CommRadio NFL Mock Draft 4.0

Story posted April 24, 2022 in CommRadio, Sports by CommRadio Sports Staff

With the NFL Draft just around the corner, football fans around the world have just under two weeks left to step into the shoes of NFL front offices and predict what budding superstars will hear their names called in Las Vegas.

With that being said, here are CommRadio expert’s predictions for this year’s first-round selections.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars - Evan Neal, OT, Alabama
The Jaguars need to protect their franchise centerpiece, Trevor Lawrence, and create more space in the running game. Aidan Hutchinson was overpowered too many times against Georgia to feel comfortable drafting him first. – Justin

2. Detroit Lions - Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan
This is a toss up between the top pass rushers, but the Lions elect will roll with an in-state product to buff up the defensive line. Hutchinson will be a day-one starter and immediate contributor for the blue-collar defense that Dan Campbell is constructing. – Grant

3. Houston Texans -  Ikem Ekwonu, OT, NC State
Look, Houston needs a lot of help to fill its holes. But the Texans liked what they saw in Davis Mills last year and they need to do whatever they can to protect their QB with the best pass blocker in this draft class. – Josh

4. New York Jets - Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon
Putting it simply, Thibodeaux is not falling past the fourth pick. The Jets loved Jermaine Johnson II from his Senior Bowl selection, but I guarantee that they didn’t expect Thibodeaux to fall to them. They set up a defensive masterclass in the front seven along with Quentin Williams and C.J. Mosley. – Joe

5. New York Giants - Travon Walker, DE, Georgia
The Giants need help all over, but here they try to fix a defensive line that has struggled mightily over the last couple of seasons. Charles Cross should be in consideration here, but Walker is the better player and Joe Schoen wants the best player. – Justin

6. Carolina Panthers - Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State
There’s a lot of smoke surrounding the Carolina Panthers and quarterback Kenny Pickett, but the offensive line will take precedence. Now, with one of the best pass-protecting tackles in the entire draft, Sam Darnold will enter a prove-it season with some major assistance up front. – Grant

7. New York Giants (Via CHI) – Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, DB, Cincinnati
With all the top offensive linemen off the board, the Giants switch to the defensive side and get the best defensive back on the board. Gardner did not give up a touchdown in his entire collegiate career and will be a huge help for a struggling secondary. – Josh

8. Atlanta Falcons - Drake London, WR, USC
I would not be surprised if the Falcons go QB with Kenny Pickett at 8, as Marcus Mariota doesn’t seem like the long term option, and Pickett has a similar play style and build to their previous face-of-the-franchise in Matt Ryan. However, if they stick with Mariota for at least a year, pairing Kyle Pitts with Julio Jones 2.0 (in terms of size) in Drake London makes for the best situation for Mariota to shine in the NFL again. – Joe

9. Seattle Seahawks (Via DEN) - Malik Willis, QB, Liberty
The Seahawks top quarterback option right now is Drew Lock. Malik Willis should be better for Pete Carroll. Willis is multidimensional and is considered by many to be the best quarterback in this draft. – Justin

10. New York Jets (Via SEA) - Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama
After missing out on the Tyreek Hill sweepstakes, New York will add lightning via the draft in the form of Jameson Williams. Alongside rising star Elijah Moore, Williams will add some much-needed versatility to the Jets’ offense. – Grant

11. Washington Commanders – Derek Stingley Jr., DB, LSU
A lot of mock drafts have Devin Lloyd going at 11 to the Commanders. However, it would certainly be rare for Washington to take a linebacker in back-to-back drafts. With Stingley Jr, the Commanders get one of the top corners, a position they desperately need help with. – Josh

12. Minnesota Vikings - Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa
Minnesota is in a spot where it could trade back and take a corner. However, sticking with the 12th pick, the best option is taking the next Jason Kelce in Tyler Linderbaum. He is a versatile interior lineman from a school that consistently produces good linemen. The only decision after that is figuring out if Linderbaum or Garrett Bradbury plays center and which moves to guard, as both are very capable. -Joe

13. Houston Texans (Via CLE) - Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame
Houston has to fill nearly every position which allows them to take the best player available here. Hamilton can play all over the defense and provide a spark. – Justin

