Apr 10, 10:10 PM EDT
AP Takes Shot at Projecting NFL Draft
By DAVE GOLDBERG
AP Football Writer
AP Photo/MICHAEL CONROY
Funny, because everyone else seemed to know Irvin was headed for Dallas. Brandt, who now works for the NFL, was just doing his job - fabricating. So my friend sent Irvin somewhere else in his mock draft and is still angry about it.
Get over it.
Mock drafts are just that - MOCK. The only GM who ever told me the truth at this time of year was the late John Butler, who was with Buffalo in 1997. The Bills drafted 25th and Butler never thought Antowain Smith would drop that far. So he told me he would love to take him. He fell and Butler took him.
Go back 10 years. Ray Lewis was drafted 26th overall, Marvin Harrison was 19th, Ted Bruschi was 86th and Terrell Owens 89th. Some of the guys who went in the top 15? Cedric Jones, Lawrence Phillips, Tim Biakabutuka, Rickey Dudley, Alex Molden. And more.
As of now, this is how the first round might go when the draft starts.
It will change by April 29.
Maybe a lot.
---
1. HOUSTON. Sort of a guarantee. REGGIE BUSH, RB, Southern Cal. He plays well in uniform, does well at workouts. Hope he doesn't get killed by the Texans' OL.
2. NEW ORLEANS. They don't want Matt Leinart because they traded for Drew Brees. Still, They'll either trade this pick to the Jets or Titans or take D'BRICKASHAW FERGUSON, OT, Virginia. Leinart's people, big-time L.A. showbiz types, want him in the limelight and are trying to get him to New York.
3. TENNESSEE. They might have to get up to block the Jets to take MATT LEINART, QB, Southern Cal. But don't believe the Vince Young rumors. Norm Chow, Tennessee's offensive coordinator, was at USC with Leinart.
4. NEW YORK JETS. They also have the 29th overall pick and could use that to help get up to No. 2. If they are thwarted in trade attempts, they have to hope Chad Pennington recovers or Patrick Ramsey can play. MARIO WILLIAMS, DE, North Carolina State to replace John Abraham.
5. GREEN BAY. Like the Jets, they'll be bad this year whatever they do. And they'll probably be bad for a while because if Brett Favre plays this year, he probably won't in 2007. So they'll need defense. A.J. HAWK, LB, Ohio State.
6. SAN FRANCISCO. Yeah, they won five Super Bowls in 15 years. But the last one was more than a decade ago. The defense isn't bad, so VERNON DAVIS, TE, Maryland, is a good pick at a position that's in vogue these days.
7. OAKLAND. One of the good things about the Raiders is that they don't get paralyzed by overanalysis, like Wonderlic scores. Just watch the Rose Bowl and forget the blah-blah-blah. VINCE YOUNG, QB, Texas
8. BUFFALO. One of the bad things the Bills did a year ago was let Pat Williams go to the Vikings. Williams is listed at 320 pounds. Maybe 420? Whatever. HALOTI NGATA, DT, Oregon, is listed at 339 or 345. Does that mean he's 439 or 445? Take him.
9. DETROIT. The Ms have taken wide receivers the last three years and none has really worked out. MIKE HUFF, DB, Texas could go earlier. If not, he's certain to go here. M's? Matt Millen has hired Marty Mornhinweg, Steve Mariucci and Rod Marinelli as coaches and Mike Martz as offensive coordinator.
10. ARIZONA. No matter how good Larry Fitzgerald is (very) they should have taken a QB when they had a shot at Philip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger two years ago because Kurt Warner won't hold up for a season. Try to protect him. WINSTON JUSTICE, OT, Southern Cal.
11. ST. LOUIS. They replaced Martz with Scott Linehan, another offensive "genius." They need defense especially at tackle. BRANDON BUNKLEY, DT, Florida State to help Jimmy Kennedy, one of many high-pick DTs who hasn't quite worked out.
12. CLEVELAND. Phil Savage, the GM, and Romeo Crennel, the coach, seem to have had a good offseason. JIMMY WILLIAMS, db, Virginia Tech, is a big cornerback who could be a safety.
