We’re less than two weeks away from the 2022 NFL Draft, so let’s take a look at what we can do for the teams in the AFC East. This draft was done using the PFN simulator, so take it with a grain of salt. I did include trades, but I didn’t go out of my way to make them happen.
New York Jets
4. Ahmad Gardner
In a division where Josh Allen and the Bills’ nigh-unstoppable offense currently reign supreme, you need to do something to slow them down. Pass rushers are routinely made to look like fools when they get a “free shot” at Allen, so the Jets opt to try to close things down on the back end with the best CB in the draft.
10. Kyle Hamilton
The Jets double down on the secondary when Hamilton falls to them at 10. See above for the reasoning behind going for DBs twice in the top 10, but there wasn’t a great option at DT or EDGE available either.
35. David Ojabo
At 35, the Jets select a DE who might actually be athletic enough to take Allen down, once he’s been coached up a little bit. Ojabo is an impressive athlete with remarkable length, a very solid pick for the early second round.
38. Chad Muma
All defense, all the time. Muma is a big, strong, fast linebacker with the kind of burst needed to close in coverage or fill gaps in the running game.
69. George Pickens
A lot of Jets fans would probably prefer a WR earlier than this, but the way the board fell after their first two picks, the value just wasn’t there until the third round. Pickens is a big, long-armed receiver who can be dangerous downfield or in the red zone.
New England Patriots
36. Jahan Dotson
Trade alert! In the least shocking move of the century, the Patriots trade out of the first round with the Giants. They send 21 and 127 to Jersey for 36, 67, and a 2023 2nd. Solid value, imo. Dotoson has insane body control and the ability to go up and catch the floating ducks that Mac Jones likes to throw with reliability.
54. Troy Anderson
At 54, Anderson is just sitting there, the perfect Bill Belichick linebacker. He’s big, he’s from a small school, and probably is a little bit of a reach at 54, but there you have it. On the plus side, he’s big and he’s fast. Not particularly agile, but he can close a gap with alacrity.
67. Coby Bryant With the second 2022 pick from the Giants, the Patriots select a quick, smart CB who excels in zone coverage.
85. Daniel Faalele
At 85, the Patriots an absolute monster of an OT who could start Day 1 and anchor the right side of the line for Mac Jones.
Miami Dolphins
102. Matt Waletzko
One of the reasons I did a three round mock was so Miami could participate after trading half their draft away for a receiver that is too fast for their QB to properly utilize. At 102, the Dolphins select another very large human who can play RT. I considered center here, but the best ones were off the board and the rest were a reach, so I figured with a strong camp, Waletzko could start this year and push a previous OT draft failure like Austin Jackson into a guard role.
Buffalo Bills
25. Jameson Williams
Despite the soul-crushing ending to the 2021 season, the Bills are still a clear favorite to win the East and the AFC entirely. As such, they don’t have a ton of holes. And while CB2 is their biggest need (and McDuffie was there), when a stud playmaker like Jameson Williams falls into your lap at 25, you take him. He might not be ready Week 1, but he’ll damned sure be ready for the Super Bowl run.
51. Kyler Gordon
Trade! I did a lot of Bills mocks over the last few weeks and outside of the top 4 CBs in the draft (Gardner, Stingley, Booth, and McDuffie), Gordon is definitely my favorite of the second tier guys. It cost picks 57 and 130 in the trade with the Eagles to get 51, but I think having CB2 locked down next to Tre White is worth it.
89. Kerby Joseph
At 89, safety is a pick for the future. Joseph has size, speed, length, and a willingness to tackle that would make him an ideal replacement for Jordan Poyer at SS, whose contract expires after 2022. The Bills place a high value on safety in their defensive scheme and taking a player on day 2 who might not ever start his rookie year is worth the cost.
So there we have it. Not exactly ideal for all teams, but there were some weird picks in the draft that kind of threw a wrench into the works. But I guess that happens in the real world every year too.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS