The NFL draft is an inexact science, which is a nice way of calling it an educated guessing game. Between mock drafts, smokescreens, TV analyst debates and social media reports, there is now so much draft information (and misinformation) out there that it can be excruciatingly difficult to decipher just how the event might actually play out.

So, who’s ready for one of the most interesting NFL drafts that I can remember? Not only do we have eight teams without a first-round pick (an NFL draft record), we also have eight teams selecting twice in the first round, which will account for half of the picks being made on Thursday night (also an NFL draft record). Last year, quarterbacks were chosen with the first three picks; this year, there’s a good possibility we may not see the first quarterback taken until the back half of the first round. And how about the first overall pick? If you’re shrugging your shoulders, you’re not alone, as the Jaguars still haven’t declared their intentions. Finally, how many trades will there be tonight? With so many teams having excess draft capital (or lack thereof), I’m expecting plenty of movement up and down the board. Yes, the only thing crazier than considering all the possibilities is predicting how they will unfold.

As always, I am here to offer some insights and opinions on this year’s first round with the release of my 2022 final mock draft, which has become an annual staple of the Times News for the past 22 years and has been ranked as one of the most accurate mock drafts in the industry over the past 11 years according to www.thehuddlereport.com. So, without further ado, here is how I see things unfolding tonight (before the first trade blows it all up):

1. Jacksonville Jaguars – Travon Walker (DE, Georgia)

For the second year in a row, the Jaguars will kick off the NFL Draft. However, unlike last year when we knew who their pick was going to be months in advance (Trevor Lawrence), this year’s selection has turned into the “Great Debate.” Will Jacksonville play it safe and take top overall prospect Aidan Hutchinson, or will they go for upside with Georgia defensive end Travon Walker? Internally, GM Trent Baalke is said to be favoring Walker, while owner Shad Khan and head coach Doug Pederson are pushing for Hutchinson. Typical Jaguars! Over the past few days, the pick has been trending towards Walker, but I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if Hutchinson’s name is on the card when the Commish announces the pick.

2. Detroit Lions – Aidan Hutchinson (DE, Michigan)

Detroit is in position to select whichever defensive end Jacksonville doesn’t take. This would be a match made in NFL Draft Heaven, not only for the fact that Hutchinson is a Dan Campbell-type of player, but also because it will allow Hutchinson to stay in state as the hometown hero trying to revive the Lions franchise. There has been some late buzz for Kayvon Thibodeaux being the pick, but he’s too much of a character risk when the safest prospect in the draft is sitting there for the taking.

3. Houston Texans – Ikem “Ickey” Ekwonu (OT, NC State)

While I’m pretty sure edge rushers will go with the first two picks, this is where the draft starts to get interesting. Houston has a lot of needs on both sides of the ball, but the three prospects I believe to be in consideration with this pick are: North Carolina State tackle Ickey Ekwonu, Alabama tackle Evan Neal and LSU cornerback Derek Stingley. Stingley is gaining momentum in betting circles as a somewhat dark horse pick (given his recent health issues and history of cornerbacks not usually being selected this early). However, if the Texans are going to roll with Davis Mills as their quarterback of the future, you need to upgrade around him, and that starts with the top tackle in this year’s draft.

4. New York Jets – Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner (CB, Cincinnati)

The New York Jets are the first of two teams picking twice in the top 10 (the New York Giants being the other), so they have some flexibility here. Areas of immediate need are edge rusher, cornerback, tackle and wide receiver, and I’d expect them to hit two of those positions with their top two picks. If Ickey Ekwonu is still on the board, there’s a very good chance he could be the pick, but I hear from sources that Sauce Gardner is Robert Salah’s guy. The kid hasn’t allowed a single touchdown in his two seasons at Cincinnati and will give the Jets their first lockdown corner since Darrelle Revis.

5. New York Giants – Evan Neal (OT, Alabama)

In a perfect world, I think that Giants are looking to address their offensive line with one of their first-round picks, and then either cornerback or rush end with the other. Having two of the next three picks is a favorable position to be in, as they can play their hand based off the four cards that went before them. Since Carolina is no doubt looking for an offensive tackle with the next pick, I’ll mock Neal to the Giants to bookend Andrew Thomas at right tackle. The Giants are said to really love Mississippi State tackle Charles Cross, but Cross is more of a left tackle, so I feel Neal is a better fit for New York.

