Draft offers suspense for teams, fans
Chris Walsh

Starting at noon today, the lives of many players will be forever decided in the 2006 NFL Draft. The players, however, won’t be the only ones impacted. Fans are going crazy about the draft. Not for a long time has there been so many questions about where the 10 best players will go.

Every year teams try and try again to make sure what they are doing is right. Fans and players alike wait for those words to be spoken.

“And with the __ pick in the draft, the __ select__.” Fill in the blanks accordingly. And that is what will happen here. I will dissect each team’s needs and wants with the conventional and what could happen.

Every year a crazy trade or selection shakes up the whole draft. This year it looks like the two spot down to the 10 spot could be changed.

Team by team, here is what it looks like could happen based on team holes that need to be filled — also taking into account crazy owners and general managers.

1. Houston Texans

DE Mario Williams, NC State. Well, luckily for me I saw this get inked before I put Bush at No. 1. Now what happens at 2? In Round 2, look for the Texans to go the way of lineman. Look for tackles Marcus McNeil out of Auburn or Eric Winston out of Miami. The Texans have the first two picks in Round 3 so look for linebacker Gerris Wilkinson out of Georgia Tech and defensive end Victor Adeyanju out of Indiana.

2. New Orleans Saints

RB Reggie Bush, USC (if they stay). The Saints have two good running backs so they may look to trade. My guess is they will trade down, with Oakland, to the seventh pick and take tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson out of Virginia. Also the trade down will help the Saints get another pick in either the second or third round since they only have one second and no third round. In Round 2, look for New Orleans to take center Greg Eslinger out of Minnesota.

3. Tennessee Titans – QB Matt Leinart, USC. If the Raiders move to two, one QB will be gone. The Titans will take the other one. If Vince Young is there the Titans will grab him right up. In Round 2, Tennessee will take linebacker D’Qwell Jackson out of Maryland. The Titans have no picks in Round 3.

4. New York Jets – OT D’Brickashaw Ferguson, VT. If the Oakland trade happens, look for the Jets to take Williams or Bush, if not Ferguson. Also with the 29th pick, New York will take DE Mathias Kiwanuka, BC, if they took Williams they will select linebacker Bobby Carpenter, OSU. In Round 2 look for NY to take QB Brodie Croyle out of Alabama. The Jets have two third round picks, 71 and 97. Look for CB DeMario Minter, UGA and HB P.J Daniels, GT.

5. Green Bay Packers – LB A.J. Hawk, OSU. There really is no scenario where the Packers look like they’ll take anyone else. If Williams is available they’ll take him. With the 36th pick the Packers need help at line and will take guard Davin Joseph, Oklahoma. The third round pick looks to be help at line or WR so look for WR Mike Hass out of Oregon State. With Javon Walker looking to be traded the Pack may get more early draft picks.

6. San Francisco 49ers – TE Vernon Davis, Maryland. The 49ers will also be vying for the Bush-Bowl since they showed so much interest and have two first round picks. Davis will make the offense better right away. The 49ers also have the 22nd pick in Round 1 and look to take RB DeAngelo Williams out of Memphis. The 49ers will be thrilled if they land Williams, and will then take safety Greg Blue, UGA in the third round.

7. Oakland Raiders – QB Vince Young, Texas. Al Davis will probably make the trade up to get him, but he didn’t have to. DT Gabe Watson will fill the middle nicely as a second round pick. In Round 3 look for the Raiders to replace CB Charles Woodson with Anwar Phillips out of Penn State.

8. Buffalo Bills – DT Brodrick Bunkley, FSU. Also look for Haloti Ngata, both of which were high on the draft board. OT Andrew Whitworth, LSU looks to help at tackle in the second round. The Bills have two picks in the third, 70 and 73. Look for safety Daniel Bullocks, Nebraska and center Jason Spitz out of Louisville.

9. Detroit Lions – S Michael Huff, Texas. The Lions desperately hope he falls this low. Linebacker Abdul Hodge will make a good second round pick. In the third round the Lions will be thinking o-line so look at guard Kevin Boothe, Cornell.

10. Arizona Cardinals – QB Jay Cutler, Vanderbilt. Coach Dennis Green said he would take the best player available, if so Cutler is his man. In Round 2 the Cardinals may get lucky and find cornerback Johnathan Joseph in round two. In Round 3 look for Arizona to select Ryan O’Callaghan out of Cal.

11. St. Louis Rams – CB Jimmy Williams, VT. Also look for Ngata to help at DT. If they take Williams in Round 1 they will take DT Claude Wroten, LSU in Round 2. The Rams will go line in Round 3 and look for Fred Matua, USC. They may also look for a QB in the later rounds.

12. Cleveland Browns – DT Haloti Ngata, Oregon. The Brownies are looking for help on the defensive side in a 3-4 this is their guy. Linebacker A.J. Nicholson is a nice pick up in Round 2. In Round 3, look for DE Stanley McClover out of Auburn.

13. Baltimore Ravens – OLB Ernie Sims, FSU. The Ravens wanted a DT, but they will take Sims in a heart beat. In Round 2, Baltimore will look inside at DT Jonathan Lewis, Texas.

