ProfootballTalk Mock (March 26)

[Mr. Laz]

PFT 2006 MOCK DRAFT VERSION 1

March 26, 2006

We've gotten plenty of questions over the past few weeks regarding the fact that we've yet to offer up our first projection of the picks that will, could, or should be made in the 2006 draft. We probably got an earlier start in past years, but there's still more than a month to go before the day on which the latest crop of football players get formally placed with their first NFL teams.

Part of the problem, as we see it, is those round one projections that started popping up in January and February don't take into account gains and losses during free agency. So we decided to give the annual revolving door a chance to spin before trying to figure out who will go where on draft day.

The agent for each player is identified in parentheses.

Look for further updates over the next five weeks, including a second round.

ROUND ONE

1. Houston Texans: Reggie Bush, RB, USC (Joel Segal).

The Texans will pay lip service to the locals by pretending to agonize over the question of whether to pick Bush or Texas product Vince Young. Barring a trade down, it's Bush.

2. Baltimore Ravens (projected trade from Saints): Vince Young, QB, Texas (Major Adams).

The Saints could opt to stay put and draft a quarterback, but we have a weird feeling that the Ravens will fall in love with Young -- and could find a way to jump from No. 13 to snag him. For the Saints, who we hear covet a certain high-end defensive player, the drop by eleven spots will prevent them from getting him. However, the opportunity to slide back by eleven spots, and to avoid the big cash outlay associated with a top five pick, will be very, very tempting to the team's skinflint front office.

If the Saints stay put, don't be surprised if they take Matt Leinart, even with Drew Brees on the roster. Remember -- Brees' contract is essentially a one-year, $10 million deal.

3. Tennessee Titans: Matt Leinart, QB, USC (Leigh Steinberg, Charles Price).

The Titans love Young, and will take him if he's still on the board. They'll settle for the 2005 Heisman winner, who'll get a rude awakening when he doesn't have the same horses surrounding him as he did when he was a Trojan.

4. New York Jets: D'Brickashaw Ferguson, OT, Virginia (Donald Yee, Stephen Dubin).

The fact that the Jets missed out on Jon Runyan has fueled speculation that Tangini will use D'Pick on D'Brick.

5. Green Bay Packers: A.J. Hawk, LB, Ohio State (Mike McCartney).

This kid was born to be a Packer.

6. San Francisco 49ers: Mario Williams, DE, N.C. State (Ben Dogra).

Williams would go higher in a year without such a top-heavy selection of quality players.

7. Oakland Raiders: Vernon Davis, TE, Maryland (Ethan Lock, Zeke Sandhu).

Better than Kellen Winslow, who went in the six hole two years ago. As an added plus, Davis doesn't own a motorcycle.

8. Buffalo Bills: Jonathan Joseph, CB, South Carolina (Jason Chayut).

With or without Nate Clements, the Bills need an upgrade.

9. Detroit Lions: Michael Huff, S, Texas (Ben Dogra).

If Huff is there, Lions take him. Without a doubt.

10. Arizona Cardinals: Jay Cutler, QB, Vanderbilt (Bus Cook).

Kurt Warner is the quarterback of present; this team desperately needs a quarterback of the future.

11. St. Louis Rams: Haloti Ngata, DT, Oregon (Mike McCartney).

Adding La'Roi Glover isn't nearly enough to improve an interior defensive line that has been a dee-saster in St. Louis.

12. Cleveland Browns: LenDale White, RB, USC (Eugene Parker).

Even though Reuben Droughns is under contract for the next few years, they won't be able to pass on White, whose between-the-tackles toughness fits perfectly with the Dawg Pound mentality.

13. New Orleans Saints (projected trade from Ravens): Brodrick Bunkley, DT, Florida State (Gary Wichard).

The last time this team was legit, it had a defensive line that was worth a crap.

14. Philadelphia Eagles: Ernie Sims, LB, Florida State (Todd France).

Best player available.

15. Denver Broncos (from Atlanta): DeAngelo Williams, RB, Memphis (Jimmy Sexton).

Coach Kevlar needs more than Ron Dayne and Tatum Bell.

16. Miami Dolphins: Winston Justice, OT, USC (Leigh Steinberg, Bruce Tollner, Ryan Tollner).

The Fins continue to address their biggest area of weakness from 2005.

17. Minnesota Vikings: Laurence Maroney, RB, Minnesota (Ethan Lock, Zeke Sandhu, Vance Malinovic).

With their passing game disintegrating, the Vikes reel in a guy to run behind Steve Hutchinson.

18. Dallas Cowboys: Chad Jackson, WR, Florida (David Canter).

With T.O. and Terry Glenn both on the wrong side of 30, the Cowboys need to inject some youth into the position.

19. San Diego Chargers: Santonio Holmes, WR, Ohio State (Joel Segal).

Keenan McCardell is 36. Enough said.

20. Kansas City Chiefs: Jimmy Williams, CB, Virginia Tech (Eric Metz, Ethan Lock, Zeke Sandhu, Vance Malinovic).

The defense continues to get a needed upgrade.

21. New England Patriots: Tye Hill, CB, Clemson (Doug Hendrickson, Jennifer Carr).

Biggest area of need on a team that suddenly has more than a few of them.

22. Denver Broncos (from Redskins): Leonard Pope, TE, Georgia (Todd France).

Oversized target will make Denver fans says, "Shannon who?"

23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Chad Greenway, LB, Iowa.

Derrick Brooks is getting old.

24. Cincinnati Bengals: Ashton Youboty, CB, Ohio State (Joel Segal).

Good team gets better with help in the secondary.

25. New York Giants: Bobby Carpenter, LB, Ohio State (Jimmy Sexton).

G-men address a huge area of need.

26. Chicago Bears: Derek Hagan, WR, Arizona State (Tom Condon).

Now that they go two-deep at quarterback, it might be a good idea to go two-deep at receiver, too.

27. Carolina Panthers: Joseph Addai, RB, LSU (Ian Greengross).

Backfield currently exists of DeShaun Foster, Nick Goings and . . . and . . . .

28. Jacksonville Jaguars: DeMeco Ryans, LB, Alabama (Archie Lamb, Kirk Wood).

Unless LaVar Arrington slashes his price, Jags will still be looking for a replacement to Akin Ayodele come late April.

29. New York Jets (from Broncos via Falcons): Tamba Hali, DE, Penn State (Brian Mackler, James Ivler).

John Abraham? Who the hell is John Abraham?

30. Indianapolis Colts: Maurice Drew, RB, UCLA (Adisa Bakari).

Barring a trade up for one of the bigger name backs, Colts take the best one still on the board.

31. Seattle Seahawks: Max Jean-Gilles, G, Georgia (Eugene Parker).

'Hawks address their most obvious area of need in the wake of the departure of Steve Hutchinson.

32. Pittsburgh Steelers: Sinorice Moss, WR, Miami (Drew Rosenhaus).

Antwaan Randle El? Who the hell is Antwaan Randle El?

[ct]

CB Jonathan Joeseph #8? Derek Hagan in the 1st round? As if Baltimore hasn't paid badly enough for the flaky Kyle Boller, they're gonna trade up to #2 and take Vince Young?

WTF?