Who will be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft?

By Chris Moore, Jake Rajala, and Charlie Vakassian

The 2022 NFL draft holds many talented prospects and it is bound to be one of the most exciting parts of this NFL offseason. We feel like this NFL draft won’t bring the same results that the 2006 NFL draft or the 2013 draft displayed. The 2022 NFL draft will be special and it will start with the first overall pick.

There are a few potential first overall picks that are gifted football profiles and it’s safe to say the Jacksonville Jaguars, who hold the first overall pick, will be beyond thrilled with whoever they select. With that said, here is a breakdown of the top competitors to be potentially chosen first overall.

Aidan Hutchinson, DL, University of Michigan 

By: Jake Rajala

The University of Michigan defensive lineman, Aidan Hutchinson, went from having 3.5 career sacks in three seasons to unveiling 14 sacks in 2021. The 6’6 265 DL also had 36 combined tackles last season. We’ve seen many Michigan defensive stars like Chase Winovich and Josh Uche, but Hutchinson has been the most impressive U of M star over the past few years. Perhaps, Hutchinson can be as special as former Wolverine Charles Woodson in the NFL.

Hutchinson was so impressive as a defensive lineman in 2021 that he finished as the fourth defensive player ever to land in the top two of the Heisman voting. Unfortunately, Stanford QB Bryce Young was superb from the QB position, as he went on to win the 2021 Heisman. Young threw 47 touchdowns, 4,872 yards, and obtained an 87.6 passer rating last season. Young is the early favorite to be selected first overall in the 2023 NFL draft. 

Hutchinson isn’t only a very safe pick, but he has the potential to be a decade-like player. Mel Kiper compared Hutchinson to the Bosa brothers, which should make Jaguars fans wish for his name called. In particular, Nick Bosa was a Top 3 edge rusher in 2021, as he notched 15.5 sacks last season. I could see some similarities between Saints All-Pro DE Cameron Jordan and Hutchinson, too. They both possess unique power and a high motor against offensive tackles. The Jags were 27th in sacks last season, so it’s clearly a major issue for them. Hutchinson and Josh Allen (7.5 sacks in 2021) would be a fantastic pass-rushing duo for years to come. They have failed to replace edge rusher Yannick Ngakouye, who has been a stud with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Aidan Hutchinson is also PFF’s highest-ranked draft prospect in 2022. Kiper also projects Hutchinson to land first overall with the Jaguars. Hutchinson can be the face of the Jaguars defense for many years to come, while T-Lawrence is the face of the Jags offense for the next decade. We’ve seen how beneficial elite defensive players have been in the NFL. The future Hall of Fame Rams defender Aaron Donald was the key reason why the Rams won Super Bowl LVI and 2021 Defensive Player of The Year T.J. Watt was the leader for the Steelers in their surprise playoff berth. The Jags can ink an offensive lineman like Terron Armstead in free agency or select an OT in round two, while they select the supreme Hutchinson and strive to return to the days of “sacksonville”. The Jags may also bring back Left Tackle Cam Robinson via a franchise tag, so it would really make sense for the Jags to strike gold at the edge-rushing position.

Ikem Ekwonu, OT, North Carolina State

My top-ranked tackle in the 2022 draft, Ekwonu is an absolute mauler. He has immense versatility as well, with the ability to play guard or tackle. He does his best work in the run game, where he absolutely demolishes blockers going up to the second level. His pass protection is less refined, but he has room for improvement, a scary thought for a player who is already proficient in most areas. 

A giant of a man at 6’4 and 320lbs, Ekwonu’s strength lies in the point of attack. His size and strength allow him to push defenders back, and he has incredible football intelligence, with the ability to pick up any twists or stunts. Ekwonu plays with unmatched aggression, pancake blocking every chance he gets, establishing his dominance as the best lineman on the field. NC State ran a lot of zone-heavy concepts, playing to the strengths of Ekwonu, Doug Pederson, the Jaguars new head coach, also likes to run zone schemes, along with some gap concepts mixed in. Ekwonu would thrive in this type of system. 

