2022 NFL Draft: Round 1 analysis

The Jacksonville Jaguars gambled big on Georgia edge Travon Walker, while the New York Jets parlayed their draft capital into three elite talents at key positions.

There were big trades for veteran players which affected the Draft too - with wide receivers A.J. Brown (Tennessee) and Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown (Baltimore) both being dealt for first-round picks and more.

It’s time to look back on what happened in Paradise, Nevada on Thursday night.

2022 NFL Draft First Round Recap - Pick By Pick

Some huge trades, a lot more wide receiver craziness and zero QBs taken before pick 20. All part of a wild kick-off to the Draft.

We should not be surprised really after the most insane NFL offseason in living memory - here’s how Round 1 played out.

1. Jacksonville: Travon Walker (DE, Georgia)

So the smoke signals and the bookmakers were right (as ever), Jags GM Trent Baalke did what Trent Baalke does and gambled on the best available athlete. Walker has incredible measurables - he just hasn’t produced at a high level on a football field yet. A month ago this wasn’t even on the radar at #1 overall, now it’s reality. Without doubt the pick with the biggest risk/reward.

2. Detroit: Aidan Hutchinson (DE, Michigan)

With Walker gone, this was a really easy pick for the Lions. They get the defensive end who HAS showed already that he can produce at a high level. He also happens to be the local hero after playing his college ball in Ann Arbor, and fits perfectly what Dan Campbell is building in Motown. Would likely have gone #1 overall if he had longer arms than Walker - crazy.

3. Houston Texans: Derek Stingley Jr (CB, LSU)

Again, the late betting money was bang on as the Texans started their rebuild with arguably the best defensive back in the 2022 class. Terrific measurables and a natural athlete, he came in for a ton of support late in the day to go before Ahmad ‘Sauce’ Gardner.

4. New York Jets: Ahmad ‘Sauce’ Gardner (CB, Cincinnati)

Wow, two CBs in the top four picks overall. The New York Jets pass on pass rusher (for now), and instead they pick up the other potentially elite defensive back in the 2022 Draft. He has special press ability and should elevate the New York secondary as Robert Saleh unsurprisingly pins his hopes on defense.

5. New York Giants: Kayvon Thibodeaux (DE, Oregon)

The New York Giants (rightly) ignore some spurious off-field concerns about Thibodeaux to focus instead on his on-field talents. He has everything you’d want in a pass rusher, and Big Blue gets an absolute steal at 5 overall. Has significant room to grow and refine his craft in the pro game.

6. Carolina: Ikem Ekwonu (OT, N.C. State)

So after five picks on defense to start the 2022 Draft, the Panthers break the run to take one of the top tackles in the 2022 class. It’s the right move in one way by Matt Rhule and Carolina, building up front is never bad. But let’s hope they have some sort of plan at QB because they still need one, and fast. Rhule might not be around in 2023 otherwise.

7. New York Giants: Evan Neal (OT, Alabama)

Great first round for the Giants - they get two players who have both been at one time projected to go #1 overall. Two foundational pieces up front on both sides of the ball. Neal has terrific college production behind him plus great athletic traits and position flex.

8. Atlanta Falcons: Drake London (WR, USC)

The Falcons fill a dire need by making Trojan standout London the first WR taken in the 2022 Draft. Surprising in one sense that he goes ahead of Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson and Alabama’s Jameson Williams, but the Falcons hang their hat on a guy who has size but not elite speed. Atlanta is building for the QB it drafts in 2023…

9. Seattle: Charles Cross (OT, Mississippi St.)

Going 7-10 WITH Russell Wilson in 2021 was the clincher, convincing Seattle to blow this thing up and go into rebuild mode. This might be the best pure value pick in the top 10, as the Seahawks get an excellent pass blocker to provide a franchise cornerstone for the next decade.

10. New York Jets: Garrett Wilson (WR, Ohio State)

The Jets add another elite skill position player and finally get their WR1 of the future. Wilson is a terrific prospect and gives second-year QB Zach Wilson a true outside weapon and BFF to go to war with. Wilson to Wilson could be a big deal in the NFL for a long time to come.

11. New Orleans: Chris Olave (WR, Ohio State)

The first trade of the night. The Saints, who had already given up significant capital to trade with Philadelphia to acquire a second first-round pick, gives up even more to get to 11. They parlay #16 overall plus third and fourth-rounders to snag Olave. He might be the most accomplished route runner in this Draft, but what the Saints have effectively given up to get him feels very very rich.

12. Detroit: Jameson Williams (WR, Alabama)

Another big trade as the Lions make a huge move up from 32 to 12 - they give up 34 and 66 overall in return for 46. Pretty good value to move up 20 picks, but really surprising to do it for a wide receiver. Despite that, Williams might be the best WR in the Draft and the Lions obviously believe that is the case.

13. Philadelphia: Jordan Davis (DT, Georgia)

The Eagles give up a slew of late-round picks to move up just a couple of spots. They jump the Baltimore Ravens to get the best defensive tackle in the class. Davis is a huge run stuffer who destroyed the ground game in college. Great value pick for Philly - a generational talent at a position which is often undervalued.

14. Baltimore: Kyle Hamilton (S, Notre Dame)

The Ravens stay at 14 and pick up the falling Hamilton, seen as a generational talent at safety. Earlier projected as a top-3 selection, he slides largely due to concerns about his 40-yard dash time, but Baltimore doesn’t care. Just a really good football player and excellent value here.

