The 2022 NFL Draft is set to be one of the most unpredictable in recent memory, and it starts atop the draft.
The Jaguars hold the No. 1 overall selection for a second consecutive season. While everyone knew the team planned to take Trevor Lawrence with the first pick in 2021, there has been little indication about the team's direction in 2022.
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Jacksonville general manager Trent Baalke has been mum about the team's plans atop the draft, but he said on Friday that the Jaguars were considering four players with the No. 1 pick. The consensus top pick in mock drafts has been Michigan edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, but a recent report from Peter King of The MMQB could debunk that popular theory.
King reported in his "Football Morning In America" column that he has been told to "expect a surprise" from the Jaguars with the No. 1 pick. That would likely eliminate Hutchinson from the running, as he would probably qualify as the least surprising top overall selection at this time.
So, who is this potential surprise pick? King mocked Georgia edge rusher Travon Walker to the Jaguars but conceded that "wouldn't be much of a surprise" given that the hyper-athletic Walker has become a "trendy pick" as an alternative to Hutchinson.
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If not Walker, then Ikem Ekwonu could end up becoming the top sleeper option. ESPN's Matt Miller believes the NC State offensive tackle could be the pick, as he is getting "chatter" across the league as a potential option.
It's draft week, which means it's lying week, but there is a lot of chatter this morning about the Jaguars and Ikem Ekwonu.
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) April 25, 2022
Could be that they like him a lot and might not draft him…but the buzz is definitely out there that he is in play at No. 1 overall.
Ekwonu (6-4, 310 pounds) primarily played left tackle at NC State but also has the ability to play guard. He tested well at the NFL Combine (4.93 40-yard dash) and generated excellent tape during his final season with the Wolfpack.
Certainly, Ekwonu would qualify as a surprise for the Jaguars, as Jacksonville has been linked to the top defensive end prospects for the better part of two months. However, Ekwonu is widely considered to be a top-five pick in this year's draft, and the Jaguars could use him to help protect Lawrence, who faced plenty of pressure last season. So, the pick would make plenty of sense.
The Jaguars could also consider another tackle like Alabama's Evan Neal with the top selection. Or they could explore drafting Oregon's Kayvon Thibodeaux, another edge rusher who boasts the best overall skill set of pass rushers in this class.
Thibodeaux seems like a less likely selection given that there are concerns about his work ethic, Meanwhile, the Neal vs. Ekwonu debate is more of a matter of preference though some teams have uncovered medical issues with Neal, per King.
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Either way, it appears that little is known about Jacksonville's pick, and it's unclear whether the team has made its final decision. But regardless of who the team picks, Jaguars coach Doug Pederson knows the pressure is on to select the best player.
"You better be right," Pederson said about the No. 1 pick, per Jaguars.com. "That person is going to come in and start. That's why you pick him first overall."
