The NFL draft is 7 days away and it seems like everyone has weighed in on who they think will be taken in the first 10 picks of the draft. Names like Vernon Davis, Jay Cutler and Mario Williams are becoming familiar in households across the nation, while Reggie Bush, Matt Lineart and Vince Young already firmly tattooed on our brains from the classic 2006 Rose Bowl. While many people have finally agreed on who are the Top 10 prospects in the draft, not everyone can agree on which teams will pick what player. Finally I'm here to give you not only who I think will get picked by which team, but also why they are the best fit in that position. So here is my Top 10 mock draft:
NOTE: This Top 10 doesn't include trades.
1. Houston Texans: Mario Williams, DE - Please do not send me angry e-mails before you hear me out on this pick. The Texans have needs on both sides of the line and are already firmly established at RB (Domanick Davis) and KR (Jerome Mathis.) They can save money by picking a DE instead of a... well, a RB/KR/WR/PR... slash. Mario Williams will be a Javon Kerse or Jason Taylor like player (I won't compare him to Peppers yet) and will instantly help the Texans in both run and pass defensive. I won't fault the Texans for taking Bush or even Ferguson but I believe in that the best pick for the Texans is Mario Williams.
2. New Orleans Saints: Reggie Bush, RB - With Bush still on the board the Saints will not waste one second getting the card up to the podium with McAllister coming back from a serious knee injury. Bush can line up anywhere on the field and create a mismatch that the Saints can take advantage of. Bush has sub 4.4 40 yard dash speed and the power to run between the tackles. A shifty runner who makes the first defender miss and can ravage any secondary that lacks athleticism.
3. Tennessee Titans: Matt Lineart, QB - Although the Titans have shown interest in Vince Young it is only a back up plan in case someone trades up to grab Lineart at 2. If that happens then Bush would be very tempting to pick up at 3 but Young would be more likely. Barring such things happening, the Titans have to go with the QB they were destine to take. With Norm Chow (Former USC Off. Cord) now the Off. Cord in Tennessee, Matt is set-up to be a success after 1 season on the bench to adjust to the speed and talent of the game. Lineart is polished and ready to lead a declining franchise back to the greatness they reached between 99 and 02.
4.New York Jets: D'Brickashaw Ferguson, OT - Ferguson is the best player on the board at #4 and with the Jets depth in picks in the top 40 they can address other needs later in the draft. Ferguson was a dominating force at Virginia, completely dominating opposing defensive ends and outside linebackers in the ACC who are high draft prospects (Mario Williams, Mathias Kiwanuku, Ernie Sims.) Not to mention "Bricks" 6'5" 295 frame and 4.85 speed, making him a great mixture of size and great speed.
5. Green Bay Packers: A.J. Hawk, OLB - One of the most impressive LB in the 05 college season, AJ Hawk flew around the field with 4.55 speed. His speed will allow him to cover NFL RB and TE without too much trouble, and he can lay the wood at 240 pounds. Hawk is a football savvy player with great instincts and a hard nose for initiating contact, getting off a blocker and getting to the ball carrier.
6. San Francisco 49ers: Vernon Davis, TE - The red phone is ringing in San Fran and the fans are already calling for Alex Smith's head and the chance to start over with a fresh QB. Sadly for them, Mr. Smith's contract says otherwise, not to mention that the Niners are a franchise depleted of anything that you would call "NFL starting caliber" talent at many positions. The best thing they can do is take the very athletic Davis to give Smith some help in the passing game. Davis' blocking leaves something to be desired, but so does Antonio Gates, and I have heard little complaining from San Diego about it.
7. Oakland Raiders: Vince Young, QB - Aaron Brooks is a good band-aid for Oakland while they take the 12-18 months it will take to fully nurture and develop Vince Young into a solid Starting QB in the NFL. Michael Huff will tempt Oakland to upgrade the defense and build around Brooks but Young is the QB of the future for the Oakland Raiders.
8. Buffalo Bills: Haloti Nagata, OT - With Sam Adams now out of Buffalo and signed by Cincinnati I have heard rumors of Brodrick Bunkley (DT, Florida State) being drafted to fill the rather large void in the D Line. A more practical pick in my eyes would be Nagata a very good Tackle with solid feet and impressive hands. Expect Buffalo to try and keep JP Losman off of his back this season with an upgraded O Line.