13. BALTIMORE. Kerry Collins is out there waiting to be reunited with Jim Fassel, the Ravens' offensive coordinator. Not after they take JAY CUTLER, QB, Vanderbilt.
14. PHILADELPHIA. The Eagles couldn't wait to let T.O. go, but they'll acknowledge that it left a void on the field. Most highly touted Florida receivers turn out no better than ordinary - Spurrier system guys who don't quite conquer the NFL. Maybe CHAD JACKSON, WR, Florida is different.
15. DENVER. The Broncos usually find their running backs off some scrap heap. The rare first-round Denver running back might be DeANGELO WILLIAMS, RB, Memphis.
16. MIAMI. Sam Madison was a salary cap casualty. JONATHAN JOSEPH, CB, South Carolina. Or another cornerback. Who knows?
17. MINNESOTA. A lot of good defensive players left, like ERNIE SIMS, LB, Florida State.
18. DALLAS. Roy Williams is a ferocious hitter - they changed the rules to keep him from using the "horsecollar" tackle. But he can use a partner who can cover. DONTE WITNER, S, Ohio State.
19. SAN DIEGO. When your best receiver is 36-year-old Keenan McCardell, you need young speed. SANTONIO HOLMES, WR, Ohio State.
20. KANSAS CITY. When your defense has to be overhauled every year, why not overhaul it with fresh blood. TYE HILL, CB, Clemson.
21. NEW ENGLAND. Bill Belichick was a young assistant in the Meadowlands when Rob Carpenter was the Giants' running back. Rob's son, BOBBY CARPENTER, LB, Ohio State is the thinking man's kind of player Belichick loves.
22. DENVER. Rod Smith is aging and Ashley Lelie is, to be kind, inconsistent. SINORICE MOSS, WR, Miami, may not be as good as his brother Santana, but he's the fastest guy out there.
23. TAMPA BAY. Even when the Bucs won the Super Bowl, they had a shaky offensive line. ERIC WINSTON, OT, Miami, giving the Hurricanes two in a row. Nothing new there.
24. CINCINNATI. No one in Cincinnati remembers when the Bengals drafted this low. But they need defense to stay here. JASON ALLEN, S, Tennessee.
25. NEW YORK GIANTS. If they sign LaVar Arrington, which might happen, they may not need CHAD GREENWAY, LB, Iowa, as much.
26. CHICAGO. The receivers are gone. So they take the new kind of receiver, MARCEDES LEWIS, TE, UCLA, one of those catching tight ends who don't block much.
27. CAROLINA. Hot news. John Fox had dinner the other night with LenDale White, the Southern Cal running back who showed up overweight and out of shape at his workout. Why not: LENDALE WHITE, RB, Southern Cal.
28. JACKSONVILLE. First-round centers are rare. But the Jaguars need offense. NICK MANGOLD, C, Ohio State. Hey, why didn't the Buckeyes at least win the Big Ten title?
29. NEW YORK JETS. This pick could be in New Orleans if the Jets make the Leinart deal. If not, LAURENCE MARONEY, RB, Minnesota as Curtis Martin reaches the end of the line.
30. INDIANAPOLIS. Maybe JOSEPH ADDAI, RB, LSU, is Edgerrin James.
31. SEATTLE. No Steve Hutchinson, so Mike Holmgren will try to shuffle his line to replace him. DAVIN JOSEPH, G, Oklahoma might figure in the mix even though most teams don't like guards in the first round.
32. PITTSBURGH. Troy Polamalu is a stud safety from Southern Cal. DARNELL BING, S, Southern Cal.
© 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy.
