NFL Draft

HEIGHT: 6’1”

WEIGHT: 194

POSITIVES

— Very good awareness when playing in zone coverage. He plays threats with good leverage.

— Displays good ball skills. Shows the ability to play the ball in the air with dexterity to catch the ball away from his body with his hands.

— Good strength in block destruction and tackling.

— Fast run support, reacts quickly and fills open gaps.

NEGATIVES

— Top-end speed is a question. He lacks a true burst and recovery speed to make up for when he is beat.

— Average breaking ability. Shows some overall tightness, leading to his trouble getting out of breaks at times. He has trouble covering shiftier/twitchier athletes. Can't get out of the breaks with the same quickness.

— Open field tackling. Lacks desired athletic ability in space.

2021 STATISTICS

11 Games, 39 Tackles, 4 INT, 1 FR

NOTES

— Two-year starter at cornerback

— Left knee injury, October 9, against Penn State. Played the rest of the season without PCL.

OVERALL

Riley Moss is a physical cornerback with good size. He plays a variety of schemes for the Hawkeyes secondary, excelling in the zone scheme concepts. He does best when given the opportunity to read the quarterback’s eyes and see routes develop in front of him. Although he shows good football IQ and understanding of his scheme, he likes to sit on routes, leading to him occasionally getting burned. He displays good timing when breaking up passes, playing through the receiver’s hands. Moss also has ball skills and the ability to catch the ball when he gets two hands on it. When in coverage, he shows some tightness when swiveling hips and getting out of breaks. Because of his tightness and lack of top-end speed, he can get turned around and struggles shadowing twitchier athletes. When in off coverage, Moss often struggles to close the ground on shorter breaking routes, leading to more underneath catches than you would like. He may give up the underneath routes as he understands some of his shortcomings, such as his lack of speed. If beaten deep, Moss does not have the speed to make up the ground and catch up.

When playing in the run game, he does a great job of reacting to what he sees. When playing close to the line of scrimmage, he delivers a blow to the blocker with good physicality to set the edge. He understands his leverage and occasionally takes the proper gamble of coming inside blocks. When given the ability to run through ball carriers, he delivers a blow while wrapping up and securing the tackle. His biggest struggle is open-field tackling. With the lack of athletic ability to keep up with some of the better athletes, Moss can get broken down at times, leading to him diving at ankles and missing tackles. Overall, Moss will need to be in a zone scheme to help protect some of his shortcomings. He has very good size and strength, which will allow him to play on special teams. If he finds a team that will give him over-the-top help and wont ask him to play man often, he may find a role at the next level.

GRADE: 5.5 (7th Round: ​​Backup/Draftable)

OVERALL RANK: 254

POSITION RANK: CB31

PRO COMPARISON: Jordan Brown

Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings

HEIGHT: 6'3 3/4"

WEIGHT: 324

HAND: 10"

ARM: 34 3/8"

WINGSPAN: 6'11 5'8"

40-YARD DASH: DNP

3-CONE: DNP

SHUTTLE: DNP

VERTICAL: DNP

BROAD: DNP

POSITIVES

— Flashes of good upper-body strength.

— Above-average explosiveness. Has moments where he comes off the ball very well.

— Knows how to get skinny and minimize contact. Good for fighting across the line of scrimmage.

— Does a good job prying himself through combos and double teams.

NEGATIVES

— Heavy feet when trying to redirect or navigate open space.

— Below-average leg drive, particularly as a pass-rusher. Struggles to win through OL.

— Often late to feel blocks developing correctly. Allows OL to strike first consistently.

— Pad level can be an issue. Has a tendency to get upright out of his stance.

— Below-average base and anchor. Lets his base get too narrow and struggles to find his footing again.

2021 STATISTICS

11 G, 27 TOT, 5 TFL, 2 SK, 1 FF

NOTES

— Four-year contributor at UCLA. Started multiple games every season.