15. Houston: Kenyon Green (OG, Texas A&M)

Green is an excellent and versatile prospect who should help the Texans build up front during the coming seasons. Picking up a few late-round picks doesn’t feel enough though to pass over positional studs like Davis and Hamilton.

16. Washington: Jahan Dotson (Penn State)

This feels pretty rich - we had Dotson as a late first-rounder. Particularly when the Commanders could have stayed put at 11 and picked up the man who might be the Draft’s best WR in former Alabama stud Jameson Williams. Time will tell.

17. Los Angeles Chargers: Zion Johnson (G, Boston)

The Chargers took tackle Rashawn Slater in Round 1 in 2021 and that paid off pretty nicely. Now they follow up by again building around QB Justin Herbert with the hugely talented Boston College guard Johnson. Nice pick, and the house is built in L.A.

18. Tennessee: Treylon Burks (WR, Arkansas)

Another huge trade as the Eagles send pick 18 (as well as a third-rounder) to Tennessee for WR A.J. Brown. A great Round 1 for Philly, which leaves the Titans to replace one big-bodied wideout with another as Arkansas standout Treylon Burks comes in.

19. New Orleans: Trevor Penning (OT, Northern Iowa)

The Saints really needed a tackle after the loss of Terron Armstead in free agency. Penning is something of a project - his pass blocking is a question mark right now - but he does possess that nastiness that coaches love. Now New Orleans must build on his skillset.

20. Pittsburgh: Kenny Pickett (QB, Pittsburgh)

The Steelers should know everything about Pickett given his college background, and they gamble on him as their QB of the future after the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger. Probably the most pro-ready signal caller in his class, but the question mark is his ceiling and not the floor. Oh, and he has the smallest hands of any QB in the NFL…let’s hope it doesn’t rain.

21. Kansas City: Trent McDuffie (CB, Washington)

We had the Chiefs taking McDuffie at 29, but they take no risks and trigger a trade with the Patriots to move up and get him at 21. The departure of Tyrann Mathieu left a big hole in the KC secondary and McDuffie has the versatility and tackling ability that coaches covet. Size is the only knock on the former Washington standout.

22. Green Bay: Quay Walker (LB, Georgia)

Somewhere right now, Aaron Rodgers might be rocking back and forth and silently seething. First the Packers do not trade up to get one of the better WRs in the Draft, and instead take Georgia LB Walker. The late betting money on Quay to be the first LB taken was right…

23. Buffalo: Kaiir Elam (CB, Florida)

Arizona trades pick 23 and pick 100 to Baltimore for WR Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown, and the Ravens then pass 23 onto the Bills. Buffalo, currently trading as favourite to win Super Bowl LVII, adds more talent to an excellent defense by selecting Florida CB Kaiir Elam.

24. Dallas: Tyler Smith (OT, Tulsa)

Dallas has not been shy about drafting OL in Round 1 in recent years, and it goes to the well again for promising Tulsa tackle Smith. It’s likely he’ll slot in at LG for now after the departure of Connor Williams, to learn his trade alongside future Hall of Famer Tyron Smith.

25. Baltimore: Tyler Linderbaum (C, Iowa)

The Ravens complete a terrific first-round haul, picking up another consensus best player at his position in the hugely talented Linderbaum. There’s a reason Baltimore is known as one of the best teams of all when it comes to the Draft. Another elite night.

26. New York Jets: Jermaine Johnson (DE, Florida St)

Wow, terrific work from the Jets as they send trade picks 35, 69 and 163 to Tennessee in return for 26 and 101. They pick up a player who was seen by many before the Draft as a top-15 talent. New York appears to have hit a home run on the first night of this Draft - adding three impact players to their improving roster at key positions.

27. Jacksonville: Devin Lloyd (LB, Utah)

The Jags jump back into the first round, sending picks 33, 106 and 180 to Tampa in return for pick 27. Jacksonville uses it to grab a player who could be an elite linebacker for the next decade. After adding offense in free agency, it’s defense in the Draft. Great value pick.

28. Green Bay: Devonte Wyatt (DT, Georgia)

Wow, wonder what Rodgers is thinking this morning. After trading away Davante Adams, the Packers come away with zero wide receivers from their two first-round picks. Instead it’s defense all the way as they add Georgia standout Wyatt. Nice player, but no WR, really?

29. New England: Cole Strange (OG, Tennessee-Chattanooga)

If you look at most big boards, this is something of a reach. The Pats though have a definite need on the interior of their offensive line, and they get a great athlete with huge potential. If anybody can develop him into a future star in the pros, New England can.

30. Kansas City: George Karlaftis (DE, Purdue)

Terrific pickup this for the Chiefs. While WR is a need after that Tyreek Hill trade, the chance to catch a falling top-15 talent in Karlaftis is just too good to pass up. Receiver will remain a need for now, but the Chiefs defense got a whole lot better in Round 1.

31. Cincinnati: Daxton Hill (S/CB Michigan)

After bolstering their offensive line in free agency, the Bengals show some love to defense with an excellent value pick for Wolverine standout Hill. The big question initially for the new Bengal is around which position he’ll play. He offers talent and versatility.

32. Minnesota: Lewis Cine (S, Georgia)

After trading out of 12, the Vikings end Day 1 by taking yet another defender from those national champion Georgia Bulldogs. Going defense is absolutely the right move for Minnesota and Cine is a player who was hugely productive in big games when it mattered. Good trait.