At the time of publication, the NFL Draft is less than 24 hours away. This year we’ve seen controversy more than any other, as we are without a consensus number one pick for the first time since 2013. This will be a draft full of intrigue and surprises, and in this article, we predict our top ten picks and compare them.
Noah’s Picks
1. Jacksonville Jaguars - NC State Offensive Tackle Ikem Ekwonu - This first overall pick is far from guaranteed, as the Jaguars could go with a ton of different players. Edge is a position of need for them while offensive line isn’t as dire of a need, but I feel that with his versatility Ekwonu just makes so much sense. He has the ability to play any position but center on either side of the line and excel at each one. In the Jaguars’ case, he could slot in immediately at left guard or right tackle or even be a utility backup for his first year. While Ekwonu is an exceptional prospect, the Jaguars have plenty of holes to fill and could go multiple different directions with this pick.
2. Detroit Lions - Michigan EDGE Aidan Hutchinson - A player with the potential to go at number one, Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson slides in here as the no-doubt pick at number two. He is just elite all around and doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses. Hutchinson steadily improved his entire four-year career at Michigan, but he really burst onto the scene as a junior. After his junior year, he was projected to be a first-round pick in the NFL Draft, but he decided to go back to Michigan for one more year. That turned out to be the right decision as now he is the possible number one overall pick, and will be an impact starter on any team he goes to. Max has Kyle Hamilton at this spot, which isn’t an awful pick in the eyes of some NFL scouts, but I personally am not confident in Hamilton’s ability to play as an over the top single high safety. He has the tools, such as great closing speed (See: Interception against Florida State) but his best NFL position in my opinion is off-ball linebacker where he can showcase his great run defending skills and athletic ability. Again, not a terrible pick, but Hutchinson addresses a bigger need and is a better overall player.
3. Houston Texans - Oregon EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux - Perhaps the best player in this draft, Kayvon Thibodeaux certainly has number one overall potential. There are just so many concerns with him including injury history, effort, and being just a bit too full of himself. At Oregon’s Pro Day Thibodeaux told the media, “I’m [going to] be honest, the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard is that I’m not the best player in this draft.” Comments like that can be attributed to healthy confidence or just a publicity stunt, but it at least raises the question of whether or not Thibodeaux is a true team player. Aside from all that, Thibodeaux is a phenomenal prospect and will be an impact player on day one.
4. New York Jets - Mississippi State Offensive Tackle Charles Cross - The combination of the Jets not having a great running back and having a young quarterback to build around makes them a team that loves to pass the ball. That makes Cross, a very experienced pass protector, a great pick for them here. While Evan Neal may be a better overall player, Cross’ particular pass-protecting skills may cause him to be taken off the board earlier. Mississippi State was definitely an air raid offense under Lane Kiffin as quarterback Will Rodgers threw 683 passes for nearly 5,000 yards. Cross excelled in his pass pro-heavy role and definitely has the skills to develop into a great run blocker as well. For the Jets, he can slide in as a starting tackle opposite of Mekhi Becton right away and continue to get better throughout his first season. This could also be the ideal position for a blockbuster trade with a team such as the Saints or the Eagles who have two first-round picks. That would put the Jets in a better position to address other needs such as receiver or edge rusher later in the first round.
5. New York Giants - Alabama Offensive Tackle Evan Neal - The Giants have seemingly abandoned the “We’re thrilled with our offensive line” narrative and admitted they need some help. Evan Neal would be the ideal guy to give it to them. His crazy size at 6’ 7” and 351 pounds combined with his technical skill makes him a very impressive prospect. In addition to that, Neal has starting experience at both tackle spots and left guard. The Giants have holes all over the line so if this is where he ends up it’s likely that he moves around throughout his rookie season. Overall, Neal is a player with number one overall potential and will make an immediate impact wherever he lands.
6. Carolina Panthers - Pittsburgh Quarterback Kenny Pickett - As the first quarterback off the board, Kenny Pickett is certainly the highest-floor quarterback in this draft class. While a player like Malik Willis or even Desmond Ridder might be more beneficial for the Panthers in the long run, they need an improvement over Sam Darnold now and Pickett is the best fit for the job. He has showcased elite accuracy and football IQ to go along with above-average arm strength. There are concerns about his hand size and how that will impact him in the NFL, but that shouldn’t affect his draft stock. The Panthers have some good pieces in place, but need a few more solid players in key positions to put them in a position to be a contender. Pickett could definitely be one of those guys for them.