— 3-star recruit out of high school. Also excelled at shot put in high school.

OVERALL

Otito Ogbonnia is built like a traditional nose guard and played as one at UCLA, but his strengths and weaknesses align more closely to a penetrating 3-technique.

As a run defender, Ogbonnia's effectiveness goes as his eyes and instincts go. Ogbonnia shows moments of great upper-body strength and punch in his hands, which makes sense for a former shot put star. That same strength shows up when Obgonnia wiggles between double teams and puts his arms out to open up the gap and power through it—a skill also aided by his ability to come off the ball well. He shows the ability to absorb and minimize contact when he sees blocks correctly. However, at this point in his career, Ogbonnia is too inconsistent at feeling out blocking patterns, particularly when he gets down blocks his way. As a result, Ogbonnia too often lets blockers get the jump on him, which is then made worse by his heavy feet and inability to resettle his base to anchor.

Ogbonnia does not offer much as a pass-rusher right now. His leg drive too often stalled out, partly as a result of playing too high out of his stance and letting offensive linemen have the leverage advantage. While Ogbonnia does flash active, heavy hands at times, that trait did not show up enough to make up for his heavy feet and poor pad level.

Ogbonnia will need time and proper coaching to unlock his potential. The flashes of strength and explosiveness are there, but he needs to get better at identifying blocking schemes, as well as improve how consistently he can settle into his anchor. Ogbonnia is a backup or rotational nose guard until he can find more consistency.

GRADE: 6.2 (High-Level Developmental Prospect - 5th round)

OVERALL RANK: 199

POSITION RANK: DL20

PRO COMPARISON: Carl Davis

Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

HEIGHT: 6'4 7/8"

WEIGHT: 253

HAND: 9 3/4"

ARM: 33 1/4"

WINGSPAN: 6'9 7/8"

40-YARD DASH: 4.72

3-CONE: DNP

SHUTTLE: DNP

VERTICAL: 41"

BROAD: 10'1"

POSITIVES

— Above-average first step.

— Good lateral explosion. Can work side-to-side and fire into the next gap over.

— Good agility and movement skills in space.

— Good flexibility in tight spaces. Can contort his body to wiggle through congested areas.

— Effective as a stunt/looper piece for games up front.

— Flashes of above-average extension after his initial punch.

— Uses a reliable hop-swipe move around the outside.

NEGATIVES

— Plays too tall. Fails to get under blocks and strike through them.

— Poor leg drive. Struggles to drive through blockers after engagement.

— Below-average balance as a pass-rusher. Struggles to bend the corner through contact.

— Limited pass-rushing moves. Good hop-swipe, but doesn't have much else right now.

— Poor run defender. Does not play with the leverage or anchor necessary to play blocks coming at him.

2021 STATISTICS

12 G, 28 TOT, 8.5 TFL, 4.5 SK

NOTES

— Converted from WR ahead of the 2020 season.

— Caught 27 passes for 452 yards and four touchdowns before switching to DE.

— 2021 third-team All-MAC.

OVERALL

Dominique Robinson was a wide receiver at Miami (OH) until the 2020 season, but he then converted to defensive end. He has only two years of college experience at the position, the first of which was disjointed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In theory, Robinson has as much room to develop as anyone in the class.

Robinson's inexperience showed up in a number of ways on film. For one, he was regularly kept off the field on early downs, especially in the beginning of games, to protect him from run-defense reps. His vision and anchor are both concerns in the run game, as is his high pad level. Perhaps all of that could change in time, but right now, Robinson's only real value in run defense is as a back-side chase player or when stunted inside, where he can put his explosiveness to work without thinking as much.

As a pass-rusher, Robinson is also a bit incomplete, but his potential is tantalizing. He comes off the ball well, which is complemented by his explosive side-to-side movements and agility in space that make him a lethal stunt and loop threat. Robinson also has a peculiar knack for contorting his body in tight spaces to minimize contact, which mostly serves him well on inside rushes. He has at least one reliable pass-rush move right now as well, with his hop-swipe move around the outside.

