Let's reset for the 2022 NFL draft with a two-round mock draft, predicting the top 64 picks in the class.
The East-West Shrine Bowl and Senior Bowl wrapped up last week, which means the all-star game circuit has officially come to a close. All 32 teams were able to collect valuable information over the past few weeks, watching some of the best upperclassman prospects in this class compete against each other and getting one-on-one interviews with them to pick their brains.
Next up in the pre-draft process? The NFL combine, which kicks off in Indianapolis on March 1. Until then, teams will have another month to lay the groundwork of building their big boards for the draft, watching tape on prospects before they getter a better grasp of their testing numbers at the combine.
Those testing numbers and interviews are major pieces to the draft puzzle that teams and prospects have yet to do. Even though draft day (Round 1 begins April 28) is quickly approaching, there's still a lot that could change over the course of the next two months, including watching what teams do with a loaded free-agent class.
I was on the road over the past few weeks, getting eyes on prospects and talking to scouts and front-office execs to develop my new mock draft, which includes a full projection of the first two rounds. As you'll see below, the need for quarterbacks across the league is apparent, but the strength of the 2022 class lies in the defensive line and secondary.
The draft order for picks 1-30 is set, and the final two picks will be determined based on who wins Super Bowl LVI. The ESPN Football Power Index projects the Rams to beat the Bengals, which means I'm putting Cincinnati ahead of the Rams -- who have traded both of their top selections in this draft -- in the order.
More NFL draft coverage:
Senior Bowl wrap | Reid's mock 1.0
Kiper's latest mock | First Draft | News
Round 1
