Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - BONUS EPISODE: The Ultimate NFL Mock Draft 2022

Episode Date: April 18, 2022

The Ultimate Mock Draft 2022 kicks off with the first five selections of the NFL Draft simulation. Hosts Brian Peacock and Matt Williamson lead the way as quarterbacks and pass catchers fly off the board. Jason La Canfora and other Audacy Insiders give their reactions as the Jacksonville Jaguars and Detroit make their selections and contemplate trade offers. Will the Jaguars lead up with Adrian Hutchinson, Kayvon Thibodeaux or Travon Walker? Will Malik Willis find his name called in the top five? Find out in the first episode of the biggest mock draft event of the year presented by the Locked On Podcast Network and Audacy, your audio home for all the sports, podcasts, music and news that matter to you. If you want the rest of the picks and trades subscribe to The Ultimate Mock Draft 2022 feed or the Locked On NFL Podcast.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnlineBetOnline.net has you covered this season with more props, odds and lines than ever before. BetOnline – Where The Game Starts!Rock AutoAmazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you.Shady RaysEXCLUSIVELY FOR OUR LISTENERS, HEAD TO SHADYRAYS.COM AND USE CODE LOCKEDON TO GET FIFTY PERCENT OFF TWO OR MORE PAIRS OF POLARIZED SUNGLASSES.Athletic GreensTo make it easy, Athletic Greens is going to give you a FREE 1 year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase. All you have to do is visit athleticgreens.com/NFLNETWORK. Blue NileThis Mother’s Day give mom something she’ll treasure forever with fine jewelry from Bluenile.com, and LOCKEDON SPORTS listeners get $50 off $500. Use code LOCKEDON at checkout.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

he tended to play a little too much hero ball it's a no-brainer selection for jacksonville i believe he's a true leader in every sense of the word i just fear for your fan base that that's what's going to happen welcome to the ultimate mock draft 2022 presented by odyssey and the podcast network we are back for another year with the most comprehensive and in-depth draft projection you are going to find anywhere. This six-day simulation special will feature all 32 first-round picks with our Locked On local experts making the selections for the teams you love and they cover.

You'll also get in-depth analysis from our Locked On college experts about each prospect and from our Odyssey insiders like Jason Lock and Fora, Mark Herslick, and Hall of Fame wide receiver and three-time Super Bowl champion Michael Irvin. Yeah, good stuff there. I mean, we're also going to be joined by former NFL and AFL cornerback Eric Crocker, analytics expert Ryan Tracy of the Locked On NFL podcast to keep us up to date on trends, big storylines, risers and fallers throughout the draft.

And if your favorite team doesn't select in the first round, don't worry, they're covered too, as our local experts will pick the favorite options from the remaining options not selected in the first round. Oh, good. So I'll get a chance to still make a selection here when my 49ers, as host of the Locked On 49ers as well, by the way, with Eric Crocker, who does Locked On NFL draft, we're going to be making the selection all the way down at pick 61 for those 49ers as host of the Lockdown 49ers as well, by the way, with Eric Crocker, who does Lockdown NFL Draft. We're going to be

making the selection all the way down at pick 61 for those 49ers. So for those fans that don't have a first rounder, you will be represented here in the ultimate mock draft. It wouldn't be ultimate if it was any other way. And unlike any other mock draft out there, you're getting local insights, expert analysis, insider information

from Michael Irvin, Jason Lockenfora, Mark Herzlick, and the folks that know and love your favorite teams better than anyone. And of course, us, your hosts, NFL analysts, and the host of the Peacock and Williamson NFL show, me, Brian Peacock, and former NFL and college scout, Matt Williamson. It's going to be great. I love talking with you every day, talking ball with you, Matt. It's going to be fun doing this ultimate mock draft with you once again in 2022. Without a doubt, man. This is a blast. I'm pretty psyched to get going on this. This is going to be fun. So let's do it. Let's get this thing rocking to kick us off.

