A Look Back: 2006 Mock Draft

Before I begin my mock draft for 2009 I felt it would be appropriate to look back at some of my previous attempts at making a mock draft. The mock draft I am about to present is from the 2006 NFL Draft, a draft in which I only had two picks right, but I did have 7 other positions properly picked and a few needs properly diagnosed. The Texans not picking Reggie Bush with the 1^st overall pick ruined most of my draft. Also, a lot of first round trades hurt the mock considerably. This was my first attempt at Mock Drafting so please bear with me.

Houston Texans

Projected Pick: Reggie Bush HB USC

Actual Pick: Mario Williams DE NC State

The Texans offense was absolutely stagnant and Reggie Bush seemed to be a possible spark to jumpstart it. However, the Texans went with Mario Williams, a tough decision that has paid off for the Texans. Although I hated them at the time for messing up my mock draft I respect the Texans for choosing substance over flash. They made the tough decision and are a better team now because of it.

New Orleans Saints

Projected Pick: D’Brickshaw Ferguson OT Virgina

Actual Pick: Reggie Bush HB USC

Everybody knew the Saints needed major upgrades offensively. Drew Brees was by far the best pickup of that offseason. There were concerns about Deuce McCallister’s durability and the Saints needed to bring in fans after Katrina devastated the Superdome. To my chagrin it made perfect sense for the Saints to pick up Reggie Bush and although he has come on some hard times as of late, his value to that city at that time will forever be priceless.

Tennessee Titans

Projected Pick: Matt Leinert QB USC

Actual Pick: Vince Young QB Texas

McNair was on his way out and the Titans needed young blood. I thought they would want to change directions and have a pocket passer, but the Titans wanted to see a return of a mobile QB in Nashville. I can’t blame them; if Young is able to sort out his mental state he can still be very good for the Titans. I had the right position, just the wrong player.

New York Jets

Projected Pick: Mario Williams DE NC State

Actual Pick: D’Brickshaw Ferguson OT Virgina

I figured that with Abraham out of New York they would replace him with Super Mario. However, I did not realize that Mario would be going to Houston. Thus, the Jets shored up their offensive line by selecting the dynamic Ferguson. They would also later select Nick Mangold so it would seem that offensive line was a priority for the Jets in this draft.

Green Bay Packers

Projected Pick: AJ Hawk OLB Ohio State

Actual Pick: AJ Hawk OLB Ohio State

The Packers needed to revitalize their defense and AJ Hawk is a special talent. It seemed like an obvious pick and Green Bay must have thought so too. Thus, AJ Hawk became a Packer and I made my first ever successful projection.

San Francisco 49ers

Projected Pick: Vernon Davis TE Maryland

Actual Pick: Vernon Davis TE Maryland

What do you get to help a young QB? Quite simply a good TE. Davis was a phenomenal receiving tight end that also had great blocking potential. A tight end like Davis was supposed to help the run game and further Alex Smith’s development. This was my only other successful projection in this draft. While Smith never panned out and Davis has struggled, this was a solid idea.

Oakland Raiders

Projected Pick: Vince Young QB Texas

Actual Pick: Michael Huff SS Texas

I thought that if Young was available the Raiders would jump on him, after all Aaron Brooks was definitely not a long-term (not even a short term) solution. Given that the Raiders would draft Russell the next year it seemed I had the right idea. However, Young was not available and Davis clearly did not like Leinert so they upgraded their pass defense with Michael Huff. Huff was having a decent year, but it would seem the conversion to Free Safety did not benefit him. Otherwise upgrading the defense is never a bad idea.

Buffalo Bills

Projected Pick: Brodrick Bunkley DT Florida State

Actual Pick: Donte Whitner SS Ohio State

Buffalo needed to upgrade their defense that was for sure. I thought that they would want to do it on the ground as they would later in this draft with McCargo. However, they picked Whitner first who has benefited the Bills defense phenomenally.

Detroit Lions

Projected Pick: Michael Huff DB Texas

Actual Pick: Ernie Sims OLB Florida State

Once again I knew Detroit’s defense needed an upgrade, but they went with Sims. Hard to argue with that thought as Sims was one of the few bright spots in Detroit’s winless season.

Arizona Cardinals

Projected Pick: Winston Justice OT USC

Actual Pick: Matt Leinert QB USC

I definitely did not see the Cardinals taking a QB, but it was something they thought they needed. Bringing in Edge I thought they would go O-line and improve the run. Improving the run would have been great to help Kurt Warner along. However, it would appear I overvalued Justice considerably and Leinert was a steal. Hopefully he will pan out for the Cardinals down the road.

Denver Broncos

Projected Pick: St. Louis Jimmy Williams DB Virginia Tech

Actual Pick: Jay Cutler QB Vanderbilt

Shanahan clearly wanted his franchise QB and Cutler was definitely it. It is a shame Shanahan was fired and I hope it doesn’t hinder Cutler’s development. I felt that the Rams wanted to upgrade their secondary which they would do later in the draft, but it seems I overestimated Williams’ value.

Baltimore Ravens

Projected Pick: Cleveland Tamba Hali DE Penn State

Actual Pick: Haloti Ngata DT Oregon

Baltimore traded up to get Ngata, a smart move because he has been great for them. Ngata has been very special for the Ravens and only made its powerful defense more fearsome. With the next pick I had the Ravens taking Cutler. With McNair’s status unclear I thought the Ravens would want to bring in the brilliant Cutler.

Cleveland Browns

Projected Pick: Baltimore Ravens Jay Culter QB Vanderbilt

Actual Pick: Kamerion Wimbley OLB Florida State

I had Cleveland taking Tamba Hali, but that was a mistake. Hali is not suitable for a 3-4 DE. Wimbley is and has been a much better fit for the Browns than Hali would have been.

