The wait continues for NFL draft in April in Arlington, Texas. As we wait we are also looking back at some of the past drafts that are shaping our current NFL. If you want to take a look at previous draft reviews click to see 2003, 2004, and 2005. The next draft we are looking at is the 2006 draft and what made it…unique.
The first 3 picks of this draft make some sense:
Mario Williams – He was an intregal part of the defense build for the Houston Texans. During his 3 seasons at North Carolina State; he finished with 25.5 sacks. Which was a school record until last year when it was broken by Bradley Chubb. It took Chubb 4 season to beat out Williams by half a sack.
Reggie Bush – He was the starting running back at USC for his freshman-junior seasons. He even won the 2005 Heisman Trophy. Which later on he had to vacate due to scandal at USC. Bush did end up having 3,169 rushing yards with 25 touchdowns and 1,301 receiving yards with 13 touchdowns.
Vince Young – The hero of Texas in the 2005 National Championship game vs Bush’s USC Trojans. As the starting quarterback for the Longhorns his freshman-junior seasons he finished with 6,040 passing yards with 44 touchdowns and 28 interceptions. Young was known as a mobile quarterback as well, amassing 3,127 rushing yards and 37 touchdowns.
Mr. Irrelevant of this draft was a wide receiver from University of Maine in the Atlantic-10 Conference University by the name of Kevin McMahan. The Oakland Raiders drafted him with the 255th pick. He didn’t make the Raiders roster. McMahan did see plenty of preseason action with the Raiders, New York Giants, Kansas City Chiefs, and Carolina Panthers. He didn’t spend much time with any of those teams, long term. By 2009 he was out of the league. McMahan doesn’t look to be involved in football anymore since he works as an accountant for a Fortune 500 company. Sounds like he’s doing alright.
To mark a “successful” career in this draft class I will list players who have been selected to Pro Bowls and are still active. There are currently 15 players on that list. I will list them by name, position and current/most recent team. As well as the team that drafted them with the round number and pick they were.
Jay Cutler, QB – Miami Dolphins
– Denver Broncos, Rnd 1 Pick 11
Haloti Ngata, DT – Philadelphia Eagles
– Baltimore Ravens, Rnd 1 Pick 12
Tamba Hali, DE – Kansas City Chiefs
– Kansas City Chiefs, Rnd 1 Pick 20
Johnathan Joseph, DB – Houston Texans
– Cincinnati Bengals, Rnd 1 Pick 24
Marcedes Lewis, TE – Jacksonville Jaguars
– Jacksonville Jaguars, Rnd 1 Pick 28
Andrew Whitworth, T – Los Angeles Rams
– Cincinnati Bengals, Rnd 2 Pick 55
Jahri Evans, T – Green Bay Packers
– New Orleans Saints, Rnd 4 Pick 108
Stephen Gostkowski, K – New England Patriots
– New England Patriots, Rnd 4 Pick 118
Brandon Marshall, WR – New York Giants
– Denver Broncos, Rnd 4 Pick 119
Elvis Dumervil, DE – San Francisco 49ers
– Denver Broncos, Rnd 4 Pick 126
Kyle Williams, DT – Buffalo Bills
– Buffalo Bills, Rnd 5 Pick 134
Delanie Walker, TE – Tennessee Titans
– San Francisco 49ers, Rnd 6 Pick 175
Sam Koch, P – Baltimore Ravens
– Baltimore Ravens, Rnd 6 Pick 203
Antoine Bethea, DB – Arizona Cardinals
– Indianapolis Colts, Rnd 6 Pick 207