We are going to hear from our Locked On NFL Draft experts, Eric and Ryan, about the biggest stories around this year's draft, starting with the intriguing conversations about this year's quarterback class, and then what you need to know about how they think the board will shake out early. Well, thank you, Brian. As every draft starts, you have to know where the quarterbacks are going. It drives the entire process. This group's a little bit different, and we got to figure out where are they going to go versus where should they go. What do you think, Rock? I think, you know, it's definitely interesting this year. You know, last draft season, we knew, you know,

the first few picks were definitely going to be quarterbacks. And you kind of had to question where guys like Justin Fields and Matt Jones, where would they land? But this year, it's all over the place. You can have quarterbacks go as high as number six overall to the Carolina Panthers, maybe Seattle Seahawks, or even Atlanta Falcons around 8-9, or maybe around 20 or so, depending on if the Saints pass on the quarterback as well. So I don't know if there's been a draft where a quarterback will go

is so all over the board. Yeah, it's up for grabs at this point. In terms of where they should go, I think you and I probably feel about the same. Like, should there be a first round quarterback? Probably not. If there is, you know, maybe it is 20. Maybe it is the saints at one of their picks. Now for me, I want to see somebody just get the fit, right?

Because there's questions about every quarterback in this class. There's no sure thing. And there's honestly, I think a lot more pitfalls than there are fits. So who lands where is going to be about the evaluation process who's got the best front office who's got the best scouting department I think at the end of the day the perennial teams that are winners you're going to see them win again that's what I'm looking for yeah and speaking of winning especially when it comes to quarterback position I think you know there are two teams I think right now can actually

you know take on a quarterback a rookie quarterback and put them in a situation to succeed. And I think those two teams are the New Orleans Saints, who have two picks in the first round, and then the Pittsburgh Steelers. They have a great situation set up there with a franchise running back. They have to continue to build the offensive line, but the weapons that they have at receivers, you know, having a guy like Chase Claypool with a wide catch radius and then a guy like Deontay Johnson who can consistently get open, if I had to say where two quarterbacks should go,

that's where I would go. Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers. I would agree with you. I'd like to see somebody do something at the tail end of the draft too. I think that pick number 32 is going to be up for grabs. Who knows how it goes. But one thing is going to happen is however many quarterbacks go in the first round, it's going to help everybody else who needs non-quarterback teams

with established leadership at the position are going to have a better time getting things that are still cornerstones to a franchise, like edge rushers, corners, and tackles. And I think that's probably where the best value of this draft is. We might see a ton of them in this first round. You were telling me the day after were to tell me, you know, the day after the draft, that six, you know, defense linemen and offensive linemen combined were taken in the first six picks, I wouldn't at all be surprised.

And I think it's going to start with the number one overall pick, Jacksonville Jaguars. Right now, everything is leaning towards them taking a guy like Aiden Hutchinson out of Michigan. Kayvon Thibodeau, I believe he'll fly off the board right after that. And you can see Johnson, who, out of Florida State, who's flying up boards consistently. Every time I turn television on,

all I'm hearing is how people like him more and more. And that lines with what we've seen on film from him as well. And not to mention Walker. And we know Trayvon Walker out of Georgia. He's more of the wild card. But again, I mean, just a terrific talent. So the non-quarterbacks, especially the defense alignment, they're going to fly off immediately.

And then that's going to push down two terrific tackle prospects like Iguanu and Evan Neal. So, you know, the first six picks, again, if they are all in the trenches, I wouldn't at all be surprised. The questions become, outside of the tackles and outside of those edges, what can you do that's safe? A number of teams have multiple picks. I think that's where probably the corners come in,

and we might even see a linebacker or two sneak into this first round. In the linebacker position, it seemed like a strength. I think right now it's more of a day-two strength, where you definitely can see some of these guys go maybe at the tail end of the first round. Now I'd be curious to see if we'd see like a guy like Anderson to kind of sneak in because he tested so well.