Robinson does still play too high and lose the leverage advantage, which makes it tough for him to turn the corner consistently and mask his middling lower-body strength. That may be able to come along as he gets more reps at the position, though.

Robinson is raw and only a pass-rushing threat right now, so he definitely projects as a Day 3 pick. But the ceiling created by his explosiveness and movement skills at his size is hard to ignore. Robinson is the perfect kind of developmental player to stash as a situational third-down pass-rusher while he develops the rest of his game.

GRADE: 6.7 (4th Round - Potential role player)

OVERALL RANK: 134

POSITION RANK: EDGE18

PRO COMPARISON: Benson Mayowa

Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

HEIGHT: 6'4 1/8"

WEIGHT: 307

HAND: 10"

ARM: 33 1/8"

WINGSPAN: 6'8 3/8"

40-YARD DASH: 5.21

3-CONE: 7.75

SHUTTLE: 4.95

VERTICAL: 24"

BROAD: 8'6"

POSITIVES

— Efficiently comes out of his stance with above-average quickness, pad level, hand and hat placement to hook shades on outside runs to both sides.

— Shows an impressive understanding and grasp of how to negotiate leverage in the zone-run game with good timing and fits on combo blocks, crafty hand usage and solid angles to line up and connect on backers.

— Adjusts well on the fly against gap exchanges to stay balanced and use independent hands to wall off and secure slanting defenders across his face.

— Plays with a wide, firm base and solid contact balance to stay centered in his anchor, with active hands to reset and refit underneath and inside of the bull rush.

— Flashes the ability to generate torque to get bigger interior defenders leaning, off-balance and uprooted off their feet.

— Sorts out blitzes and line games quickly while staying alert when engaged to peel off and pick up late loopers.

— Looks like a natural center with significant improvement moving to the pivot in 2021 after spending his career prior at guard.

NEGATIVES

— Has adequate play strength and square power, often getting stacked and stalemated at the point of attack on angle-drive blocks.

— Can be late, high and wide with his hands in pass protection, which allows rushers to gain access to his frame and get to his edges quickly.

— Will get to the upfield shoulder of 'backers too quickly on his climb, leaving him vulnerable to run-throughs underneath.

2021 STATISTICS

- 13 starts at center.

- First-team All-SEC selection.

NOTES

— Former 3-star offensive tackle recruit out of Sylvania Northview High School in Sylvania, Ohio. Also played center on the basketball team.

— Switched to right guard from center in fall camp prior to the 2021 season.

— Graduated with his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in 2019 and is on track to obtain two master's degrees in the spring of 2022 (mechanical engineering and business administration).

— 36 career starts with 23 at right guard and 13 at center.

— Accepted an invite to the 2022 Senior Bowl.

OVERALL

Luke Fortner is a three-year starter inside Kentucky's zone-run scheme. He started for two seasons at right guard before making the switch to the pivot in fall camp prior to the 2021 season. He quickly adapted to the change, showing a natural feel for the angles, timing and spacing needed to efficiently operate as a zone run-blocker at center.

Fortner is smooth and quick coming out of his stance with good pad level, hand and hat placement to work across and hook shaded defenders on outside-zone runs. He excels fitting and working combo blocks with each guard, knowing when to overtake and release based on how the 'backer reacts.

Fortner plays with a wide, firm base and understands how to work underneath defenders when overtaking to create rotational force, torque and seal off the first level. He is agile on his releases to the second level, taking solid angles with good body control and balance to line up smaller targets off combos and in the screen game.

Once latched onto a block, Fortner can leverage his hips and hands to sustain, steer and widen defenders to create cutback lanes. He diagnoses gap exchanges quickly and knows how to adjust his aiming points on the fly to wall off movement across his face.

