With the first wave of NFL free agency and a few league-shaking quarterback trades past us, team needs are becoming more clear ahead of the 2022 NFL draft. We’ve seen which teams have been aggressive in adding veterans and which have sat out free agency (and saved salary-cap space) while looking to a draft class deep with wide receivers and edge rushers.
Let’s get into a new post-free-agency first-round mock draft. I did my previous mock right before the combine earlier this month, so this one has some notable changes, with the Seahawks (No. 9) entering the first round and the Texans (No. 13) and Packers (No. 22) adding a second Round 1 selection. Where will the first quarterback go? Could the Lions shake things up at No. 2? And what’s the Falcons’ plan now?
As a reminder, I’m going to project the top 32 picks based on a combination of my rankings, team needs and what I’m hearing from execs, scouts and coaches in the league. Round 1 begins April 28, which means there’s plenty of time for more changes to come.
The order for all 262 picks is set, and check out our one-hour SportsCenter Special at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and ESPN+. Here we go:
