There’s a reason that “the wisdom of the crowd” is a popular phrase in our lexicon. Individuals often make poor choices. A group decision filters out rash, knee-jerk choices. That’s not to say the crowd always gets it right, but when a multitude of people weigh in on a subject to reach a majority opinion, they usually produce sensible choices.
We recently conducted an NFL mock draft from the FantasyPros Twitter account. You, our followers, voted on four likely options for every pick.
Here’s how our crowdsourced mock turned out:
Our Analysts’ Favorite Picks
Jermaine Johnson (Edge – Florida State): 1.18 – Philadelphia Eagles
Johnson’s draft position prop at DraftKings is 9.5 with -140 odds to the under, so the Eagles get great value in Johnson at No. 19. The redshirt senior has had a long and winding journey to the NFL, but the Last Chance U alumnus put up 16.5 sacks in 19 games in his two final seasons (Georgia and Florida State), and he won ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2021. Johnson has the talent to be an instant NFL contributor.
– Matthew Freedman
Trevor Penning (OT – Northern Iowa): 1.17 – Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers made out like bandits when tackle Ra’Shawn Slater fell to them at No. 13 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. And they strike gold once again, with Trevor Penning falling into their laps at No. 17 overall. Penning’s 97.3 overall PFF grade and 99.9 run-blocking grade both ranked first in all of Division 1 college football in 2021.
He’s an immediate upgrade over right tackle Storm Norton (OL – LAC) – PFF’s worst-graded pass-blocking tackle in 2021.
– Andrew Erickson
Skyy Moore (WR – Western Michigan): 1.29 – Kansas City Chiefs
I’m selfishly going with Skyy Moore to the Chiefs as my favorite pick. The dream scenario for players whose games we are fascinated with is to land with an elite quarterback and playcalling team. Moore is a versatile chess piece Andy Reid will love from Day 1. He can play on the inside and the slot and runs like a running back after the catch. This landing spot could lead to Moore purchasing a plot on the moon by the end of his rookie season.
– Derek Brown
Kyle Hamilton (S – Notre Dame): 1.11 – Washington Commanders
It was great to see voters match Kyle Hamilton with the Commanders at No. 11. I think Hamilton is one of the three or four best players in this draft and probably the single safest pick. Never mind Hamilton’s lackluster 40 time; he’d be a versatile and invaluable chess piece for a Washington defense that grossly underachieved last season.
– Pat Fitzmaurice
Our Analysts’ Least Favorite Picks
Kenny Pickett (QB – Pitt): 1.9 – Seattle Seahawks
Almost no sharp mocks have Seattle taking a passer at No. 9. On top of that, Seahawks general manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll didn’t attend any of the pro days for the top quarterbacks in the class, whereas they were at all the quarterback pro days in 2012, when they last had a clear need at the position and ultimately drafted Russell Wilson. I simply don’t see the Seahawks taking a quarterback at the top of Round 1.
– Matthew Freedman
Jordan Davis (DT – Georgia): 1.14 – Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens have bigger needs at edge, cornerback and OL than defensive tackle. They added big men upfront in Michael Pierce and Calais Campbell during free agency, so I’d much rather have them address a different position. There’s no way Baltimore passes up on FSU edge defender Jermaine Johnson if he is available at 14. The former Georgia edge defender averaged one sack per game and earned more offensive holding calls than any other pass-rusher in the class.
– Andrew Erickson
Malik Willis (QB – Liberty): 1.6 – Carolina Panthers
Malik Willis landing in Carolina has been a popular mock pick, but it’s one I’m not fond of in the slightest. Matt Rhule enters this year on the hot seat, and he needs an immediate upgrade over the incumbent Sam Darnold. While Willis has superior raw traits to Darnold, he doesn’t need to be rushed into a starting role which he likely would be with the Panthers. A lame-duck head coach tasked with developing a quarterback is a recipe for stunting any prospect’s growth.
– Derek Brown
Skyy Moore (WR – Western Michigan): 1.29 – Kansas City Chiefs
Not to besmirch Skyy Moore, an upstanding member of this year’s deep WR class, but I don’t think he’s a first-round guy and would much rather have seen a Christian Watson selection for the Chiefs at pick No. 29. Moore profiles as an NFL slot receiver, and the Chiefs have already acquired ex-Steeler JuJu Smith-Schuster, who took nearly two-thirds of his snaps from the slot last year and had a league-high 711 slot snaps in 2020, per PlayerProfiler.com. The 6-4, 208-pound Watson is bigger and faster than the 5-10, 191-pound Moore and has a loftier ceiling.