9. Detroit Lions: Michael Huff, S - I have to admit, something inside of me had the urge to draft WR Chad Jackson in the 9 spot...as I'm sure it is currently eating away at Matt Milan to pull the trigger on Jackson as well. But the realistic and smart pick at the 9 spot is Michael Huff. A shifty Safety who can come down to the line to cover the extra wideout in a Cover 0 scheme or effectively shut down his half of the field in the Cover 2/3 schemes. Not to mention great reads when playing center field in the Cover 1 defense. At 6-1, 205 he is a little underweight for my liking but his 4.5 speed and solid hands will help boost the Lions pass defense... did I mention he can step up and play DB at the line?
10. Arizona Cardinals: Jay Cutler, QB - I have had Winston Justice in this spot as well and would not blink twice if the Cardinals go that direction to protect Kurt Warner. However, it seems more then obvious that Warner is in the twilight of his career and while I would personally go with defense with this pick I don't run the Cardinals draft. I would wait until later in the draft and pick in the Omar Jacobs/ Charlie Whitehurst tier or QB because my gut says Jay Cutler isn't going to be more then a solid 2nd QB in the NFL. But if the Cardinals don't go with Justice look for them to pick Cutler.
Comments (18)
Nice board. I think Mario ... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Will | April 24, 2006 3:23 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Nice board. I think Mario comes off at the #1 spot as well, especially since Bush is now going to be involved in this house scandal.
I think the big surprise (other than ESPN being wrong AGAIN and Bush not going #1) will be where Leinart and Young fall. I seriously think the Titans pick Young up or the Raiders trade up to get him. Young has SO much upside it is unbelievable, some one will jump on him. While at the same time I think Leinart falls a few spots. He's been labeled as a Hollywood star, he has a weaker arm, can't take a hit, and is slower than sap coming out of a tree. The only real upside to Leinart is that you could potentially stick him in a lot sooner because he would adjust better to the pro game.
1. Posted by Will | April 24, 2006 3:23 PM |
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Posted on April 24, 2006 15:23
2. Posted by B. P. | April 24, 2006 7:00 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Boy, you obviously don't live in Houston! Don't you know that the ONLY pick for Houston is Vince Young? Don't you know that Vince Young walks on water, then turns it into wine immediately thereafter?
I am so sick of listening to the endless belly-aching about Vince Young on the local sports-talk stations. I realize it will even continue for some time after the draft is concluded. The fact that you have Young as the seventh pick would be grounds for your being run out of this town on a rail, btw.
I think this crud about the Texans taking Williams is just a smoke-screen to put the scare into Bush's people. The pick will be Reggie Bush, depend on it.
The guy looks like a once-a-decade talent at running back.
2. Posted by B. P. | April 24, 2006 7:00 PM |
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Posted on April 24, 2006 19:00
3. Posted by JTStally | April 24, 2006 7:55 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I like the idea of Reggie in New Orleans because he reminds me a lot of LT. I think he would compliment Drew Brees well, since Brees is used to that kind of versatile back.
3. Posted by JTStally | April 24, 2006 7:55 PM |
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Posted on April 24, 2006 19:55
4. Posted by JTStally | April 24, 2006 8:02 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
In response to the Leinart vs Young debate, Vince Young needs to learn to throw a football before he can play in the NFL. Look at all the fast quarterbacks in the league (Vick, McNabb, etc.), they all slow down quickly because they realize how physical professional football. They stop running because they come to the understanding that they can't always beat a professional defensive end around the end and should use their professional playmaking teammates to their advantage. Young can't throw properly; he needs to change that before he turns into a pro quarterback. You know what you'll get with Leinart, a good arm, a good recognition of the field, composure and a winning attitude. I agree Young will go to the Raiders at the seventh pick because the Raiders always take chances like that. Young could be great, but could is the key word.
