Next week’s 2022 NFL Draft will be one of the wildest in recent memory. There truly is no consensus as to how the first 10 picks might play out.
It also will be a busy one for the New York teams as they combine to own eight picks inside the top 40 selections.
Can the New York Jets and New York Giants nail their picks inside the top 10?
And can the Buffalo Bills find another star player to fill out their roster?
Here is the latest buzz for each New York team ahead of the NFL Draft.
New York Jets
The Jets have four picks in the top 38 and need a No. 1 receiver, an offensive tackle, a defensive end and a cornerback. So how do they accomplish all that? The answer is probably by moving around in this class. The biggest decision is: Where do they go at No. 4? Do they take an elite cornerback prospect like Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner from Cincinnati, or do they take the talented EDGE rusher in Kayvon Thibodeaux from Oregon?
The rumblings around the league are that the Jets will take Thibodeaux at No. 4 and hope a receiver (Drake London or Garrett Wilson) is available at No. 10. But don't be surprised if Jets general manager Joe Douglas moves around inside the top 10 to ensure he gets two of his top players in the draft.
And don’t be surprised if the Jets package their two early second-round picks to acquire another first-round pick. If they don’t get their receiver early, they might be inclined to move up for someone like George Pickens (Georgia) or Treylon Burks (Arkansas) at the end of Round 1.
New York Giants
The Giants have talked all offseason about getting quarterback Daniel Jones more help. That likely means they will use the No. 5 pick on an offensive tackle. But who makes the most sense: Evan Neal (Alabama) or Ikem Ekwonu (North Carolina State)? Neal has played three different positions and dominated at every spot. But Ekwonu is the more natural athlete and should be a dominant run blocker right away. Given Neal’s experience in the SEC, he should be the favorite to be picked by the Giants at No. 5.
After that, the Giants are looking to add an impact player to their defense at No. 7. Gardner would be the dream pick there, but he already might be off the board. Thibodeaux could be in play, but he, too, might be gone.
Instead, keep an eye on Jermaine Johnson (Florida State) as he has the size, athleticism and production the Giants are looking for as a base defensive end. It might seem a tad rich at No. 7, but he hits all the thresholds the front office is looking for in an EDGE rusher.
The Jets and Giants currently are still among the biggest long shots in the NFL for next season. Getting these picks right is a must and could improve their odds moving forward.
Buffalo Bills
The Bills have one of the best rosters in the NFL and entered the offseason projected to have one of the highest win totals in the NFL next season.
Buffalo also made moves in free agency, especially by signing top-notch pass rusher Von Miller.
The Bills really don’t need to add any more depth. What they need is one or two more impact players who can help get them over the hump. Buffalo has eight picks in this draft and it seems very unlikely the Bills will have more than four or five roster spots available for players to make the team. That indicates the Bills could move up in the draft, likely in Round 1.
So what position might they be in the market for in a trade-up? Receiver makes a ton of sense, especially if they can find a player with speed. Someone such as Alabama's Jameson Williams or Ohio State's Chris Olave could be targets if they fall into the late teens or early 20s. But don't rule out the possibility the Bills go and get one of the top cornerbacks in the draft. Tre’Davious White is coming back from a season-ending injury and Levi Wallace left in free agency for Pittsburgh. Derek Stingley (LSU) could be a real option for the Bills if he fell to the early teens.