– Pat Fitzmaurice
FantasyPros Twitter Consensus Mock Draft Results
1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Aidan Hutchinson (Edge – Michigan)
Andrew Erickson has been mocking Aidan Hutchinson to the Jaguars since his NFL Mock Draft 2.0 back in early March. Here is what he wrote about the selection in his most recent mock:
The odds-on favorite to be selected No. 1 is Michigan pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson (-280). His 2021 PFF defense grade (94.5) is the highest among any edge defender entering the NFL since Washington Commander Chase Young (DE – WAS).
Hutch’s pressure rate above expectation (10.9%) ranks second in the class and is nearly double that of Kayvon Thibodeaux’s (DE – Oregon) third-placed rate (6.6%), per Sports Info Solutions.
Because the Jaguars took care of addressing their team needs in free agency, they can select the No. 1-ranked player on my 2022 NFL Draft Top-100 Big Board. Hutchinson and defensive end Josh Allen (DE – JAC) will form a scary pass-rush duo in DUVAL.
2. Detroit Lions: Kayvon Thibodeaux (Edge – Oregon)
None of our analysts has Kayvon Thibodeaux going this early, and Twitter considered Travon Walker and Malik Willis in this spot before Thibodeaux pulled away.
The Jags are taking Hutchinson. Next up: Detroit Lions with the 2nd pick.
Who will it be?
— FantasyPros (@FantasyPros) April 4, 2022
3. Houston Texans: Evan Neal (OT – Alabama)
From Matthew Freedman’s NFL Mock Draft (10 Days Away):
The Texans need help at the position after cutting right tackle Marcus Cannon. Plus, left tackle Laremy Tunsil has a potential out in 2023.
A three-year SEC starter with five-star recruitment pedigree, Neal offers great versatility given that he started at left guard as a freshman, right tackle as a sophomore, and then left tackle as a junior.
4. New York Jets: Ahmad Gardner (CB – CIN)
Derek Brown is in agreement here as he has the Jets selecting Ahmad Gardner in his most recent mock draft.
5. New York Giants: Ikem Ekwonu (OT – North Carolina State)
Matthew Freedman made this match in his most recent mock, as well:
Looking at the Giants offensive line hurts my eyes. A unanimous All-American selection with tackle/guard versatility, Ekwonu plays with a delightful-to-watch nastiness.
6. Carolina Panthers: Malik Willis (QB – Liberty)
Derek Brown, Andrew Erickson, and Matthew Freedman all have the Panthers taking Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett in this spot. Brown has Malik Willis going to the Detroit Lions with the No. 2 overall pick, while Erickson and Freedman both have Pickett as their first quarterback off the board.
See above to find out which one of them chose this as their least favorite pick of the draft.
7. New York Giants: Travon Walker (Edge – Georgia)
Both Erickson and Freedman have Travon Walker going No. 2 to the Detroit Lions, while DBro has him falling all the way to the Houston Texans at No. 13.
8. Atlanta Falcons: Garrett Wilson (WR – Ohio State)
Freedman:
The Falcons could conceivably take a quarterback after trading franchise mainstay Matt Ryan to the Colts, but wide receiver is a bigger need given that Calvin Ridley (suspension) will be unavailable for 2022.
Wilson last year had 70-1,058-12 receiving and 4-76-1 rushing in 11 games as a true junior, and he looked like a potential No. 1 option at the NFL Combine with his speed (4.38-second 40-yard dash).
9. Seattle Seahawks: Kenny Pickett (QB – Pittsburgh)
See above for why one of our analysts has this as his least favorite pick.
10. New York Jets: Drake London (WR – USC)
Erickson:
The Jets saw the Bengals’ offense take off in year two after they paired their second-year quarterback with a dynamic rookie wide receiver. If they want Zach Wilson to take a similar leap in year two, New York needs to give him more offensive weapons. And the fact that the Jets were all-in on going after Tyreek Hill is a tell-tale sign that one of their first-round picks will be a WR.
Insert Drake London. The USC product boasts all the skills to be an alpha possession receiver at the next level.
The 6-foot-4 and 219-pound towering wide receiver only played in eight games in 2021 due to an ankle injury but made every game count. He commanded a 38% target share and led all WRs in contested catches (19). The former Trojan’s 68% contested-catch rate ranked No. 1 in the class.