14. Baltimore Ravens - Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State
Similar to the 2020 NFL Draft with the Dallas Cowboys watching CeeDee Lamb fall into their laps, the Ravens will have no choice but to add one of the most promising downfield threats in this year’s class. In a division that already features a plethora of elite offensive weapons, Wilson will look to make his mark in a loaded Baltimore receiving core. – Grant

15. Philadelphia Eagles (Via MIA) – Trent McDuffie, DB, Washington
With Wilson off the board, it doesn’t make sense for the Eagles to reach for a receiver here. Instead, the Eagles get a day one starter to pair with an aging but still extremely productive Darius Slay. – Josh

16. New Orleans Saints (Via IND) - Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah
The Saints are in a sticky situation. They have pushed their salary cap issues off to the future. They might get into a situation where they take anyone, as no big-contract player is safe. I say they go with the best player available in a coverage roll over the middle with Devin Lloyd. - Joe

17. Los Angeles Chargers - Davonte Wyatt, IDL, Georgia
The Chargers struggled on the interior of the defensive line last season. Wyatt is a strong run stopper that can also provide pressure on pass rushes. – Justin

18. Philadelphia Eagles (Via NO) - Jermaine Johnson II, DE, Florida State
An unexpected slide for Jermaine Johnson II ends right inside of the top 20 picks, as Philadelphia adds another threat off the edge to pair alongside Josh Sweat, Haason Reddick and Brandon Graham. – Grant

19. New Orleans Saints (Via PHI) – Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss
The Saints making the trade with the Eagles makes it seem like they want to grab a quarterback to take over when Jameis Winston’s new contract ends. Matt Corral was the best quarterback in the draft before he got injured, and he fits beautifully into the scheme in New Orleans. He can learn and be molded under Winston and potentially be a gem in this draft. – Josh

20. Pittsburgh Steelers - Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh
Ideally, the Steelers do not need to take a QB. However, their needs consist of offensive linemen and secondary receivers, whom they do not want to pay another first round pick for and play out the Juju-Brown drama again. They keep Pickett in-state and give Mitch Trubisky some day one competition. - Joe

21. New England Patriots - Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia
The Patriots have a need to fill at the linebacker position. Dean flies around on defenss and can be a vital asset to a defense that needs to be revamped. - Justin

22. Green Bay Packers (Via LV) - Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State
The past few drafts have seen the Packers shy away from adding downfield weapons for Aaron Rodgers, but with Sammy Watkins currently atop the depth chart, Green Bay will have no choice but to select an Ohio State speedster. – Grant

23. Arizona Cardinals – Jordan Davis, DL, Georgia
The Cardinals could go offensive line or defensive line, and they choose the best player available in Jordan Davis. Davis could be a huge piece in the front seven for Arizona, especially with J.J. Watt on the wrong side of 30. – Josh

24. Dallas Cowboys - Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa
The Cowboys have had the identity of being the team with the prototypical offensive line. Due to injuries, they haven’t been up to that standard. It doesn’t help when their franchise running back in Ezekiel Elliot plays like he’s running through Cabo sand. Dallas takes another top O-line prospect to attempt to get back to the glory days. - Joe

25. Buffalo Bills - Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State
The Bills lost Cole Beasley and gained Jamison Crowder, but their offense could use a better deep threat. Dotson is a smooth route runner with top-end speed that can get separation from the defense. - Justin

26. Tennessee Titans - Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati
After a mediocre 2021 season and a poor postseason showing against the Bengals, Ryan Tannehill’s days with the Titans are numbered. While they could opt to look at some defensive pieces at No. 26, Tennessee may not be able to resist Ridder’s potential. – Grant

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Kenyon Green, G, Texas A&M
The Buccaneers will be without Ali Marpet due to retirement and also lost Alex Cappa to free agency. With Green, the Buccaneers get one of the most well-rounded guards who can step in on day one and protect Tom Brady. – Josh

28. Green Bay Packers - David Ojabo, LB, Michigan
What made Michigan’s defense so elite in 2022 was its pass rushing threat of Hutchinson being coupled with the athleticism and quickness of Ojabo. The Packers fill the need of the vacant WR spot lost with Davante Adams departing, and the Packers do the same here with the spot left open from the departure of Za’Darius Smith. - Joe