Maybe we're looking at him as, you know what? There might be more value to have a guy like that that's big, fast, athletic, and smart on the field as well. But yeah, cornerbacks, you know, definitely you can start seeing those guys on the board. We haven't even mentioned Sauce Gardner, who's projected to be a top 10 pick, or Derrick Stingley Jr., who, you know,

and into this process, you would have thought would be the CB1. Right now, it might be the CB2. But moving forward, I think the cornerbacks, you'll see a few guys go off in the top 20 picks. Yeah, I think it's also going to help the wide receivers. Those guys from Ohio State probably have a future here in this front league. I think it's going to be entertaining.

All right, Brian and Matt, back to you. Let's get the ultimate NFL mock draft started. And away we go. The number one pick is on the clock, the Jacksonville Jaguars. Unless there's any trade action, I don't think Tony Wiggins' phone is going to be ringing too hard for this number one overall pick. It might not have the value of previous number one picks like their pick last year, but I don't think anybody feels bad about, you know, getting the quote

unquote generational quarterback selection at number one overall last year. They have back-to-back number ones here. What do you think the Jaguars are looking at at number one with Tony Wiggins on the clock? Yeah, I used to really lean towards one of the tackles with the thought of just make Lawrence's life as easy as possible. But I think the edge players are just better prospects. We'll see what Tony thinks the Jacksonville Jaguars should be doing here. The host of Locked On Jaguars, Tony Wiggins, who is the selection for the Jags at number one? Who is the selection for the Jags at number one? With the first pick of the ultimate mock draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars select Trevon Walker, defensive end from the University of Georgia.

How this helps the Jaguars right now is this. They've got the guy with the highest athletic profile, the best measurables, and I believe the best longterm ceiling for helping this franchise. That's what you have to do when you take the very first pick. You have to get the guy who projects to be the best a year or two from now, not the guy who actually has the most stats in college. On tape, he definitely shows the ability to rush the passer and to have all the attributes that Trent Baalke really, really does like. Now, he didn't have as many splash plays as a lot of the other edge rushers. He didn't have the stats. And some people say, well, he had really

good teammates. Well, maybe because he had really good teammates, he didn't get a lot of stats. If you want to reverse it and look at it in a different way, Trevon Walker has tremendous upside and the Jaguars aren't going to ask him to do what he was asked to do at Georgia. They're probably going to turn him loose and do a little bit more. Think about it like this. Jermaine Johnson, who I believe is also a very good player, didn't have a lot of stats before this season either. And that's why he transferred from the University of Georgia to go to Florida State. I look at Trevon Walker as a guy the Jaguars think has a higher ceiling than any other edge and has a more

consistent base to go from in terms of all of the things that he was able to do in college. So Trayvon Walker is the pick for the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2022 draft. Woo. Okay. We've already got some fun going on here. Trayvon Walker, the late riser, the combine superstar out of Georgia, the edge player. You can move him around. He has all the physical traits in the world.

And this is clearly Tony Wiggins and the Jacksonville Jaguars swinging for the fences with a prospect that might have the most upside in the draft. And obviously, production isn't where you would want it to be for a number one overall pick in past years. But this is not past years. This is 2022. And Tony Wiggins sees Trayvon Walker as the biggest upside pick, potentially, at number one.

And I agree with that. And I got to give you credit, PP. I mean, the first time I ever even heard Jacksonville at one going Walker was out of your mouth at least a month ago, maybe even longer. I mean, the traits that you mentioned are very much a Trent Fowke thing.

And I think people need to realize, too, that since the draft happens later in the year now than it used to, that gives the coaches more time to get involved, and coaches love traits. When you're talking edge players, you get wrapped up in the production. What are the sack numbers? What is this player going to do as a pass rusher?

But coaches want players who can stop the run as well and there might not be a better edge player in this class that stops the run like Trayvon Walker so pass rush upside but he's a he's a complete player who can play now as well yeah and you can play up and down all over the offense or the defensive line I think he'll play some three technique I think he'll line up trade up over a tackle stand up on his feet from an outside position, maybe even drop into coverage here and there. So there's a lot you can do with this guy. But you're right.