Fortner is an alert, active pass protector. He has the processing skills to sort out blitzes and line games, work off multiple threats and pick up late loopers.

Fortner's adequate play strength and square power result in his getting stacked and stalemated when having to uproot bigger interior run-defenders on angle-drive blocks. He'll also need to tighten and speed up his strike timing and hand placement in protection to avoid giving easy access to his frame and access to his edges too quickly.

Overall, Fortner's swift adjustment from guard to center in fall camp and ability to process the mental side of the position bolstered his play speed at the pivot to an above-average level. Paired with starter-level quickness and use of leverage to connect and stay attached to blocks at the first and second levels, he looks like a potential starter in a zone-based run scheme. He also has the experience in his back pocket at both guard spots to stick as a backup and provide added value to an O-line room.

GRADE: 7.2 (High-Level Backup/Potential Starter - 3rd Round)

OVERALL RANK: 85

POSITION RANK: IOL11

PRO COMPARISON: Ethan Pocic

Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn

Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson remains the top-ranked prospect on the latest big board from ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. ahead of the 2022 NFL draft.

Although Hutchinson retained the No. 1 ranking, which he also held on Kiper's big board in December, the longtime ESPN draft guru noted it'll be a "real battle" between the Wolverines standout and Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux for the top spot between now and the first round on April 28.

Here's a look at Kiper's top five prospects at this stage of the process:

1. Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan

2. Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE, Oregon

3. Evan Neal, OT, Alabama

4. Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame

5. Ikem Ekwonu, OT/G, NC State

Hutchinson and Thibodeaux are both coming off strong final college seasons, and in a year without a headline quarterback prospect, it's no surprise the top of the class is a battle between edge-rushers.

Let's check out how the duo compared in 2021:

• Hutchinson: 62 total tackles, 14 sacks and two forced fumbles in 14 games
• Thibodeaux: 49 total tackles, seven sacks and two forced fumbles in 10 games

The Jacksonville Jaguars own the No. 1 overall pick for the second straight year, and their decision may hinge on which player performs better during the predraft process. Either prospect would represent a nice upgrade for a defense that tied for 27th with 32 sacks in 2021.

Ekwonu made the biggest jump in Kiper's rankings of any prospect inside the top 25, going from No. 18 into the top five. The versatile offensive lineman is among the most NFL-ready players in the class.

The All-American explained to Bryce Miller of the San Diego Union-Tribune the approach that's allowed him to shine in the trenches.

"Whether it's academic stress, personal stress, I turn it into anger almost," Ekwonu said in December. "I let it all out on the field. It's hard to describe it, really. It's more of a mindset. You have to want to dominate people."

The other notable aspect of Kiper's rankings is that the first quarterback doesn't appear until No. 16 in Pitt's Kenny Pickett.

While Pickett put together a terrific final season with the Panthers, tallying 42 touchdowns and just seven interceptions in 13 games, he posted a far more modest 39-25 touchdown-to-interception ratio across his first four years with the program. It makes for a tough evaluation.

The other signal-callers in Kiper's top 25 are Liberty's Malik Willis (No. 17) and Ole Miss' Matt Corral (No. 25).

This year's NFL draft notably does not have a front-runner for the top quarterback in the class. Longtime ESPN NFL draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. threw out an interesting name when discussing who might emerge as the most coveted signal-caller in the next few months.

"The mock draft is about what we're hearing, not what we think, and that's why I say, when you look at Malik Willis, I think by the time we get to late-April, he may be the first quarterback taken," Kiper said.

Willis spent the last two years as the starting quarterback for Liberty and was known for his dual-threat ability. In 2021, he threw for 2,857 yards, 27 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while adding 878 rushing yards and 13 scores.

Kiper noted that if Willis has an impressive showing at the Senior Bowl on Feb. 5 in Mobile, Alabama, it could propel him into the top 10.

