Draft King NFL Mock Draft exclusive insight decades of experience insider pro football college prospects

Lou Pickney's 2024 NFL Mock Draft


National Football League
Draft King Mailbag

January 3, 2006
Lou Pickney, DraftKing.com

Reader feedback is always welcomed here at DraftKing.com. Send your thoughts to me at LouPickney@gmail.com.

I'm way behind on the mailbag, as I just moved to a new apartmet. Please forgive me on that. Unfortunately, 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: Joe Ogden
Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2005 6:14 PM
To: "LouPickney@hotmail.com"
Subject: NO WR for Eagles in first round, here's why.

Sorry Lou, I know it's early on but what else do I have to look forward to?

Two Words FREDDIE MITCHELL

Also, IMHO, even the eagles know there is no WR in this years draft worth a top 12-15 pick overall.

Lou: Since you wrote that e-mail, I've come around in my thinking and I agree with you as far as the Eagles not taking a first round WR... or there being a WR who will go in the top 15. Could that change with a strong off-season/combine performance? Sure. But clearly the talent level is not that of last year, or even any of the past few years at the WR spot.

As for Freddie Mitchell, I have my doubts. The fact that Kansas City cut him in training camp was telling.


From: Ryan Deschene
To: LouPickney@gmail.com
Date: Dec 24, 2005 11:07 AM
Subject: Jets

I''ve looked around a lot for mock drafts but i find yours to be the best, most updated, and most realistic. Although i am a major Pats fans, i was wondering what you think the jets will do if they somehow get thier hands on the number one or two pick (via trade). If Leinart or Bush are still both on the board, unlikly i know, who do you think they will take? I can see how Reggie is very appealing but the team starts at the quarterback position and i could see Leinart doing great in NY. I know Curtis is getting old but Penningtons injury seems to be one that is too great to come back from. What do you think?

Lou: If the Jets want Leinart, it will mean trading up to #2, but with their already salary cap-strapped situation, I don't forsee them moving anywhere. Moreover, adding Leinart would put two first round QB salaries on the roster, which is very tough for a team looking to shed salaries this off-season due to being waaaay over the cap.

Would the Jets like to get Reggie Bush? Well, of course, but the reality of the situation is that they're more likely to take whomever the #2 rated RB is (likely DeAngelo Williams of Memphis) and then look at more affordable ways to fill QB needs.


From: chris@5lies.com
To: LouPickney@gmail.com
Date: Dec 26, 2005 6:22 PM
Subject: Raiders don't pick linebackers

Like almost all the other sites, you have the silver and black taking a linebacker. But Al Davis does not believe linebackers should be drafted high, and his only recent break from that -- nap harris -- probably has only reinforced that.

The raiders will likely take a cb, qb or dl, or even trade down.

Lou: Perhaps you're right about what the Raiders will do. For now, I still have them penciled in with an OLB, but I could see Oakland potentially unloading Charles Woodson and drafting a guy like Jimmy Williams. As for a QB, unless Vince Young comes out in the draft, I doubt the Raiders would take one at the #6 spot.


From: Robbie Patterson
To: LouPickney@gmail.com
Date: Dec 27, 2005 10:29 PM
Subject: question about draft

I was looking at your mock draft for 2006 and I saw that you had the cardinals picksing a DE. I have to question that. The rumble going on down here in az is that they need to get stronger at the tackle/guard postions. They do have a monster defense that was terribly hurt this year and obviously I very potent offense with two of the best WR's in the game. JJ. Arrington is coming along I really belive that with a better Oline him and Shipp could be great one two punch of speed and strengh. Also they are also saying that the the Cards are going to resign either Warner or McCown and that the one that doesnt get resigned will be the hottest QB in the Free Agent market. After watching both this year I think they should resign Warner and let McCown go and go after the kid from Vandy with there first pick or seriously make a move at Leihert by trading down with whoever is there (SanFran). This way you have Warner who has looked good this season (when he plays) to teach either one of the young QB's and Navarre to back him up so the young kid can just sit and watch for a year or two. Just my thoughts let me know what you think....thanks

Lou: Arizona has had plenty of opportunities to draft bona fide strong first round QB prospects over the past few years... but every time passed up the chance. And while OG/OT is a need for the Cardinals, the chance to add a bona fide star DE is going to be quite tempting for them, perhaps too tempting to pass up...

I could forsee Arizona trading down, then landing an OT... along with an additional second rounder to be used to add depth (or perhaps to snag a rookie QB to add to the mix.)


From: Mark Patronite
To: LouPickney@gmail.com
Date: Dec 28, 2005 5:26 PM
Subject: Browns 06 draft

Lou,

I like your site. It seems to be the most informed, about all the teams, that I've seen. I have to concur with tom cooper, that rb (deangelo williams) is the last position that the browns would select, unless of course, reggie bush is available to them. I do agree with you that they wont, and shouldn’t draft another reciever, in the first round. I believe, that you don’t draft offensive, skill position, players with a high draft pick (in the top 15) unless they are "once in decade" talents, like Bush, or Peyton Manning, or Ladanian Tomlinson, or possibly Braylon Edwards, (I think he will eventually qualify) and especially not quarterbacks.