I mean, the production's a little worrisome. It's time to hear from the first of our Odyssey experts that we will hear from often through the course of this ultimate mock draft all week long. Jason LaConfora on the selection of Trayvon Walker, number one overall. The Jacksonville Jaguars selecting Trayvon Walker would certainly send shockwaves throughout the NFL.

Not that the edge rusher isn't in contention for the first overall pick. Of course, he's someone the Jaguars would strongly consider. However, many have been pointing to Michigan pass rusher Aiden Hutchinson as the de facto first overall pick for quite some time. And frankly, I think there's still an argument to be made for the Jacksonville Jaguars to invest this pick in one of the top offensive tackles available. Yes, I know they have kept Cam Robinson around, but I'm not sure he is the caliber of player that some of these tackles may turn out to be. But regardless,

Walker certainly set the combine on fire with his athletic prowess, the metrics, the measurables, the twitchiness, all of that completely off the charts. And if he were to be the first overall pick, it certainly would be because the Jacksonville Jaguars look at him and see his ceiling being higher than Hutchinson. Hutchinson, I think, may be a little bit safer. Hutchinson, someone maybe a little more immediately plug and playable. And again, Hutchinson more productive in college than Walker, but he can't do some of the things

physically that Walker can do. And when you go back and trace the history of Jags general manager, Trent Balke, you can look at his tenure in San Francisco, where they were continually going after pass rush, going after D lineman, and looking for someone like an Alden Smith who had a size speed combo that was off the charts. Perhaps that's what Trent Baalke sees here. Perhaps that's what he'll be able to convince head coach Doug Peterson to actually do with this first overall pick. Walker would be something. We've got college experts as well here on the Locked On Podcast Network. Daniel Moore covering Georgia can fill us in on who is this prospect?

Who is this physical marvel? Headed from Georgia to Jacksonville to begin our ultimate mock draft. Listen, Trayvon Walker is a freak of freaks. There's no other way to describe him. The first time Clint and I ever saw Trayvon Walker, he was listed as a defensive tackle in his true freshman season, and he was playing kickoff coverage. He was on the kickoff coverage unit,

sprinting down the field making tackles on kickoff coverage unit, sprinting down the field, making tackles on kickoff coverage. He's 6'5", 275 pounds, and he ran a 4.540 at the NFL Combine. I don't know what else you need us to say about Trayvon Walker, but he can do things that no one, no one on planet Earth his size can do. He has the potential to be a special special talent in the NFL seeing as how it's not a traditional year do you think there's another little surprise coming and look I don't know if it'll be a surprise that Trevon Walker is the number one overall pick by the time draft day comes if he is in fact the selection for the Jaguars Aiden Hutchinson though the local guy still on the clock long thought to be the number one overall pick for the Jaguars. Aiden Hutchinson, though, the local guy, still on the clock, long thought to be the number

one overall pick for the Jaguars, still on the board here for the Detroit Lions. Is this an easy selection for Matt Derry and Detroit, or do you think this could go a number of directions? I mean, they're, you know, this is a team that is in need of probably a long-term quarterback, and no quarterbacks have been selected yet. Yeah, and there was a stretch there in the draft process where I would have put my stamp of approval on Malik Willis here. I just think that's too rich for that player. You'd be bypassing too many high-quality blue-chip prospects for a quarterback that's a little too questionable for me this early.

And with Hutchinson there, I mean, keeping him in Michigan makes all the sense in the world. The leadership, what they're trying to establish with thatinson there, I mean, keeping him in Michigan makes all the sense in the world. The leadership, what they're trying to establish with that coaching staff, with the Lions. This seems just like the perfect fit. Well, the pick is in. Let's see if it is indeed the local product, Aiden Hutchinson, Matt Derry of Locked On Lions. With the second pick of the ultimate mock draft here on the Locked On Podcast Network, With the second pick of the ultimate mock draft here on the Locked On Podcast Network, the Detroit Lions select edge defensive end Aiden Hutchinson from the University of Michigan.