"He's got that thick upper body, he's a powerful kid, he's fast, he surprises people with that deceptive speed and that deceptive strength," Kiper said. "If he lights it up in Mobile, he's gonna really be a guy that's gonna maybe end up in that top 10."

As for where Willis might land, Kiper speculated that the Atlanta Falcons might be ready to pick up the successor to longtime quarterback Matt Ryan.

Ryan has spent his entire 14-year career in Atlanta and threw for 3,968 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last season. It was Ryan's first time throwing for under 4,000 yards since his third year in the league, and it was his lowest touchdown total since 2017. Ryan has thrown double-digit interceptions in each of the past three seasons.

"Maybe Atlanta. ... They passed on quarterbacks last year, the heir-apparent to Ryan. Do they pass on the heir-apparent this year? If Willis is really strong in this draft process over the next 94 days leading up to the draft, I think Malik Willis could end up an Atlanta Falcon at pick No. 8," Kiper said.

HEIGHT: 6'0 3/8"

WEIGHT: 217

HAND: 8 5/8"

ARM: 31 3/4"

WINGSPAN: 6'2 1/8"

40-YARD DASH: DNP

3-CONE: DNP

SHUTTLE: DNP

VERTICAL: 30"

BROAD: 9'6"

POSITIVES

— Good height with an above-average build.

— Active feet and can utilize jump cuts to make defenders miss.

— Competitive player who runs hard and is a willing blocker.

— Good hands working out of the backfield.

— Above-average lateral quickness.

NEGATIVES

— Long legs can get him tripped up on ankle tackles. Also leads to him taking a second to get going after stopping and starting on cuts.

— Can be indecisive when planting his foot getting north. Tries to work against the grain too often and will end up jump-cutting one too many times.

— Average acceleration and long speed.

2021 STATISTICS

12 G, 179 ATT, 1,011 YDS (5.6 AVG), 6 TD, 25 REC, 189 YDS, 1 TD

NOTES

— 2021 second team All-SEC

— 2020 first team All-SEC

OVERALL

Spiller has good height with an adequate build for the running back position. He likes to start and stop to set up his blockers, utilizing jump cuts before getting north. He is a competitive player who runs hard. Spiller has good hands working out of the backfield and is a willing blocker in pass protection, but he will still need improvement with his understanding of protection assignments.

Spiller has long legs and runs upright. He is also indecisive with his cuts and lacks consistent vision and anticipation for holes developing and lacks the acceleration to make up for it. Although he has the ability to utilize jump cuts, they can be ineffective and unnecessary. And he will too often look to cut runs back against the grain when he does not need to. His lack of feel for holes developing becomes more glaring since Spiller lacks overwhelming burst. So it gives him a smaller margin for error when he’s attempting to get north and hit the holes that are blocked for him.

Overall, Spiller has potential as a three-down running back because of his size, hands and willingness as a runner and blocker. He would be best used as a rotational back behind a bellcow or as part of a committee where he doesn’t have to take a majority of the carries. His upside as a lead back is limited because of his lack of top-tier athleticism and ability to make defenders miss in space, along with his average vision, tempo and anticipation to be consistently effective on a down-to-down basis.

GRADE: 6.6 (Potential Role Player - 4th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 145

POSITION RANK: RB11

PRO COMPARISON: T.J. Yeldon

Written by B/R NFL Scout Nate Tice

The Cincinnati Bengals, San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs are the only remaining teams with Super Bowl dreams after the divisional round, which means the other 28 clubs in the league have turned their attention to the offseason.

While there are coaching decisions to be made, free agents to be signed and perhaps even trades to be discussed, the NFL draft is typically the headline event of the offseason as teams set their path to the Lombardi Trophy with the next group of young playmakers.

