Guest Blog - Mock Drafting the first 40 picks

Note from the editor - This is a guest blog. While my blogs will be mostly about the Sox, MLB, and my Seventh Inning Stretches, Guest Blogs can be about anything. Anyone is welcome to send me something they want to write about and I can post it to the blog under their name. If you want to get some takes out there feel free to shoot me a DM.

Also, what a wild place to stop a mock draft. "Here is my first round, and here's another 8 picks as a treat". Whatever, if you don't agree (which I don't, I think the Pats take Jameson Williams at 21) then yell at him not me.

ChadPenningtonFatHead signing in here. A Boston raised, die hard Jets fan who once made his 10th grade English teacher come to tears after reading the poem book I created for a project (teacher had a booty but had some condition that made her freak out uncontrollably, so I did not pursue). Starting my blogging off here with a top 40 mock draft for the 2022 NFL draft. Why top 40 you ask? It is because Jets GM Joe Douglas has fleeced the whole NFL these past two years in various trades and finds himself with 4 picks in this years top 40 and the most “draft capital” overall in the whole league.

Aside from mock drafts, find me writing about the NBA playoffs, the NFL season in general, terrible betting advice, fat chicks, hot chicks, and just the overall shenanigans I come across on a daily basis living in the best city in the world.

CHADPENNINGTONFATHEAD MOCK DRAFT 1.0

#1 - Jaguars – Aiden Hutchinson – Michigan Sr. DE

Consensus #1 player in the draft here with Aiden Hutchinson. With the Jaguars investing in the O- line in free agency by signing Brandon Scherff / resigning Cam Robinson and after surrounding Trevor Lawrence with some new weapons (Christian Kirk, Evan Engram, Zay Jones) the Jaguars hope to get the future face of the defense and a menacing threat to quarterbacks for years to come with this pick.

#2 – Lions – Travon Walker – Georgia Jr. D

A player who played his best in the biggest games of the year last year including a number of key plays in the championship game against Alabama the Lions select Georgia’s Travon Walker here. He tested well at the combine and he goes to a Lions team that was already lacking depth and any star power on the D-Line even before they lost Trey Flowers.

#3 - Texans – Ikem Okonwu – NC State So. OL

Ikem Okonwu and Alabama’s Evan Neal are the two best OL in this year’s draft. The lions get the more versatile player with the higher upside here in Okonwu. If I was in charge of the Texans, I would draft Malik Willis here, but they said they are committed to building a team around Davis Mills, so they get an OL to protect him next year and whoever they have replacing him in the inevitable future.

#4 – Jets – Kavyon Thibodeaux – Oregon So. DE

The Jets get a stud DE who was on the top of almost everyone’s draft boards after his freshman year to pair with Carl Lawson who is coming back from a torn Achilles. As a Jets fan, I would be happy with Thibodeaux or Sauce Gardner here, but Thibodeaux paired with Lawson could be a deadly duo here and the Jets can’t let Thibodeaux go to the Giants at 5 and watch him take over the league.

#5 – Giants – Malik Willis – Liberty Jr. QB

The Giants make the most surprising pick of the draft by drafting there next QB here with pick #5. With a new GM and HC who have no ties to Daniel Jones the Giants make a splash here by drafting Malik Willis, a dynamic QB with a cannon of an arm from Liberty. I don’t know what the trade market is for Daniel Jones is, but I would guess he is a backup for a year and then sign somewhere else and MAYBE get a shot at a starting QB job.

#6 – Panthers – Kenny Pickett – Pitt Sr. QB

The Panthers spiraled with Sam Darnold at QB last year and his one-year audition comes to an end here after a desperate Matt Rhule who looks like he gained 40 pounds since he was at Baylor drafts there next QB in Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett. Kenny small hands had an outstanding year for the Pitt Panthers last year and has the ideal NFL QB body at 6’3’’ 217 lbs and goes to a coach he was once committed to coming out of High School.

