* Walt taking 2014 and 2018 |
Charlie Campbell, Senior Draft Analyst |
Other 2025 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (11/22)
2026 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 7/24): Round 1 /Picks 17-32
Other 2026 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (11/23)
(More links to previous NFL mock drafts at the bottom of this page)
At the Senior Bowl, WalterFootball.com was first to report that Doug Pederson was going to be the head coach of the Jaguars, and at the combine, WalterFootball.com reported that the Jaguars wanted left tackle Cam Robinson back next season. Shortly later, the Jaguars placed the franchise tag on Robinson. Starting in December 2021, I projected Jacksonville to take an edge rusher, while many were projecting them to take Evan Neal.
The Jaguars like 2021 second-rounder Walker Little, and they still have a second-round pick in Jawaan Taylor to add depth at tackle. Tagging Robinson frees up the organization to use its first-round pick to help the defensive front. The team could use a pass rusher on the defense to go with Josh Allen. Jacksonville’s defensive line is severely lacking talent. I believe the Jaguars were split between Aidan Hutchinson and Walker. It sounded like some in the organization want Hutchinson while general manager Trent Baalke is pushing for Walker. Jacksonville has blown a lot of its first-rounders in the last decade on players like Blake Bortles, Luke Joeckel, Dante Fowler, Leonard Fournette, Taven Bryan, C.J. Henderson and K’Lavon Chaisson. Given that track record, it would make sense to take Hutchinson. Baalke, however, was fired after a terrible run in San Francisco, and Jacksonville has been consistent about taking projectable players. Hence, I am believe Baalke will get his way and take Walker.
Throughout the fall, scouts were buzzing about Walker, and he put himself on the map as an early-round prospect for the 2022 NFL Draft. The junior put together an impressive 2021, including starting off with big performance against Clemson in the season opener and finishing the year by helping Georgia beat Alabama in the National Championship. In 2021, Walker totaled 34 tackles, five sacks and a pass batted, but he was even more disruptive than the numbers suggest. Team sources say Walker is big, athletic and has speed. He gave that proof by putting together a phenomenal combine, at which he was fast, fluid and athletic in a tremendous performance on the field.
The 6-foot-5, 275-pound Walker has the size to set the edge and is quick off the ball. Sources feel he is a well-rounded defender with a lot of upside. Some sources have even said that Walker has some similar characteristics to J.J. Watt, and has huge upside like Watt did coming out of Wisconsin. Don’t be surprised if Walker goes high in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Here are the thoughts of an area scout on Walker, “He is one of my favorites. He’s completely untapped, and he can play anywhere on the defensive line in any scheme. He’s my favorite of this defensive line class. He’s already a very good player, relentless, and still has huge upside. Walker can drop 10 pounds and be Cam Jordan, or gain 15 pounds and play DeForest Buckner.”
Click links to see the Jaguars' picks across all rounds:
Click here to jump to the Jaguars' second-round pick. | Rd: 3 Pk: 1 | Rd: 3 Pk: 6 | Rd: 4 Pk: 1 | Rd: 5 Pk: 14 | Rd: 6 Pk: 1 | Rd: 6 Pk: 9 | Rd: 6 Pk: 18 | Rd: 6 Pk: 19 | Rd: 6 Pk: 43 | Rd: 7 Pk: 13
I believe Detroit will take Aidan Hutchinson or Travon Walker, whichever one the Jaguars pass on. The Lions could use another edge rusher, and Hutchinson is a very safe pick to turn into a quality starter for them.
Hutchinson (6-3, 261) has quality size for the next level, is a good athlete, has quickness, and displays a pretty good get-off. He plays hard and gives relentless effort as a pass rusher. With his speed, athleticism, and hand usage, Hutchinson is a hard-charging, dangerous pass rusher who harasses the quarterback for four quarters.
In the ground game, Hutchinson is sufficient. He wants to win with suddenness and athletic ability to knife through by moving and slanting. As a run defender, he can find the ball and use his quickness and athleticism to make plays. He does not, however, seem to want plays to be run right at him, and sources feel his run defense is alarming when teams go straight at him. He could be a base end in a 4-3 or a 3-4 edge rusher.
In 2021, Hutchinson recorded 62 tackles, 14 sacks, three passes batted, a fumble recovered and two forced fumbles – another one was mistakenly given to a teammate. Hutchinson was excellent to open 2020, collecting 13 tackles and a pass batted before going down with an ankle fracture that required surgery. He broke out as a sophomore for the Wolverines as a tough defender who flashed pass-rush ability. In 2019, he had 68 tackles with 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.
