2006 NFL mock draft

This is the official mock draft for the 2006 NFL Draft on April 29-30. Brandon and I have spent many hours coming up with what we truly believe will happen this weekend. Obviously, we can't predict any trades that will occur, and we both agree that there will be several trades involving first round picks. That being said, we'll offer the mock draft as the order sits now, and update accordingly.

1. Houston Texans -- Reggie Bush/RB/USC -- What else is there left to say that you haven't already heard? He's simply too good to pass up... and although the Texans don't necessarily need a RB, Bush makes any team better.

2. New Orleans Saints -- Mario Williams/DE/NC State -- Williams is clearly the best defensive player in the draft, but this pick could end up outside the Big Easy, and then it's anyone's guess. If they keep it, Williams is the best option and shouldn't be passed on.

3. Tennessee Titans -- Matt Leinart/QB/USC -- The deciding factor turns out to be Titans Offensive Coordinator Norm Chow, who coached Leinart at USC. Tennessee can't screw this one up no matter if it's Leinart or Vince Young.

4. New York Jets -- D'Brickashaw Ferguson/OT/Virginia -- He's the best offensive lineman in the draft and the Jets decide to pass on a quarterback in favor of bolstering the line. Ferguson will be on their line for the next 10-15 years, and this pick might dictate what they do at #29.

5. Green Bay Packers -- A.J. Hawk/LB/Ohio State -- This is probably the only pick in the top 5 that we are sure about. It would be hard for the Pack to pass on Hawk, who gives them the option to move Nick Barnett outside, or play them side-by-side. Either way, he's an impact player on a defense that needs one.

6. San Francisco 49ers -- Vernon Davis/TE/Maryland -- Davis is probably the best athlete pound-for-pound in the draft, and he immediately makes Alex Smith better. The 49ers will probably look to the defense with their pick at #22, so they grab Davis now.

7. Oakland Raiders -- Vince Young/QB/Texas -- Raise your hand if you thought Young would be available at #7 an hour after the Rose Bowl? We didn't either, but that's how it looks like it will play out. There are questions about his throwing motion, but as long as he can throw the jump ball to Moss, who cares what the motion looks like?

8. Buffalo Bills -- Brodrick Bunkley/DT/Florida State -- He's more athletic than Haloit Ngata, and figures to be an immediate impact player in Dick Jauron's defense. Bunkley had strong numbers in 2005 against NFL-caliber linemen and will anchor the Bills for many years.

9. Detroit Lions -- Michael Huff/DB/Texas -- Huff has the ability to play safety or cornerback in the NFL. The Lions will probably misuse him, but his immense talent will shine through, and he will be an impact in 2006.

10. Arizona Cardinals -- Haloti Ngata/DT/Oregon -- The Cards pass on Cutler and plug a hole at DT with the 6'4" 340lb lineman. Ngata will be an impact player from day one, and he will complement Darnell Dockett well.

11. St. Louis Rams -- Ernie Sims/LB/Florida State -- The Rams make the first reach of the draft and select the undersized Sims. He's a phenomenal athlete who became a tackling machine at FSU, but there were better options here.

12. Cleveland Browns -- Kamerion Wembley/DE/Florida State -- Wembley fits well into Cleveland's 3-4 defense and should be an immediate force rushing the QB from the outside. The Browns are also looking at Manny Lawson here, but they fill a hole with Wembley.

13. Baltimore Ravens -- Winston Justice/OT/USC -- Justice had off-field problems during the 2004 season that probably cost him a chance at being a top-6 pick this year. He's a huge right tackle who should complement Jonathan Ogden well, and then switch to left tackle once Ogden retires.

14. Philadelphia Eagles -- Chad Greenway/LB/Iowa -- This is one of the major boom or bust picks... the Eagles pass on a receiver to upgrade their linebacking corps. Greenway is a big, physical backer who possesses below average strength for a top-tier LB. If he can improve his lower body drive, he'll be a stud.

15. Denver Broncos -- Chad Jackson/WR/Florida -- Ashley Lelie will be traded, and Jackson could step in as the star immediately. Rod Smith is older than dirt, but should be a good mentor to Jackson. He needs more experience, but he'll be thrown into the mix right away in Denver.

16. Miami Dolphins -- Jimmy Williams/CB/Virginia Tech -- Miami has their choice of any CB in the draft, and chooses Williams, who at 6'2", is the tallest of the top-5 corner prospects. Scouts question his focus, so if Nick Saban can keep his head straight, Williams will produce.

17. Minnesota Vikings -- Jay Cutler/QB/Vanderbilt -- Cutler watched himself become a first round pick almost overnight by being the only big name QB to work out at the combine. I still think he's overrated, but the Vikings have no choice but to draft him, if he falls this far.

