NFL Draft 2022 Predictions: Trades, First-Round QBs, No. 1 Pick

One day before the start of the 2022 NFL Draft, plenty of questions remain regarding how the first round might play out. There are rumors regarding potential trades and the top quarterbacks in the draft class. The Jacksonville Jaguars have the No. 1 overall pick, followed by the Detroit Lions and Houston Texans.

Here are three predictions for the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Aidan Hutchinson will be the No. 1 pick

The draft week started with Georgia defensive end Travon Walker becoming the new favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick. In the days leading up to Thursday’s first round, Walker’s odds of going first to the Jaguars have only increased. Four different players have been favored during the offseason to go atop the draft, and there might be another major shift in the odds before Jacksonville is officially on the clock.

Hutchinson was viewed as the most likely No. 1 pick before Walker’s recent rise in mock drafts. The runner-up for the 2021 Heisman Trophy award, Hutchinson was considered the much better college player. Walker’s ceiling might be enticing, but Hutchinson is more of a sure thing and still has tremendous upside as an NFL pass rusher.

At least one team will trade a top-10 pick

There are always draft day trades, and Thursday will be no exception. Last year, the No. 10, 11 and 14 picks were sent elsewhere as teams were making selections during the first round. Two teams have a pair of top-10 picks, making them ideal candidates to unload one of their selections.

The New York Jets would likely trade the No. 10 pick to the San Francisco 49ers for Deebo Samuel if given the chance. Three teams have multiple picks outside of the top-10 and can potentially trade up to grab a player who they are targeting.

Four quarterbacks will be drafted in the first round

BetMGM sets the over/under for quarterbacks drafted in the first round at 3.5. The sportsbook is offering +210 odds for at least four quarterbacks to be taken, indicating that it’s unlikely for more than three quarterbacks to go off the board in the first 32 picks. But in a league where quarterbacks matter more than ever, teams are likely to reach for a signal-caller at the end of the first round.

There are easily more than three candidates to draft a first-round quarterback. The Detroit Lions, Pittsburgh Steelers and Carolina Panthers are good bets to find a future starter. The Atlanta Falcons have openly said they hope to leave the draft with a quarterback. The Seattle Seahawks are rumored to be targeting a quarterback late in the first round. Malik Willis, Kenny Pickett, Sam Howell and Desmond Ridder could all be gone before Day 2.