My 2006 NFL Mock Draft

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Brian Calhoun is a good back, but not worth a first rounder and you can guarentee another back will be drafted in the first round after Bush.

 

Anyways, picks 21-25 are up.

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LT is listed as 5'10" and 220 lbs in the (worked) NFL stats and he's helped the Chargers out well I'd say. Shit, Priest Holmes is listed as 5'9" and 215 lbs and this little guy loved running up the middle and smashing LB's in the face.

 

Aside from a freakshow RB like Brandon Jacobs (6'4", 270 lbs), a lot of the starting RB's are all under 6 feet and weigh less than 230 lbs.

 

Stephen Jackson from the Rams is 6'2" and 225 lbs and is the exception to the rule though in this case.

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LT is just a freak of nature and a football god.

 

Priest Holmes was good but not durable and the Chiefs now rely on a bigger back in Larry Johnson.

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Green Bay has Najeh Davenport and Tony Fisher though. I don't see them taking Bush. They've already considered Rodgers to be trade bait at this point so them taking Leinart is possible.

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Neither back is really somebody you want shouldering the load though. Najeh is a good change of pace back and Tony Fisher provides depth but that's about it. I'll tell you who they do have that I've found impressive and that's Sam Gado. He could be the Packers' version of Bettis/Duckett/Lorenzo Neal in years to come.

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I kind of disagree with you there. When Ahman Green has been injured in the past, Najeh always seems to step in and get a 100 yard rushing game. He can definitely shoulder the load, except for the one little thing about him having a broken ankle this year that put him out for the season and I believe it was a torm hamstring last year that kept him out for most of the year. In other words, he's had some really bad luck with injuries, but if they don't affect him and he could stay healthy (doubtful with his bruising style of play) he'd be a Ricky Williams-type (pre-retirement) player. Decent speed, bruiser, good vision. But it seems like you said, the Packers have found that kind of player in Samkon Gado, which is a really amazing story considering the kid was a 3rd string player at Liberty College and that he has the physical ability to play with the big boys in the NFL. I wouldn't get too excited about him over just one game though, he did well against Pittsburgh going for those 62 yards on 26 carries (probably could've done better if Green Bay had a better offensive line), but I'd have to watch him over the course of this season to see if he is as good as he seems.

 

Remember, when a reserve steps in and plays well, you don't look at their first or second game, you look at how well they do beyond that. Defenses often times won't be ready for a really good backup to step in and play well, but you can bet that Atlanta will be ready for Gado this week, especially since the one other running back they had playing with Gado (Walt Williams) just got injured in practice this week and is on IR.

 

Another thing you might want to take into consideration here is the possibility that the Packers and Lions could be trading coaches soon, which would make me very happy as a cheesehead. Even though Favre said he might not want to play for another coach, having Mooch, his old QB coach that got him to improve his game to an MVP level in the mid-90s, might get him to stick around for another year or two.

 

Also, one more thing about Aaron Rodgers being trade bait, as someone mentioned. That whole idea doesn't make any sense whatsoever from a GM's standpoint. If you consider that this guy dropped to the bottom of the first round, spent the entire season as a backup to learn from the vets, and still might not be good enough to keep, how would any other team want him? I think teams are more apt to trade for Philip Rivers than for Rodgers, since noone (except me and maybe a few others) expected Brees to be as good as he proved himself to be last year and this year.

 

Also, in regards to the "NFL size running back" discussion, keep in mind that you've got 5'9", 180 lb. running back Warrick Dunn as the league's 4th leading rusher, and Tiki Barber's listed at 5'10", 200 lb... but all of the other top 5 running backs are in the area of 215-230 lbs., which is I believe the ideal weight for a running back. Not many people can run as hard as Tiki and Warrick can.

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Curtis Martin does not have another year left in him. Vernon is good, but they are in desperate need of another running back. I can see Vernon being a top ten pick but I cannot see the Jets passing up a running back. I think they might be able to find a steal in the second or third round and I don't think Williams is going to be an answer in the NFL cept maybe as a Sproles kick returner like player. I don't know, I just can't see the Jets waiting to the second or third round.