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From the Prez to the Olympics

1 Houston - Reggie Bush - RB - USC
The Texans have to get it right here after a poor ’05 performance especially on the offensive side of the ball. Bush is a difference maker at the NFL level. He gives this offense a player that must be accounted for on every snap and makes wideouts Andre Johnson and Eric Moulds more dangerous with the free safety mainly focusing on him. His presence also gives QB David Carr a weapon to balance this offense and capable of being the most improved unit in the league next fall if they can add a few offensive linemen in the following rounds.

First Round
x - Final position won by SF determined in a coin flip

1 Houston - Reggie Bush - RB - USC
Texans looking to sign Reggie but recent smoke screen for Super Mario is mainly for contract posturing.
Bush will be an impact performer for this club.

2 New Orleans - Mario Williams - DE - N.C. St.
In a perfect world, the Saints want to move back in the top 5 picks and still have a chance at OT D’Brickashaw Ferguson.

3 Tennessee - Vince Young - QB - Texas
Titans offense looking for a future starter here and the talented Young may have the biggest ceiling of any player in this draft class.

First Round
x - Final position won by SF determined by coin flip

1 Houston - Reggie Bush - RB - USC
Texans looking to sign Reggie soon after just getting QB David Carr to sign a long-term deal. Bush can be a difference maker for this club.

2 New Orleans - D’Brickashaw Ferguson - OT - Virginia
Saints would love to nail down the left tackle spot with this guy.

3 Tennessee - Matt Leinart - QB - USC
Titans offense looking for a future starter here and OC Norm Crow helped develop Matt at USC.

4 New York Jets - Jay Cutler - QB - Vanderbilt
Jets still need to address the games’ most important position especially when top talent is available.

Calling All Workout Warriors

The NFL Combine '06 began this week with the Olympic phase of college football scouting at the annual event in Indianapolis. Players have worked diligently preparing for this week long event knowing that a strong performance here can enhance their NFL Draft status significantly. These workouts have misled NFL talent evaluators with speed usually the factor that scouts become mesmerized with when they make their final reports. This year will be no different. Watch for prime time players like TE Vernon Davis, LB Thomas Howard, CB Tye Hill and Charles Gordon, WR Sinorice Moss, Devin Hester and Jeremy Bloom (a ’06 Olympic sky performer who finished 6th) to put up incredible numbers especially in the speed events. The two unknown performers to watch closely this week are USC Trojan cornerback John Walker and Monmouth University wideout Miles Austin. That’s right Monmouth University in West Long Branch, New Jersey, not Illinois. Both players are fine athletes who are capable of impressive workouts that propel them up their positional charts. Walker started at corner for the Trojans in ’05 until an arm injury ended his season. He is a 6’+ corner at 200 lbs. and a fine raw all around athlete. Austin is big physical wideout at 6’2� 220 lbs. who we interviewed in November and watched 9 game tapes from the past two seasons. He has fine hands and dominated the Division 1AA level at times and could be one of the huge surprises in Indy. He is capable of a 40� vertical leap and running in the low 4.4 times for the forty. Those numbers could propel at least into the middle rounds for April. Whether any of these players’ workout numbers translates to the playing field remains to be seen, but expect them to be the focus of the news during the busy week at the RCA Dome.

The NFL’s ’06 Pro Bowl is scheduled for Sunday night and will complete the ’05 season that was filled with many surprises. The Pittsburgh Steelers are the new NFL Champs after winning Super Bowl XL. They got one for the thumb in a sloppy game marked with big plays and terrible officiating. They were the superior club on Sunday and deserve all the recognition they have received this week despite several questionable and ridiculous calls. The NFL Draft and Veteran Free Agency will be the main focus over the next few months. The NFL Draft ’06 this April has all the makings of one of the special classes over the past decade. We are finishing our 15th Edition of Draft Insiders Yearbook for the NFL Draft ’06 which will have over 450 in-depth scouting reports. NFL Free Agency has been a means by clubs changing their makeup quickly if they have managed their salary cap well over the past few years. Our online NFL Free Agency book will be out in a few weeks.

Declared by Jan. 15th -
Players have an additional three days this year to decide to either declare or change their minds. In previous years, TE Ben Watson of Georgia declared in ’03 only to change his mind and return for a senior season. He was a #1 pick by the Patriots the following spring. Last year DB James Allen debated his decision and rescinded it within days and returned to the field for the ’05 College football season. Players have until Jan 18th this year to rescind their decision as long as they did not sign with an agent.

x- NFL did not list them among underclassmen though eligible for the NFL Draft '06

Team of the week - Texas

Frank Coyle is the only FWAA member who voted for Texas
in August prior to the '05 college season.

1. Texas
2. USC
3. Penn St.
4. Ohio St.
5. LSU
6. Virginia Tech
7. West Virginia
8. Alabama
9. Notre Dame
10. Florida
11. Texas Christian
12. Wisconsin
13. Oklahoma
14. Georgia
15. Oregon
16. Miami

Texas beat the champion Trojans in a game for the ages. Texas QB Vince Young carried the Longhorns to another Rose Bowl title, this time as an undefeated BCS champion. USC had a great run and is still loaded to challenge for the national title next fall.