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Top 15 fantasy prospects from the NFL Draft - Anhil8tor - 04-07-2006

1. Reggie Bush, RB, USC

Analysis: Game-changing. Explosive. Scintillating. Which adjective best describes future No. 1 pick Reggie Bush to you?


How about all three? Scouts came to USC's pro day with huge appetites to watch him run, cut and catch passes. After he registered a 4.37 second time in the 40-yard dash, those scouts left satiated. Bush was the clear star of this day and left no doubts as to his abilities to translate his game to the next level. He's a great route runner with excellent hands who knows how to adjust to coverages and make people moss. Bush has the potential to break a long one on every touch, prompting the common comparisons to Barry Sanders and Gale Sayers.


There are two negatives often linked to Bush's name. With the amount of route running he did out of the backfield, his pass protection skills need refining. Second, his size and past split workload at USC has some questioning his durability. Bush's 19 total touchdowns last season, his shining Heisman Trophy and the thought of him out-racing defensive backs in hot pursuit squash those concerns.



Likely Teams: Houston



2. Vernon Davis, TE, Maryland

Analysis: Davis was a first-team All-American for the Terrapins last season with 51 receptions for 871 yards and six touchdowns. He has good size at 6-foot-3 and 254 pounds and put up a 40-inch vertical leap at the combine. Combine that with his tremendous 40-yard dash time of 4.38 seconds (just .01 behind Bush). Davis runs solid routes and can use that speed to create separation after the catch.



Likely Teams: Oakland Raiders, Arizona Cardinals



3. Santonio Holmes, WR, Ohio State

Analysis: Holmes possesses great game-changing ability and explosiveness. He can run the deep sideline route and isn't afraid to go over the middle. At 5-foot-10, he lacks the size that is so en vogue among NFL front offices, but his breakaway speed cannot be denied. The huge years observed by Santana Moss and Steve Smith couldn't have come at a better time for Holmes. He caught 53 balls for 977 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Buckeyes last season, and can make an impact on kickoff returns (22 yards per return).




Likely Teams: Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers



4. D'Brickashaw Ferguson, OT, Virginia

Analysis: I always have to get at least one offensive lineman on the list. Ferguson is your prototypical OT, standing 6-foot-6 and 312 pounds. He's dominant, possessing tremendous upper-body strength and big, long arms to keep oncoming rushers at bay. Ferguson will be one of the top picks on draft day. It's just a question of where. The selection of Ferguson by New Orleans would be a nice insurance pick to protect recent addition Drew Brees. His selection by the Packers would give Brett Favre a reason to end this nonsensical dance with Packers management. However, it would appear that Green Bay will use their first-round selection on a defender.


Give a slight upgrade to the offensive performers of whichever team adds this behemoth to the trenches.




Likely Teams: New Orleans Saints, Buffalo Bills



5. DeAngelo Williams, RB, Memphis

Analysis: Williams has two big red flags attached to his file upon entry to the NFL. First, he stands only 5-foot-8. Second, Williams has been injury-prone during his tenure at Memphis. However, he's demonstrated an ability to run through defenders and thrive in short-yardage situations when sound. Additionally, Williams has great hands out of the backfield and the vision to set up big gains after the catch. He could be a nice change of pace back to start as a rookie.




Likely Teams: Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts



6. Sinorice Moss, WR, Miami

Analysis: Like Holmes, Moss enters the draft following one of the greatest years for smaller receivers. He stands only 5-foot-7, but Moss' ability to make adjustments on his routes, find cushions in the zone, and, of course, his blistering speed make him a big-time playmaker. Moss' size is the biggest knock on the resume, as he'll have difficulty making catches and finding a slot in traffic.





Likely Teams: Chicago Bears, San Diego Chargers



7. Leonard Pope, TE, Georgia

Analysis: Talk about a big target for your quarterback. Pope stands an impressive 6-foot-7 and 250 pounds. He's got good hands and speed, and can use his long arms to create separation off the line. Pope caught 39 balls for 541 yards and four touchdowns as a junior and has impressed scouts at the combine. He impressed scouts with great athleticism at the combine and can use his speed to stretch the field a la Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey.


Likely Teams: Cincinnati Bengals, Jacksonville Jaguars



8. Laurence Maroney, RB, Minnesota

Analysis: Maroney showed great patience during his time at Minnesota and knows how to read his blockers (5.2 yards per carry and 10 TD). However, once he makes his decision, Maroney runs with authority and takes on would-be tacklers. He also has breakaway speed and doesn't give up the ball. NFL coaches bitten by fumble-itis in the past will find Maroney a welcome addition to their squad. The biggest knock on Maroney is his inability to catch the ball out of the backfield. He's fine on the quick swing pass but hasn't developed his route-running skills.