With that in mind, here is a look at the updated draft order following the second round of the playoffs, per Tankathon.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars

2. Detroit Lions

3. Houston Texans

4. New York Jets

5. New York Giants

6. Carolina Panthers

7. New York Giants (via Chicago Bears)

8. Atlanta Falcons

9. Denver Broncos

10. New York Jets (via Seattle Seahawks)

11. Washington Football Team

12. Minnesota Vikings

13. Cleveland Browns

14. Baltimore Ravens

15. Philadelphia Eagles (via Miami Dolphins)

16. Philadelphia Eagles (via Indianapolis Colts)

17. Los Angeles Chargers

18. New Orleans Saints

19. Philadelphia Eagles

20. Pittsburgh Steelers

21. New England Patriots

22. Las Vegas Raiders

23. Arizona Cardinals

24. Dallas Cowboys

25. Buffalo Bills

26. Tennessee Titans

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

28. Green Bay Packers

29. Cincinnati Bengals

30. Miami Dolphins (via San Francisco 49ers)

31. Detroit Lions (via Los Angeles Rams)

32. Kansas City Chiefs

It's not going to take long for this year's NFL draft to differentiate itself from those of the recent past.

After all, the last time a non-quarterback was taken with the No. 1 overall pick was in 2017 when the Cleveland Browns selected defensive end Myles Garrett. Since then, Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence have heard their names called first.

A quarterback going No. 1 this year would be a shocking development for multiple reasons.

For one, it was the Jacksonville Jaguars who just selected Lawrence with the first pick in last year's draft. That they are picking No. 1 again underscores the reality he didn't immediately come in and catch fire, but it is far too early to give up on the Clemson product after just one season that included his head coach being fired and a number of injuries around him.

This year's QB class also isn't considered as strong as those of years past even if Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder and Pittsburgh's Kenny Pickett could end up being first-round selections.

Naturally, the question then becomes who will the Jaguars take with the first pick.

Oregon's Kayvon Thibodeaux was largely seen as the eventual top pick during much of the college football season, although Michigan's Aidan Hutchinson gained momentum with a dominant performance over archrival Ohio State and a season that ended with a Big Ten title and College Football Playoff berth.

Both top pass-rushers would presumably anchor Jacksonville's defense for years to come in a league that is more and more dependent on such players each year with offenses throwing the ball all over the field.

Yet Alabama's Evan Neal should not be overlooked.

In fact, the B/R NFL Scouting Department projected him as the No. 1 pick in a mock draft earlier this month. It makes sense from the Jaguars' perspective considering Lawrence reaching his full potential is their quickest way to become a contender in the AFC, and protecting him should be of the utmost importance.

Pro Football Focus' Austin Gayle compared Neal to Tristan Wirfs due to his "rare size-athleticism combination."

All Wirfs did in the two years since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected him with the No. 13 overall pick of the 2020 draft is win a Super Bowl, be named to the Pro Bowl and get chosen as a first-team All-Pro performer.

That would certainly work for the Jaguars as they look to build their offense around Lawrence for the foreseeable future.        

NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah released his first 2022 NFL mock draft on Friday. 

The former NFL scout has three quarterbacks going in the first round, led by Pittsburgh's Kenny Pickett at No. 9, and two edge-rushers going in the top five, led by Michigan's Aidan Hutchinson. 

Let's take a deeper look at Jeremiah's first-round quarterback selections below after listing his entire first-round mock draft. 

