Preview of the NFL Draft 2006
Pick Preview: RB Reggie Bush seems to be the popular pick and he is probably the most talented player in the draft. But questions about Bush’ durability and the Texans’ needs more than likely will lead them to trade down. In that case, look for the Texans to take D’Brickshaw Ferguson, tackle from Virginia, in a deal with a team like the Jets or the Raiders who may want the athletic Bush.
Team Needs: Offensive line, offensive line, offensive line…while they won’t spend their entire NFL draft and free agency on offensive lineman, it wouldn’t hurt. This was one of the worst teams in the National Football League last year and They need to protect their investment in David Carr and give Dominick Davis some holes to run through if he is ever going to be a decent back.
2. New Orleans Saints
Pick Preview QB Matt Leinart (USC). Leinart is the most reliable of the quarterback picks because he has been slotted in the top five since last year’s draft. While their scouting staff may be interested in Vince Young in the interim, it seems more likely they will go with the surer thing rather than the athletic project.
Team Needs: Quarterback, which should be taken care of with this NFL draft pick, and offensive linemen to replace free agent LeCharles Bentley. They could also use more athletic linebackers, which could be taken care of later in the NFL draft.
3. Tennessee Titans
Pick Preview: QB Vince Young (Texas). Young’s athleticism and potential will put the Wonderlic fiasco out of the Titans’ mind. With Steve McNair starting for the next season, Jeff Fisher could do what they did with McNair and veteran quarterback Cody Carlson when he was first drafted: Carlson was the starter, but McNair came in to give the team a spark and get used to the speed in the league. Young will be quicker on the take and should be ready to take over in fall 2007, if not earlier.
Team Needs: The Titans need a franchise quarterback to follow up their current franchise quarterback. As well, the Titans will probably be looking at a more reliable running back and defensive linemen further on in the draft. But they could really use help everywhere, being such a young and inexperienced team.
4. New York Jets
Pick Preview: RB DeAngelo Williams (Memphis). With an aging Curtis Martin and a lack of firepower on offense, the Jets will be willing to wait on a solid quarterback until the second or third round and take the versatile Williams. Williams, a speedster and a good all around offensive threat, will help out in the first year by augmenting Martin’s carries and will step up as the franchise back for the next decade.
Team Needs: Quarterback and all defensive positions. The NFL salary cap cut down for the Jets will hurt their overall talent level for the next few years, but a player like Williams and a strong NFL draft will help them rebound quickly.
5. Green Bay Packers
Pick Preview: DE Mario Williams (NC State). The Packers will not pass up Williams if his stock hasn’t pushed him above the five spot and the combination of Williams and free agent Aaron Kampman, along with situation rusher Kabeer Baja-Biamila, will be formidable. If Williams is not around, look for the Packers to move down to get more picks (they only have five in this draft) and take either A.J. Hawk or Bobby Carpenter from Ohio State.
Team Needs: A linebacker to complement speedy Nick Barnett, a shutdown cornerback opposite Al Harris, and another running back in case Ahman Green isn’t recovered and Samkon Gado is a flash in the pan.
6. San Francisco 49ers
Pick Preview: T D’Brickshaw Ferguson. Last year’s first pick Alex Smith needs a bodyguard while he is going through the school of hard knocks. In a draft that is top heavy, Ferguson’s physical skills and maturity makes him a steal in picks 6-10 and the 49ers need to grab offensive linemen wherever they can.
Team Needs: Offensive line, running back, backups on the defense. While they struggled last year, their defense made most of their big plays (outside of Brandon Lloyd) and could use some depth as their young defenders grow up. Smith needs some more weapons and a strong running back and a strong offensive line will help him iron out his weaknesses without being destroyed in the process.
7. Oakland Raiders
Pick Preview: QB Jay Cutler. While the Raiders need a lot of help on defense, Cutler has risen to the top 10 on a lot of team’s NFL draft boards. The Raiders need a long term solution at quarterback instead of short term solutions like Kerry Collins. If the Raiders do not pick up a veteran like Drew Brees or Dante Culpepper, Cutler is the pick. Otherwise, look for CB Jimmy Williams or LB A.J. Hawk as surer picks on the defense.
Team Needs: Quarterback, Linebacker, Defensive Line, Running Back. They need a lot of help, as usual, and need to rebuild instead of reload.
8. Buffalo Bills
Pick Preview: If available, OLB A.J. Hawk is the practical pick, but defensive back Michael Huff is an intriguing pick to strengthen their pass defense.
Team Needs: Offensive line, defensive back, linebacker.