6. Carolina Panthers – Charles Cross (OT, Mississippi State)

This is Carolina’s only pick in the first three rounds, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we see our first trade of the night at this spot so the Panthers can pick up some extra draft capital. But all things considered, this has to be a quarterback, right? As Lee Corso would say, “not so fast my friends.” If the Panthers trade down, Kenny Pickett or Malik Willis could be possibilities, but if they stay at #6, I believe they’ll be looking for a left tackle to help shore up the offensive line. Cross fits the bill. Random fun fact: Matt Rhule recruited Kenny Pickett at Temple, but Pickett would be just one year and one day younger than incumbent starter Sam Darnold (who is entering his fifth season in the NFL). 7. New York Giants (from Chicago) – Derek Stingley (CB, LSU)

If the Giants can grab their offensive tackle with their first pick, this opens the door for a cornerback or edge rusher with this selection. Seeing Derek Stingley still on the board would be the perfect scenario for the G-Men. Stingley could go as high as #3 to Houston, but New York still has to deal with top cornerback James Bradbury because his salary cap number is unaffordable. They can either trade him or cut him, but they need to do something, so why not draft his replacement. If both cornerbacks are off the board, I would look to Kayvon Thibodeaux or Jermaine Johnson as possible options at defensive end.

8. Atlanta Falcons – Kayvon Thibodeaux (DE, Oregon)

On paper, this pick should have wide receiver written all over it, because the Falcons top three wide receivers are Olamide Zaccheaus, Alden Tate and Damiere Byrd. Yikes! However, Atlanta had the worst pass rush in the League last season and generated only 18 sacks in 17 games. The Falcons can take a major step in addressing that issue by selecting either Kayvon Thibodeaux or Jermaine Johnson. Character concerns have caused Thibodeaux to slide, but it wasn’t too long ago that he was considered the top prospect in this draft class. If the Falcons do go with a wide receiver, two names to keep an eye on are Drake London and Garrett Wilson.

9. Seattle Seahawks (from Denver) – Jermaine Johnson (DE, Florida State)

The Seahawks are always one of the more difficult teams to predict because they always seem to march to the beat of their own drum and select someone that leaves you scratching your head. That’s kind of hard to do with a top 10 pick, but not impossible! Anyway, while it’s no secret that Seattle needs a quarterback to replace Russell Wilson (teaser for later in this mock draft), they also have holes at offensive tackle and defensive end. If one of the tackles (likely Cross or Neal) slides, Seattle will have to give them some serious thought here, but I just have a gut feeling that this is a likely landing spot for one of either Kayvon Thibodeaux or Jermaine Johnson.

10. New York Jets (from Seattle) – Garrett Wilson (WR, Ohio State)

The Jets invested in franchise quarterback Zack Wilson with the #2 overall pick last year, and if they want him to succeed, they need to surround him with more weapons. We’ve now reached the point of the draft where we should start to see wide receivers coming off the board in rapid fashion. The Jets like Drake London a lot, but they already have a few bigger receivers. They also have a few capable slot receivers, so what they really should be targeting is a speed receiver who can take the top off the defense. Garrett Wilson and Jameson Williams are your top candidates, but Wilson is ready to make an impact immediately, while Williams is coming off ACL surgery and may start the season on the PUP list.

11. Washington Commanders – Drake London (WR, USC)

During the offseason, Washington brought in Carson Wentz to “command” the Washington offense (see what I did there?). Now it needs to bring in more troops for him to work with. This pick screams wide receiver. Assuming Garrett Wilson is off the board, I think Drake London and Jameson Williams are ideal fits. However, I give London a bit of an edge, because Washington could really use a big-bodied receiver across from the speedy Terry McLaurin. This could also be a sweet spot for safety Kyle Hamilton to come into play, as the Commanders need to replace Landon Collins, and Hamilton is considered one of the top overall players in this draft.

12. Minnesota Vikings – Trent McDuffie (CB, Washington)

This is another spot in the draft where I can envision some trade activity, as I feel the Vikings wouldn’t mind moving down a few spots, and this would be an ideal spot for teams wanting to move up for Jordan Davis, Trevor Penning or Jameson Williams. The Vikings still need to play Aaron Rodgers twice a year though, so shoring up their secondary is paramount. Having Derek Stingley fall to Minnesota would be a dream come true for the Vikings, but if not, cornerback Trent McDuffie or safety Kyle Hamilton will definitely be much needed upgrades.