Philadelphia Eagles

Projected Pick: Nick Mangold C Ohio State

Actual Pick: Brodrick Bunkley DT Florida State

I thought that the offensive line would be a priority, but it was not as much as the defensive line. The Eagles would later draft Winston Justice, but Bunkley was their first decision. Bunkley was a good decision as he has started for them the past two seasons.

St. Louis Rams

Projected Pick: Denver Chad Jackson WR Florida

Actual Pick: Tye Hill CB Clemson

The Rams needed secondary help and Hill was the best secondary player available. As far as Jackson goes, I thought that the Broncos would want to revitalize their passing game and they did with Jay Cutler earlier in the draft.

Miami Dolphins

Projected Pick: Antonio Cromartie CB Florida State

Actual Pick: Jason Allen CB Tennessee

I had the right position, just the wrong player. I’m sure the Dolphins would have been happy with Cromartie as Allen has had difficulty holding onto the nickelback position.

Minnesota Vikings

Projected Pick: Ernie Sims OLB Florida State

Actual Pick: Chad Greenway OLB Ohio State

I had the right position. I just had the wrong player. It seems to be a common phenomenon.

Dallas Cowboys

Projected Pick: Kamerion Wimbley OLB Florida State

Actual Pick: Bobby Carpenter OLB Iowa

Once again I had the position right, but not the player. The Cowboys needed an OLB and they picked the best available. Parcells fought hard to bring Carpenter with him when he went to Miami, but there was no such luck and in Dallas Carpenter has made the starting lineup only once.

San Diego Chargers

Projected Pick: Jimmy Williams DB Virginia Tech

Actual Pick: Antonio Cromartie CB Florida State

I made a mistake. I put Jimmy Williams in my mock twice. I would not have gotten this pick right anyhow, but I still feel dumb. Oh well. Once again I had a position right, just not the player. It worked out well for the Chargers this way though.

Kansas City Chiefs

Projected Pick: Haloti Ngata DT

Actual Pick: Tamba Hali DE Penn State

Kansas City needed defensive line help and they went with the best available, Tamba Hali.

New England Patriots

Projected Pick: Bobby Carpenter OLB Iowa

Actual Pick: Laurence Maroney RB Minnesota

Maroney has flashes of talent, but he has thus far been unable to stay healthy and adapt to the pass heavy Patriots offense. I had them take a LB first round but they decided to hold off and would eventually add Junior Seau to the roster.

San Francisco 49ers

Projected Pick: Chad Greenway OLB Ohio State

Actual Pick: Manny Lawson OLB NC State

The Niners needed help in the pass rush and run defense. Both things that the speedy Manny Lawson can help with if he can stay healthy.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Projected Pick: Santonio Holmes WR Ohio State

Actual Pick: Davin Joseph G Oklahoma

Offensive line was a priority with the Bucs this draft with Joseph in the first round and Trueblood in the second. To my credit they did draft WR Maurice Stovall.

Cincinnati Bengals

Projected Pick: Mercedes Lewis TE UCLA

Actual Pick: Jonathan Joseph CB South Carolina

I thought the Bengals would benefit from the addition of a tight end taking safeties off of their elite wide receivers. However, they felt that they had to help their pass defense and rightfully so. The Bengals would eventually add Ben Utecht in an attempt to accomplish just that.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Projected Pick: New York Giants Eric Winston T Miami

Actual Pick: Santonio Holmes WR Ohio State

I can’t say I was unhappy with this pick. Holmes has been great for the Steelers. I felt that the Giants would want to upgrade the o-line, but I was wrong.

Buffalo Bills

Projected Pick: Chicago Bears Sinorice Moss WR Miami

Actual Pick: John McCargo DT NC State

I thought that the Bears would want a WR in the first round, but they appeared happy with their current corps. As I had thought the Bills needed to upgrade their defensive line in this draft.

Carolina Panthers

Projected Pick: Laurence Maroney HB Minnesota

Actual Pick: Deangelo Williams HB Memphis

Deshaun Foster was not enough to help the Panthers into the Super Bowl. Thus, they needed to draft a RB and although I had the player wrong, I had the position need properly diagnosed.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Projected Pick: Demeco Ryans OLB Alabama

Actual Pick: Mercedes Lewis TE UCLA

I thought the Jaguars would help out their linebacker corps, but they decided to upgrade their tight end squad. Tight End was a need and the Jaguars added a solid player with this pick.

New York Jets

Projected Pick: Deangelo Williams RB Memphis

Actual Pick: Nick Mangold C Ohio State

I thought the Jets would want to bring in an HB to replace Curtis Martin, but they chose to continue their offensive line upgrades. Mangold was a solid choice though and is playing well to this day.

Indianapolis Colts

Projected Pick: Lendale White HB USC

Actual Pick: Joseph Addai HB Louisiana State

The Colts needed a RB in the wake of Edge’s departure and it seemed like a no-brainer that they would use their first round pick on one. Addai was that running back for the Colts, not White who went quickly in the second round.

Seattle Seahawks

Projected Pick: Donte Whitner SS Ohio State

Actual Pick: Kelly Jennings CB Miami

Seeing as Whitner was taken much, much earlier Jennings was the best available defensive back. The Seahawks had a need, which they addressed with Jennings.

New York Giants

Projected Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers Mathais Kiwanuka DE Boston College

Actual Pick: Mathais Kiwanuka DE Boston College

I thought that the Steelers would want a versatile DE like Kiwanuka who could also play LB. The Giants had the same idea and have tried to move Kiwanuka all over the front seven.