2022 NFL Mock Draft – Week 4

Hello friends. Along with my commitment to posting weekly Power Rankings, I am going to try to keep up with things on the Mock Draft front.

So, draft order based on Week 4 Power Rankings.

Enjoy!

Pick	Team	Player	Stats	Commentary
1		EDGE Will Anderson Jr., Alabama – 6’4, 243 lbs	20 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 1 INT	I would take a hard look at CJ Stroud, as I am pretty confident that Zach Wilson just is not it. Of course they will not give up on him this quickly. Fortunately, Will Anderson Jr. has been as good as advertised as a junior. A true pass rushing terror, Anderson Jr. can also drop back in coverage. Simply put, he continues to be the best prospect in this class and the overwhelming favorite to be the first non-quarterback drafted.
2		QB CJ Stroud, Ohio State – 6’3, 218 lbs	79-112, 1,222 yards, 16 TD, 1 INT	Passing on a quarterback in 2022 was a smart move, but the time is right to strike. Davis Mills is backup only, and CJ Stroud looks special. Sure, he is surrounded by NFL talent, but Stroud has basically been perfect through his two years as a starter. Rolling once again, he is NFL ready as a pro passer and would help usher in a new era for Houston football.
3		QB Bryce Young, Alabama – 6’0, 194 lbs	83-121, 1,029 yards, 13 TD, 2 INT	I do not think Washington necessarily would want to take a quarterback here, but other than Will Anderson Jr., I do not see a can’t miss guy at this stage, so QB it is. Bryce Young lacks the size of CJ Stroud, but he simply knows how to play the quarterback position and should be a very good starter in the league.
4		CB Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia – 6’1, 210 lbs	7 tackles	AJ Terrell is probably the best player on the Atlanta defense, so using a top five pick on your second cornerback might not be the best idea, but Kelee Ringo is the best talent available and the Falcons simply need help everywhere. The Georgia defense is on another level, and teams simply do not test Ringo.
5		DT Jalen Carter, Georgia – 6’3, 300 lbs	4 sacks	Another Georgia stud with pedestrian statistics. Carter is the engine that makes the Bulldogs defense go. A stud run defender who can also get after the quarterback when needed, he is the best defensive tackle prospect in years. The Seahawks are another team that needs everything and should go with the best talent available.
6		OT Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State – 6’6, 310 lbs	N/A	The Titans offensive line continues to be a mess. Pars Johnson Jr. is good enough to play left tackle for an offense full of future NFL studs. That type of pedigree and production usually lands you in the top ten of the NFL draft.
7		OLB Trenton Simpson, Clemson	27 tackles	The Cardinals have spent quite a bit of draft capital on the linebacker position. Neither Isaiah Simmons or Zaven Collins have set the world on fire. Try again with Trenton Simpson? Simpson is an ultra-rare complete linebacker prospect who can excel in any scheme. Ask him to get after the quarterback, play middle linebacker or drop back in coverage. He can do it all.
8		QB Will Levis, Penn State – 6’3, 232 lbs	79-117, 1,185 yards, 10 TD, 4 INT	I personally think this is a two quarterback class, with a few other potential first rounders with major question marks. However, there are enough teams in need of upgrades at the position that we could see three or four guys go in round one. The Colts need to stop attaching band-aids and try to get a real answer at quarterback. I have my questions about Levis, but he has great size, a lot of experience and a cannon arm. He could be successful with proper development.
9		WR Jordan Addison, USC – 6’0, 175 lbs	21 rec, 337 yards, 6 TD	While Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Kayshon Boutte have been invisible in 2022, Jordan Addison has catapulted to the top of the 2023 WR rankings. He has been Caleb Williams go-to guy, catching plenty of deep balls and racking up touchdowns. He does not have elite size, but would instantly give Justin Fields someone, anyone, to throw to.
10		TE Michael Mayer, Notre Dame – 6’4, 265 lbs	22 rec, 223 yards, 3 TD	Tight end might not be the biggest need in Carolina, but this is often a front office that just goes after the best talent available. Michael Mayer is not quite Kyle Pitts (who is?) but he is a legitimate top 15 option thanks to his solid hands and great receiving ability.
11		DE Myles Murphy, Clemson – 6’5, 275 lbs	11 tackles, 1.5 sacks	Offensive line is obviously the biggest need in Las Vegas, but this team also needs to rebuild the trenches. Myles Murphy is a very versatile defender who can hold up against the run and rush the passer for the Raiders Patriots-like hybrid defense.
12		OT Broderick Jones, Georgia – 6’4, 315 lbs	N/A	One can never tell which direction the Patriots will do during the draft (usually the wrong direction), so…I suppose..Broderick Jones? Sure, why not? Jones may be a tad bit undersized for an NFL offensive tackle, but he is uber-athletic and has the chance to be a good one.
13		CB Joey Porter Jr., Penn State – 6’2, 198 lbs	16 tackles	I am not trying to be cute by mocking former Steelers great Joey Porter’s son to Pittsburgh. Okay, maybe I am a bit. But it would be a great fit. Porter Jr. is a big, physical corner who would fit right in with the rest of the hard-hitting Steelers defense.
14		RB Bijan Robinson, Texas – 6’0, 220 lbs	67 att, 412 yards, 7 TD	(From San Francisco) Miami is all in on offense. What better way to put the cherry on top than drafting the best running back prospect in years? Bijan Robinson is a true three down running back. He is a punishing runner and one of the best receiving backs in college football. The rare halfback well worth a mid-first round selection.
15		DT Bryan Bresee, Clemson – 6’5, 305 lbs	8 tackles. 0.5 sacks	The Lions offense has been tremendous, and Jameson Williams still has yet to make his debut. So the 2023 draft needs to be heavy on defense. Bryan Bresee, the former top overall recruit, is still more potential than production, but he has the ability to be a great all around 3-4 defensive end.