Click links to see the Lions' picks across all rounds:
Rd: 1 Pk: 32 | Click here to jump to the Lions' second-round pick. | Rd: 3 Pk: 2 | Rd: 3 Pk: 33 | Rd: 5 Pk: 34 | Rd: 6 Pk: 2 | Rd: 6 Pk: 38
I’ve been very torn on who to project to the Texans. My survey of league sources as to what Houston will do found about 40 percent think Stingley, 40 percent think Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal, and 20 percent think N.C. State offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu. I ended up falling in the Stingley camp because cornerback is not nearly as strong as offensive line as a position group in the 2022 NFL Draft, so the franchise’s draft class as a whole will be more talented by taking Stingley. The Texans defense was awful in 2022, and the cornerback play was just terrible. Hence, I think Stingley could win out over the offensive linemen.
Stingley recorded eight tackles and a pass defended in 2021 before going down with a foot injury. He totaled 27 tackles, a forced fumble and five passes broken up in 2020. Stingley struggled against Alabama and DeVonta Smith that season, but he was also banged up all year.
Even though LSU had a returning corner who was highly touted in Kristian Fulton, Stingley took over as the Tigers’ No. 1 corner during his freshman season. Stingley was phenomenal, shutting down receivers and making big plays for the LSU defense. He showed excellent instincts, size, ball skills, and cover ability. His six interceptions and 15 passes broken up in 2019 were superb production, but it really incredible considering he was a freshman. Stingley (6-1, 190) has the ability to end up being one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. Teams love his upside and skill set, but have some concerns about his injuries and 1-year wonder status.
Click links to see the Texans' picks across all rounds:
Rd: 1 Pk: 13 | Click here to jump to the Texans' second-round pick. | Rd: 3 Pk: 4 | Rd: 3 Pk: 16 | Rd: 4 Pk: 2 | Rd: 4 Pk: 3 | Rd: 5 Pk: 27 | Rd: 6 Pk: 26 | Rd: 6 Pk: 28 | Rd: 7 Pk: 23
The Jets need a No. 1 cornerback, and Gardner could give them a viable option for defending Tyreek Hill, Stefon Diggs and Jaylen Waddle.
Gardner (6-3, 200) is a tall cornerback who has good length to battle outside receivers in the NFL. To go along with his size, sources say Gardner is fast and has ball skills, but he is a little raw. Over the past three seasons, Gardner was a productive and steady cover corner. In 2019, he collected 31 tackles, three interceptions and 11 passes defended. In 2020, he had 28 stops, three interceptions and nine passes broken up. In 2021, Gardner collected 40 stops, three interceptions and four passes batted.
Click links to see the Jets' picks across all rounds:
Rd: 1 Pk: 10 | Click here to jump to the Jets' first second-round pick. | Rd: 2 Pk: 6 | Rd: 3 Pk: 5 | Rd: 4 Pk: 6 | Rd: 4 Pk: 12 | Rd: 5 Pk: 3 | Rd: 5 Pk: 20
I think the Giants would prefer to take Derek Stingley or Ahmad Gardner at No. 5 and then take Evan Neal at No. 7. Charles Cross would be Plan ‘B” if Neal goes off the board at No. 6. The cornerbacks could be gone, however, and that would leave the Giants taking Neal here. Neal would gives them a right tackle to pair with Andrew Thomas. Neal is a powerful road grader to blast open holes for Saquon Barkley and protect Daniel Jones in a make-or-break year for both of those first-rounders. Landing Stingley at pick No. 5 and Neal at pick No. 7 would be the ideal combination for the Giants.
The Crimson Tide moved Neal to left tackle for 2021, and he did well in his first outing on the blind side, facing Miami in the season opener. Neal has enough quickness and athleticism to play tackle, but his problems with speed rushers could make him a right tackle only in the NFL. That was given some proof against Florida, as he had problems with the Gators speed rushers for the second straight year.
Neal (6-7, 360) is a massive blocker who started at left guard as a freshman in 2019. As a sophomore, he replaced Jedrick Wills at right tackle and had a fine season for Alabama. Neal was reliable at protecting Mac Jones and opening holes for Najee Harris. Some teams dropoed Neal from their boards because of medical concerns.