9. Detroit Lions
Pick Preview CB Jimmy Williams of Virginia Tech, despite some personal problems, may be the best pick for the Lions at this position. They need a shutdown cornerback and Williams has the raw skills to help Rod Marinelli’s defense.
Team Needs: Running back, defensive back, offensive line, quarterback. If Joey Harrington can keep his throws down and their trio of talented receivers can stay on the field, then the Lions may not need much more to make them a contender.
10. Arizona Cardinals
Pick Preview: TE Vernon Davis of Maryland seems to be the best value pick for the Cardinals. If they were looking purely at positional needs, somebody like CB Tye Hill or Michael Huff would be a good pick. But Davis is a playmaker that makes Maryland fans wonder why Davis and Mario Williams weren’t able to make the Terrapins a better team. Davis was already a good pick before the NFL draft combine, but his outstanding performance will propel him to the Cardinals.
Team Needs: Quarterback, running back, offensive line, defensive back. If the Cardinals pass up on a running back or quarterback for yet another first round receiver, they could move up to Canada and rename themselves the Roughriders. Josh McCown and Kurt Warner haven’t proven they can do the job and a young promising quarterback may be able to capitalize on their strong receiving core.
11. St. Louis Rams
Pick Preview: DB Michael Huff (Texas). Linehan, like Martz, may want to pick someone like Vernon Davis, Santonio Holmes, or Sinorice Moss. But the Rams need a solid secondary and Huff is a strong pick that can anchor an improved secondary for years to come.
Team Needs: Defensive back, linebacker. Scott Linehan needs to fix the damage done by the Martz era, namely forsaking the defense at the benefit of the offense.
12. Cleveland Browns
Pick Preview: LB Chad Greenway (Iowa). The Browns need the best and the brightest on this team and Greenway is the best defensive pick at this spot. They may want to go with Laurence Maroney or LenDale White to strengthen their offense, but they need to focus on defense and then on their needs on offense.
Team Needs: Running back, defensive line, defensive back. The Browns are a long way from contending but Romeo Crennel seems to have them heading in the right direction effort wise.
13. Baltimore Ravens
Pick Preview: Santonio Holmes (WR). Holmes is an athletic receiver and a good returner that would add a spark to a dormant Ravens offense. The Ravens could go with running back here but could also wait until the second or third round for a quality back to replace Jamal Lewis.
Team Needs: Quarterback, running back (for when Jamal Lewis runs out of gas or leaves), defensive back. Brian Billick has one more chance to make right for the Ravens and a strong NFL draft, along with a dwindling group of veterans from their Super Bowl run, could keep him in the game.
14. Philadelphia Eagles
Pick Preview: Haloti Ngata (DT) would provide a strong and ready made cog for their defensive machine. Ngata won’t be a super star like a Warren Sapp but the Eagles don’t need that after Terrell Owens’ side show.
Team Needs: Running back, wide receiver (to replace Terrell Owens), and defensive line.
15. Atlanta Falcons
Pick Preview: Bobby Carpenter (OLB), perhaps a reach at this pick, but Carpenter is a potential defensive leader and a hard nosed player that would give them a stronger presence at the second level of their defense. The Falcons’ vibe is more of a finesse game and someone like Carpenter puts the iron back in grid iron.
Team Needs: Cornerback to complement D’Angelo Hall, offensive line, and defensive line.
16. Miami Dolphins
Pick Preview: Winston Justice (tackle) will give Ronnie Brown and whoever they play at quarterback some protection. The Dolphins need all of the sure things they can get to push them over the edge and Justice, like many tackles in the NFL draft, will have a steady career.
Team Needs: Defensive back (to replace Sam Madison), quarterback, offensive line, and linebacker.
17. Minnesota Vikings
Pick Preview: Demero Ryans (OLB, Alabama). The Vikings’ free agent grab last year was disappointing and the Vikings could use a strong linebacker to help out the veteran core they already have. Ryans should have a great NFL career.
Team Needs: Defensive back, defensive line, linebacker, and possibly quarterback if Dante Culpepper gets out of town like he wants.
18. Dallas Cowboys
Pick Preview: LenDale White (RB, USC). While the Cowboys already have Julius Jones and Marion Barber, Parcells likes to have depth at the running back position and White may be the type of back that rises to the top. Jones, Barber, and White would all have their roles but White already shared time with Reggie Bush at USC so it may be difficult for him to take a supporting role. But if he plays the Parcells way and works hard, he may win out over a chronically injured Jones.
Team Needs: No particular starting needs but they need depth on their defense and possible one or two strong backup offensive lineman. The Cowboys’ problem last year was with underachieving, not with talent.