AP Takes Shot at Projecting NFL Draft
By DAVE GOLDBERG
AP Football Writer
You must be registered for see images
You must be registered for see images
AP Photo/MICHAEL CONROY
You must be registered for see images
Other News Videofunction apvDwd
You must be registered for see images
You must be registered for see images
You must be registered for see images
A friend of mine who worked for a Dallas newspaper in 1988 is still angry that Gil Brandt, then the personnel director of the Dallas Cowboys, told him the Cowboys absolutely, positively wouldn't draft Michael Irvin with the 11th overall pick.Funny, because everyone else seemed to know Irvin was headed for Dallas. Brandt, who now works for the NFL, was just doing his job - fabricating. So my friend sent Irvin somewhere else in his mock draft and is still angry about it.
Get over it.
Mock drafts are just that - MOCK. The only GM who ever told me the truth at this time of year was the late John Butler, who was with Buffalo in 1997. The Bills drafted 25th and Butler never thought Antowain Smith would drop that far. So he told me he would love to take him. He fell and Butler took him.
You must be registered for see images
AP_Tacoda_AMS_DDC_addPair("SECTION", "SPORTS; FOOTBALL")AP_Tacoda_AMS_DDC
You must be registered for see images
You must be registered for see images
GMs also do silly things, like rave about workouts, forgetting the game is played in pads, not shorts. So a lot of guys who are drafted high end up flopping and a lot of guys drafted low end up as stars.Go back 10 years. Ray Lewis was drafted 26th overall, Marvin Harrison was 19th, Ted Bruschi was 86th and Terrell Owens 89th. Some of the guys who went in the top 15? Cedric Jones, Lawrence Phillips, Tim Biakabutuka, Rickey Dudley, Alex Molden. And more.
As of now, this is how the first round might go when the draft starts.
It will change by April 29.
Maybe a lot.
---
1. HOUSTON. Sort of a guarantee. REGGIE BUSH, RB, Southern Cal. He plays well in uniform, does well at workouts. Hope he doesn't get killed by the Texans' OL.
2. NEW ORLEANS. They don't want Matt Leinart because they traded for Drew Brees. Still, They'll either trade this pick to the Jets or Titans or take D'BRICKASHAW FERGUSON, OT, Virginia. Leinart's people, big-time L.A. showbiz types, want him in the limelight and are trying to get him to New York.
3. TENNESSEE. They might have to get up to block the Jets to take MATT LEINART, QB, Southern Cal. But don't believe the Vince Young rumors. Norm Chow, Tennessee's offensive coordinator, was at USC with Leinart.
4. NEW YORK JETS. They also have the 29th overall pick and could use that to help get up to No. 2. If they are thwarted in trade attempts, they have to hope Chad Pennington recovers or Patrick Ramsey can play. MARIO WILLIAMS, DE, North Carolina State to replace John Abraham.
5. GREEN BAY. Like the Jets, they'll be bad this year whatever they do. And they'll probably be bad for a while because if Brett Favre plays this year, he probably won't in 2007. So they'll need defense. A.J. HAWK, LB, Ohio State.
6. SAN FRANCISCO. Yeah, they won five Super Bowls in 15 years. But the last one was more than a decade ago. The defense isn't bad, so VERNON DAVIS, TE, Maryland, is a good pick at a position that's in vogue these days.
7. OAKLAND. One of the good things about the Raiders is that they don't get paralyzed by overanalysis, like Wonderlic scores. Just watch the Rose Bowl and forget the blah-blah-blah. VINCE YOUNG, QB, Texas
8. BUFFALO. One of the bad things the Bills did a year ago was let Pat Williams go to the Vikings. Williams is listed at 320 pounds. Maybe 420? Whatever. HALOTI NGATA, DT, Oregon, is listed at 339 or 345. Does that mean he's 439 or 445? Take him.
9. DETROIT. The Ms have taken wide receivers the last three years and none has really worked out. MIKE HUFF, DB, Texas could go earlier. If not, he's certain to go here. M's? Matt Millen has hired Marty Mornhinweg, Steve Mariucci and Rod Marinelli as coaches and Mike Martz as offensive coordinator.
10. ARIZONA. No matter how good Larry Fitzgerald is (very) they should have taken a QB when they had a shot at Philip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger two years ago because Kurt Warner won't hold up for a season. Try to protect him. WINSTON JUSTICE, OT, Southern Cal.
