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National Football League
Draft King Mailbag
January 4, 2006
Lou Pickney, DraftKing.com
Reader feedback is always welcomed here at DraftKing.com. Send your thoughts to me at LouPickney@gmail.com.
It's going to be very catch-as-catch-can for the next little while, as the radio show that I work for debuts on January 9, 2006 and I'll be up in NYC working on that for the first two weeks. Thrilling? You'd better believe it. But the downside is that keeping up with things on here is going to be tough for a little while.
From: Lucas Watson
To: LouPickney@gmail.com
Date: Jan 2, 2006 11:40 AM
Subject: Hey Draft Kng
Hey draft king:
Your 2006 Mock Draft is wack, some of the picks are correct other are like a shot in the dark. So, tell me who greased your palm in order for you to put Reggie Bush at number one. do you realize the Reggie Bush, played on one of the most dominate teams in college history, and it was not until this year he began to receive full notarity, he rarely carried the ball more than twenty times, yet he is the answer to a team that already has a 1000 yd. rusher, and a QB that throws as many interceptions as he does touchdowns. Remember that their is very little difference beteween college and pro's, their are defensive backs that are as fast if not faster than him.
Lou: I find it interesting that there's criticism of Bush being listed at #1 overall, yet no alternate suggestion provided as to who should go in the spot. Remember, Houston has a #1 overall pick already invested in QB David Carr, and Houston's GM has already gone on record in saying that the Texans won't take Matt Leinart #1 overall.
Actually, it was UCLA boosters who paid me off to list Bush #1, hoping that he might be convinced to leave early. But don't tell anyone. (/sarcasm)
From: Eric Quackenbush
To: loupickney@gmail.com
Date: Jan 2, 2006 5:21 PM
Subject: i need draft pick help lou!
Dear Mr. Pickney, i need your help finding a potential
(im not sure) draft pick for 06. I went to high school
with this person, his name is Brandon Schweitzer and
he plays for I-AA Gardner Webb University. I was
wondering who his suitors are if any.
Lou: The most famous NFL alum from Gardner-Webb is former Packer DE Gabe Wilkins. As for Schweitzer, he was an All-American in high school, went to South Carolina for two years, then transferred to GW. At 6'3" 270 lbs., he has the size to play on the NFL level, but he will need to show something special with his speed in order to be selected on draft day.
From: Graham Watson
To: LouPickney@gmail.com
Date: Jan 2, 2006 5:23 PM
Subject: (no subject)
Thanks for a great website. Still, I read your prediction for the Broncos to take a TE in the 1st round of the draft and said "Huh?" They have both Putzier and Alexander, but are also creating Wesley Duke. There is no way they will take a TE!!! If anything, they're going to take the best available receiver. Just my two cents.
Lou: I'm right there with you on Jeb Putzier, but Stephen Alexander I don't see as being a bona fide force worthy of eliminating TE from consideration for the Broncos. He had less than 200 yards receiving this season, and while blocking is his forte, there's a reason he's bounced around to four teams in five seasons (Redskins, Chargers, Lions and Broncos.) As for Wesley Duke, you're right that the Broncos are "creating" him, not in a Six Million Dollar Man kind of way, but in teaching him the game since Duke was a standout basketball player at Mercer (and he's trying to make the transition to the NFL, a la Antonio Gates, since the NFL stands for Now Follow the Leader.)
I give Duke credit for coming back from a horrific knee injury in 1999, but if the Broncos have a chance to take Marcedes Lewis... they should do it. I feel pretty strongly about that. One final thing: don't forget the "best athlete available" factor, where a team will ignore need and take whomever it feels is the best player on the board, logic be damned (see the Detroit Lions for more on this.)
From: Mtorbert1@aol.com
To: LouPickney@gmail.com
Date: Jan 2, 2006 9:29 PM
Subject: (no subject)
AWSOME SITE LOU! Waiting on some more picks of the lovely ladies though! HA! Just wanted to add a few bits about the Cowboys (who doesn't) and their picks this upcoming draft.
