The 2022 NFL Draft is about as difficult to forecast as they come.

That should be expected without a consensus No. 1 quarterback at the top of the board.

After quarterbacks went 1st, 2nd and 3rd overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, this year’s draft could mark the first time since 2013 that a quarterback isn’t selected among the top-five picks.

At FanDuel Sportsbook, Liberty’s Malik Willis is the betting favourite to be the first quarterback off the board at -140.

Willis is the fourth choice to go second overall at +1000, but the only reason his odds to go No. 2 aren’t longer is the perception that the Detroit Lions might be willing to take a chance on him with that pick.

Willis is +2000 to go third overall, +7500 to go fourth overall, and +2000 to go fifth overall. 

Meanwhile, we asked our NFL Draft experts Davis Sanchez and Farhan Lalji to give us their projected top-10 picks for this year’s draft.

Neither of them has a quarterback in the top-five, although Farhan has both Willis and Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett being selected in the top-10.  

 

 Farhan Mock

Draft Position Team Player Position College
 1 Jaguars   Travon Walker  EDGE  Georgia
 2 Lions  Aidan Hutchinson EDGE  Michigan
 3 Texans   Evan Neal OT Alabama
 4 Jets  Kayvon Thibodeaux EDGE  Oregon
 5 Giants    Ikem Ekwonu OT NC State
 6 Panthers Kenny Picket  QB Pittsburgh
 7 Giants  Sauce Gardner CB Cincinnati 
 8 Falcons  Malik Willis QB Liberty
 9 Seahawks Derek Stingley Jr.  CB LSU
10 Jets Garrett Wilson WR Ohio State

 

 Davis Mock

Draft Position Team Player Position College
 1 Jaguars   Aidan Hutchinson EDGE Michigan
 2 Lions   Travon Walker  EDGE Georgia 
 3 Texans Kayvon Thibodeaux  EDGE Oregon
 4 Jets Evan Neal  OT Alabama
 5 Giants  Ikem Ekwonu OT NC State
 6 Panthers Sauce Gardiner  CB Cincinnati
 7 Giants  Derek Stingley Jr. CB LSU
 8 Falcons  Malik Willis QB Liberty
 9 Seahawks Charles Cross  OT Mississippi State
10 Jets  Jameson Williams  WR Alabama


 
Willis or Pickett As Top QB?

Taking a closer look at their mock drafts, there are a couple of things that really stand out.   

First, both Davis and Farhan have Willis going eighth overall to the Atlanta Falcons.

Based on FanDuel’s odds to go at each pick, No. 8 would actually be the second-most likely landing spot for Willis.

Right now, Willis is the second choice to go sixth overall at +400 – a pick currently held by the Carolina Panthers.

The top choice to go sixth overall?

Pickett at +175.

That brings us back to the one major difference between the two mock drafts.

While Farhan has Pickett going sixth overall to the Panthers, Davis doesn’t have Pickett in his top-10.

Pickett is currently +150 to be the first QB selected.

Regardless of which player goes sixth overall, Farhan and Davis are both on the same page, with Willis going to Atlanta at eighth overall. 

Willis is currently +600 to be the eighth overall pick at FanDuel.

 

Hutchinson vs. Walker At No. 1

Another major difference in the two mock drafts is who Davis and Farhan have going first overall.

While Farhan felt comfortable locking in the betting favourite to be the first overall pick in Travon Walker, who is currently -150 to go No. 1 at FanDuel, Davis is banking on the Jacksonville Jaguars choosing Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson instead. 

Hutchinson is currently +150 to be the first overall pick.   

Based on FanDuel’s odds, Walker and Hutchinson are currently expected to go 1-2 in the NFL Draft.

It will be very interesting to see whether the Jaguars ultimately decide to go with Walker over Hutchinson. 

Neal A Consensus Top-Five Pick

Another interesting note from both mock drafts is that Davis and Farhan both have Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal as a top-five pick.

Farhan has Neal going third overall to the Houston Texans.

Davis has Neal going fourth overall to the New York Jets.

There are a couple of interesting takeaways from their selections.

First, Neal’s draft position over/under is currently 5.5 at FanDuel.

Essentially, you can bet on Neal to be a top-five pick at -110.

Second, right now FanDuel actually has Neal as the second choice to be the first offensive lineman selected.

NC State’s Ikem Ekwonu has emerged as the favourite to be the first lineman selected at -150.

Neal is the second choice at +200. 

No other lineman has shorter than +450 odds to be the first lineman taken.