A month still remains in the 2022 NFL regular season, but several teams are already looking ahead to the offseason.

The 1-11-1 Houston Texans, for example, aren't making the playoffs this year. However, they have a 1.5-game lead over the next-closest team for the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft.

Whether they want a new franchise quarterback or a potentially generational pass-rusher, whichever team lands the top pick will have plenty of options. The problem is that it won't be able to fill multiple needs with that one selection.

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That's where free agency will come into play for many organizations. While free agents don't always come with the same team-friendly contracts or long-term value as draft prospects, they can help a team narrow its draft needs.

Here, we'll examine the top 10 draft prospects on the latest Bleacher Report Scouting Department big board. We'll dive into what makes these prospects special and identify one veteran alternative for each based on factors like position, skill set and recent production.

 

1. Will Anderson Jr., Edge, Alabama

FA Alternative: Yannick Ngakoue

Alabama pass-rusher Will Anderson Jr. is the top-ranked prospect on the B/R board. It isn't hard to see why.

The 21-year-old has logged a whopping 27.5 sacks and 48 tackles for loss over the last two seasons. He recently became Alabama's first-ever two-time unanimous All-American.

Anderson will undoubtedly be coveted by teams toward the top of the draft. However, one team could find quality pass-rushing help before the draft by targeting Indianapolis Colts pass-rusher Yannick Ngakoue.

Although Ngakoue doesn't possess the same upside that Anderson does, he's a consistent playmaker who won't turn 28 until the spring. Like Anderson, he's solid on the edge against both the run and the pass.

So far this season, Ngakoue has tallied six tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, 25 tackles and 24 quarterback pressures. He has notched at least eight sacks in each of his seven NFL seasons.

Ngakoue possesses a combination of youth and dependability that shouldn't go unnoticed in free agency.

With a projected market value of $14.8 million annually, Ngakoue could fill a major need without carrying a top-of-the-market price point.