Some observers might think that reporters creating mock drafts is a silly exercise in futility. Of course there is no way that journalists can possibly know what is going on in war rooms across the nation. However, they do give some overall insight into what and who is "trending".
The NFL Draft is a fascinating spectacle in cloak-and-dagger strategy. Imagine a chess game with 32 players. The local reporters (i.e. AJC for the Falcons, nola.com for the Saints) are the pawns. Granted, they will have some insight into a team's needs, and most likely, they have an inside source.