The 2022 NFL draft is still nearly a year away, but that hasn’t stopped early first-round projections from flying around in every direction.
The latest 2022 NFL mock draft comes from Josh Edwards of CBS Sports, and he has some intriguing landing spots for the top quarterback prospects in next year’s draft class.
At No. 1 overall, Edwards has the Houston Texans ushering in a new era at quarterback with North Carolina’s Sam Howell. The next passer doesn’t come off the board until the No. 13 overall pick, where Edwards has the Pittsburgh Steelers plucking Oklahoma’s Spencer Rattler as the successor to Ben Roethlisberger.
The New Orleans Saints take the next quarterback in this mock, opting for USC’s Kedon Slovis at No. 22 overall, while the Denver Broncos grab Liberty’s Malik Willis at No. 24 overall.
Surprisingly, Cincinnati’s Desmond Ridder is not among the quarterbacks projected to land among the top 32 picks in this mock.
The New York Jets spend both of their first-round picks on corners in this projection, taking LSU’s Derek Stingley Jr. at No. 3 overall, and pairing him with another SEC cover man in Florida’s Kaiir Elam at No. 21 overall. The Detroit Lions follow a similar path at defensive end, grabbing Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux at No. 2 overall and Ohio State’s Zach Harrison at No. 28 overall.
The Philadelphia Eagles spend their pair of Day 1 selections on defense, as well, taking Purdue edge defender George Karlaftis (No. 6 overall) and Clemson corner Derion Kendrick (No. 21 overall).
To check out the full first-round projection at CBS Sports, click here.