Hey look, I have a Mock Draft! 4-28

I've read about 75 different predictions in the past week by the "experts" which tells me no one has any idea what's going to happen so I thought I'd give you my prediction. Let's see how wrong I can be!

1) Houston - Reggie Bush - USC
2) New Orleans - Mario Williams - North Carolina St
3) Tennessee - Matt Leinert - USC - I keep hearing they'll take Young but that is a smoke screen. Fisher is a USC alum and Chow is Leinerts former offensive coordinator there. Tennessee is hoping someone will jump up and want to make a trade in order to get Young, hence all the rumors going around.
4) Jets - D'Brickasaw Ferguson - Virginia - Not a sexy pick, but a stud offensive lineman. Keep in mind the Belichick ties here now in the staff. They will not pick a quaterback, running back or receiver this high as you can ALWAYS find that lower in the draft..... They'll draft for value.
5) Packers - AJ Hawk - The Ohio State. This pick and the 49ers pick next, I see everyone predicting this so I'll go with it......
6) 49'ers - Vernon Davis - Maryland
7. Oakland - Vince Young - Texas - the wild card... Can Al Davis pass on a talent??? No.
8. Buffalo - Haloti Ngata - Oregon State
9. Detroit - Michael Huff - Texas
10. Arizona - Jay Cutler - Vanderbilt
11. St. Louis - Jimmy Williams - Virginia Tech
12. Cleveland - Chad Greenway - Iowa
13. Baltimore - Brodrick Bunkley - Florida State
14. Philadelphia - Bobby Carpenter - Ohio State
15. Denver (from Atlanta) - every "expert" I read has them taking a wide receiver, so I'll go with one also - Chad Jackson - Florida
16. Miami - Winston Justice - Miami - They need protection for Culpepper, so I'll go with the best offensive lineman on the board. However Santonio Holmes might go here too....
17. Minnesota - Ernie Sims - Florida St. - they continue building the defense.
18. Dallas - Manny Lawson - North Carolina St.
19. San Diego - Antonio Cromartie- Florida St. - No player has been shooting up the draft boards quicker recently as Cromartie. He's coming back from a torn ACL and didn't take a snap in 05, but is 1 of the most talented players in the draft. Has the same potential as Champ Bailey...
20. Kansas City - Tye Hill - Clemson
21. New England - Kamerion Wimbley - Florida St. - a big time defensive end who could go as high as 12. I keep reading they'll take a running back to start replacing Corey Dillon but NE does not select running backs this high..... also if Cromartie falls to them here, they won't be able to get their card in quick enough as they'd love to have him!
22. San Franciso - They were hoping for Wimbley, so if NE passes on him, they take him..... But seeing as how I do have him gone, I'll go with - Richard Marshall - Fresno State.
23. Tampa Bay - Donte Witner - Ohio State - versatile player capable of playing 4 positions on the defense.
24. Cincinnati - Jason Allen - Tennessee
25. N.Y. Giants - Santonio Holmes - Ohio State - Giants are amazed he's dropped this far and although they were planning on going defense, they get an incrediable player at 25.
26. Chicago - With Jerry Azumah (UNH alum....) retiring, they'll go cornerback - Jonathon Joseph - South Carolina
27. Carolina - Lendale White - USC - best big back in the draft.
28. Jacksonville - Thomas Howard - UNLV - Del Rio likes linebackers and Howard is as athletic as they come.
29. NY Jets (from Denver through Atlanta) - Nick Mangold, a center, was who I was going to give them but with Cedric Houston in an auto accident, I think they take - Deangelo Williams - Memphis.
30. Indianapolis - Laurance Maroney - Minnesota. With the loss of "Edge", they're thrilled to have 1 of the top running backs fall to them.
31. Seattle - Ashton Youboty - Ohio State
32. Pittsburgh - Sinorice Moss - Miami - Santana's brother and capable of taking over the 3rd wide receiver spot left vacant by Randal El leaving.

A couple notes about the draft. Obviously I didn't factor in any trades (which I don't see happening much in the 1st round anyways), but if someone makes a jump up to get one of the big 3 QB's, then the picks could change drastically. Secondly, concerning the Patriots and a running back, if they do select one look for them to go with Joseph Addai out of LSU in the 3rd or 4th round.

I also want to go out on a limb and say that 12 years from now when we look back on this draft we'll say how could teams consider taking Vince Young over Leinert, as Leinert will have a stellar career. Also I see Reggie Bush getting injured down the road, and when they retire, Lendale White will have had a better career......

There you have it, my 1st official nfl mock draft! Lets take a look at it next week and see how wrong I am.........

Ciao,

Bill

Dinner Table - 4/13/06

Name 3 athletes, alive or dead, you'd like to have dinner with. Here's my 3:

1) Jackie Robinson - The man went through so much and handled it all with dignity. I'm sure he'd be very satisfied with how far sports have come with integration.

2) Wilt Chamberlain - You need someone at the table who is full of stories and admittedly I'd be grilling him on all his "conquests".....

3) Babe Didrikson - I had to include 1 woman in the group and it was a tough choice between the greatest female athlete of all time or Anna Kournikova (best looking female athlete of all time!)............ Babe dominated golf and track and field like no female athlete before or since. In golf she won 55 tournaments (including a string of 13 in a row) and she was one of 3 people to start the LPGA tour. In track and field, she won the womans 1st olympic javelin and set a world record in the 80 meter hurdles. She was named the female athlete of the year 6 times.

I think these 3 would be a good start.

Bill