11. Washington Commanders: Kyle Hamilton (S – Notre Dame)
From Freedman’s Mid-April Mock Draft:
Now that the Commanders have quarterback Carson Wentz, they could try to get him another pass-catching option to play alongside wide receiver Terry McLaurin, but with Garrett Wilson and Drake London already off the board the Commanders might pivot.
Hamilton has a wide range of landing spots: He could go as high as No. 3 to the Texans or as low as No. 18 to the Eagles. Given the position he plays, No. 11 feels a little high, but the Commanders have a significant need at safety, and Hamilton has a Derwin James-esque skill set: He can play deep, at linebacker, in the slot against wide receivers and tight ends, and on the edge as a situational rusher.
Pat Fitzmaurice chose this as his favorite pick of the draft.
12. Minnesota Vikings: Derek Stingley Jr. (CB – LSU)
Freedman, DBro, and Erickson are all in agreement on this pick. Freedman:
Entering the 2021 college season, Stingley was widely ranked as the No. 1 corner in the 2022 draft.
The Vikings let starting cornerback Mackensie Alexander walk in free agency, so they need to address the position in the draft.
13. Houston Texans: Chris Olave (WR – Ohio State)
All of our analysts have Chris Olave landing somewhere in the teens in every one of their mock drafts, but none of them has selected the Houston Texans as his landing spot. Here is Erickson’s quick breakdown of Olave:
Chris Olave can separate from defenders at an elite level downfield. The former Buckeye wrapped up his 2021 season in the 96th percentile in separation versus single coverage and caught seven touchdowns on throws of 20-plus air yards.
Olave cemented himself as a top-20 selection by blazing a 4.39 40-yard dash (90th percentile) at the NFL Combine.
He draws parallels to Calvin Ridley with his route running ability.
14. Baltimore Ravens: Jordan Davis (DT – Georgia)
See above for why one of our analysts has this as his least favorite pick.
15. Philadelphia Eagles: Jameson Williams (WR – Alabama)
From Freedman’s Mid-April Mock Draft:
Due to the knee injury he suffered in the College Football Championship, the Eagles are able to get Williams on the cheap as a strong running mate alongside 2021 first-rounder DeVonta Smith.
If not his for injury, I’d have Williams as my No. 1 receiver in the class. Last season, Williams as a true junior looked like one of the best players in the nation with 79-1,572-15 receiving and 3-23-0 rushing in his only year at Alabama after transferring from Ohio State.
16. New Orleans Saints: Charles Cross (OT – Mississippi State)
All of the analysts have the Saints taking Northern Iowa Trevor Penning here, but they all also have Charles Cross off the board before the Saints pick here.
17. Los Angeles Chargers: Trevor Penning (OT – Northern Iowa)
See above for why one of our analysts has this as his favorite pick.
18. Philadelphia Eagles: Jermaine Johnson (Edge – Florida State)
Freedman has this as his favorite pick:
Johnson’s draft position prop at DraftKings is 9.5 with -140 odds to the under, so the Eagles get great value in Johnson at No. 19. The redshirt senior has had a long and winding journey to the NFL, but the Last Chance U alumnus put up 16.5 sacks in 19 games in his two final seasons (Georgia and Florida State), and he won ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2021. Johnson has the talent to be an instant NFL contributor.
19. New Orleans Saints: Treylon Burks (WR – Arkansas)
Freedman:
With great size (6-2 and 225 pounds) and sufficient athleticism (4.55-second 40-yard dash), Burks, in the short term, could be a playmaking complement to injury-riddled No. 1 receiver Michael Thomas. In the long term, he could be Thomas’ replacement.
As a true junior last year, Burks was 66-1,104-11 receiving and 14-112-1 rushing in 12 games.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Desmond Ridder (QB – Cincinnati)
Twitter has Pittsburgh landing their quarterback of the future in Desmond Ridder, but they also considered fellow QB Matt Corral and C Tyler Linderbaum.
The Saints get their next No. 1 wideout in Burks.
Next up is Pittsburgh. Who will the Steelers take with their first pick in 2022?
— FantasyPros (@FantasyPros) April 11, 2022
21. New England Patriots: Devin Lloyd (LB – Utah)
Freedman and Erickson have Devin Lloyd off the board before the Patriots pick in all of their mock drafts, but DBro is in agreement here and has New England landing the do-it-all linebacker in his most recent mock draft.
