NFL Draft Rumors: Insider names two teams as “sure bets” to pick QB in first-round

The top two quarterback prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft, Malik Willis and Kenny Pickett

In less than a week, the 2022 NFL Draft will be upon us. This year's Draft has been a captivating event to anticipate, as there have been more mysteries and unknowns than in years past.

Who the first overall pick will be is anybody's guess. This year's crop of quarterbacks isn't as talented as previous iterations either.

Kenny Pickett and Malik Willis are the highest-graded quarterbacks this year. But nobody knows where they'll be selected, as few teams have a paramount need for a quarterback.

Pro Football Network insider Tony Pauline cited the New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers as the teams likeliest to take a swing early in the 2022 NFL Draft. In his column that was published on Saturday, Pauline wrote:

"So who will the quarterbacks end up with? Right now, it looks like a sure bet the New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers take a signal-caller in the first round. Word is there’s a very real possibility the Seattle Seahawks move into the back end of Round 1 and grab their quarterback of the future."

Pauline's report confirms what many have speculated ahead of the 2022 Draft. The Steelers have felt like one of the surest bets to take a quarterback in the first round to sit behind Mitch Trubisky for a year.

The Saints are a surprising name because they re-signed Jameis Winston to a two-year contract this offseason.

The Seattle Seahawks declining to take Willis or Pickett sixth overall and trade back to draft quarterbacks like Desmond Ridder or Matt Corrall is also surprising.

Will the Steelers and Saints trade up in the 2022 NFL Draft?

Liberty quarterback Malik Willis

With Pauline's report in mind, the question becomes whether the Saints or Steelers are willing to trade up in the 2022 NFL Draft to select their guy. The Saints are slotted at picks 16 and 19, while the Steelers pick at 20th overall.

The Saints will be able to pick their guy ahead of the Steelers. However, the Detroit Lions could throw a complete monkey wrench into the equation by selecting a quarterback at second overall.

Due to these factors, Dan Orlovsky of ESPN proclaimed that the Steelers are in the worst position of any team in the draft.

The Steelers aren't a team that makes splashy trades in the draft to move up the board. However, the Saints have never shied away from doing so.

Both teams will weigh the pros and cons of trading up in the draft to take Pickett or Willis. Of course, they could like Ridder or Corrall and be fine taking one of them later instead.

The uncertainty surrounding the quarterback position makes the 2022 Draft unpredictable. Anything can happen as teams look to brighten their future.