No prospect is perfect, and Ekwonu does have some concerns which will need to be ironed out at the professional level. He did face trouble with inside pass rush moves over the course of this past season and tended to break out of his stance. He will also need to work on holding his sets longer, as he occasionally would break down too soon, allowing defenders to penetrate the line. There will be some other kinks that NFL coaches will want to work out, but all in all, Ekwonu is one of the more complete prospects, with few flaws in what has been an impressive college career. 

As implied earlier, the Jacksonville Jaguars have the first overall pick in this year’s draft. The chances of trading back from that spot are slim since there are no difference maker quarterbacks to move up for. Since Jacksonville will stay at one, they have to analyze what makes the most sense. They already have multiple edge rushers, with first-round picks invested in Josh Allen and K’lavon Chaisson. So drafting Kayvon Thibodeaux or Aidan Hutchinson may not make the most sense. While they would most certainly improve the Jaguars defense, the offensive side of the ball is where help is needed. 

Trevor Lawrence could not stay on his feet at all last season, with a subpar offensive line in front of him. The Jaguars line ranked 24th overall, according to PFF, and the most reliable lineman in Cam Robinson is headed to free agency. An overhaul is needed. While I expect free agent money to go into the line, the draft will be a necessary avenue to beef up the line. And who better than Ekwonu? If Robinson is retained, he can play at the right tackle, with less pressure on him. He has the most upside, will immediately be a mauler in the run game, and can do enough in the passing game to start out, while the coaches work on refining his skills. Ekwonu can also slide over to guard as necessary, where his skillset projects just as well. He will be an excellent starter on day one, and by the end of his rookie contract will have earned at least one, if not multiple Pro Bowl selections.

Evan Neal, OT, Alabama

While you can make the case that the Jaguars should be drafting the best player in the draft class in Aidan Hutchinson, it makes sense for them to pass on a premier pass rusher to support their franchise quarterback. The Jaguars should focus on getting Trevor Lawrence more help this offseason, and selecting one of the best offensive linemen in the draft should help.

Neal is not a flawless prospect, but he for sure has the tools to excel at the tackle position in the NFL and carries the most upside out of all the offensive linemen in this draft class. I expect Neal to be the leading candidate for the first-round selection after his performance at the combine. We should see Neal’s athleticism shine during the combine and see him show the league why he deserves to be the pick. While Neal’s athleticism is off the charts, he also provides a lot of utility, as he can play multiple positions on the offensive line. Neal started his career at Alabama playing left guard. He played right tackle in 2020 and finished his career at Alabama playing left tackle. He’s shown he can play at all three positions, and it’s a nice benefit to have when drafting linemen.

While I believe Aidan Hutchinson is the best prospect in this year’s draft class, the Jaguars need to prioritize protecting their franchise quarterback. After the year Trevor Lawrence just had, I don’t see the Jaguars taking the Bengals approach of ignoring their offensive line. The Jaguars should be committed to a complete overhaul of the offensive side of the ball this offseason. Adding the best offensive linemen prospect in the class would be a step in the right direction for the organization. I also don’t see the Jaguars investing more draft capital into an edge rusher.

The Jaguars used a premier draft pick in 2019 on Josh Allen and another first-round selection in 2020 on K’Lavon Chaisson. The Jaguars selected Chaisson in the hope he would become a dominant edge rusher to pair with their star Josh Allen. Now I know Chaisson has been disappointing so far and hasn’t lived up to the play many expected from him. That’s a ton of draft capital over the past three seasons into the pass rush to use another first-round pick on an edge rusher. Not to mention the first pick in the entire NFL Draft.

I expect Neal to be the leading candidate for the first-round selection after his performance at the combine. We should see Neal’s athleticism shine during the combine and see him show the league why he deserves to be the pick. The Jaguars recently hired Doug Pederson to be their next head coach, and his top priority should be getting his franchise quarterback more support. Pederson should be making sure Lawrence has the tools around him to succeed. Something Urban Meyer and the Jaguars failed to do last season. The Jaguars cannot afford to remain a dysfunctional organization. Supporting Trevor Lawrence needs to be the priority this season.