Jeff: Happy Day-Before-the-Draft

...I would be the first to agree with those who say that the NFL draft is the most overrated event in sports, and yet I still find myself giddy in anticipation for tomorrow's precedings from Radio City Music Hall in NYC. Honestly, after the TExans taking Reggie Bush #1, nobody has any real idea what happens next. Looking back at past drafts, like with my list of first round QB's, you know there's going to be more busts than stars in this draft, and yet there's 8 legit uberprospects, and a bevy more interesting guys further down. Of the top 8 or 9, history tells us only a few of them will turn into All-Pros, and yet I can't find much fault or weakness in any of them!! I'd say Leinart or Young will have the best chance of the top 8 guys to fail just because the expectations on them both are SO ridiculously high. I'm starting to believe all this talk that Vince Young really will get taken by the Titans at #3, but I can't imagine the Jets, who are DYING for a marquee player, would pass on Leinart if he's available. THere could be 1000 Eli vs. Leinart stories before trainig camp. Would Ferguson, the big ol' LT be smarter pick? Undoubtedly, but when you play in New York, and try to run a team there, you need to go big or go home.

...safest pick in the top 10 is Ferguson, but since O-Linemen never rookies of the year, I still stand by my prediction from January that Lendale White will be the Offensive Rookie of the Year for 2006. If he goes to Carolina or Pittsburgh he'll could be a Pro Bowler.

...My Defensive ROY, and I'm certainly not alone on this one, is AJ Hawk, the LB from Ohio State. It kills me to say that too because you just KNOW he's going to Green Bay. It's bad enough we have to deal with Urlacher twice a year, and now we're going to get another sideline-to-sideline tackling machine in Cheeseland too.

...I have no idea what the Vikings will do at 17, and even worse, I have no idea what I WANT them to do!! Ideally, I'd like to see Cutler fall to them, but if not, I think LB Chad Greenway from Iowa would be a great pick. Sure, he didn't have great workout numbers or "measurables" but the guy was incredibly productive for 4 years in the Big 10, and for me that just might count for something. From a PR standpoint I think it'd also be a great guy to push to the fans, as the Vikes really don't have a very identifiable team right now. For years we've had some of the best jersey sellers in the league like Moss or Culpepper, but now? Honestly, if you were going to go out and buy one of those new Vikings jerseys (which i don't mind at all, by the way. Much less horrific than I thought they'd be), what player are you getting? Birk? Brad Johnson? Koren Robinson? Kevin Williams? I'll be very interested to see who the team leader in jersey sales is this year, and whether that guy will end up being one of tomorrow's or Sunday's draftees.