#7 – Giants – Kyle Hamilton – Notre Dame Sr. Safety

A lot of people call Kyle Hamilton the best “football player” in this year’s draft. The Giants could have elected to draft Alabama OL Evan Neal here to protect there new QB Malik Willis but instead they get a safety who was all over the field last year for the Fighting Irish making plays. Hamilton did run a disappointing 4.71 forty at his pro day on 3/29 but the tape does not lie, and Kyle Hamilton is a stud.

#8 – Falcons – Garrett Wilson – Ohio State Jr. WR

The Falcons probably hoped/thought that they could have drafted a QB here at #8 to replace Matt Ryan but with both Malik Willis and Kenny Pickett off the board here they draft WR1 in this year’s draft in Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson. Wilson will have to be WR1 for the Falcons who lost both Calvin Ridley and Russell gage in the offseason. Wilson and Kyle Pitts should give whoever is throwing them the ball next year some sort of comfort. Now that I am writing this, I am now thinking Daniel Jones and not hating that.

#9 – Seahawks - Evan Neal – Alabama Jr. OL

Like the Falcons, the Seahawks may have hoped one of the top two QBs in this year’s draft were still on the board here. Instead, they get OL 1 or 2 depending on who you talk to in Alabama’s Evan Neal. A huge, 6’7’’ 337 lbs Tackle, Evan Neal will try to start the rebuild in Seattle by locking down the LT spot for years to come. FYI, the Seahawks rebuild started after Jets GM Joe Douglas fleeced the Seahawks in the Jamal Adams trade.

#10 – Jets – Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner – Cincinnati Jr. CB

With there 2nd pick in the top 10, the Jets draft a player who they were considering at pick #4 here with #10. Sauce Gardner was the definition of a lockdown cornerback this year for Cincinnati as he did not let up a single touchdown reception. For anyone saying he didn’t play any competition playing an AAC schedule, watch the tape against Alabama in the final 4. He made a number of plays and covered Jameson Williams 10x better than anyone else did last season. The thought of the Jets getting both Thibodeaux and Gardner in this top 10 makes my jingle bells tingle.

#11 – Commanders – Derek Stingley Jr – LSU Jr. CB

#12 – Vikings – Nakobe Dean – Georgia Jr. LB

#13 – Texans - Jermaine Johnson – Florida St Sr. DE

#14 -Ravens – David Ojabo – Michigan So. DE

#15 – Eagles – Drake London – USC Jr. WR

#16 – Eagles – George Karlaftis – Purdue Jr. DE

#17 – Chargers – Charles Cross – Mississippi St. So. OT

#18 – Saints – Chris Olave – Ohio State – Sr. WR

#19 – Eagles – Devonte Wyatt – Georgia Sr. DT

#20 – Steelers – Trevor Penning – Northern Iowa Sr. OT

#21 – Patriots - Trent Mcduffie – Washington Jr. CB

#22 – Packers – Treylon Burks – Arkansas Jr. WR

#23 – Cardinals – Devin Lloyd – Utah Sr. LB

#24 – Dallas – Kenyon Green – Texas A&M Jr. OG

#25 – Bills – Kaiir Elam – Florida Jr. CB

#26 – Titans – Boye Mafe – Minnesota Sr. DE

#27 – Bucs – Dax Hill – Michigan Jr. Safety

#28 – Packers – Quay Walker – Georgia Sr. LB

#29 – Chiefs – Jameson Williams – Alabama Jr. WR

#30 – Chiefs – Kyler Gordon – Washington Jr. CB

#31 – Bengals – Andrew Booth Jr. – Clemson Jr. CB

#32 – Lions – Matt Corrall – Ole Miss Sr. QB

#33 – Jaguars – Tyler Linderbaum – Iowa Sr. C

#34 – Lions – Christian Harris – Alabama Jr. LB

#35 – Jets – Jahan Dotson – Penn St. Sr. WR

#36 – Giants – Zion Johnson – BC Sr. OG

#37 – Texans – Trey Mcbride – Colorado St. Sr. TE

#38 – Jets – Jalen Pitre – Baylor Sr. Safety

#39 – Bears – Skyy moore – Western Michigan Sr. WR

#40 – Seahawks – Desmond Ridder – Cincinnati Sr. QB