2022 NFL mock draft

New 2022 NFL mock draft has surprising pick at No. 2 overall

Start

The 2022 NFL Draft is slowly but surely inching closer, and with it comes the onslaught of 2022 NFL mock drafts, including a new one published by CBS Sports that has a surprising choice at No. 2 overall.

In this mock, the Jacksonville Jaguars select North Carolina State offensive tackle, Ikem Ekwonu, with the second overall pick. The talented bookend prospect is undoubtedly destined for a top-10 draft slotting, but most mock drafts have either Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux or Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson as the top two picks of Round 1. Hutchinson is the first-overall pick in CBS’ mock, but Thibodeaux ‘slides’ to No. 3 overall (Houston Texans).

Part of what makes the Ekwonu pick surprising is that he’s also the first offensive tackle off the board in this projection. Alabama’s Evan Neal has held that distinction for almost the entire 2021 college football season, and he’s done nothing to justify knocking him from that perch. I’m going to dive deeper into Ekwonu’s tape over the next few weeks, but Neal is a near-can’t-miss starting left tackle in the NFL for many, many years. CBS’ mock draft acknowledges that, too, with Neal coming off the board at No. 4 overall to the New York Jets.

In fact, three of the first five picks are offensive tackles, with Mississippi State’s Charles Cross being the third (New York Giants, No. 5 overall). It’s a bold prediction, considering Cross still has some ground to cover before becoming a consensus top-10 prospect, let alone a top-five pick. He’s one of my favorite offensive linemen in the class, so it’s nice to see him in this area of the first round. But even I’m skeptical of him being valued as a top-five player.

For CBS Sports complete first-round mock draft, click here.

Bryan Perez

Bryan is the founder of Pro Football Draft. His work has been featured on The Draft Network, NBC Sports and USA Today. Former CFL scout.

Follow him on Twitter: @BryanPerezNFL