18. Dallas Cowboys -- Demeco Ryans/LB/Alabama -- He just looks like a Parcells guy... Ryans is a hard-hitting OLB, who could stand to add 15-20 pounds to his 6'1" 225lb frame. He is a good tackler, and should step in to start week 1 for Dallas.

19. San Diego Chargers -- Tye Hill/CB/Clemson -- It was between Hill and Antonio Cromartie, and the Chargers choose to draft the athlete rather than the shut down corner. Hill is only 5'9" and has poor technique, but he's a phenomenal talent and will definitely be used as a nickel corner, if not more.

20. Kansas City Chiefs -- Antonio Cromartie/CB/Florida State -- The biggest question mark in the first round, Cromartie could turn out to be the best player from this draft. Cromartie missed the entire 2005 season due to injury, but his workouts have been great, and he's ready to become a starter in the NFL.

21. New England Patriots -- Manny Lawson/DE/NC State -- Simply a speed rusher, Lawson offers little to run defense and zone coverage. He's exceptionally quick, and would play on the outside in a 3-4 scheme. His college resume includes 10.5 sacks and 4 INT in 2005.

22. San Francisco 49ers -- Mathias Kiwanuka/DE/Boston College -- Kiwanuka is another speed rusher who is bigger than Lawson, but with less moves. He creates matchup problems because of his height (6'7") and with a little more strength, he could develop into a superstar. This is a steal at 22...

23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- Santonio Holmes/WR/Ohio State -- Holmes probably shouldn't have fallen this far, but Tampa doesn't mind. His size will be questioned, but he has the rare combination of deep speed and over-the-middle hands and route running. He scored 25 touchdowns in his three seasons at OSU.

24. Cincinnati Bengals -- Tamba Hali/DE/Penn State -- Hali is the typical jack-of-all-trades, master of none. He's a gifted athlete that has no true weakness. His motor is always running, and he's one of the hardest workers in the draft. He'll be a good pro, but never a superstar.

25. New York Giants -- Eric Winston/OT/Miami -- The Giants get good value here, and Winston has the versatility to play either side of the line. With the signing of LaVar Arrington, they were able to look to the line, and Winston will be a starter for many years.

26. Chicago Bears -- Marcedes Lewis/TE/UCLA -- The Bears would be better off trading down and stockpiling picks, because there are better values at TE in the middle to late second round. Lewis has great hands and quickness, and creates matchup problems in the red zone. He still shouldn't be a first-round pick.

27. Carolina Panthers -- Laurence Maroney/RB/Minnesota -- Maroney is the best RB prospect in this draft not named Bush. He can take it to the end zone on every play, and has great leg strength. It's hard to see why the Panthers would draft a top back after signing DeShaun Foster, but all indications are that they will.

28. Jacksonville Jaguars -- Bobby Carpenter/LB/Ohio State -- The Jags love Carpenter, but they could probably trade down to the 35-40 range and still draft him. His stock rose tremendously over the last year, and he's still improving. That being said, there were several better options.

29. New York Jets -- DeAngelo Williams/RB/Memphis -- The Jets complement their earlier pick of D'Brickashaw Ferguson by giving him a runner to block for. The problem is that they picked the wrong guy. Williams is a gifted athlete and runner, but the Jets could have added a top CB here or moved down and drafted a RB in the second round.

30. Indianapolis Colts -- Ashton Youboty/CB/Ohio State -- Youboty is too good to fall this far, so the Colts snatch him and will reap the benefits. They were hoping Maroney would fall, but they'll look to RB in the second or third round. Youboty has great size and speed, and could start right now for 20 NFL teams.

31. Seattle Seahawks -- Donte Whitner/S/Ohio State -- This is a great pick for the Seahawks, who need a healthy, hard-hitting safety. Whitner is still developing his skills and he could be a Pro-Bowler early in his career. He has the skill set and attitude to make an immediate impact.

32. Pittsburgh Steelers -- Jason Allen/CB/Tennessee -- Allen can play corner or safety in the NFL, and has the size and speed to excel at either position. It's hard to believe he's a first-round pick, but the Steelers seem to know what they are doing with secondary selections.

Favre to play in 2006

QB Brett Favre announced that he will return to the Packers in 2006, according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen. Favre called head coach Mike McCarthy early Tuesday morning to inform him of his decision. This brings to an end weeks of speculation over whether or not Favre would play. See the previous post "Favre: Should I Stay or Should I Go?" for further analysis.

Ricky officially suspended

Updating a previous article "Ricky too smoky?" February 20, 2006, Miami Dolphins RB Ricky Williams lost his appeal to the NFL and will serve a suspension for the entire 2006 season. This was his fourth violation of the NFL's substance abuse policy. Williams will be eligible for reinstatement for the 2007 season.

