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ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. is known worldwide as "the guy" when it comes to the NFL Draft. His mock drafts are some of the most popular ones out there, and he constantly updates them throughout the stages of the NFL offseason.
As the NFL free agency period has cooled off and many players are off the market, Mel Kiper Jr. has released his latest 2022 NFL Draft mock for the first round. Recent trades have changed up the draft order for the first round, including the Seattle Seahawks moving to #9 and both the Houston Texans and Green Bay Packers gaining an additional Day 1 pick.
After a few more quarterback transactions (Matt Ryan, Marcus Mariota, Jameis Winston, Mitchell Trubisky, Carson Wentz, Russell Wilson, Deshaun Watson), there are more questions than answers about where the quarterback prospects will be drafted and who the top-five picks will be.
Based on Mel Kiper's NFL Draft mock this week, there are a few interesting and surprising predictions from him.
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Top 5 Surprises from Mel Kiper's March NFL Draft Mock
#1 - Houston Texans take Ikem Ekwonu at #3
There is a whole variety of guys that the Houston Texans could take with the #3 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. After finally ridding themselves of quarterback Deshaun Watson and deciding to run with Davis Mills, the smart move would be to improve the offense around Mills.
NC State tackle Ikem Ekwonu is a great prospect, but Evan Neal has a bigger presence and could lock down the right side of the offensive line. Again, the top five draft picks could be in any order of players, but Neal seems like the consensus top lineman available, and the Texans should bring in the biggest and best available to allow Davis Mills to make something out of nothing.
#2 - Seattle Seahawks go OT at #9
The Seahawks traded quarterback Russell Wilson to the Broncos without having a solid backup lined up. They received Drew Lock as part of the trade package for Wilson, but surely the plan isn't to start Lock in 2022...right?
The Seahawks still have DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett (for now) as the top receivers. There is talent on the offense for a quarterback to work with, but the quarterback has to be able to utilize it. Lock had receivers like Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton and struggled with consistency. The receivers in Seattle are better, but can Lock really get the ball to them and keep them relevant? Malik Willis will 100% be available here, and Pete Carroll needs to come to the conclusion that a rebuild is necessary.
#3 - Kenny Pickett is first QB off the board to the Saints
There are several surprises to this pick in Kiper's 2022 NFL Draft mock. Malik Willis seems to be seen as the top quarterback in the draft class, as Kiper himself compared him to Michael Vick earlier this week. He even said that the Seattle Seahawks make sense as a possible destination at #9. Yet, he has Kenny Pickett going before Willis, and Pickett isn't going until #18 to the Saints.
Secondly, the quarterback room is still a mess heading into 2022. They have Taysom Hill, Ian Book, Blake Bortles, Jameis Winston, and now Pickett? New Orleans just signed Winston to a two-year, $28 million extension, and he's expected to be healthy for the start of the season. There are other needs like receivers and linebackers.
#4 - 1st round RB
Many analysts, including Mel Kiper Jr., are adamant about running backs going in the first round. It's not from them lacking talent, but there's a poor track record behind it. At #27, Kiper has Tampa Bay picking the first tailback in the 2022 NFL Draft, and it is Breece Hall from Iowa State.
Hall is seen as the best running back in the class, but an offensive lineman would make more sense at #27. You can't run the ball well without a proper line in place, and either Zion Johnson or Tyler Smith should be available to Bruce Arians. Plus, the team re-signed Leonard Fournette after becoming a great contributor in 2021.
#5 - QB Matt Corral making it into the 1st round of NFL Draft
Mel Kiper Jr. has Matt Corral as the final pick in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft as he lands with the Detroit Lions. It's no surprise that the Lions need a quarterback to replace Jared Goff as the future leader, but part of the issue was a lack of offense around Goff in 2021.
Corral has been in contention as being the first quarterback off the board, but Willis and Pickett have pulled far ahead of him as of right now. Corral's condition after his ankle injury a few months ago is relatively unknown, and he played on a rather basic offense in college. The Lions can get Corral for a cheap, five-year deal by taking him in the first round, but they could have also gone for a bigger need at #32 and still gotten Corral in the second round on a cheap four-year deal.
After going with a safety at #2, Detroit still needs a pass-rusher and receiver.