Likely Teams: Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts



9. Chad Jackson, WR, Florida

Analysis: Jackson knows how to rack up receptions, having caught 88 balls for the Gators last season (900 yards, nine TDs). He possesses the speed you'd expect out of a Florida wideout and shows the willingness to work in traffic. At 6-foot-1, he's able to fend off defensive backs and create separation off the line.



Likely Teams: San Diego Chargers, New England Patriots



10. LenDale White, RB, USC

Analysis: All of White's decisions and appearances since the national title game have caused his stock to drop. He failed to participate at the combine, citing a hamstring injury. White then showed up out of shape and weighing in at 244 pounds at the USC pro day this weekend. The latest projections have him falling out of the first round, but his 26 touchdowns last year, ability to hang onto the ball and willingness to run over would-be tacklers will make him difficult to pass up in the latter part of the round.


If he drops, there's a possibility that he becomes the new goal-line vulture for the Steelers, presuming that Bill Cowher can get the answers he needs regarding White's work ethic.




Likely Teams: Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers



11. Vince Young, QB, Texas

Analysis: Comparisons to the abilities of Michael Vick make Young one of the most intriguing players in this year's draft. He threw for more than 3,000 yards (65.2 percent completion percentage) and ran for another 1,050 while producing 38 touchdowns. Young clearly made his mark on the national consciousness with his electrifying performance in the national title game. His test scores, reports of a lackluster pro day, and his throwing mechanics have some thinking that his stock has dropped enough that he'll slide out of the top five. However, Young's pocket presence, athleticism and size likely win out over those concerns. He might not be ready to contribute at a big level as a rookie (as we know most don't), but his elusiveness gives him the nod among the big three quarterbacks.




Likely Teams: Tennessee Titans, Arizona Cardinals



12. Matt Leinart, QB, USC

Analysis: Leinart has the ideal size for an NFL QB at 6-foot-4 and 224 pounds. He's got good touch and accuracy, but detractors will knock his arm strength on the deep ball and his left-handed delivery. Leinart isn't the most mobile of quarterbacks, but one need only look at his dive to the goal line against Notre Dame to get a measure of his heart. He doesn't get rattled under great scrutiny and pressure and works quickly through his reads. Leinart has faced huge expectations since taking over at USC, so the hoopla coming into the league is nothing new for him. He'll come ready to play.





Likely Teams: Tennessee Titans, Arizona Cardinals



13. Jay Cutler, QB, Vanderbilt

Analysis: One of the fastest-rising players on the draft board in recent memory, Cutler is considered by many to be the best long-term quarterback prospect of this class. Cutler possesses the best combination of arm strength and accuracy of the top three quarterbacks on the board, and put up a huge performance at the combine while both Young and Leinart opted out. The biggest knock on Cutler is perhaps that he is overconfident in his arm strength (Favre-like at times) and that he holds the ball too long. Cutler completed 59.1 percent of his 462 pass attempts for 3,073 yards and tossed only 21 touchdowns against nine interceptions last season.




Likely Teams: St. Louis Rams, Arizona Cardinals



14. Marcedes Lewis, TE, UCLA

Analysis: Throw it up and let him make plays. Lewis stands 6-foot-6 and shows great concentration in tight coverage. He's particularly effective in jump ball situations and deep routes where he can use his long frame to create an advantage. Lewis caught 58 balls for 741 yards and 10 touchdowns for the Bruins last year.



Likely Teams: Oakland Raiders, Cincinnati Bengals



15. Joseph Addai, RB, LSU

Analysis: Addai is a strong runner who is willing to pick up blitzers, despite standing 5-foot-11 and weighing 215 pounds. He's got breakaway speed and offers superior receiving skills out of the backfield (20 catches and a score last year). The big area of concern with Addai is his history of knee troubles, although he's played two years without a reoccurrence.

Likely Teams: Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts

Top 15 fantasy prospects from the NFL Draft - WoolyGoat - 04-07-2006

How on earth is D'Brickashaw Ferguson a top 15 fantasy prospect?

Top 15 fantasy prospects from the NFL Draft - Anhil8tor - 04-07-2006

WoolyGoat Wrote:How on earth is D'Brickashaw Ferguson a top 15 fantasy prospect?

Give a slight upgrade to the offensive performers of whichever team adds this behemoth to the trenches.

Top 15 fantasy prospects from the NFL Draft - WoolyGoat - 04-11-2006

You're out of your mind.

Top 15 fantasy prospects from the NFL Draft - Anhil8tor - 04-11-2006

WoolyGoat Wrote:You're out of your mind.

he will help any RB and QB for the team that he goes to..


Say for example the 9ers draft him.. he will help Alex smith get more time than he did last year... he will also help Barlow/Gore by opening up some kind of running lane.

Top 15 fantasy prospects from the NFL Draft - Pong - 04-12-2006

Another good read. I'm so ready for football season to start back up.