7. New York Giants - Georgia EDGE Travon Walker - The hero of the Combine, Travon Walker could be taken anywhere from number one to number fifteen. Every single team seems to have a differing opinion on him. He has all the tools to be a top-flight edge rusher with great athletic ability, football IQ, and technical skill, but hasn’t put them all together yet. The main concern for teams is that all these skills haven’t really meshed together to make Walker a dominant player yet, and that could lead to him falling down the board behind the likes of Jermaine Johnson and George Karlaftis. Max has cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. in this position, but I don’t see the need for them to draft a cornerback here with two starters already in place and a prime opportunity to pick up a player such as Roger McCreary or Andrew Booth Jr. in the second round. Edge would fill a bigger need and with Travon Walker still on the board, I believe that’s who the Giants will go with here.
8. Atlanta Falcons - Ohio State Wide Receiver Garret Wilson - He’s really emerged as the best receiver in the draft class over the course of the offseason, and Garret Wilson could very well be picked right here. His huge strengths are his all-around speed including long speed and acceleration boost, and his elite ball skills. His biggest issue is his route running, his lack of polish in his footwork and route execution is glaring when his tape is examined. Even with the flaws, his pure talent cannot be ignored and for a receiver needy team like the Falcons, this could end up being a home run pick.
9. Seattle Seahawks - Cincinnati Cornerback Ahmad Gardner - Having just lost Russell Wilson to the Broncos quarterback is certainly on the board here, but with Sauce Gardner falling to nine, there’s no way the Seahawks would pass him up. While his competition in the A10 wasn’t great, Gardner showed the ability to completely take a receiver out of the play. On the occasions when a receiver got enough separation to warrant a throw, Garder showed great closing speed along with 33 ½ inch long arms that allow him to get back in the play and break up the pass. He also has one of the craziest stats of any player in the draft class, which is that he went his entire collegiate career without giving up a touchdown. That production combined with elite tape makes Sauce Gardner a guaranteed top-ten pick.
10. New York Jets - LSU Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. - If the draft would fall this way, the Jets would be annoyed with Sauce Gardner being taken at nine. Fortunately for them, another corner who may be the best player in the draft is still available in Derek Stingley Jr. There are plenty of differing opinions on Stingley, and most of them are based on either injury concerns or effort concerns. A player can’t control getting injured and if the Jets can get Stingley on the field and giving 100%, he could end up being one of the best cornerbacks in the league. The true talent that he showed as a freshman at LSU would be more than enough to compel the Jets to take a shot on him here at number ten.
Max’s Picks
1. Jacksonville Jaguars - Michigan EDGE Aidan Hutchinson - The first pick could go many ways, but Aidan Hutchinson is an amazing prospect and can make an immediate impact on a struggling Jags team. Hutchinson has improved immensely since his freshman year at Michigan and has developed into a phenomenal pass rusher and tackler. The Jaguars have many holes to fill in the lineup, as Noah has offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu in this position. Although that pick makes sense, Hutchinson has had a dominant season. He finished the year with 14 sacks and was second in Heisman Trophy voting, which makes him the way to go with this pick.
2. Detroit Lions - Notre Dame Safety Kyle Hamilton - Maybe the best pure skill player in the draft, Kyle Hamilton has been an elite safety ever since he stepped onto the Notre Dame field. In his first season, he had 4 interceptions, 41 tackles, and a touchdown. Hamilton has the potential to be someone like Antoine Winfield Jr., who is a great interceptor over the top and can cover a man well if he needs to. For this pick, Noah has Aidan Hutchinson at EDGE. That is definitely a need for the Lions, but I think that because of their need for a safety and the amazing skill of Hamilton, they will go with him at number two.
3. Houston Texans - Alabama Offensive Tackle Evan Neal - The Texans are definitely in a rebuilding stage, having lost Deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins to the Browns and Cardinals. What could be better for them than getting a leader on their offensive line? Neal is the ideal guy to do it. He is versatile with his position, having played both guard and tackle well for Alabama. He also has incredible size, at 6’7” and 351 pounds. Along with all of those, he has the cockiness you need in a leader. Neal has been quoted saying that he will make an “immediate impact” on any team he goes to. Evan Neal definitely has top-three talent, and I expect him to be a great player in the NFL.
