The NFL draft is just a day away, and then we can finally put all the prognostications and guess work behind us on what might happen.
The mock draft cycle has been in high gear for months now, but most of the analysts have made their final and best guesses as to what the Detroit Lions might do with the No. 20 pick during Thursday's first round.
Here's a final look at the mock drafts:
Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com
Will Hernandez, G, UTEP
Why: I love the way Hernandez plays the game. His physical, nasty style will fit well with the new coaching staff in Detroit.
Bucky Brooks, NFL.com
Marcus Davenport, DE, UTSA
Why: The Lions placed the franchise tag on Ziggy Ansah, but they need to find a partner or eventual replacement for him on the edge. Davenport is ultra-explosive.
Charley Casserly, NFL.com
Derrius Guice, RB, LSU
Why: The Lions go from having a poor running game to making it a strength of the team with the selection of Guice.
Charles Davis, NFL.com
Taven Bryan, DT, Florida
Why: Has excellent movement skills and is hard to block in the passing game. Lions need an inside pass rusher. My wild card here is a RB.
Maurice Jones-Drew, NFL.com
Marcus Davenport, DE, UTSA
Why: He's an athletic pass rusher who can learn from Ziggy Ansah and make an immediate impact for Matt Patricia's unit.
Curtis Conway, NFL.com
Taven Bryan, DT, Florida
Why: I initially liked LSU RB Derrius Guice going to Detroit, but there's not much room in the RB room with the Lions signing LeGarrette Blount this offseason. Looking at the defensive side of the ball, Bryan could really boost a D-line in need of a tackle.
Chad Reuter, NFL.com
Harold Landry, DE, Boston College
Why: Now that Ziggy Ansah has signed his franchise tender, the Lions could add Landry across the way and make them a nice one-two punch.
Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN.com
Taven Bryan, DT, Florida
Why: I thought about an edge rusher at pick No. 20, but Bryan has the highest ceiling of all of the interior rushers in this class, and the Lions need all the help they can get along the defensive line. Bryan is raw and underperformed in college, but he has the athletic traits that make scouts drool and coaches want to work with him.
Todd McShay, ESPN.com
Will Hernandez, G, UTEP
Why: Hernandez has short arms (32 inches) for a guard but is a powerful run-blocker and is improving in pass protection. He'd be a likely starter.
Rob Rang, NFL Draft Scout
Marcus Davenport, DE, UTEP
Why: Defensive-minded head coach Matt Patricia is going to be expected to help boost a pass rush that ranked 20th in the NFL a season ago in sacks despite playing half their games against some awful NFC North offensive lines. The Lions could see a lot of the same moldable traits in Davenport that have helped Ziggy Ansah develop into one of the premier edge rushers in the NFL — when he is healthy and complemented with other talent.
Dane Brugler, NFL Draft Scout
Taven Bryan, DT, Florida
Why: While A'Shawn Robinson is a solid interior defender, the Lions lack an up-field threat who can create consistent interior disruption. Bryan has the raw skill-set to fix that.
Pete Prisco, CBSSports.com
Harold Landry, DE, Boston College
Why: They need to get more help for Ziggy Ansah and their pass rush. Landry had a down year in 2017, but he was really impressive in 2016.
Chris Trapasso, CBSSports.com
Marcus Davenport, DE, UTSA
Why: Bo Davis is the new Lions defensive line coach. He also coached Davenport at UTSA. The Lions have Ziggy Ansah under the tag, but Davenport is a nice investment on the edge.
R.J. White, CBSSports.com
Derrius Guice, RB, LSU
Why: Running back isn't the Lions' biggest need after the signing of LeGarrette Blount, but it's still enough of an issue that it's hard to pass on the super-talented Guice at No. 20. If the Lions pass on him, it feels like he could fall out of the first round, so they may want to explore a trade back 8-10 picks before grabbing him, if he ends up being their top target remaining at No. 20.