Here's why. If your picking that high, that there are multiple holes to fill on your team. You don’t run the ball well, which, I believe is equally a product of your line play, as it is your runningbacks. You don’t stop the run on defense, which is the key indicator of a poor team. If you end up picking a qb, he either sits for a few years or gets killed behind a bad line, and loses confidence. All the while hurting the salary structure of the team, since he'd get more $ that a linebacker would, simply because of the position. Then come next year's draft, your in the same spot again.

Look at the past ten years of #1 draft picks that were skill position players, going to really bad teams, as an example of the lack of success of this strategy.

Ki-Jana Carter, Keyshawn Johnson, Peyton Mannning, Tim Couch, Michael Vick, David Carr, Carson Palmer, Eli Manning and Alex Smith.

Except for Peyton Manning, who among these are really franchise making players? Carson Palmer? Maybe, but not yet. Micharl Vick has been in the league for 5 years already, with a very good supporting cast! Look at all the top quarterbacks, and running backs that play behind good offensive lines, but were 3rd and 4th round draft picks. If you switch Ben Roethlesberger and Alex Smith, before this season the Steelers still win 9+ games, and the 49ers still lose 10+. Jake Plummer was horrible on a bad team. Look at his team now. I just think that the lines (both offensive and defensive) are much more important to winning football, than any other positon, including quarterback. I also think that the easiest positions to fill are running back and wide reciever.

The Browns are both a poor running team, and a poor run stopping team. They have no pass rush, and have a hard time protecting the QB. They've got to go with a front seven player on defense, or an Offensive Tackle. D'brickashaw Furguson, Mario Williams, or AJ Hawk, (all likely gone by their pick) Haloti Ngata, Tamba Hall, Mathias Kiwanuka, Demeco Ryans, Chad Greenway, or Eric Winston. Then go for the opposite side in the second round.

It's early, so a lot of these names will change, I'm sure. But they really need a big play defensive player, and I think Crennel and Phil Savage (GM) are thinking the same thing, based on their past experience.

Lou: You make a very valid point... As I've said on here frequently, people tend to know their favorite teams much better than I do, which is one of the many reasons why I value the mailbag feedback so much. The latest Mock Draft (as of this writing) has Cleveland taking Mathias Kiwanuka with the #12 pick. He'd be a very nice addition to the Browns.

Though with that 3-4 that Cleveland runs, someone like ILB Abdul Hodge might be a consideration. If you saw the Florida/Iowa Outback Bowl game, you know what Hodge can do against a complicated offense, making tackles all over the field. But I've been high on Kiwanuka for some time, and he would've gone in about this spot had he gone pro last year, so I think Cleveland would be well off taking him. After Lofa Tatupu had a breakout season for Seattle at ILB as a rookie this year, I imagine ILB will be a spot given closen scrutiny in the follow-the-leader NFL.


From: Sportsfan1700@aol.com
To: LouPickney@gmail.com
Date: Dec 31, 2005 5:10 AM
Subject: 2006 mock draft

I see a lot of receivers drafted totally based on their 40 times, such as Ashley Lelie who has shown hasn't panned out. UCF WR Branden Marshall had 210 yards and 3 td's in the bowl game vs. Nevada showing his great physical frame and athleticism. Where do you see Marshall going in the draft, I just get the feeling of a star like when Randy Moss came out.

Lou: I respectfully disagree about Lelie: he was a good receiver at Hawaii, and he wasn't drafted solely on his 40 time. I've expected a bit more out of him myself (he's on my fantasy football keeper league team), but I wouldn't label him as someone who hasn't panned out.

As for Brandon Marshall, he has NFL WR size (6'4" 226), but his 4.74 40 yard dash speed is a downer. For him to crack even the top 40 on the WR list, he'll need to improve upon that in either his personal workout or, preferably, at the combine. I watched the UCF/Nevada game that you mentioned, and yes he was quite impressive there.

There are some who think that Marshall might move to tight end in the NFL. He'll need to work hard on his blocking this off-season if he hopes to do that, but physically he has the skills to do it, and he has shown that he can certainly catch the ball. If he goes the TE route, he might get selected on day two, or more likely be signed as a free agent and have a shot at making a roster going into camp.


From: Jon Sarver
To: LouPickney@gmail.com
Date: Dec 29, 2005 11:48 PM
Subject: draft

A.J. Hawk, could he slip to the Browns ALA Derrick Johnson slip last year?

If not, would a trade of #1 draft picks swapped, a 3rd this year and a 2nd next year be good enough to land hawk?

Lou: There's a chance that A.J. Hawk could slip to the #12 spot... but it would surprise me if it happened like that. Hawk is such an amazing athlete, and he is a real difference-maker on defense. But with DeMeco Ryans also out there, Cleveland doesn't have to get desperate to land an elite OLB. As for the trade you mentioned, it depends on how far Hawk slips... I could forsee a deal with Arizona trading down from 10 to 12 (and possibly taking Eric Winston) with the Browns moving up to snag Hawk.


Draft King NFL Mock Draft

NFL Draft Prospect Profiles

Draft King is owned and operated by Lou Pickney. © 2003-2024, all rights reserved.
Unless otherwise noted, the views expressed here are those of Lou Pickney alone and do not necessarily reflect those of any media company.