For the first time since 2017, a quarterback likely will not be selected with the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. That being said, the first quarterback selected in the ’22 Draft probably won’t have too long of a wait before they hear their name called by Roger Goodell.
Of the teams that are currently projected to have a top-five pick in the draft, the Houston Texans are the only ones that are in dire need of a franchise quarterback. The Lions will likely give Jared Goff another year to prove himself in Detroit, while the Jaguars, Jets, Giants and Eagles are currently employing quarterbacks who were recently drafted. Currently projected to have the No. 2 overall pick, Houston will likely have the choice to select between quarterbacks Matt Corral of Ole Miss, Kenny Pickett of Pittsburgh and Malik Willis of Liberty.
Houston could roll the dice and trade back in the first round. And while the move could backfire, there’s a good chance that at least one of the draft’s top passers will still be on the board in the event Houston trades out of the No. 2 overall pick. A possible trade partner could be the Panthers, who may decide to pull the plug on the Sam Darnold experiment. And while Taylor Heinicke has played well in Washington, the Football Team may also be in the market to trade up for a quarterback.
Here’s a look at the five Week 13 games that could determine the No. 1 overall pick, along with the current top of the draft order. Click here to check out which player our CBS Sports NFL Draft analysts currently have your team taking in the first round of the upcoming draft.
1. Detroit Lions (0-10-1)
2. Houston Texans (2-9)
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-9)
4. New York Jets from Seattle (3-8)
5. New York Jets (3-8)
6. New York Giants (4-7)
7. New York Giants from Chicago (4-7)
8. Philadelphia Eagles (5-7)
9. Philadelphia Eagles from Miami (5-7)
10. Carolina Panthers (5-7)
Vikings at Lions (1 p.m. on CBS)
There’s a good chance Michigan pass rusher Aiden Hutchinson will stay in-state when he begins his NFL career. Two of our three draft experts have the Wolverines’ best player going to the Lions with the No. 1 overall pick. Hutchison has enjoyed a sterling fall in Ann Arbor. He matched his season high with three sacks in the Wolverines’ 42-27 win over Ohio State that clinched Michigan’s berth in the Big Ten Championship Game. Hutchinson has 12 sacks, 14.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery this season entering Saturday’s game against Iowa.
Colts at Texans (1 p.m. on CBS)
Each of our draft expects have Corral, Pickett and Willis being taken in the first round of the draft. That being said, there is no consensus as it relates to which one will be the first quarterback taken off the board. Each quarterback has their own unique skillset.
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Corral is more of a modern-day quarterback in that he can make plays with his arm as well as his feet. Along with his 20 touchdown passes, Corral has run for 11 scores this season while leading Ole Miss to a 10-2 regular season. While he is not as lethal as a runner, the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Pickett has put up prolific numbers this season while helping the Panthers win 11 games for the first time in 40 years. Pickett’s 40 touchdowns this season broke Dan Marino’s single-season school record for touchdown passes. Like Corral, Willis is a dual threat quarterback who has run for 1,764 yards and 25 touchdowns during his two seasons at Liberty.
Jaguars at Rams (4:05 p.m. on FOX)
Two of our draft expert have the Jaguars taking an offensive tackle with their first pick. The top-rated tackles in the draft are NC State’s Ikem Ekwonu and Alabama’s Evan Neal. Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton is another player whose name has been linked to the Jaguars during recent mock drafts. While a talented, young tackle would certainly help Trevor Lawrence, Urban Meyer may decide to use the pick to bolster a defense that forced just six turnovers during their first 11 games.
Eagles at Jets (1 p.m. on CBS)
The Eagles are one of three teams that are currently slated to have two top-10 picks in the ’22 Draft. Our experts have Philadelphia using both picks on defense, specially on the cornerback position. Two of our experts have the Eagles using their second first-round pick to select Clemson cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. His first first-half interceptions this past Saturday helped the Tigers’ defense shut out South Carolina, 30-0. Booth is one of four Clemson defenders who were recently named to the 2021 All-ACC First Team.
Giants at Dolphins (1 p.m. on FOX)
While a win may ultimately lead to the Jets moving up in the first round, it’s safe to safe that the Giants will take that trade. New York is currently just one game out of the final playoff spot in the NFC following last Sunday’s upset win over the Eagles.
The secondary and offensive lines are two areas the Giants are expected to address in the first round. CBS Sports Draft expert Josh Edwards, however, has the G-Men selecting Willis with the No. 5 overall pick. That would certainly send shockwaves throughout the NFL, as that would likely mean the end of Daniel Jones‘ three-year run run as the Giants’ quarterback. The final six games of the 2021 season will likely determine what happens as far as New York’s quarterback situation is concerned.