If this happens and Hutchinson does not get selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Lions are running this card up to the podium and to Roger Goodell. This is exactly what Detroit needs. They need speed off the edge. They need a sack man. They need to get to the quarterback. The Lions have struggled over the last few years, especially with Trey Flowers' injury over the last couple of years of getting to the quarterback. And now this solves a big issue for them, landing Hutchinson at number two. Plus, remember, he's a local kid. Grew up in Detroit, went to Michigan, tons of Wolverine fans in the area, including Lions ownership Sheila Hamp and her husband Steve, who live in Ann Arbor, right in Aiden Hutchinson's backyard.

This is a no-brainer pick for the Lions, getting Hutchinson at number two. Indeed, Michigan edge rusher Aiden Hutchinson is the selection for the Detroit Lions at number two, Matt. Not a shocker at all. If it went the other way, Hutchinson and Walker was available. I think they'd probably go Walker over quarterback at this point as well. But with Hutchinson being there, I mean, that's a slam dunk. That's as no-brainer a pick as you can get in this draft.

Let's go to one of our Odyssey experts from the Detroit market for their thoughts, no doubt glowing, on local product, Aiden Hutchinson. Aiden Hutchinson is going to be a top two or three pick, maybe even the top pick overall in this year's NFL draft, simply because he is the best player, the best athlete in the draft, along with one of the most needed positions, and that is an edge rusher. In his senior season at the University of Michigan. Had 16 and a half tackles for loss, a program record 14 sacks, destroyed offensive tackles,

and how he got it done was his unbelievable tenacity to get after the quarterback, to find the football. Coming off the ball, he's got one of the best first steps in this draft. His pursuit of quarterbacks, his understanding of the game of football, and what separates really good edge rushers from those that want to be really good edge rushers is his ability to use his hands. Some at the Combine City had short arms. He was able to use his arms length against Ohio State, against Iowa, against Penn State to his advantage to be able to stick those offensive tackles, to be able to turn the edge, to have a move off of a move. He's got a

great bull rush and I mentioned his tenacity. If he gets shut down on that first, he's always got a second move. It's the move off the move that separates his ability to get after the pass rusher and his ability to play all three downs, four downs if needed in short yardage. But he's really good at stopping the run, sets the edge extremely well. He does a great job of coming off of the edge. And if you want a showstopper, a game changer, you've got to look at Michigan edge rusher Aiden Hutchinson. We've got Isaiah Hull standing by, locked on,

Michigan Wolverines host with a little bit more information on Aiden Hutchinson and what will the Lions be getting as he heads to the NFL. Aiden Hutchinson, a guy that is thought widely to be at worst a top three pick in the upcoming NFL draft, is a guy that I've covered since high school. He's the son of Chris Hutchinson, who was an All-American at Michigan. and Aiden came in and surpassed pretty much everything that his father had done. He broke his sack record. He went to the Big Ten Championship, which obviously didn't exist when his father was there. Neither did the college football playoff, but he did all of those things that his father did and better in his senior year. But what's

even better about Aiden, aside from the fact that he is versatile, you can stand him up, you can put him in a three-point stance, you can move him all over the field, is that he is the quintessential teammate. He is the guy that Michigan really rallied behind when it came to the 2021 season. He's a big reason for the Wolverines' success. That is what, whether it's the Jaguars, the Lions, Texans, whatever team ends up with that opportunity to get Aiden Hutchinson, they're going to end up with more than just a freak athlete who had the best three cone of any, pretty much any defensive player. I think there was one player that was ahead of him. Aside from a freak athlete, they get an excellent, excellent character, teammate,

and leader. Picks one and two are in the books. If you want the rest of the picks and trades, you'll have to subscribe to the Ultimate Mock Draft feed or the Locked On NFL podcast. The Ultimate NFL Mock Draft 2022 is presented by Odyssey and the Locked On Podcast Network.