19. San Diego Chargers
Pick Preview: Tamba Hali (DE). The Chargers are good at a lot of positions but need a more consistent pass rush from their ends.
Team Needs: Defensive back, wide receiver, and defensive line.
20. Kansas City Chiefs
Pick Preview: Tye Hill (DB). Herman Edwards values strong defensive backs and hard workers. Hill will fit this mold and if he has a decent defense around him, he will excel.
Team Needs: Offensive and defensive line, along with some depth in the defensive backfield.
21. New England Patriots
Pick Preview: RB Laurence Maroney would provide quality rushing attempts behind Corey Dillon for 2006 and then a versatile running back for the next 5-7 years. Maroney’s durability may be an issue because of all the carries he had in college but the Patriots could use his pass catching and blocking ability to get back to prominence.
Team Needs: Defensive back and offensive line have been the usual culprits of the injury list throughout the last couple of years, so a little depth there would not kill them (unless they want to convert Troy Brown to cornerback permanently).
22. Denver Broncos
Pick Preview: Ernie Sims (OLB) would provide depth at linebacker and give the Broncos more speed on defense.
Team Needs: The Broncos could use help on the defensive line, at linebacker, and perhaps a second tight end in a tight end heavy NFL draft.
23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Pick Preview: Sinorice Moss (WR). Moss is a speedster with proven receiving skills that would give Chris Simms a reliable weapon in the passing game.
Team Needs: Offensive line, wide receiver. They still need to replace Keyshawn Johnson and probably need one or two quality offensive line to make Cadillac Williams’ path a little clearer.
24. Cincinnati Bengals
Pick Preview: Gabe Wilson (DT). The Bengals need to have better support up the middle of their defense and Wilson would provide that. Nick Mangold (G) or Leonard Pope (TE) would also be good picks at this position.
Team Needs: Defensive line, offensive line, defensive back. The Bengals have solid players somewhere in these position areas, but they need to round out their strong talent with some solid role players, either in the NFL draft or via free agency.
25. New York Giants
Pick Preview: Nick Mangold (G). It always seems that the Giants either have a dearth of talent at the offensive line position or are beleaguered by injuries. Mangold is a strong pick at the guard position and would give them a reliable presence in the midst of injuries.
Team Needs: Offensive line, linebacker, defensive line.
26. Chicago Bears
Pick Preview: The Bears have tried to fill the playmaking tight end position for a couple of NFL drafts now, but Leonard Pope seems to be a good pick to fill that spot. The Bears do not need any more defensive players through the NFL draft and the Bears need to give Rex Grossman some more weapons to make them a viable championship threat.
Team Needs: Tight end, wide receiver, backup offensive line.
27. Carolina Panthers
Pick Preview: Chad Jackson (WR, Florida) is a solid threat that could take some pressure off of Steve Smith. The only problem is how well this Florida receiver will turn out in comparison to the many Florida receivers who have failed in the past (much like Florida quarterbacks or Florida coaches).
Team Needs: Tight end, outside linebacker (if they lose Will Witherspoon), receiver (opposite Steve Smith).
28. Jacksonville Jaguars
Pick Preview: Mathias Kiwaunake (DE). The Jaguars need a strong pass rush and Kiwaunake would give them depth at the defensive end position. Much like the Cowboys, the Jaguars failed last year because of underachieving, not a lack of talent. Another year of seasoning and a healthy Byron Leftwich should put them in striking range of the Colts.
Team Needs: Defensive line, offensive line, defensive back.
29. Denver Broncos
Pick Preview: Ashton Youboty (CB). The Broncos have some promising defensive backs (including Deron Williams) but Youboty would be a good pick at 29 as well as safety Ko Simpson.
30. Indianapolis Colts
Pick Preview: S Ko Simpson gives the Colts a strong presence in the secondary and would help out their already strong defensive front eight.
Team Needs: Offensive line, defensive back, linebacker.
31. Seattle Seahawks
Pick Preview: DT Broderick Bunkley would fill out the middle of the Seahawks defense and provide one more talented player for their already strong defense.
Team Needs: Wide receiver, backup defensive line and linebacker. The Seahawks have a lot of young defensive players but could always use depth. Joe Jurevicius may be out in free agency and they still need another receiver to step up as a threat.
32. Pittsburgh Steelers
Pick Preview: OLB Thomas Howard gives Bill Cowher some depth in their 3-4 defensive scheme and if Howard is still on the board, he is a steal at the end of the 1st round.
Team Needs: Wide receiver, if Antwaan Randle-El leaves via free agency, defensive backs and running back.
