2006 NFL Mock Draft

With the happiest day of the year – NFL draft day – fast approaching, I have taken the liberty of easing the burden on several General Managers who aren’t yet sure where to go with their football franchises. This draft does not take into account potential trades, free agent signings, or failed drug tests that may occur before the actual draft. The Houston Texans are on the clock...


Houston Texans – Reggie Bush, RB (USC)
Bush is the perfect combination of athleticism, potential, and the ability to sell tickets. Some in Houston would prefer home grown Vince Young, but Gary Kubiak and the Texans need to win now and they will go with the best player in the draft. Top end tackles will still be available in round two.

2. New Orleans Saints – Mario Williams, DE (NC State)
Perhaps the most impressive physical specimen in the draft, Williams gives the Saints a one man defensive overhaul. Could play the DE position in 4-3 or OLB in a 3-4 in the Terrell Suggs mold. He will be a game changer from the moment he steps onto the field, provided he doesn’t take plays off and learns to focus a little more during games.

3. Tennessee Titans – Matt Leinart, QB (USC)
The most ready for play off the three first round QB’s, Leinart already has an established report with Titan OC Norm Chow. The late rumor is that The Titans will pass on Leinart, and that he could fall as far as the Cardinals. That, as much as anything, makes me think he’ll go to Tennessee.

4. New York Jets – D’Brickashaw Furguson, OT (Virginia)
The more he is scrutinized, the more Ferguson reiterates that he is the premier lineman in the draft. The only real criticism is that he is too light at 312 lbs, but he’s young. He has time to grow into his 6’6” frame.

5. Green Bay Packers – Green Bay, A.J. Hawk, LB (Ohio State)
Reminds many of former Ohio State LB Mike Vrabel. Hawk is one of the premier playmakers in the draft. LB is a definite need for the packers and pairing the deceptively athletic Hawk with Nick Barnett would fortify the LB core in Green Bay.

6. San Francisco 49res – Vernon Davis, TE (Maryland)
Davis produced the most impressive workouts of any player in the draft. Michael Huff may make more sense as far as filling holes, but after losing Brandon Lloyd, the Niners had better find some way to build around last year’s number one pick, QB Alex Smith. Davis has 4.38 speed and is a better pass catching weapon than any receiver in this year’s draft class.

7. Oakland Raiders – Vince Young, QB (Texas)
This pick is more for value than necessity. Aaron Brooks is certainly not a long term solution at the QB position, but there is a lot of talk that Al Davis very much likes last year’s third round choice Andrew Walters as the future for the Silver and Black. With a number of top DB’s in the draft, Oakland could have their choice of prospects to sure up a bad secondary.

8. Buffalo Bills - Broderick Buckley, DT (Florida State)
Quick for his size and has experience playing both the one and the three techniques in the 4-3. One of the strongest players in the draft (44 reps at the combines), he should provide a nice anchor for the newly implemented cover two in Buffalo.

9. Detroit Lions – Michael Huff, S (Texas)
Huff can fill a spot at either CB or S. He excels in coverage and as a blitzer, providing versatility to any defense. Comparisons to Ronnie Lott are no too far fetched for Huff, the best DB in a very deep group.

10. Arizona Cardinals – Winston Justice, OT (USC)
Justice managed to slide under the radar for most of the season at USC because of all of the talent on the Trojan’s overall roster, but he has since flown up most draft boards. He has a long reach and great balance in pass protection. O-line is the only thing keeping the Cardinal’s offense from being on an elite level, and Justice should help raise the bar in Arizona.

11. Saint Louis Rams – Jimmy Williams, CB (Virginia Tech)
Jay Cutler will continue to slide as Aaron Rodgers did last year. Shut down corners are still a hot commodity in this league, and Williams has the ability to take away half of the field in coverage. There are questions about William’s character, but the rams have been willing to take a chance on a great talent before.

12. Cleveland Browns – Ernie Simms, LB (Florida State)
Plays non stop and excels in pass coverage. Simms’ athleticism has helped him to skyrocket up most draft boards. Has been knocked for his size, but is almost exactly the same size as Derrick Brooks (6’0”, 228 lbs.). Simms can be a destructive force off the edge, an important role in Romeo Crennel’s defense.

13. Baltimore Ravens – Haloti Ngata, DL (Oregon)
Big bodies in the middle are a must to free up the LB in a 4-3 defense, and Ngata fills the middle as well as anyone. He should be able to provide some of the help that Ray Lewis has been crying about.