13. Houston Texans (from Cleveland) – Jameson Williams (WR, Alabama)

We’re only at pick #13, and this is already the third team making it’s SECOND first round selection. As written previously, Houston has 11 draft choices, so the goal should be to surround Davis Mills with as much talent as possible to get the most production out of him. They won’t be able to do that if Brandin Cooks is Mills’ only viable receiving threat. Seriously, name me one other proven receiving option on the Houston roster? That’s what I thought! In this case, Jameson Williams and Chris Olave are sitting there for the taking. Because Houston has so many draft picks, I feel like they can afford to draft Williams here, even if he has to sit out the first few weeks of the season. Barring his injury, Williams would have been the top receiver in this year’s draft.

14. Baltimore Ravens – Trevor Penning (OT, Northern Iowa)

This is a difficult pick for me because I can see Baltimore addressing either side of the trenches with this selection. If the Ravens opt to go offense, tackle Trevor Penning makes a ton of sense. If they look to address their defense, defensive tackle Jordan Davis is a perfect fit. Baltimore’s bread and butter is the run game though, and they’ve declined since Lamar Jackson’s second season due to offensive line issues. Ronnie Stanley returns at left tackle, but hasn’t been able to stay healthy in recent years. Penning is a mountain of a man (6-7, 329) and can play both on the left and right side. I had Jordan Davis mocked to the Ravens for a while, but I fear some team (perhaps the Eagles or Chargers) might try to trade up ahead of Baltimore to select him.

15. Philadelphia Eagles (from Miami) – Jordan Davis (DT, Georgia)

With the Eagles having two picks in close proximity to each other (#15 and #18), I can certainly see Howie Roseman working the phone lines to execute a trade (similar to what they did last year in trading up two spots to get their guy – DeVonta Smith). I see four players in the Eagles’ crosshairs: wide receiver Jameson Williams, defensive end Jermaine Johnson, defensive tackle Jordan Davis and safety Kyle Hamilton. I really wanted to give the Eagles Jameson Williams here (and I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if it happened), but I’m just leery of a team taking a wide receiver with three consecutive first round draft choices (sorry Detroit!). I’ve been saying for months that the Eagles need to shore up the middle of their defense, and that can come at any of the three levels (Davis up front, Devin Lloyd or Nakobe Dean at linebacker, and Hamilton at safety). I really think the Eagles love the athletic freakshow that is Jordan Davis though, and they really need to start thinking about life without Fletcher Cox (soon-to-be 32 years old and on a one-year deal).

16. New Orleans Saints (from Indianapolis through Philadelphia) – Tyler Smith (OT, Tulsa)

With multiple first round picks, I think the two most obvious needs for New Orleans are offensive tackle and wide receiver. Should any of the top wide receivers still be on the board (and in this case, Chris Olave is still available), I think the Saints would certainly have to take a hard look. In fact, I think wide receiver could be the most logical choice with this pick, but New Orleans also has to replace Terron Armstead at left tackle (because James Hurst just isn’t cutting it). I’m not in love with this pick because Tyler Smith may not even get drafted in the first round (I’d much rather mock Trevor Penning to the Saints if he was still on the board), but I’ve been hearing Smith being connected to New Orleans for months now, so I’m going to stick with my gut.

17. Los Angeles Chargers – Chris Olave (WR, Ohio State)

The Chargers would love to upgrade their right tackle situation, but with the top contenders off the board (Trevor Penning would be the most logical choice if he were still on the board here), they’ll gladly settle for a boost of speed on the outside. With the amount of offensive firepower in the AFC, teams are going to have to be able to put up points to outscore their opponents, so giving Justin Herbert another weapon on the outside makes a lot of sense. Olave’s speed is a perfect compliment for Mike Williams’ size and Keenan Allen’s route running. This could also be the ceiling for the behemoth Jordan Davis if he were to slide this far.

18. Philadelphia Eagles (from New Orleans) – Kyle Hamilton (S, Notre Dame)

Kyle Hamilton is a top-10 prospect in this draft, but he’s falling down the board because of poor pre-draft workouts and teams not valuing the safety position. I would not be shocked at all if he were selected much earlier than this. Teams that could have a need at safety include the Falcons, Commanders, Vikings, Texans and Saints. However, like I said in my previous Eagles pick, a concerted effort should be made to solidify the middle of the defense, and Hamilton can kill two birds with one stone as a linebacker/safety hybrid.

