Better late than never, draft day is here.
And because mock drafts are like you know what -- everybody has one -- here's mine, except this is a mini-mock, stopping with the Detroit Lions' pick at No. 10:
1. Houston: Lots of rumors about a possible trade. Whoever ends up picking here will take JADEVEON CLOWNEY, the enormously talented but controversial defensive end from South Carolina.
2. St. Louis: Needing an offensive tackle to try to keep quarterback Sam Bradford healthy, the Rams opt for Texas A&M's JAKE MATTHEWS and his Hall of Fame bloodlines.
3. Jacksonville: Versatile linebacker KHALIL MACK, from the University of Buffalo, is actually ranked by some analysts as the best player in this draft.
4. Cleveland: Quite a few Detroit fans will go into mourning when Clemson receiver SAMMY WATKINS comes off the board.
5. Oakland: The Raiders traded for Matt Schaub, which means they still need a quarterback. There's growing speculation that he won't even go in the top-10, but bad boy JOHNNY MANZIEL would make the perfect Raider, wouldn't he?
6. Atlanta: One of the offensive tackles appears to be a natural fit here for the Falcons, who take GREG ROBINSON, from Auburn, projected by many to go No. 2 to the Rams.
7. Tampa Bay: Lovie Smith, a defensive coach at heart, will want some help for his D and goes with Pittsburgh's AARON DONALD, an undersized but very talented defensive tackle.
8. Minnesota: The Vikings need a quarterback and tons of help on defense, but they also could use a receiver and can't turn down Texas A&M's MIKE EVANS.
9. Buffalo: The best available offensive tackle is a logical choice for the Bills, who go with Michigan's TAYLOR LEWAN.
10. Detroit: Some say it's going to be UCLA linebacker Anthony Barr or Oklahoma State cornerback Justin Gilbert or North Carolina tight end/receiver Eric Ebron or LSU receiver Odell Beckham Jr. or Notre Dame offensive lineman Zack Martin or even Alabama safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.
So many options to consider.
I'm sticking with Michigan State cornerback DARQUEZE DENNARD. The Lions simply can't go into the season depending on what they've got at cornerback right now. Other than re-sign aging Rashean Mathis, they did nothing to help that position in free agency, which means they have to do something in the draft.
They've tried to find the answer in later rounds during recent years, but that hasn't worked out so far. This is a difficult position to make a quick transition to the NFL. You need to be tough, you need to have a high football IQ.
That's Darqueze Dennard. While Gilbert is taller and faster, Dennard is the better player. He's the pick.