4. New York Jets - Oregon EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux - Another player who has the potential to go number 1, Kayvon Thibodeaux could be someone like Nick Bosa or Demarcus Ware. He is very explosive and strong enough to push past lineman and make sacks or tackles for loss. A thing about him that some people have questioned is his cocky demeanor. He has said that he is the top prospect in the draft and many analysts and coaches don’t like that attitude. In my opinion; he’s cocky, so what? Confidence and a little bit of cockiness aren’t always bad. I think he has an enormous amount of potential, but he will drop from number one because he has a few technical issues with footwork and hand moves.
5. New York Giants - NC State Offensive Tackle Ikem Ekwonu - Ikem Ekwonu is perhaps the most versatile player in the entire draft class. Ekwonu can play anywhere on the offensive line except center, and play it at an elite level. The Giants have had trouble creating a running game and protecting quarterbacks in past years, so offensive line is definitely at the top of their draft needs list. Noah has Ekwonu at number one, which is possible, but I don’t feel a huge need for the Jaguars to take an offensive tackle with that pick when standout EDGE players like Aidan Hutchinson, Kayvon Thibodeaux, or Travon Walker could slide in there.
6. Carolina Panthers - Liberty Quarterback Malik Willis - A standout QB at the combine, Malik Willis has risen to be possibly the number one quarterback in the draft. Willis transferred from Auburn to Liberty in 2018 when coaches at Auburn deemed him a backup, and has been shining there for the past two seasons. His huge arm and incredible ability to scramble has brought comparison to someone like Josh Allen or Jalen Hurts. The Panthers have many needs including EDGE and Offensive Tackle, but I think Willis’ skills are too much to pass up at pick number six.
7. New York Giants - LSU Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. - Having played in only 10 games in the past two seasons due to injury, Derek Stingley Jr. 's draft stock has certainly decreased since his amazing freshman season. At the start of 2021, there was no question that Stingley was a top five draft pick, but some analysts this year have him sliding out of the top 15. On the positive side, Stingley had a great 2022 pro day. He posted 40-yard dash times in the mid 4.3s and moved well in position drills. He thinks he proved that “nothing has changed” since his injury. I think that Stingley will go in the top ten despite past injuries.
8. Atlanta Falcons - Ohio State Wide Receiver Garrett Wilson - Garrett Wilson has improved immensely over his 3 seasons at Ohio State. He started in the shadow of a great recruit in Chris Olave, then burst into the position of number 1 wide receiver on OSU and in the nation. His skills really showed at the combine, as he ran a 4.37-second 40-yard dash and a 4.36-second 20-yard shuttle. He has a few things to work on, like his route running and awareness, but I think that with his elite run-after-catch skills and surprising strength, he is the way to go with this pick.
9. Seattle Seahawks - Mississippi State Offensive Tackle Charles Cross - Perhaps the best pass protecting lineman in the entire draft, Charles Cross is a player that analysts have many different opinions on. Some have him touted as a possible top-three pick, while others think of him as a late first-round player. In Cross’ case, his development really depends on the system he’s placed in. That being said, the Seahawks and their run-heavy offense might not be the best place for him. After the Russell Wilson trade, they will have to rely on the run even more, but that doesn’t mean that Cross isn’t the best pick for them. With some good coaching, he could round out his game and become an excellent run-blocker as well. The Seahawks staff is certainly capable of getting him that quality coaching, and with that Cross could become a pro-bowl tackle very early in his career.
10. New York Jets - Georgia EDGE Travon Walker - The talk of the combine, Travon Walker came out with a 4.51-second 40-yard dash and a 35.5” vertical jump. He has certainly taken a huge leap in mock drafts since then, from the teens all the way up to being a candidate for even the number one pick. Though teams are leaning towards taking him in the top five, if Kayvon Thibodeaux gets picked before him (which I think will happen) the only real team that has a need for an EDGE position is the Panthers. That is my main reason for Walker to drop all the way down to pick 10. In addition, Walker has some issues with his burst in the open field and ability to use just force to get around an elite tackle, which he will face a lot of in the NFL. Walker is another one of those guys who has potential to be number one, or drop all the way down to 9 or 10.