The boyz focused on Defense in 05, which was needed. I do not see us taking a LB in the first round. I think the draft has already proven that LBs talent runs deep through the 3rd round where I see us picking up a ILB or OLB there. First Question: Who is a decent 2nd-3rd round LB who fits the 3-4 scheme Dallas is trying to improve on?
The OT position is very important to our team growth. But I see us picking up a Free Agent with some experience in the position, rather than trust our 34yr old QB to a rookie. Maybe in the 2-3rd round also. Second Question: Who is a decent 2nd-3rd round pass blocking OT?
The WR position is not in dire straits, as we have seen Patrick Crayton develop into a great receiver and we could always trade, or acquire a WR in free agency as well. One with experience as I have noticed only a few first round WRs play out in their first year. Parcells wants to win now, so I just don't see that happening with the 1st round pick. You can find good receivers all the way through the 4th-5th round! Speed is the key for our team who needs more vertical threats. Third Question: What WR past the 2nd round possesses deep speed and has some height (and played more than 2 years)?
Keep it up, you have many loyal fans, including myself
Lou: Thanks for the kind words. I could pics of hot ladies to here, but this is the internet... c'mon, there are tons of sites that have plenty of free pics of gorgeous women out there. Plus people doing a search for "Young Bush" trying to find Vince Young and Reggie Bush info might come across the wrong thing on here, if you know what I mean.
What the Cowboys do will be predicated on if Bill Parcells returns in 2006. It already appears likely that Dallas will lose both of its top coordinators. Parcells might decide that enough's enough and head back to retirement. If that happens, a first round WR seems like a very logical choice. But if Parcells stays, I don't see him going for a young WR. It wouldn't fit into his "win now" philsophy. However, a new coach would very likely go for that, particularly with the top receiving prospects likely coming into play at about the spot where Dallas is presently slated to pick.
Looking at 2nd/3rd round prospects at both OLB and OT, there are many options. From the OLB spot, Dallas might hope that someone like UTEP's Thomas Howard falls a little bit (since he's so fast, and Dallas has built a defense predecated on athleticism.) If not Howard, keep in mind other athletic, fast types, like Tennessee's Omar Gaither, or someone like Bobby Carpenter from Ohio State (most people don't know Carpenter, but he and A.J. Hawk were simply amazing in tandem for the Buckeyes this season.) At Offensive Tackle, some options include BC's Jeremy Trueblood, LSU's Andrew Whitworth, and Cal's Ryan O'Callaghan.
If Parcells stays, I could forsee Dallas trading down to potentially snag an OLB like Howard late in the first round, then also get a higher-end OT as well. But Parcells sometimes will rank players differently than the mainstream; remember that he traded down rather than take Steven Jackson in 2004 (and the Cowboys ended up with Julius Jones in the early second round). It warrants noting.
From: Timothy Brown
To: LouPickney@gmail.com
Date: Jan 2, 2006 10:34 PM
Subject: Bears 1st Round Pick???
I think the Bears need an athletic blocking and recieving tight end for a dump off option for Rex or Kyle.... What do you think? Will the Bears go this direction or another way? I saw they signed Roberto Garza to a 6yr extension, so they must think for highly of him than I do, so maybe the offensive line will not be the way they go..... What do you think?
Lou: Alge Crumpler, Antonio Gates and Tony Gonzalez have all opened eyes across the NFL as far as the impact a tight end can make for an offense. Yes, Keith Jackson with the Eagles was good in his time, and there have been plenty of standout tight ends along the way (Shannon Sharpe anyone?), but a star TE can really open things up for an offense.
For the Bears, it would be great to get a standout TE. The problem I see for them is that I don't know that UCLA's Marcedes Lewis or Georgia's Leonard Pope will be on the board when they pick at #25 (or at #31 or #32 if they make the Super Bowl.) Chicago trading up to Dallas' spot at #18, if Lewis is still on the board, would not be outside the realm of possibility.
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