Mid-April, a month into the NFL’s new league year, is typically a time to regroup – the latter stages of free agency often on pause as teams put the final touches on their pre-draft prospect boards.
Yet it’s also often the point when smokescreens begin to bloom as clubs discuss trades of players and/or draft selections – DK Metcalf anyone? – a process that often leads to leaks … and, sometimes, disinformation dissemination. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who moved down last year yet still landed Defensive Rookie of the Year Micah Parsons, said Wednesday: “I would trade up this draft.”
More deals are inevitable, especially in a year when one quarter of the league’s teams have multiple Round 1 selections while another 25% have none. So, as speculation around the 2022 draft begins to swirl, let’s bake in some trades to this latest mock draft as we explore potential ways the first round could transform:
1. Detroit Lions [PROJECTED TRADE with Jacksonville Jaguars] – DE Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan: The apparent lack of elite quarterback prospects makes this year’s No. 1 overall pick less appealing than in most years. Yet the Jags might find a prospective buyer in Detroit, which currently sits in the No. 2 spot. Even if Hutchinson is the best player available, there’s not much of a delta between him and the next guy. However the Plymouth, Michigan, native and University of Michigan blueblood could have unique value to a Lions organization that lacks a face of the franchise. Engaging off the field, relentless between the lines and highly productive, the Heisman Trophy finalist set a Wolverines record with 14 sacks in 2021. The 6-7, 260-pounder would be the perfect addition to a 29th-ranked defense that recently let go of oft-injured DE Trey Flowers. Detroit could feasibly flip positions with Jacksonville by also giving up its two third-round picks.
2. Jaguars [PROJECTED TRADE with Lions] – DE Travon Walker, Georgia: This year’s combine superstar (4.51 40 time,…