4. Posted by JTStally | April 24, 2006 8:02 PM |
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Posted on April 24, 2006 20:02
5. Posted by Will | April 24, 2006 9:37 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Obviously JTStally is still distraught over Vince making the team he's based his whole entire life on look like little children. Vince can't throw? Damn. . .he had the highest QB efficiency in the entire NCAA last year. Yes, better than Leinart. Winning attitude? Leinart has been doing nothing but crying about how his team "was the better team" and all that BS. The guy is a crybaby and a pansy. At the same time, Vince put a whole team on his back and gave us the greatest Rose Bowl performance of ALL TIME. He took the supposed "greatest team in college football history" and put 450 yrds of offense on them. Ouch.
Go back and look at Leinart's stats. His production never changed from his first year to his last. While it was very good, do you think he would have had those numbers at say, Vanderbilt like Cutler? The kid purposely stuck around and took a freaking dancing class because he loves the limelight and he doesn't want to go to the pros. He's going to be the next Drew Bledsoe (guy with no heart, total A$$hole) but with a much weaker arm.
5. Posted by Will | April 24, 2006 9:37 PM |
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Posted on April 24, 2006 21:37
6. Posted by Peter F. | April 28, 2006 6:20 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Wow, how great would it be to have Vince Young learning from a proven, playoff-tested and gutsy winner like Aaron Brooks! Think how happy Moss will be when he's hung out to dry going over the middle by a Young or Brooks pass! Boo-yeah! I'm booking the end of Januarys for next 10 Super Bowls!
Al Davis is just arrogant and stupid enough to do this.
And I'm a Raiders fan!
6. Posted by Peter F. | April 28, 2006 6:20 PM |
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Posted on April 28, 2006 18:20
7. Posted by propecia | April 29, 2006 1:33 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
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7. Posted by propecia | April 29, 2006 1:33 AM |
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Posted on April 29, 2006 01:33
8. Posted by thyroid | April 29, 2006 3:32 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
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8. Posted by thyroid | April 29, 2006 3:32 AM |
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Posted on April 29, 2006 03:32
9. Posted by actos | April 29, 2006 8:14 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
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9. Posted by actos | April 29, 2006 8:14 AM |
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Posted on April 29, 2006 08:14
10. Posted by Will | April 29, 2006 8:19 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Yeah, VY will be going to the Titans and not that cesspool of an organization known as the Raiders. He's really too good to get stuck in a hellhole like that. Least he damn well better go 3rd. He's the best player in the draft bar none, so 3rd sounds about right since two idiot teams always screw their picks up.
Oh yeah, didn't I say that the Texans were going with Mario like our original writer here? Reggie Push the PR Nightmare is what the team that drafts him is going to end up with. I wonder what the marketing potential in Nawlins is for Reggie. Ha!
10. Posted by Will | April 29, 2006 8:19 AM |
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Posted on April 29, 2006 08:19
11. Posted by adipex | April 29, 2006 9:21 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
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11. Posted by adipex | April 29, 2006 9:21 AM |
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Posted on April 29, 2006 09:21
12. Posted by advair | April 29, 2006 9:59 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
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12. Posted by advair | April 29, 2006 9:59 AM |
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Posted on April 29, 2006 09:59
13. Posted by albuterol | April 29, 2006 10:34 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
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13. Posted by albuterol | April 29, 2006 10:34 AM |
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Posted on April 29, 2006 10:34
14. Posted by John | April 29, 2006 1:11 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
VY is money player, put his hands on the ball when the championship is on the line. The proof is Rose Bowl history now. Vince, take the money, go free agent at the end of your contract and make my prayers come true by donning a helmet with a blue star.
14. Posted by John | April 29, 2006 1:11 PM |
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Posted on April 29, 2006 13:11
15. Posted by depakote | April 30, 2006 6:47 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
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15. Posted by depakote | April 30, 2006 6:47 PM |
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Posted on April 30, 2006 18:47
16. Posted by diazepam | May 1, 2006 9:51 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
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16. Posted by diazepam | May 1, 2006 9:51 AM |
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Posted on May 1, 2006 09:51
17. Posted by didrex | May 1, 2006 10:01 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
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17. Posted by didrex | May 1, 2006 10:01 PM |
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Posted on May 1, 2006 22:01
18. Posted by diflucan | May 2, 2006 1:17 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
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18. Posted by diflucan | May 2, 2006 1:17 AM |
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Posted on May 2, 2006 01:17