When Ricky was at the top of his game, which was for the 2001-03 seasons, he was one of the most devastating runners in recent memory. He had the bulk to run over defenders inside, and the speed to turn the corner and go the distance. He had special athletic ability, only seen very few times in a generation.

Unfortunately, Williams is another case of an athlete who let drugs ruin an otherwise phenomenal sports career. While Ricky might not have been considered with the top running backs in history, he would have likely finished his career much higher than 46th on the career rushing yards list, where he sits now. As it was, Ricky was an enigma of a human being whose bizarre actions and drug use derailed a pro football career.

While he says he'll return for the 2007 season, the Dolphins would be foolish to allow him onto the squad. My thought is that he's probably played his last game in the NFL, and could surface as a publicity tool in the Arena League or some semi-pro outfit. It's been fun, Ricky... but your 15 minutes is up.

NFL draft preview -- TE

Here are my rankings for the best NFL draft prospects at TE. These rankings will be based on the player's overall talent level and chance to have a good pro career. They will not take into consideration draft order or needs of current NFL teams. That will be assessed after the draft in the updated fantasy rankings.

1. Vernon Davis -- Maryland -- Davis is clearly the best prospect at TE, and one of the top 10 athletes in the draft. He checks in at 6'4" 250lbs and ran a 4.38 40-yd dash at the combine. That's right... 4.38. That's faster than most of the WR prospects, and Davis is much bigger. Davis runs excellent routes, and has the ability to gain separation from coverage, whether it be linebackers or defensive backs. He has a chance to be a special player in the NFL, with his size and speed combination. Davis isn't one of the top blocking TE in the draft, but who cares? He will probably be a top-10 pick, and should be the only TE taken in the first round.

2. Marcedes Lewis -- UCLA -- After Davis, the next four TE could all make a case for #2. My pick is Lewis, who knows how to use his 6'6" 260lb frame to be an offensive force. He caught 58 passes in 2005 and scored 10 touchdowns, while averaging more than 12 yards per catch. Lewis is an exceptional blocker, meaning he won't be pulled on running downs. If he gets into the right NFL scheme, he could produce immediately. He'll probably be a late second round pick.

3. Leonard Pope -- Georgia -- Pope might turn out to be the best value at TE in the draft. He's still considered a project, and scouts would like to see 20 more pounds on his 6'7" 255lb body. He's a phenomenal offensive TE, who runs routes precisely and has great hands. Isn't as fast as Davis or Joe Klopfenstein, but he's quick enough to find holes in zone coverages. The biggest knock on Pope is that he is a below average blocker. More bulk would aid this, but it might take away from his offensive ability. Had he stayed in school for his fourth year, he could have been a first round pick. As he is now, he'll be drafted in the second, and some team will be happy in '07 or '08 when he becomes a top-10 TE.

4. Joe Klopfenstein -- Colorado -- You might not know (or be able to say) his name now, but by the time he has two or three NFL seasons under his belt, you will. He will eventually outperform guys drafted in front of him. Klop is the smartest TE in the draft, and he runs routes that consistently get him open. He is an excellent blocker, and impressed scouts with good combine numbers, including a 4.62 40-yd dash and 36" vertical leap, while checking in at 6'6" and 248lbs. Teams looking to fill a TE void would be better off to wait until the third round and draft Klop.

5. Anthony Fasano -- Notre Dame -- Fasano is one of those guys who probably shouldn't be ranked this high, but the national attention didn't hurt him any. He is good at many things, but great at none. Fasano is another extremely intelligent player, and one of the hardest workers in the draft. Unfortunately, that doesn't translate to fantasy success. He has good hands, and works well in traffic, but his athleticm leaves something to be desired. He could sneak into the second round, but probably will be picked between 70-90 players into the draft.

6. Dominique Byrd -- USC -- Byrd is like Fasano, in that he wasn't hurt by being on TV all season. He's an injury-prone tight end who had a better 2004 season than 2005. Byrd has good quickness, and is an above-average blocker. He could excel as an H-back in the NFL because of his size (6'3" 262lbs) and receiving ability. Byrd isn't an elite TE, but he could have been a higher draft pick had he entered the draft in 2004. He might be picked on the first day, somewhere in the third round.

7. Charles Davis -- Purdue -- Davis is an imposing figure, packing 267lbs on his 6'6" frame. He played forward for the Boilermakers basketball team, so he immediately draws comparisons to Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates as crossover players. Don't confuse him with those guys, though... Davis is a project, but he has the athleticism to become an excellent offensive tight end in the NFL. He didn't have a great combine, but an NFL team might take a chance on him late in the draft to see what happens.