The 2022 NFL Draft rumor mill is in full swing with the big night just days away. While teams are certainly posturing to send up smoke screens ahead of the NFL Draft, some actual intentions can be gleaned by reading the tea leaves that are NFL rumors. We’re going to combine our expert consensus first-round mock NFL Draft, the latest picks from our NFL analysts, our team needs for each NFL squad, and the latest NFL rumors to try to determine what teams will do during the 2022 NFL Draft. Below, we’ll check and see what the Chiefs look to do to replace Tyreek Hill.
- Eagles Draft Rumors: Chris Olave, Drake London, Jameson Williams
- Steelers Draft Rumors: Malik Willis, Desmond Ridder, Kenny Pickett
- Commanders Draft Rumors: Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Jameson Williams
- Vikings Draft Rumors: Garrett Wilson, Drake London
2022 NFL Draft Team Needs
Andrew Erickson shares team needs for all 32 teams ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft. He has the following for the Chiefs:
- Team Needs: WR, CB, DL, EDGE, RB
Latest 2022 NFL Draft Rumors
Marco Pavoloni (@MAPavoloni) of The Rumor Mill Mock Draft provides the latest in the world of 2022 NFL Draft rumors.
The Chiefs need to trade up for a top WR, right?
It’s definitely a possibility—one that could screw up the way most analysts expect this entire draft to fall. But that’s just how it goes sometimes, right?
On 4/18, Adam Teicher writes:
“A trade does seem more likely than not. The Chiefs also have two picks in each of the second, third and fourth rounds. They can easily move for a player or players they like and Veach likes to deal. He traded the Chiefs’ first-round pick in two of the past three years and has traded up in the second round a couple of times since his first draft as GM in 2018.”
Who would Veach be targeting in a trade up scenario?
On 4/14, Josh Norris shared that Alabama WR Jameson Williams was visiting the Chiefs.
And here’s a quote from Daniel Jeremiah from The Ringer Podcast on 4/15:
“@ryenarussillo was put on this earth to eat weights, shoot jumpers, and do podcasts. Jameson Williams was put on this earth to play in the Chiefs’ offense.””
Chad Forbes, on 4/19, wrote:
“Entire league knows #Chiefs are figuring out how high they must trade up for 1 of Jameson Williams or Chris Olave.”
One more, in case you weren’t convinced. This time, it’s Albert Breer, on 4/25:
“Jameson Williams would be the obvious guy who’d even have a chance to be a one-for-one exchange in that regard, and I just don’t know that the Chiefs will take that big a swing.”
But KC may decide not to move up unless Williams and Olave slide a bit, and the stock of both players seems to be going nowhere but up in the week leading up to the draft.
Consensus First-Round NFL Mock Draft
Our consensus mock draft has Jahan Dotson as the favorite to land in KC, which isn’t surprising given the Tyreek Hill comparisons Dotson has received this pre-draft season.
Our analysts both have wide receivers heading to KC in the first round, but they differ on which wide out will land with the Chiefs.
Freedman’s final mock draft:
29. Kansas City Chiefs: Jahan Dotson (WR – Penn State)
Wide receivers Tyreek Hill (trade), Byron Pringle (free agency), and Demarcus Robinson (free agency) are all gone. Even with the hyphenate-friendly signings of JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, the Chiefs could use another receiver.
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. He’s the kind of versatile offensive playmaker who appeals to head coach Andy Reid.
30. Kansas City Chiefs: George Pickens (WR – Georgia)
The Chiefs have a significant hole at wide receiver after losing Tyreek Hill, Byron Pringle , and Demarcus Robinson this offseason. The team signed Marquez Valdes-Scantling to stretch the field on the outside and JuJu Smith-Schuster to man the slot, but I doubt they are done adding to the position.
And what better way to do that — while also keeping your quarterback happy — than by drafting a stud wide receiver in the second round with George Pickens.
The Georgia Bulldog broke out as a true 18-year-old freshman, finishing 2019 as PFF’s 17th-highest-graded receiver in the nation (88.0) — ahead of future NFL wideouts Jerry Jeudy, Justin Jefferson, Devonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle.
His 2.64 yards per route run were identical to Jefferson’s. Pickens’ unbelievable first year generated a 27% dominator rating — the No. 1 age-adjusted mark among the WRs in this draft class.
Injuries plagued Pickens’ draft stock during the college season, but he looks to be fully healthy based on his testing at the NFL Combine. I will be drafting a lot of Pickens in my dynasty rookie drafts — even with his ADP on its way to the moon with Patrick Mahomes as his NFL quarterback.
FantasyPros Mock Drafts
Andrew Erickson:
- Andrew Erickson’s 2022 NFL Mock Draft 1.0
- Andrew Erickson’s 2022 NFL Mock Draft 2.0
- Andrew Erickson’s 2022 NFL Mock Draft 3.0
- Andrew Erickson’s 2022 NFL Mock Draft 4.0
- Andrew Erickson’s 2022 NFL Mock Draft 5.0
- Andrew Erickson’s 2022 NFL Mock Draft 6.0
Matthew Freedman:
- Version 1: Post-free agency
- Version 2: Post-Eagles & Saints trade
- Version 3: Mid-April
- Version 4: 10 days away
- Version 5: Seven days away
- Version 6: Week of the Draft
- Version 7: Day Before the Draft
Derek Brown:
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio
If you want to dive deeper into fantasy football, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you navigate your season. From our Start/Sit Assistant – which provides your optimal lineup based on accurate consensus projections – to our Trade Analyzer – which allows you to instantly find out if a trade offer benefits you or your opponent – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football season.
