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Best and Worst of 2006 Draft
Tuesday, May 2, 2006, 09:18 AM EST
[NFL Draft, Analysis]
1. Tennessee Titans. Say what you will about Vince Young's poor Wonderlic score, or the questions that surrounded him immediately around the time of the combine. Even his Pro Day workouts were scrutinized. But one day, Vince Young will have the best of the NFL world. Behind him will be a bruising power back, one that cares more about moving the chains and scoring touchdowns than he does about bursting for that 50-yard scamper when it doesn't matter. Young will work closely with coaches upon coaches, all working to get his throwing motion to an NFL level, and to get his QB brain to an NFL level. Tennessee might not be immediately better in 2006, but watch out for this team in about four years, when both White and Young are reaching the primes of their careers. Watch for Tennessee to draft some "hogs" for the o-line, and then put together a bruising attack featuring White's stout legs and Young's fleet ones with his powerful arm. The 1-2 punch of landing both Vince Young and LenDale White will leave the rest of the NFL wondering why in the hell they didn't take one or the other...
2. Denver Broncos. You could almost see it in Mike Shanahan's eyes at the end of the 2005 AFCCG. He'd had it up to here with Jake Plummer. While Plummer was a steady quarterback when things were going smoothly, he was nothing short of a disaster waiting to happen when things got dicey. And so, in a series of deft moves, Shanahan brought in the QB some scouts felt was the best pure NFL-level QB of the draft, and then and brought in Javon Walker from Green Bay to add some speed and youth to the Broncos older receiving corps. Even better, Cutler will be able to watch and learn from the bench this year, getting that year of experience without the pressure of leading the team before stepping into the starting role. You betcha, as Myron Cope used to say. Yoi!
3. Arizona Cardinals. What? This team did something...good...on draft day? Ye Gods! Now, the one thing about Matt Leinart that no one questioned was his leadership abilities and his intangibles. When the chips were down, he's the kind of guy that can put the team on his shoulders and lead them. Will he lead the Cardinals to a winning record in 2006? That's not likely, but the pieces are now in place in Arizona. A young stud quarterback, with two of the best young receivers in the game. Importing Edgerrin James from Indy suddenly gives Arizona a resemblance of a running game, something they've been utterly lacking for a few years. While they may not put it all together and turn in a Super Bowl-winning team, the Cardinals will soon be a force to be reckoned with in the NFC West.
Now, the worst of the NFL draft
1. Buffalo Bills. Huh? What? This is a team lacking a great many things, but taking a stretch on a strong safety (who was protected somewhat in college by great, ferocious linebackers) as the first overall doesn't speak well of the Bills' decision-making. No wonder Mike Mularkey left - he could probably see the writing on the wall. After all, Mularkey was Pittsburgh's offensive coordinator for a couple of years, and he saw how the Pittsburgh organization did things. The results speak for themselves...and then he got to see how they did it in Buffalo. And now he's with Miami. Coincidence? I think NOT!
2. Houston Texans. Whether or not Reggie Bush turns into the next Gayle Sayres (unlikely) or the next high-draft-pick flameout, or whether he has a steady, nice career, the decision not to draft him - for whatever reason - does not suggest that the Texan organization has it all together. When you're the number one overall, your aim is to draft an impact player, one who will withstand the test of time and all comers. If Mario Williams is the next Bruce Smith, then maybe we'll reevaluate this draft. But the odds of drafting a HOF player - regardless of round - is slim. Maybe D'Brickshaw Ferguson wasn't a number-one-overall caliber lineman, but hell, he would have been a better choice. At least you'd get 10 solid years of work from him - something the Jets are going to be gleeful about for a long time.
3. Oakland Raiders. Perhaps Michael Huff will be a world beater in the secondary. But the fact remains that Oakland is in bad need of a quarterback - especially one thought to have the arm strength to go deep in Al Davis's preferred vertical passing game - and yet they skip Jay Cutler. Hard to fathom that...but you can bet that Denver will make Davis regret that decision twice a year (and perhaps more) for many years to come.
Overall, most teams did what they needed to do. Even the Jets, whom have been out of touch with some of their draft picks, did a solid job of turning their offensive line around. That will prove to be a good decision. The Ravens got protection for Ray Lewis. The Steelers replaced speed with 2 speed guys for their emerging passing game. New England will have continued RB production from Laurence Mulrony. Most teams did what they were supposed to do - find picks that will help tomorrow and three years from now. The projects are all drafted, the special teamers are in place and now we can sit back and wait impatiently for July, when training camps open and the marathon that is the NFL season begins anew in 2006!
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