14. Philadelphia Eagles – Chad Jackson, WR (Florida)
A blistering 4.32 time in the 40 at the combines helped Jackson to move up the WR list. Jackson’s size, speed, athleticism, and lapses in concentration are reminiscent of another former Eagles receiver. WR is a clear need for Philly, but OL could also be a priority come draft day.

15. Denver Broncos (From Atlanta) – Santonio Holmes, WR (Ohio State)
Holmes is a little undersized (just over 5’10”), but has great speed and separates well from coverage. With Rod Smith turning 36 this year and Ashley Lelie’s continued inconsistency, Holmes will be a good fit in Denver.

16. Miami Dolphins – Chad Greenway, LB (Iowa)
Has drawn Teddy Bruschi comparisons for his knack for making plays. Greenway has faced questions about his ability to take on and shed blocks, but is an excellent tackler with a nose for the ball. Miami needs depth and youth at LB, and Greenway would be a great long-term fit.

17. Minnesota Vikings – Jay Cutler, QB (Vanderbilt)
Minnesota can’t pass on a franchise QB slipping this far. Several scouts have Cutler rated higher than both Young AND Leinart, even though he may not be ready to play right away. Cutler could sit this season and learn from Brad Johnson before taking over as the full time starter in a year or two.

18. Dallas Cowboys – Donte Whitner, S (Ohio State)
With the signing of Terrell Owens, the Tuna looks again to the defense. Dallas’ number one priority now shifts to getting Roy Williams back to Strong Safety and bringing in someone who can run deep in coverage. Whitner’s deep speed and ability to make plays on the ball have helped him to become a late riser in most draft rooms.

19. San Diego Chargers – Ty Hill, CB (Clemson)
Perhaps the fastest player in the draft, Hill is as good a cover corner as anyone in this class. This would fill a great need in San Diego where they lack players in the secondary who can turn and run. Hill should not slip passed the top 20.

20. Kansas City Chiefs – Johnathan Joseph, CB (South Carolina)
The defense served as the fall guy in K.C. throughout the Vermiel era. Herman Edwards will set a new tone, beginning with this physical corner. Joseph has good cover skills and tackles with a purpose. He will need to be coached to improve technique, but has definite raw skill and tremendous upside.

21. New England Patriots - DeAngelo Williams, RB (Memphis)
A steel for the Patriots here, Williams is second only to Reggie Bush as far as running backs go in this draft. Williams will help to save some wear on Cory Dillon’s legs and provide some future security at the RB position in New England.

22. San Francisco 49ers (From Redskins via Broncos) - LenDale White, RB (USC)
Defense? Defense is for teams that need to win games. The Niners just need to score some points. Despite the questions about his desire and conditioning, White is the type of between the tackles runner that thrives in Norv Turner and Mike Nolan’s offense. By adding a stronger O-Line, Vernon Davis, and LenDale White, Alex Smith now has the weapons he needs to live up to his status as a former number one overall pick.

23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Jason Allen, DB (Tennessee)
At first Allen was rated lower because he was thought to be caught as a tweener between CB and S, but workouts have shown that he may be able to start right away at either position. The original “Tampa 2” has been missing an enforcer in the secondary since John Lynch was released. Allen will get a chance to fill that void.

24. Cincinnati Bengals – Manny Lawson, DE (NC State)
Overshadowed by teammate Mario Williams during the regular season, Lawson began making a name for himself during the combine and in personal workouts. He is able to stand his ground at the point of attack as well as rush the passer with outstanding athleticism.

25. New York Giants – Ashton Youboty, CB (Ohio State)
Poor run support in the secondary cost the Giants dearly last season, hence the need for a top flight corner who can bring it physically. Youboty likes to take chances is coverage, but he plays the ball well and has good technique, making up for the occasional big play he may give up.

26. Chicago Bears – Leonard Pope, TE (Georgia)
Pope is a big improvement on offense for a team with relatively few needs on the defensive side of the ball. He is a physical player and an exceptional receiver who will help open up the Bears passing game.

27. Carolina Panthers – Lawrence Maroney, RB (Minnesota)
Maroney is a sharp cutting runner with good vision. He is still growing into his frame and will need time to develop into a full time starter, but he will be able to contribute when needed for an always brittle backfield in Carolina.

28. Jacksonville Jaguars - DeMeco Ryans, LB (Alabama)
Concerns about size and durability cause Ryans to drop a little, but his production when on the field at Alabama was unmistakable. An outstanding pass rush (a plus in the AFC South) and very good instincts make Ryans an attractive selection near the end of the first round.