29. Kansas City Chiefs (from SF through MIA) - Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson
The Kansas City secondary got picked apart against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Divisional round. They need to find some security in the defense and Booth can do just that. -Justin

30. Kansas City Chiefs - Skyy Moore, WR, Michigan
While Treylon Burks may be the better overall prospect, the versatility of Skyy Moore fits the mold for what Kansas City needs at receiver, especially with the void that Tyreek Hill has created. – Grant

31. Cincinnati Bengals – Kaiir Elam, DB, Florida
The Bengals were one of the sneaky winners in the offseason, filling glaring needs by revitalizing the offensive line to protect their franchise quarterback. On draft day, they fill another need by finding a way to get Eli Apple off the field, and Elam is a beautiful fit on a young Cincinnati team. – Josh

32. Detroit Lions (Via LAR) - Daxton Hill, S, Michigan
Detroit needs best-player-available at every turn, including a target for Jared Goff. However, with nearly back-to-back picks, and the Jaguars signing Christian Kirk to a massive contract, the Lions would be more intelligent to draft a secondary piece in Hill. Treylon Burks will be available at 34. - Joe

Grant Sheets is a first-year student majoring in public relations. To contact him, please email gcs5231@psu.edu.

Justin Ciavolella is a first-year student majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email jtc5751@psu.edu.

Joe Callahan Jr. is a third-year student majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email jcc5950@psu.edu.

Josh Bartosik is a first-year student majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email joshbartosik13@gmail.com.

About the Contributors

Joseph Callahan's photo

Joseph Callahan

Four-Year / Broadcast Journalism

Growing up, Joe Callahan Jr. strove to become a professional athlete, even to the point of participating in the walk-on tryouts for the Penn State football team. Now, he strives for a broadcasting career. Host of CommRadio’s live debate talk show and 2021 ‘Talk Show of the Year’, titled ‘Phone Booth’, he is a go to personality in debating professional and collegiate sports on the airways. Being mostly an on-air talent, he is also an analyst on Penn State Sports Night, the sports debate show on Penn State Network Television Network, host and analyst on The Sportsblitz, the sports talk show on TheLion90.7FM, an anchor for Centre County Report, the student local news station of Centre County, host on After the Whistle, Penn State’s local high school football recap show, the creator of The Valley Network, a mainly sports television broadcasting network. In the professional, he was on the media team for the 2022 Valley League Summer Champions, the Charlottesville Tom Sox.

Justin Ciavolella's photo

Justin Ciavolella

Second-year /

Justin Ciavolella is a second-year student from Sayville, New York, majoring in broadcast journalism. He is a writer, podcaster and broadcaster within the sports department of CommRadio. Ciavolella has written articles on various topics, but tends to focus on previews of Penn State sporting events. He is an analyst on Phone Booth, a sports debate talk show for the station, as well as a co-host on Bomber Boys, a Yankee talk show. He is also involved with the production of After the Whistle. He can be found on Twitter @jciavolella76, and can be emailed at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Grant Sheets's photo

Grant Sheets

Freshman /

Grant Sheets is a first-year student majoring in broadcast journalism with aspirations to become a professional sports analyst and broadcaster. He is a production team member, news anchor, sports writer, podcaster and play-by-play announcer for CommRadio. He is also an analyst on Penn State Sports Night, a student-run media platform that produces weekly shows. Currently, he works as a voiceover artist for seven sports channels on YouTube. To contact him, email him at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Joshua Bartosik's photo

Joshua Bartosik

Second Year /

Josh Bartosik is a Second Year student from Raleigh, North Carolina majoring in broadcast journalism. He is in his second year at CommRadio. Josh has been featured on several articles and podcasts for CommRadio ranging across all sports and topics. Josh had the incredible opportunity to broadcast the Women’s Frozen Four Semifinal matchups at University Park last winter and the EIVA Men’s Tournament Semifinal last spring along with several other broadcasts. Josh has also been named as a co-host for the Sin Bin and Phone Booth, two talk shows featured at CommRadio. Josh’s dream career is to be a play by play broadcaster or journalist for the NHL, NFL, or College Football.