Click links to see the Giants' picks across all rounds:
Rd: 1 Pk: 7 | Click here to jump to the Giants' second-round pick. | Rd: 3 Pk: 3 | Rd: 3 Pk: 17 | Rd: 4 Pk: 7 | Rd: 5 Pk: 4 | Rd: 5 Pk: 30 | Rd: 6 Pk: 3
Panthers owner David Tepper wanted the Panthers to draft an offensive tackle last year. To appease him, they reached in the third round for Brady Christensen, who was really a fifth-round graded player. Carolina still has a giant hole at left tackle, but the team could easily fill it with Ikem Ekwonu or Charles Cross.
Ekwonu (6-4, 320) put together an impressive 2021 regular season that earned him high grades from NFL teams. He is a powerful force at the point of attack. Ekwonu has experience at both guard and tackle from the Wolfpack, but projects as being able to play left tackle in the NFL. He is a fierce and physical run blocker. While Ekwonu has some things to work on as a pass blocker, but the potential is there for him to stay on the edge as a pro and be a good left tackle. Ekwonu has excellent speed, athleticism, and quick feet to play tackle. On the other hand, he allows a lot of speed rushers to get on his edges, his feet get tied up, and edge rushers can get around him. Ekwonu masks these issues some with his temperament and nastiness, but he has some warts to work on to be ready to handle NFL edge rushers.
Click links to see the Panthers' picks across all rounds:
Rd: 4 Pk: 32 | Rd: 5 Pk: 1 | Rd: 5 Pk: 6 | Rd: 6 Pk: 20 | Rd: 7 Pk: 20
I believe the Giants would prefer a cornerback, but if they miss out on them, Thibodeaux is the backup plan after taking an offensive lineman at No. 5. Thibodeaux would give the Giants a potentially elite edge rusher across from Azeez Ojulari and next to Leonard Williams.
Thibodeaux spent the 2021 season dealing with an ankle injury, but he still recorded 49 tackles, seven sacks, one pass batted and two forced fumbles on the year. He recorded 32 tackles, three sacks and three passes batted in 2020. Thibodeaux had a superb freshman season for the Ducks, doing an excellent job of getting after the quarterback and totaling nine sacks, 35 tackles, a forced fumble and three passes batted.
Thibodeaux (6-5, 242) is quick off the edge with an explosive first-step and flashes speed to power to bull rush some offensive tackles. He could stand to refine and add more pass-rushing moves, but he has big-time ability and a lot of upside to develop. Team sources say they question how much Thibodeaux loves football, don’t like all the plays off he takes, and are worried that he is too focused on “his brand.”
Click links to see the Giants' picks across all rounds:
Rd: 1 Pk: 5 | Click here to jump to the Giants' second-round pick. | Rd: 3 Pk: 3 | Rd: 3 Pk: 17 | Rd: 4 Pk: 7 | Rd: 5 Pk: 4 | Rd: 5 Pk: 30 | Rd: 6 Pk: 3
The Falcons could go a number of directions here, but London could be a monster paired with Kyle Pitts. After losing Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley and Russell Gage, clearly Atlanta needs some long-term answers at wide receiver.
London hauled in 88 receptions for 1,084 yards and seven touchdowns over his eight-game 2021 before a fractured ankle ended his year. The 6-foot-5, 210-pounder has mismatch size and is a dangerous 50-50 receiver with his ability to win contested catches. After the catch, London is a threat to pick up yardage because he is a physical runner and is tough for defensive backs to get to the ground. His skill set makes him a real asset in the red zone.
London is a bit of a love/hate prospect in speaking with different scouts. The evaluators who don’t like him feel that his speed is average at best and that he will struggle to get open enough in the NFL. The scouts who like London feel he is a cross between Keenan Allen, Mike Evans and Michael Thomas. They say he is a good route-runner and has some suddenness and feel for his size. They also believe, however, that separating from NFL cornerbacks is going to be a problem for him.
London was in a crowded depth chart in 2019 and 2020, but he still showed some intriguing ability. In 2020, he had 33 catches for 502 yards and three touchdowns over six games with Amon-Ra St. Brown as the featured receiver. As a freshman, London caught 39 passes for 567 yards and five touchdowns with St. Brown and Michael Pittman Jr. ahead of London in targets.
