2006 draft ... here's how it's goin down

[Green Jets & Ham]

I believe the Jets will own the 3rd overall pick

Texans will own the #1 Pick and the 49ers will own the 2nd overall pick

Texans have to take the franchise LT ... it's a slam-dunk ... their offensive line is one of the worst in football history and has been for quite some time ... they have not even given David Carr "A CHANCE" to fulfill his potential

The 49ers will take the RB because Alex Smith makes a QB impossible ... they Just invested their 2005 #1 on Smith along with a slew of cash, so QB is completely out of the question ... but they do need a RB so they will absolutely snatch the one who resides in their own backyard

That leaves the QB for the Jets ... unless the Jets trade down, they will tab the QB

I don't know who will be drafted 4th, but the first three players off the board look like a mortal lock .. Bush, Brick and Leinert .. you can argue about the rest, but in some order those will likely be the first 3 players off the board

SO, BARRING ANY TRADES ...

1. Houston Texans - LT D'Brickashaw Ferguson

2. San Fran 49ers - RB Reggie Bush

3. New York Jets - QB Matt Leinert

That's my early projection barring trades, of course subject to change

Personally I would NOT be opposed to dealing that pick for Phil Rivers, but that's another story

[Warfish]

If we have the #3 Pick Overall, I would prefer we trade dwon rather than go for a horribly overrated "Big Name" soon-to-be-bust-arse M.L.

Trade down, get more picks. This team has WAY too many huge gaping bleeding puss-ridden HOLES to think snagging a hype-monster like Leinart will fix anything. I don;t see him playing runstuffer DT, or OL, or CB, or TE, or RB....all MAJOR and OBVIOUS 2006-on needs.

No, be smart, avoid the hype, trade down, build a franchise. That is what a winner would do.

Which means I fully expect us to trade up, select Leinart #1 (have to be sure ya know) and Leinart will likely tear both ACL's stepping down from the podium after the selection, ending his career.

[Green Jets & Ham]

If we have the #3 Pick Overall, I would prefer we trade dwon rather than go for a horribly overrated "Big Name" soon-to-be-bust-arse M.L.

Trade down, get more picks. This team has WAY too many huge gaping bleeding puss-ridden HOLES to think snagging a hype-monster like Leinart will fix anything. I don;t see him playing runstuffer DT, or OL, or CB, or TE, or RB....all MAJOR and OBVIOUS 2006-on needs.

No, be smart, avoid the hype, trade down, build a franchise. That is what a winner would do.

Which means I fully expect us to trade up, select Leinart #1 (have to be sure ya know) and Leinart will likely tear both ACL's stepping down from the podium after the selection, ending his career.

I don't necessarily disagree, war ... I do think Leinert will be a Good Pro QB, but I'm not sure if he will be a Great Pro QB ... so in that respect I would not be opposed to trading down because a team that needs blue-chip QB {i.e. Lions?} will likely pay a stiff price to move up for Leinert, even if it's only to move up one or two spots

Maybe we can acquire their 1, 2 and 3 ... that's not unusual when a team is trading up to secure a possible franchise QB ... the price is always very high ... I can at least see us getting a their 1, 2 and 4

That would put is in a position to fill a number of holes ... we would still have a high 1, but now we would also own two HIGH 2's and two 3's or 4's

The players I would be looking at with our #1 in that case, Just to name a few ....

DT Haloti Ngata, Oregon {6' 5"/340}

RB DeAngelo Williams, Memphis

OT Marcus McNeil, Auburn

OLB AJ Hawk, Ohio State

And if we want to trade down again ... further down the board to acquire even more picks, I love the BIG/FAST WR from Miami of Ohio, Martin Nance ... or perhaps the ND QB, Brady Quinn

Lastly, I would also be willing to deal that pick for Phil Rivers ... but I like Rivers a lot

That would be my second option ... in our position, with a number of needs, I believe we will be better served by hoarding draft picks via trades if possible

[Warfish]

I'm glad to see you're flexable on the idea Ham, makes me feel better about my position on it.

The ultimate situation IMO is to have Quinn for ND come out, but perhaps only post slightly-above-average numbers at the combines.

Jets trade down to middle 1st, picking up multiple 2nds and 3rds, and still snag Quinn as the competition for Chad for 2006 (since I keep hearing Chad will NOT be cut and WILL try to come back).

That would give us 2 2nds and maybe 3 3rds possible. I say draft ALL O-line and D-line with those spots. Fix the positions that create winners.

4th goes to a RB, to be pairted with Houston as the "fill-in, maybe future" RB's for at least one season (cannot fix it all in one year IMO).

5th goes to CB...