---

Daniel Jeremiah: First Mock Draft

1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Alabama OT Evan Neal 
2. Detroit Lions: Michigan EDGE Aidan Hutchinson
3. Houston Texans: Notre Dame S Kyle Hamilton
4. New York Jets: Oregon EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux 
5. New York Giants: N.C. State OT Ikem Ekwonu
6. Carolina Panthers: Cincinnati CB Ahmad Gardner
7. New York Giants: Utah LB Devin Lloyd
8. Atlanta Falcons: Arkansas WR Treylon Burks
9. Denver Broncos: Pittsburgh QB Kenny Pickett
10. New York Jets: Washington CB Trent McDuffie
11. Washington Football Team: Ole Miss QB Matt Corral
12. Minnesota Vikings: LSU CB Derek Stingley Jr.
13. Cleveland Browns: Georgia EDGE Travon Walker
14. Baltimore Ravens: Northern Iowa OT Trevor Penning
15. Philadelphia Eagles: Purdue EDGE George Karlaftis
16. Philadelphia Eagles: USC WR Drake London
17. Los Angeles Chargers: Central Michigan OT Bernhard Raimann
18. New Orleans Saints: Ohio State WR Garrett Wilson
19. Philadelphia Eagles: Texas A&M OG Kenyon Green
20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Mississippi State OT Charles Cross
21. New England Patriots: Georgia DT Jordan Davis
22. Las Vegas Raiders: Ohio State WR Chris Olave
23. Arizona Cardinals: Michigan EDGE David Ojabo
24. Dallas Cowboys: Georgia LB Nakobe Dean
25. Cincinnati Bengals: Iowa C Tyler Linderbaum
26. Miami Dolphins: Minnesota OT Daniel Faalele
27. Buffalo Bills: Washington CB Kyler Gordon
28. Tennessee Titans: Georgia LB Quay Walker
29. Detroit Lions: Liberty QB Malik Willis
30. Kansas City Chiefs: Alabama WR Jameson Williams
31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Penn State WR Jahan Dotson
32. Green Bay Packers: Georgia DT Devonte Wyatt

---

A Look at Jeremiah's Round 1 Quarterbacks

The quarterbacks in this year's class aren't comparable to those of years past, but Jeremiah still has three signal-callers being selected in the first round, and there's always a possibility for more to be taken on April 28. 

Jeremiah has Pickett as the first quarterback off the board in his first mock draft, going to the Broncos at No. 9. However, he mentions that Denver will likely pursue a trade for a "premier quarterback," such as Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson or Deshaun Watson, and would only select a quarterback if a trade doesn't come to fruition. 

Pickett is viewed as the best quarterback in this year's draft after putting together the best season of his collegiate career in 2021. He completed 67.2 percent of his passes (first in ACC) for 4,319 yards (second in ACC) and 42 touchdowns (first in ACC) against seven interceptions. 

Per B/R's NFL Scouting Department, Pickett has great size and athleticism, above-average arm strength and great accuracy. However, he can have inconsistent timing on his throws and tends to take unnecessary sacks by trying to scramble instead of staying in the pocket. 

After Pickett, Jeremiah has Corral going to Washington at No. 11. Washington used Taylor Heinicke for 15 starts in 2021 and needs a true No. 1 moving forward. 

"Corral is a playmaker at the position. His size (6'2", 205) is a concern for some around the league, but he’s accurate, has a live arm and would bring some juice to the offense," Jeremiah writes. 

Like Pickett, Corral had an impressive 2021 season, completing 67.7 percent of his passes for 3,343 yards and 20 touchdowns against five interceptions. He also ran for 614 yards and 11 touchdowns. 

B/R's NFL Scouting Department mentions that Corral is a great athlete, has a quick and consistent release, above-average accuracy and above-average arm strength. However, he has below-average height and has inconsistent timing when working from the pocket. 

After Corral, Jeremiah has Willis going to the Lions at No. 29. Detroit could use a quarterback following an inconsistent season from Jared Goff. While the veteran would likely start again in 2022, Willis would be a good fit for the future. 

Willis is one of the most intriguing names on this list after a solid 2021 season. He completed 61.1 percent of his passes for 2,857 yards and 27 touchdowns against 12 interceptions, in addition to rushing for 878 yards and 13 scores. 

B/R's NFL Scouting Department notes that Willis is a great athlete "with burst and quickness," has great arm strength, "good build for the position" and is a competitive player. However, he is inconsistent with his timing and anticipation and has "erratic" pocket movement. 

Regardless, the Lions need help at the position, and Willis is worth the gamble.