Click links to see the Falcons' picks across all rounds:
Click here to jump to the Falcons' first second-round pick. | Rd: 2 Pk: 26 | Rd: 3 Pk: 10 | Rd: 3 Pk: 18 | Rd: 4 Pk: 9 | Rd: 5 Pk: 8 | Rd: 6 Pk: 11 | Rd: 6 Pk: 34
Rich with picks from trading away Russell Wilson, the Seahawks can address multiple needs. Here, they grab a franchise left tackle to replace Duane Brown. Some teams like Cross more than N.C. State’s Ikem Ekwonu, and across the scouting community, they feel Cross is the best pass protector and most natural left tackle in the 2022 NFL Draft. Hence, I could see Seattle preferring him to solidify the most important position on the line.
The 6-foot-5, 310-pound Cross looks like a future starting left tackle in the NFL and impressed team evaluators in 2021. Cross has excellent feet, athleticism, and quickness to play on the edge. For the next level, sources say Cross needs to get stronger and bigger for taking on pro linemen, but that is not abnormal. They feel after a little developmental time, Cross could be a good NFL left tackle.
Click links to see the Seahawks' picks across all rounds:
Click here to jump to the Seahawks' first second-round pick. | Rd: 2 Pk: 9 | Rd: 3 Pk: 8 | Rd: 4 Pk: 4 | Rd: 5 Pk: 2 | Rd: 5 Pk: 10 | Rd: 7 Pk: 7
The Jets need to get more playmakers and mismatch weapons for Zach Wilson. They have a big receiver in Corey Davis and slot receivers in Elijah Moore and Braxton Berrios. Hence, I could see them going for a speed receiver and big-play weapon in Wilson.
Garrett Wilson continued to show his game-breaking speed and electrifying playmaking ability throughout 2021. He runs smooth routes, showing suddenness in-and-out of his breaks to consistently generate separation. Along with being fast playmaker, Wilson has good body control to adjust to the ball and is phenomenal after the catch. A lot of scouts feel Wilson is smoother and more explosive than Chris Olave for the next level.
In 2021, Wilson totaled 70 receptions for 1,058 yards and 12 touchdowns. The 6-foot, 193-pounder was a big-play weapon for Ohio State in 2020. The sophomore had 43 receptions for 687 yards and six touchdowns. After only four games, Wilson surpassed his freshman year production (30-432-5), and he seemed to become Justin Fields’ most trusted receiver during the 2020 season.
Click links to see the Jets' picks across all rounds:
Rd: 1 Pk: 4 | Click here to jump to the Jets' first second-round pick. | Rd: 2 Pk: 6 | Rd: 3 Pk: 5 | Rd: 4 Pk: 6 | Rd: 4 Pk: 12 | Rd: 5 Pk: 3 | Rd: 5 Pk: 20
The Commies need Carson Wentz to help save some jobs and/or prevent the hot seat for Ron Rivera in 2023. Washington could use another receiver to go with Terry McLaurin. Wiliams would provide more game-breaking speed for the offense.
The Ohio State transfer was an electric playmaker for the Crimson Tide in 2021, averaging 19.9 yards per catch for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns on 79 catches. The 6-foot-2, 189-pound Williams has quality height and explosive speed alongside suddenness and a burst that catches defensive backs by surprise. Williams tore his ACL tear in the National Championship game, so he could miss part of his rookie season as he comes back from the injury.
Click links to see the Redskins' picks across all rounds:
Click here to jump to the Redskins' second-round pick. | Rd: 4 Pk: 8 | Rd: 6 Pk: 10 | Rd: 7 Pk: 8 | Rd: 7 Pk: 18
Patrick Peterson re-signed, but he is not a long-term starter. Here’s a potential long-term No. 1 corner for the Vikings.
McDuffie totaled 35 tackles and six passes broken up in 2021. He broke out in 2019 as a freshman, recording 45 tackles, two forced fumbles, an interception and two passes defended. In the 2020 mini-season, he had 14 tackles and a pick. Washington has been a factory for defensive back talent in recent years, and McDuffie will continue that trend in the 2022 NFL Draft. The 5-foot-11, 195-pounder is a smooth corner with speed and cover skills.
Click links to see the Vikings' picks across all rounds:
Click here to jump to the Vikings' second-round pick. | Rd: 3 Pk: 13 | Rd: 5 Pk: 13 | Rd: 6 Pk: 5 | Rd: 6 Pk: 12 | Rd: 6 Pk: 13 | Rd: 7 Pk: 28
The Texans need more edge rushers for Lovie Smith’s defense, and Johnson would be a great fit. He will help put heat on the quarterback while also improving their ability to defend Derrick Henry and Jonathan Taylor in divisional matchups.