29. New York Jets (From Broncos) – Kamerion Wimbley, DE/OLB (Florida State)
Technically sound player who’s stock had been hurt because of injury. The bad news is that Wimbley will be confined to the 3-4 his whole career because he’s too much of a tweener to play in a 4-3. The good news is he’ll be an outstanding edge rusher for whichever 3-4 team lands him. Think of Wimbly as a poor man’s Willie McGinnis in Eric Mangini’s new defense for the Jets.

30. Indianapolis Colts – Bobby Carpenter, LB (Ohio State)
Technically the Colts have a greater need for an inside player, and Carpenter played the outside at Ohio State, but LB is too much of a need for the Colts to leave him on the board. His toughness and instinct will be an immediate help for Toney Dungy.

31. Seattle Seahawks – Deuce Lutui, G (USC)
Lutui is a technician on the offensive line and has incredible athletic ability. He will help relieve some of the sting of loosing Chad Hutchinson to free agency. The Seahawks have invested a lot in Sean Alexander, so they need to ensure that he will continue to be able to rack up yards and TD if they want to return to the Super Bowl.

32. Pittsburgh Steelers – Sinorice Moss, WR (Miami)
Moss may be able to help Steeler fans forget about Antoine Randal-El. A little undersized but a perfect fit to play in the slot, Moss is also an explosive return man. He may not be able to throw like Randal-El, but he has the type of versatility that Bill Cower and Ken Whisenhunt love to play with.

Double Standard

It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything, but I’ve been meaning to write on a popular subject lately. This Duke Lacrosse situation has been bugging me since the story first broke. I write some of this with the risk of sounding sympathetic to sex offenders. Make no mistake; people who commit crimes (sex crimes in particular) should be punished to the full extent of the law. But I have a hard time with the way that people accused of committing a sex crime – namely men – are treated with such a double standard when it comes to these cases.

It isn’t fair that the accuser’s identity is kept secret while the images and faces of the accused are flaunted about in the media. This is done partly so that women will feel free to press charges without having to suffer the indignity that accompanies such publicity. Meanwhile, the men who are accused are paraded around the media like criminals throughout the proceedings, before any evidence is even presented.

Two years ago several BYU football players were accused of committing a gang rape. The names of the players were printed in several papers and web sites, ruining their reputations, while the identity of the accuser was always quietly guarded. Before the case could even be brought to trial, it was discovered that the female accuser had lied about the rape because she felt guilty and embarrassed about having engaged in consensual sex with multiple football players at a party. Even after bringing false charges, the whore’s name was still never printed, nor did any media publication issue an apology to the players for portraying them as rapists.

Now the same thing has been going on at Duke for over a month. The entire Lacrosse team has been vilified, despite the fact that ABSOLUTELY NO EVEIDENCE OF ANY WRONG DOING HAS BEEN PRESENTED! So far we’ve seen that (1) there is no DNA evidence implicating any Duke Lacrosse player, (2) photos have shown that the accuser arrived at the scene that night already having sustained several injuries, (3) the accuser was “passed out drunk” (according to police reports) when police were called to pick her up, (4) the girl who was with the accuser that night has no illegal activity to report, (5) the accuser never mentioned Duke, lacrosse, a party, any lacrosse players, or anything relating to it to the doctors who tended to her that night, and (5) not one member of the Lacrosse team felt strongly enough to come forward with any significant information.

We’ve also seen 47 scholarship athletes loose a year of competition, a senior class see their careers end prematurely, several incoming recruits sent to competing schools, and a damn good coach who had nothing to do with any of this, Mike Pressler, forced to resign after 16 exemplary years at Duke (including three Atlantic Coast Conference championships and a trip to last year's national final).

Today two individual players were indicted in the rape case. I wont print their names (even though their names and faces are all over the national news) because they have not been found guilty of a crime. Weather they are guilty or not, they will spend the rest of their tenure in college, and long after, identified by the accusations brought against them.

These two boys may have done something horrible, they may have not. That is for a jury to decide. For the last month, it seems that Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong has been determined to keep searching until he finds something. (Don’t you think it’s strange that a fourth search warrant was also filed today? Why are they still searching for evidence if they have already indicted the players?) I guess he kind of has to though, seeing as how he went on record saying that he was confident that a crime had been committed before bothering to find any evidence. It would look pretty bad for a DA who’s up for re-election later this year to announce that he knows a crime was committed and then not prosecute anyone.

Without a super secret piece of surprise evidence, the case will resort to a “he said, she said” situation, at which point the accusers reputation will be destroyed in the courts in an effort to discredit her character. If that happens in this case, it’s a slam-dunk for the defense. If the accused really did commit this crime, I hope they go to jail. If they didn’t, I feel sorry for what they will have to go through for the next several years. Anyway. I’m off to go buy a Duke Lacrosse T-shirt.