14. Philadelphia Eagles – OLB Chad Greenway, Iowa. Philly needs help at linebacker and WR, this is one solution. In Round 2 look for tackle Eric Winston, USC. In Round 3 the Eagles will go wide with Will Blackmon, BC.

15. Denver Broncos – WR Chad Jackson, UF. Denver got in front of Miami for the chance at Jackson. In Round 2 look for TE Anthony Fasano, ND and Elvis Dumervil, Louisville. In Round 3 the Broncos will try and go for Ryan Cook out of New Mexico.

16. Miami Dolphins – OT Winston Justice, USC. Also look for a wide receiver or cornerback. The Dolphins want to try and grab QB Omar Jacobs with a second or third round pick by way of trade. Also look for the Dolphins to take WR Skyler Green out of LSU. Green was one of Saban’s go-to guys.

17. Minnesota – WR Santonio Holmes, OSU. The Vikings have many needs and this is just one of them. Two second round picks will consist of QB Kellen Clemons, Oregon and RB Maurice Drew, UCLA. In Round 3 the Vikings will address the defense with DT Dusty Dvoracek, Oklahoma and CB Charles Gordon, Kansas.

18. Dallas Cowboys – DE Manny Lawson, NC State. The ’Boys want more defense, and this looks to be a solid pick. With the second round pick the boys will take OT Jeremey Trueblood, BC. With the third round pick look for Dallas to take RB Cory Ross, Nebraska.

19. San Diego Chargers – WR Sinorice Moss, UM. The Bolts want a guy for Phillip Rivers, besides Gates and L.T. In the second round look for CB Dee Webb out of Florida. Round three will see Joe Toledo, UW.

20. Kansas City Chiefs – CB Tye Hill, Clemson. Kansas City is looking for defense, again. In Round 3 they will go for DT Kyle Williams, LSU. The Chiefs have no second round picks, but could make a late move.

21. New England Patriots – DE Kamerion Wimbley, FSU. The Pats are looking for another Richard Seymour type and this is their guy. In Round 2 they go for offense with RB Joseph Addai, LSU. In Round 3 look for CB Tim Jennings, UGA.

23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – C Nick Mangold, OSU. Tampa is also looking for a wide out with Greg Lee out of Pittsburgh. In Round 2 the Bucs will go with guard Max Jean-Giles, UGA. Either will be a second round stud.

24. Cincinnati Bengals – TE Leonard Pope, UGA. Pope will add a new dimension to the already strong offense. Look for DT Babatunde Oshinowo to add to the defense in round two. Also look for OLB Stephen Tulloch to come in and impact a strong defense.

25. New York Giants – CB Ashton Youboty, OSU. The Giants need cornerbacks, badly, and Youboty will start from day one. WR Jason Avant, Michigan will compliment the receiver corps. DT John McCargo will also help Michael Strahan and company on the defensive line.

26. Chicago Bears – TE Marcedes Lewis, UCLA. Chicago wants a tight end, which will either be Lewis or Pope. Safety Darnell Bing will be a steal that late in the second round. In round three look for tackle Derek Morris, NC State.

27. Carolina Panthers – RB LenDale White, USC. The Panthers would love for either Laurence Maroney or White to be theirs. If not look for safety Donte Whitner, who they could also take in Round 2. Carolina will also be in the receiver market, keep an eye on Brandon Williams, Wisconsin.

28. Jacksonville Jaguars – OLB DeMeco Ryans, Alabama. The Jags are looking at O-line and linebacker, but will take Ryans if he is there. Look for RB Brian Calhoun, Wisconsin to go in Round 2 and safety Pat Watkins, FSU in Round 3.

30. Indianapolis Colts – RB Laurence Maroney, Minnesota. The Colts have to replace Edge and will take Maroney this late in Round 1. OLB Jamar Williams will help a growing defense and guard Taitusi Lutui, USC will be a great help to a strong offensive line.

31. Seattle Seahawks – S Ko Simpson, South Carolina. The defending NFC champs have only a few holes to fill, guard is also one so look at Jean-Giles as a possibility. If not in the first round the Colts will address guard with Rob Sims, OSU. CB Richard Marshall is also a need for the Seahawks.

32. Pittsburgh Steelers – OLB Bobby Carpenter, OSU. The steel city would like to have White, but if not Carpenter would fit right in. Look for RB Leon Washington in Round 2 and Bernard Pollard in Round 3. The Steelers will also look to wide receiver and Cory Rodgers out of TCU.

Not in the first round:

Washington Redskins – OLB Thomas Howard, UTEP. The ’Skins only have two day one picks and they need to make them count. Also look for guard Rob Smith, Tennessee. Washington has already made a lot of off-season moves so the lack of picks does not really hurt them.

Atlanta Falcons – OT Daryn Colledge, Boise State. The Falcons have also made a lot of off-season moves, so the draft will be ho-hum. Look for a move for CB Antonio Cromartie, FSU that would drastically help a shaky defensive back field.