R.J. Oliver's NFL Draft Diary handicap -- April 26, 2006
- R.J. Oliver's NFL Draft Diary
- April 26, 2006
This time of year every football fan has an opinion about the NFL Draft. That includes me. I wish I could count on being a first-round draft pick like Reggie Bush or Matt Leinart, but I’ll be interested to see how the draft turns out for them as well as for myself.
My mom will be here in Phoenix with me for the draft, but she told me to go play golf and not watch the draft. It can turn out to be a long day, but I’ll be ready to for mini-camp and training camp with whatever team takes me in the draft or signs me to a free agent contract.
It would be great if the Chargers took me because I’m from San Diego, but I just want to play football and have a chance at my dream to play in the NFL.
Here are some of my thoughts on the draft, based mostly on the observations from playing against some of the top picks.
REGGIE BUSH, USC running back
He’s definitely the No. 1 pick, no doubt. I believe, like a lot of other people, he’s best player in college football ever. No one has changed the college game like he did. Every time he touched the ball it was electrifying. Coming out of San Diego, people said he couldn’t do the things in college that he did in high school, but he did do it in college. I think he’ll be able to do the same things in the NFL. Reggie is so fast, explosive and powerful. He gets to full speed in one step and most people can’t do that. Probably my favorite play from him was in a punt return against us along the sideline. He did the same move three times against three guys and juked all three guys.”
MATT LEINART, USC quarterback
I think he’s a great quarterback. He doesn’t have the greatest arm strength, but he’s a smart quarterback. He’s a lot like Carson Palmer, although Carson is a little more athletic. But Carson struggled at first and he forced passes. Leinart came in right away and made good decisions. He didn’t force the ball. He makes smart decisions. Leinart did it from day one, but Carson needed a couple of years.”
VINCE YOUNG, Texas quarterback
I didn't play against Vince, but everybody is talking about him since the Rose Bowl and I’ve seen him play. I think he’ll do well in the league, but I don’t think he’ll make an impact as quickly as Reggie Bush or Matt Leinart. People worry about his throwing motion, and he doesn’t throw a great ball, but he throws it well enough.”
MERCEDES LEWIS, UCLA tight end
I’m surprised he’s not picked to go a little higher in the draft. He’s athletic for his size, he runs good routes and he has great hands. But he’s not a great blocker, so that’s probably hurting him. He’s not that physical, and you have to be to block. But he’s great at catching the ball.”
LENDALE WHITE, USC running back
He made a bad decision, not testing, and he hurt his stock. He could have been a Top 15 pick. He plays with the right attitude. He’ll be a great back in the NFL. He’ll be like a Jerome Bettis who can run for 1,500 yards. He’s a bruiser and doesn’t back down. He talks a lot and lets you know what he wants.”
HALOTI NGATA, Oregon defensive tackle
I don’t watch the D-line much, but obviously he’s a play maker. He’s big and athletic. I know my teammates say he’s physical in the trenches. He’s a big boy. A lot of guys are big, but he plays aggressive with a motor that doesn’t stop.”
JOSEPH ADDAI, LSU running back
We played LSU, and he’s a lot like LenDale White but a little faster. He’s runs with power. He won’t make you miss him, but every down you have to tackle him hard. He’s not going down with an arm tackle.”
TAYLOR SCHMIDT, SDSU offensive line
I didn’t play against Taylor, but we were teammates at Escondido High, so I have to mention him. I wish him well. He wrestled the first couple of years after high school before he came back to football and transferred to San Diego State. I don't know how well he played for the Aztecs, but I know he started and he's a big, strong guy. He’s a Cougar so I wish him the best. It would be nice to have two Escondido players in the NFL.”
WILLIAM BUCHANON, USC wide receiver
He’s athletic, but I don’t think they gave him a fair shot at USC. They moved him around a lot at cornerback and wide receiver. It was hard for him to focus on a one position. He's from Oceanside, and I played against him in high school and college. He’s athletic, fast and has height. I think he’s the kind of guy who will develop if he gets a chance. He’s fast.”
DALE ROBINSON, Arizona State linebacker
I’ve got to mention a couple of my teammates – Dale Robinson and Derek Hagan. Dale was the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year. He didn’t test well, but he should be a first- or second-round pick. If teams are looking past him, they’re making a mistake. He can be a steal of the draft. Where ever he goes, he’s going to dominate. He’s one of the best players I’ve played with, but he’s still raw. He can take over a game. He’s aggressive and tackles with a lot of violence. Our coaches said Dale plays with a lot of hate in his heart.”
DEREK HAGAN, Arizona State wide receiver
He didn’t have a great week at the Senior Bowl when he dropped a couple of balls, so he’s not talked about going high as he should be. He’s been great for us for four straight years. Teams will be making a mistake if they look past him.”
Editor's note: Return to the home page for earlier excerpts of R.J. Oliver's NFL Draft Diary.