6th goes to CB...preferably a tall one.

7th goes to the tallest, most productive, small-school WR available. A definite possession guy, someone who has zero flash, but can move the chains reliably.

TE and #1 RB (maybe, if Houston and the 4th both fail) get addressed in either FA (doubtful) or in the next draft.

[R44]

Excellent work Hammer. You know, players like Matt Leinart are the reason I would never want to be Terry Bradway....As much as I love his game, he's not a slam dunk star....

His past arm injuries (remember, he was once a MLB pitching prospect, so his arm is well used) have to be a concern.....Also, he plays "real macho" and has taken a ton of big hits in his career...

The arm strength, I think, is OK.....But that's yet to be seen.

Hammer, if the Jets want a WR, here's a name that could BLAZE up the charts, if he runs a sub 4.5 (which is very possible): junior Jason Hill, Washington State....He totally abused quality Cal CB D. Hughes last weekend, despite being hobbled by an injury.

Our policy at DD.com is not to pump up juniors until they declare, so we've had to hold back on him.

Even if the Jets don't want a WR, he could be factor in the top 5 picks, or so.

[Smizzy]

* frightened* by the sight of actual football talk

[afosomf]

I hate Brady Quinn as a QB and he may be a bigger bust than Leinart

I know that Brodie Croyle will be a better QB in NFl

than both of those 2 above.

He has the intangibles of a JWN, he is a leader and has got a gun for an arm and he can run.

Brady's and ML's arm are suspect IMHO

[Green Jets & Ham]

Excellent work Hammer. You know, players like Matt Leinart are the reason I would never want to be Terry Bradway....As much as I love his game, he's not a slam dunk star....

His past arm injuries (remember, he was once a MLB pitching prospect, so his arm is well used) have to be a concern.....Also, he plays "real macho" and has taken a ton of big hits in his career...

The arm strength, I think, is OK.....But that's yet to be seen.

I AGREE, Riggo ... Leinert is a tough call because he can break either way

He is a Great "football player", but he does not possess Great "tools" other than his size ... and he does already have a history of arm trouble as well

But because he's a Great football player with nice size, if he stays healthy it is not impossible that he can be a Great QB in the Pros ... IT CAN HAPPEN because he's a tough SOB who has a very good feel for the position

Anyway, because he doesn't have Great tools and he has some history with arm trouble, if the choice was to draft Leinert at #3 or trade the pick for Phil Rivers {who I like a lot}, I would rather trade the pick for Phil Rivers

But there is a possibility that Leinert can make you regret it

[bman]

foeget about Leinert..i don't think he's that great..

Rivers is staring right at us..

The guy is a bonafide top 5 pick.

He'll start from day 1...just get him here...Tag Abe and trade abe for him..

Then do whatever you want with the first pick..I'm sure Bush will be gone..So trade down and draft lineman, playmaker RB, and a fat truck of a DT.

GET RIVERS

[Bugg]

I'd really prefer Bush: I don't see how he can miss. That's less so with Leinart, but at 6'5", decent to big arm,solid accuracy, and a winner, they should take their chances.And after that load up on OL and at least a halfback. Don't like going top pick LT. Gallery, anyone?

Meantime, can we find out what we have in Houston? Iv'e gone from having a Martin jersey to hating the sight of him. THERE'S NO POINT TO HIM PLAYING. NONE. 3 games since Edwards said he'd give him some carries, and zero carries for Houston.

[Smizzy]

I see reggie Bush ...I see LT @ TCU...How can you pass that up?

[R44]

Jets are sort of in the same boat in RB as Cleveland is at QB.

Cleveland really needs to know what 3rd rounder Charlie Frye can do, before they draft another QB...but for now, they owe it to their vets to try to win every game and Trent Dilfers support on offense isn't great, anyway.

Jets really could use a long look at Houston, because drafting a RB real high is a strong possibility for them (although NFL teams have sort of backed away from drafting RB's real high recently).

I liked the Houston draft pick, but felt he was a backup type, until he proves otherwise.

DeAngelo Willliams is probably the only senior RB that gets a top 10 glance....Very likely a Reggie Bush and Laurence Maroney do too, if they come out....LenDale White could be a player added to the mix.

I know this for sure: Jets aren't going TE, OG, OC, FB in round 1....I also believe they stay away from defensive prospects.

That means QB, RB, OT and maybe (longshot) WR.

[Green Jets & Ham]

I'd really prefer Bush: I don't see how he can miss.