22. Green Bay Packers: Jahan Dotson (WR – Penn State)
Freedman has the Green Bay Packers taking Jahan Dotson at No. 28:
The Packers traded away Davante Adams and lost Marquez Valdes-Scantling in free agency, so they need to find a wide receiver for oft-disgruntled quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
In his two final seasons at Penn State, Dotson was 143-2,066-20 receiving, 6-18-1 rushing, and 22-301-1 punt returning in 21 games.
23. Arizona Cardinals: George Karlaftis (Edge – Purdue)
Freedman made the same selection in his Mid-April Mock Draft:
Chandler Jones is now with the Raiders, and J.J. Watt is 33 years old and coming off an injury-hampered season. The Cardinals defense needs more pressure off the edge, and Karlaftis is a first-team All-Big Ten three-year starter with NFL-caliber power.
24. Dallas Cowboys: Tyler Linderbaum (C – Iowa)
Freedman and Erickson have both mocked Boston College OG Zion Johnson to the Cowboys in this spot. Twitter agreed with the idea of bolstering the Dallas offensive line but overwhelmingly chose Tyler Linderbaum over Johnson.
Karlaftis finally gets taken. Now the Cowboys are on the clock.
— FantasyPros (@FantasyPros) April 12, 2022
25. Buffalo Bills: Breece Hall (RB – Iowa State)
Erickson:
The Bills don’t have many holes on their roster, so they can “afford” a luxury selection by taking a running back in the first round.
And it’s no secret that Buffalo’s front office has been trying to upgrade the position, specifically with a running back capable of excelling in the passing game. They tried to sign J.D. McKissic (RB – WAS) this offseason and were heavily rumored to be in the market for Travis Etienne Jr. (RB – JAC) in the 2021 NFL Draft.
26. Tennessee Titans: Nakobe Dean (LB – Georgia)
Our analysts agree that LB is a need for the Titans, but none has projected them to take a linebacker in the first round. Erickson’s breakdown:
No linebacker epitomizes speed more than Nakobe Dean.
The Georgia Bulldog finished as PFF’s highest-graded linebacker on college football’s No. 1 defense in 2021. And although he is undersized at 6-feet and 225 pounds, he more than makes up for it with his sideline-to-sideline range. His speed also shows up when he rushes the passer, evidenced by his eight sacks and top-4 PFF pass-rush grade (91.3).
27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Zion Johnson (G – Boston College)
Freedman, Erickson, and DBro have all mocked Kenyon Green to the Buccaneers here, but they all also have Zion Johnson off the board before Tampa Bay picks at No. 27.
28. Green Bay Packers: Trent McDuffie (CB – Washington)
It’s a bit surprising that none of our analysts picked Trent McDuffie to the Packers as their favorite pick of the draft because they all have him coming off the board much earlier. DBro (No. 14 to Ravens), Freedman (No. 21 to Patriots), and Erickson (No. 15 to Eagles) all presumably have this as a steal for Green Bay.
29. Kansas City Chiefs: Skyy Moore (WR – Western Michigan)
A couple of our analysts disagreed about this one. Derek Brown has it as his favorite pick, while Pat Fitzmaurice has it as his least favorite pick. See their reasoning above.
30. Kansas City Chiefs: Andrew Booth Jr. (CB – Clemson)
Freedman and DBro both seem to like Minnesota EDGE Boye Mafe for the Chiefs in this spot, while Erickson has them grabbing Georgia DT Devonte Wyatt in his most recent mock draft.
31. Cincinnati Bengals: Devonte Wyatt (DT – Georgia)
Freedman has consistently mocked Iowa C Tyler Linderbaum to the Bengals here at No. 31, and DBro has Linderbaum to Cincinnati in his most recent mock draft, as well.
KC follows up their WR with a young CB.
Next up are the Bengals with pick no. 31
— FantasyPros (@FantasyPros) April 14, 2022
32. Detroit Lions: Matt Corral (QB – Ole Miss)
The Lions close things out with their potential QB of the future. Freedman has consistently mocked Nakobe Dean to the Lions here. DBro has Detroit taking Malik Willis all the way back at No. 2, so he was more aggressive in acquiring a signal-caller for the Lions. Erickson also goes QB here but has the Lions snagging Cincinnati’s Desmond Ridder, who Twitter has going No. 20 to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Here is Pat Fitzmaurice’s note on Corral:
Scary-looking injury in the Ole Miss bowl game turned out to be just a sprained ankle. Corral doesn’t have a rocket arm but throws with accuracy and is an aggressive runner. Likely first-rounder probably won’t start in Week 1 but is likely to get his feet wet at some point in 2022.
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