Five teams that did the best in draft
By Vic Carucci
National Editor, NFL.com
(May 1, 2006) -- One man's ranking of this year's top five drafts:
1. Arizona: It's a luxury when your quarterback of the future, once projected as a top four choice, falls right to you at No. 10. Matt Leinart will get a year to watch and learn from Kurt Warner. Then, with protection from former USC teammate Deuce Lutui (second round), he'll throw passes to an already explosive receiving corps that just got better with the addition of tight end Leonard Pope (Georgia) in the third round. The Cardinals solidified themselves at defensive tackle by picking up Gabe Watson (Michigan) and Jon Lewis (Virginia Tech) in the fourth and sixth rounds, respectively.
2. New Orleans: The Saints received an incredible gift the moment the Houston Texans decided to make Mario Williams the top overall pick of the draft. Reggie Bush, the multitalented superstar from USC and by far the best player in the draft, dropped into the Saints' collective lap in the No. 2 spot. From that point on, most of what the Saints acquired could be viewed as a bonus, but they did better than that. They addressed a need by getting safety Roman Harper (Alabama) in the second round. Sixth-rounder Mike Hass, a receiver from Oregon State, is intriguing. The Saints also upgraded their offensive line depth in rounds four (tackle Jahri Evans, Bloomsburg) and seven (guard Zach Strief, Northwestern).
3. N.Y. Jets: This team reminded us that there are other ways to greatly improve your offense besides selecting a high-profile quarterback such as Leinart. One is to find a way to provide better protection to the less-than-spectacular quarterbacks you have, and the Jets did that by making tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson (Virginia) and center Nick Mangold (Ohio State) the fourth and 29th overall picks, respectively. Ferguson will be a dominant force for many years to come, and Mangold should pick up where Kevin Mawae left off as a steady anchor in the middle. The Jets also wisely picked up a developmental quarterback in the second round (Kellen Clemens, Oregon), a highly athletic quarterback-turned-receiver in the fourth round (Brad Smith, Missouri), and Curtis Martin's eventual replacement at running back in the fourth (Leon Washington, Florida State).
4. Green Bay: By making A.J. Hawk the fifth overall choice, the Packers got more than a linebacker whose phenomenal playmaking skills will instantly improve their defense. They got one of the great character players to emerge from the college ranks in a long time. Hawk's off-the-charts work ethic no doubt will be contagious. The Packers made two strong additions to their offensive line in second-rounder Daryn Colledge (tackle, Boise State) and third-rounder Jason Spitz (center, Louisville). And they picked up the most polished receiver in the draft in second-rounder Greg Jennings (Western Michigan), who could end up being more productive than any of the wideouts selected before him, including Pittsburgh's first-round choice Santonio Holmes (Ohio State).
5. Philadelphia : The Eagles addressed a crying need on their defensive line by making tackle Brodrick Bunkley (Florida State) their first-round choice. Defensive coordinator Jim Johnson will make the most of Bunkley's athleticism and quickness. The offensive line should be greatly enhanced by the additions of tackle Winston Justice (USC), selected in the second round, and guard Max Jean-Gilles (Georgia), a fourth-round choice, both of whom figured to be long gone before these picks. Another nice addition to Johnson's defense is end Chris Gocong, a speedy pass rusher from Cal Poly.
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5 Teams That did the Best in the Draft
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