19. New Orleans Saints (from Philadelphia) – Kenny Pickett (QB, Pittsburgh)

When teams make pre-draft trades, it’s important to note which teams they are moving in front of. In this case, the Saints essentially traded a future first and second round pick for the Eagles pick this year, which puts them one pick in front of the Steelers who are in the market to draft a quarterback. This could be nothing at all, or it could mean everything. I don’t love Kenny Pickett as a quarterback, but if Carolina doesn’t take him earlier in the draft, what team will? I think Pickett is in for a draft day slide (similar to Aaron Rodgers and Brady Quinn), but I needed to put him somewhere and New Orleans just made the most sense. Playing at least 10 games in a dome every year will help accommodate Pickett’s small hand size. Like I said earlier though, I still put wide receiver and tackle at the top of the Saints wish list.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers – Malik Willis (QB, Liberty)

It’s a changing of the guard in Pittsburgh. Goodbye Ben Roethlisberger. Hello Mitchell Trubisky. Trubisky is a serviceable bridge quarterback, but he’s not a long-term franchise quarterback by any means. Last year, the worst-kept secret in the draft was that the Steelers wanted Najee Harris. This year, I’m getting similar vibes with their desire to draft Liberty quarterback Malik Willis. Willis can run and has a cannon for an arm, but where he lacks is his ability to read defenses. He can sit this year and learn behind Trubisky, but I truly believe that Willis is their target.

21. New England Patriots – Devin Lloyd (LB, Utah)

Good luck trying to predict what Bill Belichick is going to do in the draft, as the guy has made 83 draft day trades in his tenure with the Patriots (the most by any coach with one team in NFL history). If forced to make a pick though, I think it’s going to be defense and two players I’ve heard connected most to New England are inside linebacker Devin Lloyd and cornerback/safety Daxton Hill. Belichick loves versatile players and both Lloyd and Hill provide that. Dont’a Hightower is a free agent and Kyle Van Noy was released, so Lloyd infuses some youth in the linebacking corps. He’s scheme-versatile (can play inside or outside) and is a tackling machine.

22. Green Bay Packers (from Las Vegas) – Jahan Dotson (WR, Penn State)

Is this the year Green Bay finally decides to draft a wide receiver for Aaron Rodgers? Let’s hope so, considering they just traded away Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Green Bay has two first round picks, so I’m confident at least one of those picks will be used on a wide receiver. Two players that I really like in this spot are Penn State’s Jahan Dotson and Arkansas’s Treylon Burks. Dotson is a better version of Randall Cobb, and has the best hands in the draft.

23. Arizona Cardinals – George Karlaftis (DE, Purdue)

George Karlaftis is a polarizing prospect. Some view him as an easy first round pick, while others see him more as a second rounder. When Chandler Jones left for Las Vegas, it left a gaping hole across from J.J. Watt. I’m going to mock Karlaftis to the Cardinals to shore up their pass rush, but I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if Kliff Kingsbury convinced the team that he needs another wide receiver to make up for Christian Kirk’s departure and an aging A.J. Green. Some wideouts to be thinking about here are Jahan Dotson, Treylon Burks and Christian Watson. Another strong possibility with this pick is guard Zion Johnson, who the Cardinals really like.

24. Dallas Cowboys – Zion Johnson (G, Boston College)

Dallas is expected to target an offensive player with this pick. The easy answer would be a receiver to replace Amari Cooper (and Jerry Jones loves Arkansas players – i.e. Treylon Burks). However, that’s all for naught if you can’t keep Dak Prescott upright. The Cowboys lost tackle La’el Collins and guard Connor Williams this offseason, so I think the prudent pick is to look to the interior with guards like Zion Johnson and Kenyon Green. Both players would fill immediate needs, but I think the Cowboys have Johnson rated a little higher on their board.

25. Buffalo Bills – Andrew Booth (CB, Clemson)

The Bills don’t have many glaring needs, but they still must do some fine-tuning to compete in the gauntlet known as the AFC. We all know Buffalo wanted to draft Eric Stokes with its first-round pick last year before Green Bay snatched him up. Now consider that top corner Tre’Davious White is coming off an ACL injury and Levi Wallace was sent packing, and I think all signs point to cornerback with this pick. Fun fact about Andrew Booth – he only had one penalty called on him in three years at Clemson. This would also be a legitimate landing spot for Breece Hall if the Bills want to solidify their backfield with the top running back in the draft.

