Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.

Matthew Stafford, the strong armed QB from Georgia, appears to be the frontrunner (if there is one). If his statement on the Dan Patrick show didn’t win over Lions fans then nothing will. This article has the whole story but here’s the quote:

“I think in the end that’s a heck of an honor, and that’s something I’d definitely love to be able to associate that with my name and maybe turn that franchise around,” he said.

“I’d love to be a part of something like that. I’m a competitive guy and love a challenge, and that would definitely be a fun situation for me.”

To sum up his comments Stafford said that he’d love the challenge of turning around a franchise that just went 0-16. Most people would see that as a bad thing, you know, going to a franchise that just went winless. Not Stafford. It’s just a chance to see what he’s really got. I love it personally. I broke down Stafford’s NFL readiness a few days ago.

Remember Kevin Ferguson here on Fansided covers the Lions year around on his SideLion Report site.  I will have more on the Lions as well as the other 31 NFL teams soon, along with a new NFL Mock Draft.

Stay tuned.

Leadership: 9
Stafford likes to put his team on his shoulders, and he likes to make big plays. The problem is that his big play mentality also helps out the defense because a lot of times it fails.

Arm Strength: 10
He has a super arm. There’s not a lot of throws Stafford can’t make and that’s the reason he will likely be the #1 pick in this 1009 NFL Draft to the Lions. He likes to look down the field first and then come back through his reads to shorter throws.

Accuracy: 9
This is the one thing he needs to work on some. His accuracy isn’t bad, but it also doesn’t compare nicely to his arm strength. When people discuss Stafford they talk about his strength and not his precision.

Awareness: 8
Stafford is going to be like most rookie quarterbacks, meaning he is going to make mistakes when he misreads defenses. In college he had a few lapses but he still didn’t turn the ball over excessively.

NFL Readiness: 10
First of all no NFL QB is ever going to be 100% ready but based off of his physical tools, skill set, and athletic ability I think Stafford is as ready as any college QB making the leap to the pros can be. He has a lot of work to do but he will work hard and will try to make it at the next level.

Score: 46
Stafford is a guy I’ve been watching for a couple of years. He’s been my pick as the top NFL ready quarterback for that entire period. I expect him to make it in the league, although a lot will depend on which team he goes to.

I don’t blame him.

This guy can be the next Larry Fitzgerald. He isn’t as physically overpowering as Fitzgerald but he is a playmaker. He would automatically upgrade any offense. Graham Harrell’s disastrous performance at the Senior Bowl only makes Crabtree look better.

Let’s break him down:

Hands: 10
Crabtree can catch anything. He has great hands and he will go up and catch anything with them.

Vertical Leap: 9
Crabtree doesn’t have the leaping ability of Oklahoma State’s Dez Bryant but he does have a nice sized leap. He can go up and catch passes and he’s not afraid to do it in traffic. Those things usually equal a great receiver.

Speed: 8
His speed isn’t lightning quick but he’s very strong and athletic, allowing him to break tackles without “breakaway speed”. I expect his quickness to translate well into the NFL.

Awareness: 10
If Graham Harrell was in trouble Crabtree always came back to him and allowed him to have a security blanket. Crabtree always knows where the ball is and he’s always trying to block down the field on run plays.

NFL Readiness: 10
I think he’s the most NFL ready playmaker in this draft. He will upgrade any offense automatically. I have a feeling a lot of GMs are going to try to trade up to get in position to take him.

Total: 47
He’s ready to play right now, just draft him and stick him into your lineup NFL GMs.

For example: A year ago Ladanian Tomlinson was the consensus #1 running back in the NFL. Now he’s not even the consensus #1 running back on his own team. What are the Chargers going to do with him? What are the Cowboys going to decide about Terrell Owens?

All of that stuff could affect this mock draft.

Here’s some frequently asked questions about my mock draft:

1) This is the official NFL Draft order if Pittsburgh wins the Super Bowl.

2) I do these weekly but only here at NFLmocks.com so make sure you check back often for updates.

3) Make sure you leave comments below.

