Well that’s interesting. NFL mock drafts rarely have predictive power given how widely opinions can range across the league, but they do become worth monitoring as we get closer to the 2022 NFL draft. Media analysts and draft experts have had time to meet with scouts and team executives around recent all-star events, and they’ll get even more exposure at the upcoming NFL Scouting Combine. Those conversations share insight to what league decision-makers are thinking about different prospects and how they may pan out in the pros.
And that’s reflected in Todd McShay’s latest mock draft for ESPN, where he does have the New Orleans Saints picking a quarterback in the first round. But he’s drawn up a scenario where the passer New Orleans selects isn’t their preferred prospect, with the Pittsburgh Steelers moving up to get ahead of the Saints and pick Liberty’s Malik Willis before New Orleans can get their pick in. McShay explains:
