Lions on track for No. 1 draft pick; who's available?

Finish the sentence: If the season ended today, the Detroit Lions would ...

... not make the playoffs.

... end their fans' suffering.

... own the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft.

Let's concentrate on that last one and see what will be available to the Lions, eh? Even if you're an optimist and figure they won't hang on to the top pick, they have a running start at landing in the top 10.

They need just about everything, so almost every position is fair game, except perhaps for tight end — where they spent a high pick on Eric Ebron two years ago — quarterback and specialists.

Even if you're not a Matthew Stafford fan, it just wouldn't make much sense to spend a high first-round pick on a quarterback, considering his contract. Later rounds, maybe.

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So here we go:

Offensive linemen

We'll start here because it's the Lions' No. 1 problem spot, even though they've taken offensive linemen with their top pick twice in the past four years: Riley Reiff in 2012 and Laken Tomlinson this year (there's also Ebron, but he wasn't drafted for his blocking skills).

The good news is there are a lot of linemen — offensive and defensive — at the top of all the big boards:

• Ronnie Stanley, Notre Dame: This is whom Dane Brugler has the Lions taking with the projected seventh pick in his mock draft (yes, they already exist) at cbssports.com. Brugler writes: "While Riley Reiff has one of the offensive tackle spots locked down for the Lions, the other side isn't nearly as secure. Stanley isn't a flawless prospect as he needs refinement to his game, but the natural tools cannot be coached."

• Laremy Tunsil, Ole Miss: While Stanley is ranked seventh on Mel Kiper Jr.'s Big Board at espn.com, Tunsil is fourth. But it's close, as Kiper writes: "When healthy, Tunsil's the best pass-blocker in the draft, a guy who wouldn't look out of place if he had to play on Sundays this season. He's a nimble but powerful left tackle prospect and has all the traits you look for at that spot. If he's healthy, he's an early pick. If not, Ronnie Stanley will overtake him as the top tackle prospect."

Kiper's colleague, Todd McShay, has Tunsil and Stanley ranked Nos. 5-6 on his Top 32 at espn.com

• Jack Conklin, Michigan State: McShay writes that "Conklin is known for his ability to impact the run game, but coming into the season, we thought NFL-level edge rushers might give him a bit more trouble in pass protection. But the left tackle got the best of Oregon's DeForest Buckner when the two matched up against each other on Sept. 12. While his stock is rising, he suffered a left knee injury against Central Michigan, which should be closely monitored."

Receivers

There have been rumblings for a while that it was time for the Lions to look for a successor to Calvin Johnson, who just turned 30 — as far back as 2014, when they took Ebron two spots before the New York Giants got Odell Beckham Jr.

But there aren't many receivers in the top 10 of most big boards now:

• Laquon Treadwell, Ole Miss: He's the top-ranked receiver on most of the big boards. Rob Rang of cbssports.com has him ranked No. 10 overall: "Concerns about his top-end speed remain, but Treadwell's NFL-ready frame, body control and hand-eye coordination make him a nightmare to defend."

• Michael Thomas, Ohio State: He's No. 11 on McShay's Top 32 (though he slipped out of the top 10 in the most recent rankings). McShay writes: "He has shown he's strong and tough enough to make difficult catches over the middle. He's a long-strider with somewhat deceptive top-end speed to kill pursuit angles."

• Josh Doctson, TCU: This is a late entry. Kiper writes: "Doctson has 567 yards in his past three games. ... He's the best wide receiver I've seen this season at attacking the ball in the air."

Running backs

This also is an unlikely choice , with Ameer Abdullah being around and running backs not being considered worth high picks anymore.

And, since LSU's Leonard Fournette is a sophomore, there really is just one projected as a possible first-round pick:

• Ezekiel Elliott, Ohio State: Elliott is averaging 145.8 yards rushing through five games, and his eight touchdowns lead the Buckeyes' scoring. Where would they be without him?

Defensive line

Have you heard Ndamukong Suh isn't here anymore? The Lions didn't address that need high in this year's draft, so it might be time. And defensive linemen are at the top of the draft boards.

• Robert Nkemdiche, Ole Miss: The defensive tackle is Kiper's No. 1: "Now up to 6-foot-4 and 295 pounds, he still moves like a guy carrying about 40-50 pounds less. ... Nkemdiche isn't just quick, though; he also has strength at the point and doesn't get eaten up by double-teams. If he stays healthy he'll end up in the top five."

• Joey Bosa, Ohio State: The defensive end is McShay's top pick: "Bosa shows a consistent ability to convert speed to power and uses a wide array of pass-rush moves — swim, rip, club, spin. With experience playing DE on both sides and moving inside to DT on obvious pass downs, Bosa brings a lot of scheme versatility to the table."

• DeForest Buckner, Oregon: The end is everybody's third choice on the defensive line. Rang — who has Bosa and Nkemdiche ranked 1-2 — writes: "Buckner isn't an explosive edge rusher but his length, strength and balance will intrigue coaches at the next level."

Linebackers

It's another need for the Lions, but the market looks iffy for linebackers in this draft. The pundits can agree on one as a top-10 talent, but after that, there's no consensus:

• Jaylon Smith, Notre Dame: Kiper writes, "It's really hard to pick out flaws, aside from a missed tackle here and there, and Smith is making a case to be a versatile outside linebacker you can select knowing he can be plugged in right away. Smith can be moved around, has good length and can flat-out fly for a linebacker, with sub-4.5 speed."

Secondary

It's agreed every year that the Lions need help in the secondary, but they haven't drafted a defensive back in the first round since they got burned by Terry Fair in 1998.

So they won't listen, but here's the top-10 talent that's available:

• Vernon Hargreaves III, Florida: Rang writes that the cornerback "combines instincts, agility and controlled aggression to shut down one side of the field in coverage. Hargreaves doesn't have ideal size but he's highly aggressive, including in fighting off blocks and looking to tackle backs in run support."

• Jalen Ramsey, Florida State: Kiper says that he "would have rated him the top safety taken in the 2015 draft, but this year he's at cornerback. He has the length, range and exceptional instincts to make plays all over the field, and an expected smooth transition to corner is happening. He is a truly gifted athlete."

Contact Steve Schrader: sschrader@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @schradz.