RADIO
A Re-do of the opening round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Which teams made the best and works pick in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Read the top picks including Brock Purdy, James Cook III, Sauce Gardner, more
With the 2026 NFL Draft slowly approaching, let's take a look back nearly three years and re-draft the opening round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
In this redo, we will give each "original" holder of the pick their respective slot back, as if any "Draft Day" trades had not occurred. On Draft Day, several trades occured but in this re-do, the original owner of the pick "on draft day" will hold that selection.
What would the 2022 NFL Draft look like two years later? Let's dive in!
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Pick 1: Jacksonville Jaguars
Original Pick - Travon Walker, DE
New Pick - Derek Stingley Jr., DB
The former third overall pick will jump up to the top spot in the redo. Stingley has immediately emerged as one of the game's top defensive backs in Houston and is worthy of the first overall pick. In 2025, Stingley was the backbone of the sport's top unit, logging at least four interceptions for the third straight season while adding 36 tackles.
Pick 2: Detroit Lions
Original Pick - Aidan Hutchinson, DE
New Pick - Aidan Hutchinson, DE
Holding his spot in the No. 2 slot will be defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. Even though injuries have hindered the early stages of his career, when on the field, the Michigan standout is a borderline superstar. In 2025, Hutchinson appeared in 17 games and logged a career-best 14.5 sacks with 54 tackles. Per PFF, Hutchinson's 91.1 Overall Grade placed him fourth at the position.
Pick 3: Houston Texans
Original Pick - Derek Stingley, Jr., DB
New Pick - Brock Purdy, QB
"Mr. Irrelevant" will move all the way up to the No. 3 pick in our redo. After being cast off as the last Day 3 pick, Purdy has become San Francisco's franchise QB and has even led them to multiple Super Bowls. Even though Purdy missed time in 2025, he still turned in a strong season, throwing for 2,167 yards with 23 total TDs over nine games. In 2024, he was even more productive, tallying 3,864 yards through just 15 games.
Pick 4: New York Jets
Original Pick - Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner, DB
New Pick - James Cook III, RB
While Gardner is not a bad pick at the No. 4 slot, running back James Cook has emerged as one of the game's top running backs over the past two seasons. While he began his career in a limited role, over the past three campaigns, Cook has become Buffalo's three-down back and has handled the role quite well. In 2025, he totaled a league-high 1,621 yards on the ground and punched in 14 total TDs.
JAMES COOK REACHES FOR THE TD
📺: #BUFvsKC on CBS
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus and Paramount+ pic.twitter.com/Xx3oSfVhul— NFL (@NFL) January 27, 2025
Pick 5: New York Giants
Original Pick - Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE
New Pick - Travon Walker, DE
The No. 1 overall pick will take a slight dip in this version. Instead, Walker will go fifth overall to the New York Giants. Walker had a down season in 2025, but was beginning to find his footing in 2023 and 2024. In each of these two campaigns, Walker tallied 10.5 sacks with 52 or more total tackles. Expect a major bounce-back from Walker in 2026 as he enters his fifth NFL season.
Pick 6: Carolina Panthers
Original Pick - Ikem Ekwonu, OT
New Pick - Devin Lloyd, LB
The Panthers will look to the defensive side of the ball and add Devin Lloyd at the No. 6 slot. Lloyd was initially the 27th overall pick and will receive an ice boost in this edition. Lloyd began his career with three straight 100+-tackle campaigns and added a season-high 2.0 sacks in 2024. While his tackle count decreased to 81 in 2025, his impact was just as high as he tallied five interceptions and even scored his first career touchdown.
Pick 7: New York Giants
Original Pick - Evan Neal, OT
New Pick - George Pickens, WR
George Pickens was initially a second-round selection in the actual draft, but he will take the crown as the new WR1 in this class. Pickens has always flashed immense upside during his time in Pittsburgh, but finally showed it in his move to Dallas this past season. With the Cowboys, the former Georgia Bulldog tallied an eye-catching 1,429 yards with nine touchdowns. His elite 85.9 Overall Grade placed him 10th at the entire position.
