Step aside national NFL prognosticators.
This mock draft is locals only.
As has been tradition for nearly two decades, the Los Angeles Times turned to beat writers, the people who cover these teams on a daily basis, to make the first-round picks in an imaginary draft. They know the tendencies and needs of their respective teams, and have been writing about them for months.
Below, the reporters make a selection and give a rationale for it.
A year after quarterbacks went 1-2-3, this mock projects only two selected in the opening round, with the first going to New Orleans at No. 19.
This projects an in-the-trenches draft, with the first six selections being defensive or offensive linemen. The scenario also has a USC receiver going in the top 10 for the first time since Mike Williams was taken 10th in 2005.