In 2021, Johnson collected 70 tackles, 11.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and two passes batted. He made big plays in run defense and the pass rush. In 2020, Johnson was part of a loaded group of edge rushers at Georgia. Azeez Ojulari was the featured defender, while Johnson, Adam Anderson and Nolan Smith rotated for snaps. Anderson and Johnson both flashed, with Johnson recording four sacks and 14 tackles in backup duty. Due to Anderson and Smith returning to the Bulldogs, Johnson transferred to Florida State. The 6-foot-4, 255-pounder has good size and speed off the edge. He has received, however, a lot of marks for bad character around the league.
Click links to see the Texans' picks across all rounds:
Rd: 1 Pk: 3 | Click here to jump to the Texans' second-round pick. | Rd: 3 Pk: 4 | Rd: 3 Pk: 16 | Rd: 4 Pk: 2 | Rd: 4 Pk: 3 | Rd: 5 Pk: 27 | Rd: 6 Pk: 26 | Rd: 6 Pk: 28 | Rd: 7 Pk: 23
The Ravens are said to be high on Davis, and he could be an impactful nose tackle for them.
Some league sources are extremely high on Davis, but I also know some area scouts who were not projecting him to the first round if he had entered the 2021 NFL Draft and have some concerns that he might be a one-trick pony for the NFL. The 6-foot-6, 340-pound Davis is a mountain of a man with unique speed and athleticism. Team sources compare him to Albert Haynesworth and John Henderson.
Davis had an excellent game against Clemson to open 2021. He was a beast at the point of attack and led the Bulldogs’ tremendous run defense against the Tigers. Davis notched three tackles and a sack, but the numbers don’t illustrate how big of a force he was for Georgia. He recorded 30 tackles and two sacks in 2021. In 2020, Davis collected 16 tackles and one sack. He had 2.5 sacks and 18 tackles as a sophomore after recording 25 tackles and 1.5 sacks during his freshman season.
Click links to see the Ravens' picks across all rounds:
Click here to jump to the Ravens' second-round pick. | Rd: 3 Pk: 12 | Rd: 3 Pk: 36 | Rd: 4 Pk: 5 | Rd: 4 Pk: 14 | Rd: 4 Pk: 23 | Rd: 4 Pk: 34 | Rd: 4 Pk: 36 | Rd: 6 Pk: 17
The Eagles need safety and linebacker help. Hamilton is a hybrid defender who can play both positions and bring playmaking ability to the middle of the Philadelphia defense.
The 6-foot-4, 216-pound Hamilton is a dynamic playmaker and difference maker. He has phenomenal size, speed, and ball skills. Hamilton’s size and speed make him a highly impactful run defender who flies downhill and is capable of being the eighth man in the box.
Some pro sources think Hamilton should move to linebacker in the NFL because Hamilton is straight line and does not have safety instincts. They feel because he misses some tackles in space and isn’t great in man-to-man coverage, and that could be covered at linebacker. He is also taller than teams want in safeties.
Hamilton recorded 31 tackles, three interceptions and three passes defended in 2021. He missed the last five games of the year due to a knee injury suffered while tackling USC’s Drake London. Hamilton totaled 56 tackles, an interception and six passes broken up in 2020. He put together an excellent freshman season for Notre Dame, showing good ball skills with four interceptions and six passes broken up to go along with 41 tackles.
Click links to see the Eagles' picks across all rounds:
Rd: 1 Pk: 18 | Click here to jump to the Eagles' second-round pick. | Rd: 3 Pk: 19 | Rd: 3 Pk: 37 | Rd: 4 Pk: 19 | Rd: 5 Pk: 11 | Rd: 5 Pk: 19 | Rd: 5 Pk: 23 | Rd: 7 Pk: 15
The Saints take a playmaking speed weapon to go with Michael Thomas.
In 2021, Olave recorded 65 catches for 936 yards and 13 touchdowns. He showed off his excellent speed, route-running, and smooth athleticism. Olave caught 50 passes for 729 yards and seven touchdowns in 2020. The Buckeyes had other good receiving talent with more experience during 2019, but Olave (6-0, 182) became their most dynamic receiving playmaker that season with 49 receptions for 849 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was a big-time point producer and looked like he was just getting started. Olave has quality height and serious speed to get downfield. He proved his speed at the combine with a tremendous 40 time.
