I’m going to go off on a bit of a rant, so be prepared.

I’m sure you’ve been overwhelmed with NFL mock drafts. I know I have. Every day, what seems like another 100 or so mocks show up on various places the web, done by the local and national MSM, bloggers, forums, fans, Mel Kiper, anyone with an internet connection, and an opinion.

Which is why you won’t see this NFL blogger doing a mock draft, other than participating by drafting for the Lions. I follow the Lions closely, have a good idea as to their needs, and know what college players to check out who will meet those needs. But don’t ask me to figure out the needs of the, let’s say, New Orleans Saints. Honestly, I don’t have a clue. I do read the mocks, but I only really pay attention to the Lions pick. I don’t think that makes me any less of a fan, bit it does make me a realistic one.

So for me to do an entire mock draft, picks 1-32, in my mind, would be a waste of everyone’s time. God forbid a mock that goes any further than that… That’s just insanity. Hell, I’d be lucky to get a handful of picks correct, if that.

As far as I’ll go is making an educated guess of the Lions’ first 2 rounds. Past that, it’s nothing but a crapshoot. In fact, you’d get better odds playing craps than trying to guess whom the Lions, or any team, will pick past the 2nd round. Even that may be pushing it, as it only takes one team to like a generally lower rated player, and throw a whole draft out of whack.

Often, it only takes that one certain pick to start a run on a specific position, just like a fantasy draft. We’ve all been there. During your fantasy draft, someone finally takes a QB in the middle rounds, and before you know it, there’s a run on the position. Same for the NFL draft. One team takes a offensive lineman, next thing you know, 4 of the next 5 teams do as well.

Even the so-called “experts” have an iffy, at best, track record in their mocks. There is no way they can predict a draft, as EVERYONE LIES. Every team, every front office, every club official, every coach, every agent. No one holds their cards closer to the vest than NFL teams. “Expert” though they may be, they can’t read minds.

I know football, I know the Lions, yet I still wouldn’t call myself an “expert.” (Let alone a mind reader) Like you, I’d consider myself an informed fan, one who happens to have a place to voice his opinions.

To me, the only mock drafts that make sense are one that take a superfan/media member/blogger of each team, and have them make the pick for the team they know, inside and out.

Which is why I’m posting Fan-Sided Blog’s first round mock draft.

1. Miami – OT Jake Long, Michigan
2. St. Louis – DE Chris Long, Virgina
3. Atlanta – DT Glenn Dorsey, LSU
4. Oakland - DE Vernon Gholston, Ohio State
5. Kansas City – QB Matt Ryan, Boston College
6. New York Jets – HB Darren McFadden, Arkansas
7. New England (from San Francisco) – CB Leodis McKelvin, Troy
8. Baltimore - DE Derrick Harvey, Florida
9. Cincinnati – DT Sedrick Ellis, USC
10. New Orleans – LB Keith Rivers, USC
11. Buffalo – CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Tenn. St.
12. Denver – OT Ryan Clady, Boise St
13. Carolina – OT Chris Williams, Vanderbilt
14. Chicago – OT Jeff Otah, Pittsburgh
15. Detroit – RB Rashard Mendenhall, Illinois
16. Arizona - Aqib Talib, Kansas
17. Kansas City – (from Minnesota) OG/OT Brandan Albert, Virgina
18. Houston – RB Jonathan Stewart, Oregon
19. Philadelphia - WR James Hardy, Indiana
20. Tampa Bay – WR Devin Thomas, Michigan St.
21. Washington – DE Phillip Merling, Clemson
22. Dallas (from Cleveland) – CB Mike Jenkins, South Florida
23. Pittsburgh – WR Limas Sweed, Texas
24. Tennessee – WR DeSean Jackson, Cal
25. Seattle – DT Kentwan Balmer, UNC
26. Jacksonville – DE Calais Campbell, Miami
27. San Diego – CB Antoine Cason, Arizona
28. Dallas – RB Felix Jones, Arkansas
29. San Francisco (from Indianapolis) – LB Jerod Mayo, Tennessee
30. Green Bay – OT Gosder Cherlius, Boston College
* New England (pick forfeited)
31. New York Giants – FS Kenny Phillips, Miami

Even this draft, done by educated bloggers, has issues. This mock was done last weekend, and from what we’ve learned since then, probably quite incorrect. The most noticeable issue being Jerod Mayo lasting till the 29th pick. You already know I predicted Derrick Harvey (best case scenario) or Mayo (the more likely pick) going to the Lions at 15.

As unpredictable as drafts can be, even this mock may be fully out of date by 3 PM tomorrow, if it isn’t already. Which is why mock drafts are nothing but exercises in futility.