11. ST. LOUIS. They replaced Martz with Scott Linehan, another offensive "genius." They need defense especially at tackle. BRANDON BUNKLEY, DT, Florida State to help Jimmy Kennedy, one of many high-pick DTs who hasn't quite worked out.
12. CLEVELAND. Phil Savage, the GM, and Romeo Crennel, the coach, seem to have had a good offseason. JIMMY WILLIAMS, db, Virginia Tech, is a big cornerback who could be a safety.
13. BALTIMORE. Kerry Collins is out there waiting to be reunited with Jim Fassel, the Ravens' offensive coordinator. Not after they take JAY CUTLER, QB, Vanderbilt.
14. PHILADELPHIA. The Eagles couldn't wait to let T.O. go, but they'll acknowledge that it left a void on the field. Most highly touted Florida receivers turn out no better than ordinary - Spurrier system guys who don't quite conquer the NFL. Maybe CHAD JACKSON, WR, Florida is different.
15. DENVER. The Broncos usually find their running backs off some scrap heap. The rare first-round Denver running back might be DeANGELO WILLIAMS, RB, Memphis.
16. MIAMI. Sam Madison was a salary cap casualty. JONATHAN JOSEPH, CB, South Carolina. Or another cornerback. Who knows?
17. MINNESOTA. A lot of good defensive players left, like ERNIE SIMS, LB, Florida State.
18. DALLAS. Roy Williams is a ferocious hitter - they changed the rules to keep him from using the "horsecollar" tackle. But he can use a partner who can cover. DONTE WITNER, S, Ohio State.
19. SAN DIEGO. When your best receiver is 36-year-old Keenan McCardell, you need young speed. SANTONIO HOLMES, WR, Ohio State.
20. KANSAS CITY. When your defense has to be overhauled every year, why not overhaul it with fresh blood. TYE HILL, CB, Clemson.
21. NEW ENGLAND. Bill Belichick was a young assistant in the Meadowlands when Rob Carpenter was the Giants' running back. Rob's son, BOBBY CARPENTER, LB, Ohio State is the thinking man's kind of player Belichick loves.
22. DENVER. Rod Smith is aging and Ashley Lelie is, to be kind, inconsistent. SINORICE MOSS, WR, Miami, may not be as good as his brother Santana, but he's the fastest guy out there.
23. TAMPA BAY. Even when the Bucs won the Super Bowl, they had a shaky offensive line. ERIC WINSTON, OT, Miami, giving the Hurricanes two in a row. Nothing new there.
24. CINCINNATI. No one in Cincinnati remembers when the Bengals drafted this low. But they need defense to stay here. JASON ALLEN, S, Tennessee.
25. NEW YORK GIANTS. If they sign LaVar Arrington, which might happen, they may not need CHAD GREENWAY, LB, Iowa, as much.
26. CHICAGO. The receivers are gone. So they take the new kind of receiver, MARCEDES LEWIS, TE, UCLA, one of those catching tight ends who don't block much.
27. CAROLINA. Hot news. John Fox had dinner the other night with LenDale White, the Southern Cal running back who showed up overweight and out of shape at his workout. Why not: LENDALE WHITE, RB, Southern Cal.
28. JACKSONVILLE. First-round centers are rare. But the Jaguars need offense. NICK MANGOLD, C, Ohio State. Hey, why didn't the Buckeyes at least win the Big Ten title?
29. NEW YORK JETS. This pick could be in New Orleans if the Jets make the Leinart deal. If not, LAURENCE MARONEY, RB, Minnesota as Curtis Martin reaches the end of the line.
30. INDIANAPOLIS. Maybe JOSEPH ADDAI, RB, LSU, is Edgerrin James.
31. SEATTLE. No Steve Hutchinson, so Mike Holmgren will try to shuffle his line to replace him. DAVIN JOSEPH, G, Oklahoma might figure in the mix even though most teams don't like guards in the first round.
32. PITTSBURGH. Troy Polamalu is a stud safety from Southern Cal. DARNELL BING, S, Southern Cal.
© 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy.