Pick 8: Atlanta Falcons
Original Pick - Drake London, WR
New Pick - Sauce Gardner, DB
While Drake London would have been a fine selection here, the Falcons will instead opt to bolster their secondary with Sauce Gardner. Gardner, the original No. 4 overall pick, takes a slight dip in our updated draft. This season, Gardner turned in another elite campaign, earning the 37th-highest Overall Grade on PFF, despite only playing in seven games. Through five seasons, Gardner has allowed a QB Passer Rating of below 64.0 in three of campaigns.
Pick 9: Seattle Seahawks
Original Pick - Charles Cross, OT
New Pick - Tyler Linderbaum, C
The former 25th overall pick will be the first lineman taken in this edition. Linderbaum has assembled all expectations and has emerged as one of the sport's top centers. Last season, Linderbaum earned an 80.3 Overall Grade, per PFF, which placed him fifth at the position. The Iowa product was dominant in pass-blocking situations, ranking fourth among centers.
Pick 10: New York Jets
Original Pick - Garrett Wilson, WR
New Pick - Tyler Smith, OT
Another lineman, Tyler Smith, will follow Linderbaum. Smith was the original 24th overall pick by the Cowboys and will move up about 15 posts in this draft. Smith, a former Tulsa standout, turned in a strong performance in 2025. Serving as the starting left guard in the pass-happy Dallas offense, Smith was the leader in passing situations, earning the fifth-highest pass-blocking grade on PFF and the 15th overall highest grade.
Pick 11: Washington Commanders
Original Pick - Chris Olave, WR (selected by Saints)
New Pick - Drake London, WR
The Commanders will instead opt to keep this pick (and not trade it to New Orleans) and select wideout Drake London. London had a slow start to his career but has since emerged as one of the top budding stars at the position. The former USC standout totaled a career-best 100 catches for 1,271 yards with nine scores in 2024. While he only tallied 919 yards in 2025, he missed five games and was on pace to smash those totals.
Awesome catch by Drake London over the top
NOvsATL on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/L9o6WEShkO
— NFL (@NFL) January 4, 2026
Pick 12: Minnesota Vikings
Original Pick - Jameson Williams, WR (selected by Lions)
New Pick - Trent McDuffie, DB
The Vikings will select top defensive back Trent McDuffie with the next selection. McDuffie has grown into a lead role in the Kansas City secondary and has played a key role in their many Super Bowl victories. In 2023, he enjoyed a career season, tallying 80 tackles and three sacks, both career highs. In 2025, PFF graded McDuffie as the sport's No. 11 DB.
Pick 13: Houston Texans
Original Pick - Jordan Davis, DT (selected by Eagles)
New Pick - Kyle Hamilton, S
The Texans will follow suit and also boost their defensive back. The Notre Dame product has quickly emerged as one of the game's top safeties and will play a lead role in the Houston secondary. In 2025, Hamilton earned an incredible 85.9 Overall Grade on PFF, placing him third among all safeties. Over the past two seasons, Hamilton has also logged triple-digit tackles in each campaign.
Pick 14: Baltimore Ravens
Original Pick - Kyle Hamilton, S
New Pick - Nik Bonitto, DE
With Hamilton off the board, the Ravens will pivot to defensive end Nik Bonitto. Bonitto had a quiet rookie season but has since become one of the game's top edge rushers. In 2023, he tallied eight sacks and logged double-digit sacks in each of his last two campaigns. In 2025, he logged a career-best 17.0 sacks, which were the second-most in the sport according to PFF.
Pick 15: Philadelphia Eagles
Original Pick - Kenyon Green, OG (selected by Texans)
New Pick - Kyren Williams, RB
Prior to this draft, Saquon Barkley was not on the roster, which gives them the ability to add Kyren Williams to their backfield. Like Purdy, Williams was one of the best value picks in the actual 2022 NFL Draft as he went to the Rams with the 164th overall selection in the fifth round. With the Rams, Williams has been a touchdown machine, scoring at least 13 in each of his last three campaigns and tallying 1,200+ rushing yards in each of them.
