NFL MOCK DRAFT 2022- A LOOK AT THE POTENTIAL FIRST PICKS FOR EVERY TEAM IN THE AFC NORTH

NFL / Football

Written by Joel Lefevre

Last season, the AFC North was perhaps the most competitive division in the league, as only two wins separated the last-place Baltimore Ravens (eight) from the first-place Cincinnati Bengals (10). Even though Cincy ended up making it all the way to the Super Bowl, winning the division was no walk in the park.

All four of these AFC North sides have been involved in postseason football at least once over the past two seasons. Except for the Pittsburgh Steelers, they have all found almost immediate success in recent years thanks to their first-round selections. With that in mind, here is a look at the prospects that I believe will be on the radar of the Bengals, Browns, Steelers, and Ravens.

Desmond Ridder | Source (Background Photo): Getty Images

Baltimore Ravens- Round 1- Pick #14- Jermaine Johnson II, defensive lineman

The Ravens struggled to get enough solid pressure on the defensive side of the ball last season, allowing a good chunk of yardage on the ground. Finishing in the bottom half of the league in terms of sacks with only 34 in 2021 is not what we have come to expect from a John Harbaugh-coached team. Since moving from Cleveland to Baltimore, the Ravens have usually been defined by their strong defence, but that identity seemed to escape them last season.

With Johnson, the Ravens may be able to kill two birds with one stone, as he finished his 2021 college campaign with 22 run stops to go along with 14 sacks in his final year at Florida State. His blend of strength and athleticism makes him a firm lineman, capable of making his share of plays around the line of scrimmage. He is great at shedding tackles and blocks while also being able to change directions quickly.

Pittsburgh Steelers- Round 1- Pick #20- Desmond Ridder, quarterback

Since arriving in Pittsburgh, head coach Mike Tomlin has always been able to rely on Big Ben Roethlisberger behind center, whose arm and vision always seemed to keep his team in contention for a Super Bowl every season. Now that Ben is not in the picture, it will be interesting to see how this team fares. At the moment, Mitch Trubisky is the projected starter, but the former Bears pivot tends to make bad decisions and force the ball out into blanketed coverage when a play is not there. Because of the uncertainty that comes with Trubisky, it might be advantageous for the Steelers to bring a young, promising quarterback into the fold.

Ridder has plenty of maturity and poise in the pocket, with great speed to make players miss in the open field. His arm strength, and game management ability could make him a great future QB in this league, and there is no better place to learn the position than in Pittsburgh.

Cincinnati Bengals- Round 1- Pick #31 Charles Cross, offensive tackle

After a magical season that ended less than 90 seconds short of a Super Bowl title, the Bengals are now among the favourites in the AFC. For Joe Burrow to do what he did in the postseason with the number of sacks that he took is remarkable. When you come as close as they did to win it all, it is hard to pinpoint one thing that they needed which could have changed their fortunes. In the long term, you have to think that their pass protection will be pivotal for what they are trying to build. If this organization wants to maintain that success from last season they cannot have their ace quarterback taking shots as he did in the playoffs on a regular basis.

Charles Cross could go in the top half of the draft, but some concerns could see him drop. It’s clear that the Bengals need better pass protection for Burrow this season; otherwise, he may end up on the disabled list as he was in his rookie campaign. Cross is a strong pass protector and well-schooled in his hand placement with solid body control. He has shown good recovery skills against some fast edge rushers and can block both in the box and in space. He could prove to be a hidden talent that this team needs.

Cleveland Browns- Round 2- Pick #44 Travis Jones, defensive tackle

The Browns have the quarterback they want, but now they need more pressure on the defensive side of the ball so that Deshaun Watson can have more offensive plays to make some magic happen. Cleveland’s run to the divisional round two seasons ago seems like a lifetime ago, and although Watson is without question a difference-maker, it might take more than that for this team to compete for a playoff spot this year.

Travis Jones has a wide body built to battle in the trenches and is a tough person to block. He can push through attempts and is stable when getting to the edge. Jones has great gap-control potential in the middle, is difficult to hold off, with great footwork for a big man. He has the demeanor and traits to become a great run-plugger and is a potential starter in two-gapping schemes. Having a player of his stature could make Cleveland a stingier defensive unit.