After a long, and somewhat uneventful, offseason for the New England Patriots, it is officially time for the 2022 NFL Draft. With nine picks in their current arsenal, the Patriots will be banking on another strong draft class to build off of last year’s. With the 21st overall pick, all options seem to be on the board, but adding more speed and explosiveness will likely be an area of focus for New England over the next three days.
No matter what the Patriots will do, Pats Pulpit has you covered! We will have plenty of coverage over the next three days (and beyond), so make sure to regularly check back for all the latest news, rumors and analysis.
As for the first day of the event, look no further than right here: our Patriots news and rumors tracker that will be regularly updated throughout the day and into the night. Check out our friends at DraftKings Sportsbook for odds on this year’s draft.
3:48 pm: NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports the Green Bay Packers – who currently own picks No. 22 and 28 – are a team exploring a possible trade up for their wide receiver of choice. | Report
11:55 am: NFL Network’s Mike Giardi shared some draft day buzz regarding two Georgia defenders, believing defensive tackle Jordan Davis goes top-10 while safety Lewis Cine does not make it out of the first round. Giardi also shared that Jahan Dotson will be selected before Treylon Burks, while offensive tackle Charles Cross has been linked to the New Orleans Saints. | Report
1-1 Jacksonville Jaguars: EDGE Travon Walker, Georgia
After taking Trevor Lawerence first overall in last year’s draft, the Jaguars add Georgia’s Travon Walker along the EDGE first overall this year. A pick that has been picking up steam in recent days, as Walker is a prototypical defensive lineman at 6-foot-5, 272 pounds, with 35 ½ inch arms – something that played a particular role in this selection. Despite his plus-size, Walker has rare athleticism that the Jaguars hope will allow him to tap into his potential.
1-2 Detroit Lions: EDGE Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan
The Michigan man stays in Detroit. Hutchinson’s strong senior season in Ann Arbor skyrocketed him up draft boards as he projects as a versatile every down defensive end. The Lions certainly needed more talent along the defensive line after finishing 29th in pressure percentage and 30th in sacks. Dan Campbell certainly will be happy to get his hands on the high motored and passionate Hutchinson – the perfect kneecap biter along the Lions defensive line.
1-3 Houston Texans: CB Derek Stingley, LSU
Another pick that has been gaining steam in recent days. Stingley’s talent level is clear, but his stock has been up and down after battling injuries and inconsistencies throughout his collegiate tenure. However, Houston will bank on his potential of becoming a premiere outside cornerback with his elite speed and ball skills.
1-4 New York Jets: CB Ahmad Gardner, Cincinatti
With two top ten selections, the Jets nab the other consensus top-two cornerback available. Gardner was a standout in the Cincinnati secondary, not allowing a single touchdown reception in his collegiate career. The 6-foot-3 corner also did not allow more than 13 yards to any receiver in a game this past season. He has all the tools to develop into a strong starting cornerback in Robert Saleh’s defense.
1-5 New York Giants: EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux
Another team with two selection in the top ten, the Giants continue the run of defensive prospects to start the draft. With all three offensive tackles remaining, New York doesn’t take the chance of losing out on Thibodeaux. The former No. 1 ESPN 100 player was once viewed as the top prospect in this class but battled back through a high ankle sprain last year. Still, he is an explosive athlete that will be expected to be a game changer along the Giants defensive line.
1-6 Carolina Panthers: OT Ikem Ekwonu, NC State
The first of the three consensus top three offensive tackles go off the board to Carolina, a team that desperately needed help in the trenches. Ekwonu was regarded as the “safest” of the three tackle prospects to most, as he proved to be an extremely aggressive and dynamic blocker over the last three years at NC State. He’ll be a day one starter in Carolina, who picks their top overall player after considering a quarterback.
1-7 New York Giants: OT Evan Neal, Alabama
As expected, the Giants add an offensive tackle with one of their two top ten picks. Neal is an absolute monster (6-foot-7, 337 pounds) at the tackle spot who has the versatility and skill set to play left or right tackle.
1-8 Atlanta Falcons: WR Drake London, USC
A team that desperately needed playmakers at the wide receiver position, the Falcons nab the first wide receiver in this year’s draft. London has great size (6-foot-4, 220 pounds) and athleticism at the position who is excellent in contested catch situations. He will immediately step in as Atlanta’s starting outside receiver to create a 1-2 punch with last year’s first round pick Kyle Pitts.
1-9 Seattle Seahawks
1-10 New York Jets:
When: Thursday, April 28 at 8 p.m. ET
Where: Las Vegas
Coverage: Please check out our NFL Draft Viewing Guide
Time per pick: 10 minutes
Round 1: No. 21
Round 2: No. 54
Round 3: No. 85
Round 4: No. 127
Round 5: No. 158 (via Miami)
Round 6: No. 183 (via Houston), No. 200, No. 210 (via Los Angeles)
Round 7: No. 245 (via Houston from Dallas)
The 21st overall selection is set to take place around 11:20 p.m. ET, based on the 10-minute pick timer. Realistically, however, New England likely will select earlier as not every team will use the full allotted time slot. Last year, the 21st overall pick was officially on the clock two hours and 26 minutes into the draft (10:26 p.m. ET).
Quarterback: N/A
Wide receiver: Jameson Williams (Alabama), Chris Olave (Ohio State)
Offensive tackle: Trevor Penning (Northern Iowa), Bernhard Raimann (Central Michigan)
Offensive guard: Zion Johnson (Boston College), Kenyon Green (Texas A&M)
Defensive tackle: Jordan Davis (Georgia), Devonte Wyatt (Georgia)
Defensive edge: Boye Mafe (Minnesota), David Ojabo (Michigan), George Karlaftis (Purdue), Jermaine Johnson (Florida State)
Linebacker: Nakobe Dean (Georgia), Quay Walker (Georgia), Devin Lloyd (Utah)
Cornerback: Andrew Booth Jr. (Clemson), Kaiir Elam (Florida), Trent McDuffie (Washington),
Safety: Dax Hill (Michigan)
Not including players expected to be out of New England’s range
2022-04-29 00:35:51