Pick 16: New Orleans Saints
Original Pick - Jahan Dotson, WR (selected by Commanders)
New Pick - Trey McBride, TE
The Saints will find their franchise tight end in Trey McBride with the 16th overall pick. McBride was initially a Day 2 pick but will jump into the top of the opening round. The 26-year-old has always shown elite upside but finally put it together in the 2025 season. After catching 111 passes in 2024, McBride would bring in 126 in 2025 with a career-best 1,239 yards and an eye-catching 11 touchdowns.
Pick 17: Los Angeles Chargers
Original Pick - Zion Johnson, OG
New Pick - Kenneth Walker III, RB
While Austin Ekeler is still on the roster at the time, adding Walker would provide them with an elite 1-2 punch that is hard to pass up. Walker has typically operated in a timeshare but showed his true upside in the 2025 NFL postseason. With Zach Charbonnet on the shelf, Walker would lead the charge in their three playoff victories, tallying 104.3 yards per game with four total TDs. The Michigan State product posted the second-highest Overall Grade on PFF this season as well.
Pick 18: Philadelphia Eagles
Original Pick - Treylon Burks, WR (selected by Titans)
New Pick - Rasheed Walker, OT
The former seventh-round pick will join the Eagles with the 18th overall selection. While he appeared in just one game as a rookie, Walker would post three-straight 17-game showings from 2023 through 2025. This season, Walker was far more productive in the passing game, earning the 41st-highest grade among tackles on PFF.com.
Pick 19: New Orleans Saints
Original Pick - Trevor Penning, OT
New Pick - Breece Hall, RB
The Saints will continue the running back run by adding Breece Hall to their depth chart. Hall was initially a Day 2 pick (second round selection), and will slide into the bottom half of the opening round in the redo. Hall has seen his upside capped due to his poor offensives environment, but has continued to flash high upside at times. In 2025, Hall posted a strong 4.4 YPC and tallied over 1,000 yards for the first time in his career.
Pick 20: Pittsburgh Steelers
Original Pick - Kenny Pickett, QB
New Pick - Garrett Wilson, WR
Another New York Jet will follow Hall in the draft. Wilson was selected 10 picks higher in the actual draft, but will take a slight hit in this edition. In 2024, Wilson ended a career season with Aaron Rodgers under center, catching 101 passes for 1,104 yards and seven touchdowns. He was on pace to match those totals in 2025, but his season was cut short by a knee injury.
Pick 21: New England Patriots
Original Pick - Trent McDuffie, DB (selected by Chiefs)
New Pick - Chris Olave, WR
Coming in just behind Wilson in the redo is Chris Olave of Ohio State. While Olave may have shown higher upside in 2025, in his overall career, Wilson has been slightly more productive. After battling injuries throughout the 2024 season, Olave bounced back in a major way this past season, catching 100 passes (career-high) for 1,163 yards and nine touchdowns. Per PFF, he earned the 22nd-highest Overall Grade at the position.
Pick 22: Green Bay Packers
Original Pick - Quay Walker, LB
New Pick - George Karlaftis, DE
The former 30th overall pick moves up a handful of spots in this edition. Karlaftis has logged at least six sacks in each of his four NFL seasons and has even surpassed the eight-sack mark in two seasons (2023 and 2024). Despite the lower sack total in 2025, Karlaftis logged a career-best 48 tackles and earned a strong 76.2 Overall Grade on PFF, placing him 23rd among linemen.
Pick 23: Arizona Cardinals
Original Pick - Kaiir Elam, DB (selected by Bills)
New Pick - Marcus Jones, DB
Marcus Jones has become an impactful player in several ways with the Patriots. In 2025, Jones tallied two punt-return touchdowns and logged three interceptions with another defensive touchdown. Overall in 2025, Jones also logged a season-high 65 tackles with 2.0 sacks, setting a career-high. The former 85th overall selection also placed 26th among defensive backs in Overall Grade this season, according to PFF.
Pick 24: Dallas Cowboys
Original Pick - Tyler Smith, OT
New Pick - Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE
The Cowboys made one of the better "value" picks in the opening round of the actual 2022 NFL Draft and will look to take former fifth overall pick, Kayvon Thibodeaux, in this version. The former Oregon standout was a highly-touted prospect entering the draft, but has only put together over several dominant NFL seasons. In 2023, Thibodeaux logged 11.5 sacks but has yet toreunt to the double-digit mark since. In 2025, Thibodeaux logged just 2.5 sacks with 25 tackles over a 10-game stint.