Without further adu, here’s the latest NFL Mock Draft:

#	Team		Pick
1		Detroit Lions (0-16)	QB Matthew Stafford* Georgia
2		St. Louis Rams (2-14)	OT Andre Smith* Alabama
3		Kansas City Chiefs (2-14)	OT Michael Oher Mississippi
4		Seattle Seahawks (4-12)	WR Michael Crabtree* Texas Tech
5		Cleveland Browns (4-12)	OT Eugene Monroe Virginia
6		Cincinnati Bengals (4-11-1)	DE Brian Orakpo Texas
7		Oakland Raiders (5-11)	CB Vontae Davis* Illinois
8		Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11)	CB Malcolm Jenkins Ohio State
9		Green Bay Packers (5-11)	CB Alphonso Smith Wake Forest
10		San Francisco 49ers (7-9)	WR Derrius Heyward Bey Maryland
11		Buffalo Bills (7-9)	DE Everette Brown Florida State
12		Denver Broncos (8-8)	LB Ray Mauluaga USC
13		Washington Redskins (8-8)	DE Tyson Jackson LSU
14		New Orleans Saints (8-8)	James Laurinaitis Ohio State
15		Houston Texans (8-8)	DE Michael Johnson Georgia Tech
16		San Diego Chargers (8-8)	LB Aaron Curry Wake Forest
17		New York Jets (8-8)	S William Moore Missouri
18		Chicago Bears (8-8)	WR Percy Harvin Florida*
19		Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7)	RB Chris Wells Ohio State
20		Detroit Lions (9-7, Via Cowboys)	CB Victor Harris Virginia Tech
21		Philadelphia Eagles (9-6-1)	RB Knowshon Moreno* Georgia
22		Minnesota Vikings (10-6)	WR Jeremy Maclin* Missouri
23		New England Patriots (9-6)	DE Aaron Maybin Penn State
24		Atlanta Falcons (9-6)	DT Peria Jerry Ole Miss
25		Miami Dolphins (10-5)	DT Al Woods LSU
26		Baltimore Ravens (11-5)	CB Mike Mickens Cincinnati
27		Indianapolis Colts (11-5)	CB Darius Butler Connecticu
28		Philadelphia Eagles (12-4, via Panthers)	OT Phil Loadholt Oklahoma
29		New York Giants (12-4)	LB Darry Beckwith LSU
30		Tennessee Titans (13-3)	WR Kenny Britt Rutgers
31		Arizona Cardinals (9-7)	OT Jason Smith Baylor
32		Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)	G Duke Robinson Oklahoma

1. OT Jake Long, Michigan – I’m not sure that we absolutely, positively feel that Long is the best player in this draft, but I do think we all agree that he is the surest bet. We also believe that his cumulative average when it comes to the draft boards of NFL teams is most likely the highest of any player. Additionally, we have almost no doubt that Long will be one of the first three players picked. We can’t say that about any other player, at least with confidence anyway.

2. RB Darren McFadden, Arkansas – In a lot of drafts Run DMC would be running the big board. Not this year. He has the most upside of any prospect, but character and running-style concerns bring him down to Earth a bit. The other issue is that most of the teams in the top five already have a star running back.

3. QB Matt Ryan, Boston College – He’s a prototypical pro quarterback who possess the intangibles and leadership abilities guys like Brian Brohm and Chad Henne do not. There has been some debate over Matty Ice amongst our staff, but we have deducted that he is the best QB prospect by a pretty wide margin. Some pundits think he’s easily worthy of a top five pick, others do not. Ryan could either move up or down at this point. Keep and eye on him. Where he goes could be the key to round one and beyond.

4. DE Vernon Gholston, Ohio St. – The Ghoul, as we like to call him, looks like he could haunt offensives for the next decade with his pass-rushing prowess. Athletically, he’s from another planet. That’s why he currently edges out Chris Long on our board. He could end up going as early as No. 1. We’re dead serious.

5. DE Chris Long, Virginia – Great prospect, great resume, great motor, but the Howie hype alone is not enough to rank him over Gholston. He may be more proven, and he could end up being the better player, but he is not a better prospect than Gholston.

6. DT Sedrick Ellis, USC - Just as good as Glenn Dorsey, and without the injury concerns. We also love the fact that the kid wanted to play and dominate at the Senior Bowl. That shows the kind of burning desire that fuels his fire. He’s going to be a Pro Bowl DT. Guaranteed.

7. DT Glenn Dorsey, LSU – He’s tough as hell and injuries have never really sidelined him, but these injury concerns have caused us to bump down his stock a tad. Without the injury issues he’d be right there with Ellis.

8. CB Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, Tenn. St. – Nobody’s stock has risen more during the past few months than DRC’s. We feel he’s the best corner in this draft, and that secures him a firm spot in our top ten.

9. RB Rashard Mendenhall, Illinois – Our staff is split down the middle on Mendenhall and Jonathan Stewart, but Mendenhall gets the call because of Stewart’s toe injury. Regardless, Mendenhall is going to be quite the weapon for some team’s rushing attack in ‘08.

10. OT Ryan Clady, Boise St. - Off-the-charts athletic ability and upside got him here, despite him being an underclassmen. But Clady’s 13 on the Wonderlic will likely make this his last week holding a spot on the big board. Especially with a guy like Chris Williams scoring 32 on the highly regarded intelligence test.