There is a thriving industry that hinges on scouts and N.F.L. prognosticators confidently declaring how the draft’s top prospects will fare as pros and which teams will select them.
But ahead of Thursday’s first round, the experts can’t quite agree on who the No. 1 pick will be.
This year marks the first draft in five years in which a quarterback is not expected to be chosen first overall. The Jacksonville Jaguars have the No. 1 pick for the second consecutive year, and after drafting quarterback Trevor Lawrence in 2021, they have a number of other positions to improve — offensive line, defensive line and wide receiver — to build on a 3-14 record.
The Jaguars are not alone in their rebuilding efforts: The teams picking in the top five — the Detroit Lions, the Houston Texans, the Jets and the Giants — have deep needs, a factor in the mock drafts’ instability.
Adding to that, the 2022 N.F.L. draft is instead loaded with talent at lower-profile positions like defensive edge rushers and on the offensive line, tougher-to-scout groups that could be just as crucial to a franchise’s future.