Pick 25: Buffalo Bulls
Original Pick - Tyler Linderbaum, C (selected by Ravens)
New Pick - Alec Pierce, WR
The Bills shipped this pick to the Ravens in the actual draft, but will keep this selection and add a top deep threat for Josh Allen. Alec Pierce began to find his footing in 2024, when he scored seven touchdowns for 824 yards, but took a significant step forward in 2025. This past season, Piece would eclipse the century mark on just 47 receptions and punch in another six touchdowns.
Pick 26: Tennessee Titans
Original Pick - Jermaine Johnson II, DE (selected by Jets)
New Pick - Jameson Williams, WR
The Titans will also look to strengthen their WR room with Jameson Williams. While Williams was initially taken much higher in the opening round, his inconsistent play will push him towards the final selections on this list. With the Lions, Williams has struggled to draw consistent targets but has made a massive impact when given the ball. In 2024, he caught 17 passes for greater than 20 yards (58 total catches) and posted an even higher 23 catches for greater than 20 yards (on 65 receptions) in 2025.
Pick 27: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Original Pick - Devin Lloyd, LB (selected by Jaguars)
New Pick - Ikem Ekwonu, OT
The former sixth overall selection will take a significant dip in this edition of the 2022 NFL Draft. Ekwonu showed solid progression as a pass blocker in his fourth NFL campaign. This past season, the former NC State product earned a strong 70.4 Run Blocking Grade on PFF (31st at the position). However, he still showed growing pains as a plas blocker, earning a much lower grade of 65.9.
Pick 28: Green Bay Packers
Original Pick - Devonte Wyatt, DT
New Pick - Rachaad White, RB
Even though Rachaad White has lost his role as an elite back in the Tampa Bay offense, he has shown enough upside to warrant an early-first-round selection. At the beginning of his career, White quickly earned a three-down role in Tampa Bay. In 2023, White logged a season-high 272 attempts and added 64 receptions. However, with Bucky Irving taking over the backfield, White saw his role gradually decline, but has shown much higher efficiency with the ball, posting a solid 4.3 YPC.
Rachaad White touchdown!
TBvsSEA on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/rCaBTsCCK3
— NFL (@NFL) October 5, 2025
Pick 29: Kansas City Chiefs
Original Pick - Cole Strange, OG (selected by Patriots)
New Pick - Christian Watson, WR
The Chiefs will bolster their WR room with Christian Watson. Watson was taken near the top of Round 2 (34th overall) and will get a slight jump in this version. While Watson has battled injuries, he finally showed his true potential in the 2025 campaign. He had a delayed start but immediately grew into the WR1 role, catching 35 passes for 611 yards and six scores over just 10 games.
Pick 30: Kansas City Chiefs
Original Pick - George Karlaftis, DE
New Pick - Kerby Joseph, DB
The Chiefs also held the No. 30 pick and will instead look to the defensive side of the ball, adding Kerby Joseph. Joseph had his 2025 season ended by injuries, but was an elite playmaker in Detroit's secondary over his first three seasons. In 2024, Joseph turned in a career season, tallying nine interceptions, 12 deflections, and 83 tackles.
Pick 31: Cincinnati Bengals
Original Pick - Daxton Hill, S
New Pick - Zach Tom, OL
The Bengals will look to strengthen their line to further protect franchise QB, Jose Burrow. Zach Tom was a great selection by the Packers on Day 3 of the 2022 NFL Draft and will slide into the opening round. Tom, a Wake Forest product, emerged as one of the game's top offensive tackles in 2025. Per PFF, Tom earned a strong 83.5 Overall Grade, placing him seventh at the entire position.
Pick 32: Detroit Lions
Original Pick - Lewis Cine, S (selected by Vikings)
New Pick - Riq Woolen, DB
Defensive back Riq Woolen will round out our redo draft. Woolen was initially a fifth-round selection and has greatly exceeded that position. Woolen has seen a full-time role throughout his four seasons in Seattle. While he posted his best campaign as a rookie, where he logged six interceptions with 63 tackles, he has been a capable starting defensive back and is worthy of an opening-round selection.
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