I agree, Bugg ... problem is, if you see that and I see that, it's a pretty safe bet that the GM's see likewise ... that's why I don't see how the Jets can land Reggie Bush unless they own the 2nd Overall, and even then it's no lock unless the Texans own the #1 Pick and likely select Brick

Now if you want another can't miss should we trade John Abe, Mario Williams {6' 7"/285} is a BIG/FAST/ATHELTIC DE in the Julius Peppers mold

That's the kid who can upset the apple cart in the TOP 3 ... most likely to challenge the BIG 3 {Bush, Brick and Leinert} for one of those spots

If we traded John Abe, I would take Mario Williams AHEAD of Matt Leinert

[Jetlag]

I hate Brady Quinn as a QB and he may be a bigger bust than Leinart

I know that Brodie Croyle will be a better QB in NFl

than both of those 2 above.

He has the intangibles of a JWN, he is a leader and has got a gun for an arm and he can run.

Brady's and ML's arm are suspect IMHO

I'm in FULL agreement with afosomf about Mr. Croyle. I would love for these three players to somehow be Jets: RB Reggie Bush, QB Brodie Croyle, and C Greg Eslinger (I've been drooling over him for about 2 years now if anyone recalls.)

If I have to sacrifice any one of those guys to get the other 2 it's Reggie Bush only because I'm high on the RB class that might come out.

Other RB selections (I'm throwing Juniors in here):

DeAngelo Williams ~ Memphis

Brian Calhoun ~ Wisconsin (Yea I know Wisconsin RB curse blah blah blah)

Maurice Drew ~ UCLA

Joseph Addai ~ LSU

Kenny Irons ~ Auburn

LenDale White ~ USC

Kenneth Darby ~ Alabama

Laurence Maroney ~ Minnesota (although this guy is going to have a ton of mileage but he knows how to carry an offense both literally and figuratively.)

[faba]

Right now with our multiple needs I am leaning to trade a very high pick to acquire more draft picks.

Offensive tackle is deep in the coming draft and we badly need one. I love Reggie Bush though so he would be tempting at the top for the Jets.

[RSJ]

Right now with our multiple needs I am leaning to trade a very high pick to acquire more draft picks.

Offensive tackle is deep in the coming draft and we badly need one. I love Reggie Bush though so he would be tempting at the top for the Jets.

I agree, with so many holes to fill the Jets will need to trade down. I see QB, RB, OL, WR, and DT all as needs. If we can get Rivers for Abe I don't think the Jets should do it because then we will add the need of a strong pass rushing DE or OLB to the mix. I think the guy the Jets should unload is Robertson. IMO, he will never be good enough to have a 4-3 centered around him and causes this defense to just not have the right fit amoung D Lineman. D Rob is sort of the misfit of the group and has vastly underperformed.

[Bugg]

There seems to be something of a consenus here-if Bush is there, there's really no decision-you have to take him. That's less the case with anyone else, at which point trading down for more picks starts to make more sense. I do get the nagging feeling that no GM is going to be allowed to pass on Leinart without facing some serious heat from the press and some fans. There may be solid QB finds further down in the draft. But passing on a guy likely to be undefeated 3 NCAA championship seasons, a Hesiman trophy and that gutsy epic win in SOuth Bend is going to trn into a major bitchfets. The casual fan and Mike Lupicas of the world aren't going to care about the guys you can turn that pick into.

And looking at the Jets schedule, the only game I think is a sure win is vs. the Saints. I think the jets will be 3-13, so this will be a top 3 pick.

[vanDoug]

I love it.

Mock draft picks in October.

You guys are the best.

Go ..........

:wink:

d

[GlennFoley]

Ham, Im honestly not sure if Reggie Bush is the best RB in the draft. I may be a biased Big 10 fan but I think Laurence Maroney is the next Shaun Alexander..

I can see Reggie Bush turning into one of ESPN's overhyped players...

[Barton]

If it falls like that, I trade down.

1. Land somewhere between 4-12.

2. Acquire a 2nd rd pick + additional draft picks due to trading down

1. Draft OT Marcus McNeil (Gives us the best young bookend tackle tandem in the NFL, pairing him with Adrian Jones) (Keep Jones at LT, McNeil at RT)

2. Draft a center in the 2nd rd

2b. Draft a defensive tackle

This is all talk, but at least it gives us something to talk about while our jets tank the season.

Depending on Drew Stanton's decision on whether he declares or not, he could be a steal if he slips to the 2nd rd, where we could be in excellent position to select him due to us having a high pick selection in the draft. 1 bad game doesnt erase what he did the rest of the season. I jumped on the Stanton bandwago a couple weeks ago, and I am not jumpin off anytime soon.

THE JETS NEED TO SEE WHAT THEY HAVE WITH CEDRIC HOUSTON!!