Jared Dubin, CBSSports.com
Marcus Davenport, DE, UTSA
Why: The Lions need someone to help Ezekiel Ansah rush the passer. Davenport has a twitchy motor and is the kind of high-upside player they can mold into a long-term partner for Ansah on the defensive front.
Ryan Wilson, CBSSports.com
Joshua Jackson, CB, Iowa
Why: Darius Slay is one of the NFL's best young corners and Jackson has the physical attributes to become a force opposite him in a division that features Aaron Rodgers and now Kirk Cousins.
Will Brinson, CBSSports.com
Da'Ron Payne, DT, Alabama
Why: Matt Patricia can invest in a defensive anchor out of the gate by landing Payne here and plugging him into the middle of his defensive line.
Albert Breer, SI.com
Da'Ron Payne, DT, Alabama
Why: I believe new head coach Matt Patricia will give his players an example of what he's looking for with this pick. And Payne fits that.
Peter King, SI.com
Da'Ron Payne, DT, Alabama
Why: This is an Albert Breer special. I stole it from him, and I'm not ashamed to say it. Payne is the kind of versatile, big-bodied interior lineman who will be a Matt Patricia staple in the next three years as he builds a stout front. Payne is 311 pounds, a bit of a Malcom Brown type, and he's just 20, with lots of time to be sculpted into a classic two and three-down player to disrupt the interior in the NFC North.
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA Today
Harold Landry, DE, Boston College
Why: It would only be fitting for the Matt Patricia era in Detroit to kick off with a pick from the New England area. What Landry lacks in a strength he makes up for with his explosive burst and top-notch elasticity.
Nick Klopsis, Newsday
Sony Michel, RB, Georgia
Why: The Lions had the NFL's worst rushing offense in 2017 with just 76.3 yards per game. They signed LeGarrette Blount but could use another big-play back to complement the hard-running Blount and pass-catching Theo Riddick. Sony Michel is a versatile back with the power, speed and pass-catching ability.
Mike Tanier, Bleacher Report
Marcus Davenport, DE, UTSA
Why: Over the last three seasons, Ziggy Ansah has totaled 28.5 sacks, while Devin Taylor (now with the Giants) totaled 11.5. No other Lions defender notched more than 8.0. An edge-rusher to bookend with Ansah is a critical need, and Davenport is a bit like the young Ansah: raw, but almost preternaturally gifted. Davenport may be drafted much earlier due to the edge-rusher shortage. Boston College's Harold Landry is also a possibility here, as is Derrius Guice if he slips and the Lions decide to address their other obvious need.
Eric Galko, Sporting News
Isaiah Wynn, G, Georgia
Why: The Lions' running game last year was atrocious. While they could add a top rusher like Derrius Guice, they'd be wise to focus on their offensive line first and foremost. They can then look to the middle rounds for a runner who can take advantage of the improved blocking.
Pro Football Focus
Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech
Why: Matt Patricia has gone on the record saying he wants his new defense to be multiple and with significant needs at both edge rusher and coverage linebacker, possibly no player in this draft better fits the "versatility" moniker than Edmunds. He posted six sacks in each of his last two seasons at Virginia Tech despite a primarily off-the-ball role and last year he posted a coverage grade of 81.0 while also owning the ninth-best run-stop percentage (12.5) among all FBS linebackers. At 6-foot-5, 250 pounds and still just 19 years old, the sky is the limit for Edmunds.
Peter Schrager, NFL.com
Da'Ron Payne, DT, Alabama
Why: In Matt Patricia's first draft with Bob Quinn, I expect Detroit to go with another defensive player in the first round. The Lions' offensive line was bruised and battered for most of last season, but when healthy, it can hold its own. So, Detroit goes defense here. Payne is an accomplished player who competed at the highest level in college, and he still has room to grow.
Nate Davis, USA Today
Taven Bryan, DT, Florida
Why: He's received unwarranted comparisons to J.J. Watt, which is nice. It's probably more realistic to hope Bryan could replicate some of the havoc and versatility of ex-Patriot Richard Seymour, a player whose abilities would resonate with new Detroit coach Matt Patricia.