26. Tennessee Titans – Treylon Burks (WR, Arkansas)

This pick comes down to a wide receiver or an interior offensive lineman. The Titans obtained Robert Woods to pair with A.J. Brown, but that’s not enough to help Ryan Tannehill. Julio Jones was let go, Woods is coming off injury and A.J. Brown will need to negotiate a new contract. Treylon Burks or Sky Moore would make perfect sense for Tennessee. If either of the guards (Zion Johnson or Kenyon Green) fall to them, they would have to take a serious look at them as a replacement for Rodger Saffold. This would also be a possible landing spot for Kenny Pickett, but I think there are more pressing needs in Tennessee.

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Kenyon Green (G, Texas A&M)

Tom Brady may have retired and then returned, but both of his starting guards from last season departed. Alex Cappa is now playing in Cincinnati, and Ali Marpet retired. The Buccaneers did bring in Shaq Mason to fill one of the holes up front, but additional help is still needed. Kenyon Green or Zion Johnson would solidify a rebuilding offensive line and help keep Tom Brady clean in the pocket. Tampa Bay can also use help in the secondary where players like Daxton Hill (CB/S) and Lewis Cine (S) make a lot of sense.

28. Green Bay Packers – Arnold Ebiketie (DE, Penn State)

General Manager Brian Gutekunst loves defense in the first round, as he’s made five previous first-round picks and four of them have been on that side of the ball. Provided the Packers take a wide receiver with their earlier pick, I would look for them to address their pass rush and find a replacement for Za’Darius Smith. Yes, the Packers have Preston Smith and Rashan Gary on the roster, but you can never have too many players that can get to the quarterback.

29. Kansas City Chiefs (from San Francisco through Miami) – Daxton Hill (CB/S, Michigan)

We’ve now reached a point in the draft where the Kansas City Chiefs are picking back-to-back. This is also a point in the draft where teams will want to trade back into the first round to possibly pick a quarterback with a fifth-year option. I could see the Chiefs trading one of these two picks, but if forced to pick, I think wide receiver, defensive line and secondary are the three most likely positions to address. The departure of Tyrann Mathieu leaves a void in the secondary, and free-agent addition Justin Reid is only part of the solution. Hill’s speed and coverage ability would allow the Chiefs to be versatile at the back end of their defense, as he can play both nickel corner and safety.

30. Kansas City Chiefs – Christian Watson (WR, North Dakota State)

While a defensive lineman like Devonte Wyatt or Boye Mafe would be logical picks here, I think Kansas City still has some work to do with its wide receiver corps. The team brought in JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling to help replace Tyreek Hill; however, thinking long term, Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman are both free agents after this season. This might be a little early for Watson, but he is the total package of size (6-5) and speed (4.36 40-yard dash). Basically, he’s a unique athlete with a unique skill set that Andy Reid loves in his players.

31. *PROJECTED TRADE* Seattle Seahawks (from Cincinnati) – Matt Corral (QB, Mississippi)

I don’t normally like to project trades in mock drafts, but let’s have a little fun here. Cincinnati shored up its offensive line through free agency, so they don’t have any immediate needs. One position that the Bengals do need reinforcements at is cornerback, so if Clemson’s Andrew Booth was still on the board, I think the Bengals would jump at the opportunity to select him. However, Duke Tobin and the Bengals have a history of trading down with early second round picks, and this is as close to a second-round pick as you’re going to get. The Seahawks are in desperate need of a quarterback, and they hold two early picks (#40 and #41) in the second round. If they don’t pull the strings on acquiring a veteran quarterback (i.e. Baker Mayfield), they are said to love Matt Corral, so I can see them jumping up a few spots into the first round to get him.

32. Detroit Lions (from Los Angeles Rams) – Nakobe Dean (LB, Georgia)

This is another possible landing spot for a quarterback (Kenny Pickett, Desmond Ridder, etc.), as Jared Goff is not the long-term answer in the Motor City. However, the Lions still have plenty of work to do on defense and they could really use a difference maker at linebacker to go along with their earlier selection of an elite pass rusher. Dean is a great fit for the character, intangibles and team-first culture being built in Detroit by Dan Campbell.