16		CB Cam Smith, South Carolina – 6’0, 188 lbs	8 tackles	(From New Orleans) The Eagles are a very deep and talented team, but could still use a legit starting cornerback opposite Darius Slay. Cam Smith is a bit undersized, but plays bigger and has good lock down ability.
17		QB Anthony Richardson, Florida – 6’4, 232 lbs	65-121, 876 yards, 2 TD, 5 INT	(from Denver) I really do not know what to do with Anthony Richardson. He is so far away from being a legit NFL passer, but he could be a Cam Newton-like runner right now and the arm strength is just mouth watering. He definitely needs seasoning, but if you are a bad team like the Seahawks with a bunch of upcoming picks, do you let him slip out of the first round?
18		OG Peter Skoronski, Northwestern – 6’4, 315 lbs	N/A	The Bengals spent a lot of money to shore up their offensive line, but Joe Burrow has still been beaten up all year. Keep the reinforcements coming. I think Peter Skoronski would be a better fit at guard, but he is a good pass protector, and the positional versatility would only help.
19		WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State – 6’1, 200 lbs	4 rec, 36 yards	The new Giants coaching staff are obviously not fans of Kadarius Toney or Kenny Golladay, and Sterling Shepard is injured again, meaning the receiver cupboard is awfully bare. Jaxon Smith-Njigba appeared to be the WR1 of this class, but he got injured and the next men up at Ohio State have more than stepped up, which makes me worry that JSN might be a bit of a system guy. I will give him the benefit of the doubt and keep him in the first round though. Hopefully he can return to game action soon.
20		EDGE Felix Anduike-Uzomah, Kansas State – 6’4, 255 lbs	13 tackles, 2.5 sacks	The Chargers looked like Super Bowl contenders on paper. Unfortunately, the injury bug has hit the team extremely hard. Joey Bosa, in particular, can never seem to stay healthy. Felix Anduike-Uzomah is the most talented pass rushers in college football and would be more than just an insurance policy in case Bosa gets hurt again.
21		SS Christopher Smith, Georgia – 5’11, 195 lbs	13 tackles, 2 INT	Keep the Georgia defenders coming. What an amazingly talented roster there in Athens. Christopher Smith has exploded as a fifth year senior, and is one of the better ball hawks in college football. He could be a plug-and-play safety for any playoff team, including the Cowboys.
22		DE Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame – 6’5, 265 lbs	18 tackles, 3 sacks	(From Cleveland) What do you get a team that needs everything? Pass rushers. Every team needs guys who can get after the quarterback, Houston definitely included. Isaiah Foskey is not the biggest, fastest or most talented. He is simply productive, and should be a solid starter from day one.
23		CB Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M – 6’3, 195 lbs	38 tackles, 1 sack	I would probably play Antonio Johnson at safety if I drafted him, but he would be a passable cornerback. Fact is, the Vikings need help at the position, and Johnson is the best available.
24		SS Jordan Battle, Alabama – 6’1, 206 lbs	14 tackles	The Jaguars defense has quickly become a force to be reckoned with. Adding a playmaking safety like Jordan Battle to the back end would make it even more ferocious. Battle is a solid tackler with a knack for picking off passes.
25		QB DJ Uigalelei, Clemson – 6’4, 235 lbs	83-129, 1,033 yards, 10 TD, 1 INT	(From Los Angeles Rams) DJ Uigalelei was thought of as a top QB prospect this time last year, but really struggled in 2021. He has mostly corrected those issues, and has really elevated his play in 2022. I believe it has been enough for him to re-enter the round one conversation. A team with a plethora of picks, like the Lions, could draft him late in round one or early in round two and bring him along slowly.
26		EDGE BJ Ojulari, LSU – 6’3, 250 lbs	10 tackles, 1.5 sacks	The Ravens defense is in such bad shape that the team just signed the ghost of Jason Pierre-Paul. BJ Ojulari is a nice rotational pass rusher who should keep the line moving in Baltimore, a team always on the lookout for additional pass rushers.
27		DT Gervon Dexter Sr., Florida – 6’6, 312 lbs	13 tackles, 0.5 sacks	Gervon Dexter might be the most talented defensive tackle in the country, Jalen Carter included. He needs to learn to play hard every down, but the upside is tantalizing. He would join Vita Vea and Logan Hall in Tampa Bay, giving the Buccaneers a great young defensive line.
28		OT Jaelyn Duncan, Maryland – 6’6, 320 lbs	N/A	The Chiefs are still in the processing of revamping their offensive line. Jaelyn Duncan is not flashy, but he is widely thought of as a solid plug-and-play option at right tackle.
29		EDGE Drew Sanders, Arkansas – 6’5, 232 lbs	31 tackles. 5.5 sacks	Drew Sanders success should not come as a complete shock. He was a five star recruit for Alabama, but understandably struggled to see the field for an all-world defense. He has been a pass rushing terror, and if he can strengthen it up a bit against the run, could become a solid first round prospect. He would be a great developmental guy for the Packers.
30		WR Kayshon Boutte, LSU – 6’0, 205 lbs	10 rec, 93 yards	This has been a less than stellar receiver class thus far. Kayshon Boutte has top ten talent, but has not done much on the field since his freshman year. The talent still remains, however, and he would be a great slot guy for a Bills team not short on offensive talent.
31		RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama – 5’11, 200 lbs	25 att, 172 yards	The Eagles are a legitimate running back away from being an unstoppable force on offense. Jahmyr Gibbs is a very solid runner. What you do not see in the stats column to the left is his 17 receptions for 187 yards. Gibbs is like another receiver on the field, and is a perfect fit for the wide open offense of today’s NFL.