this case, the Steelers aren’t willing to chance Kenny Pickett getting selected by Washington, Houston, Philadelphia, or New Orleans who all pick before they do at 20 overall. Of course, this would be a reach, but one that a team would be willing to take in their search for a new quarterback.

Perhaps the Steelers get ‘wowed’ by Mitchell Trubisky. Or, in this case, they use him as a placeholder until Kenny Pickett is ready to take over. While Pickett is not necessarily a first-round talent, his potential is clear to anyone who has watched him play. Pickett is a gunslinger and is not afraid to throw the deep ball. While his ceiling appears somewhat limited, his floor is relatively high for a quarterback in this position.

The Steelers are a proud organization that is rich with diversity and a winning mentality. There is no way that they go into next season with Trubisky being their only source of hope. Look for Pittsburgh to be all in on a guy like Kenny Pickett.

Washington has some really nice talent on both sides of the ball. They have talented receivers, defensive linemen, and have nice pieces at other positions as well. At offensive line and at cornerback, they could use some improvement. Luckily for the Commanders, both Evan Neal and Derek Stingley Jr. are somehow still available. The pick here, however, is Derek Stingley Jr.

The Commanders, at times, looked very good last season on the defensive side of the ball. While they have a talented front seven, there were times that the backfield was punished by good quarterbacks and receivers. With Kendall Fuller in the slot and William Jackson on one side, they only need one more player to fill the void. Stingley is athletic and strong for a cornerback. He is comfortable in any kind of coverage and has very good natural instincts. If Stingley falls into their laps here, there is no way that they do not sprint to the podium with this pick.

Again, Washington has nice pieces on the team. Even though Quarterback would remain the biggest need after this pick, it would improve their defense substantially. With this in mind, they could invest again at wide receiver or along the offensive line with Evan Neal falling in the draft.