At this time of the year, mock drafts have no real predictive value. Nobody knows what team will pick at what slot, or what the player pool will look like.
I’m reminded of the Iron Maiden classic, “Can I Play With Madness”
Can I play with madness? The prophet stared at his crystal ball
Can I play with madness? There’s no vision there at all
Can I play with madness? The prophet looked and he laughed at me
Yet they do have some value, no joke. Preseason mock drafts are all about projecting potential needs for each team and presenting ideas of college prospects who might be able to fill those needs. It’s a great time to get familiar with the prospects who will get talked about and dissected in the football media over the next year.
Our friends at Draft Wire gave Lions fans a couple of interesting names to know heading into the season in their recent two-round mock draft.
In the first round, Penn State LB Micah Parsons got the nod with the No. 6 overall pick (the order is based on current Super Bowl odds). Parsons is the choice over players like Alabama LB Dylan Moses, his Crimson Tide teammate, CB Patrick Surtain, and a vast group of offensive tackles who all show some legit promise.
With the second-round selection, the name to know is Texas safety Caden Sterns. That doesn’t seem to really fit with the bigger perceived needs, but it’s a good idea to consider that everything is on the table at this early juncture.
Can I play with madness? He said, “you’re blind, too blind to see”
“Oh, listen to me,” said the prophet