Lets continue the thread I started earlier this week of whether to start over next season from seed or purchasing established players. Yesterday we looked at the possible free agents that may be available in 2006. Today, let's look ahead to the 2006 NFL draft.

It is early, so this is the best I could do. And yes, my selection for the Vikes is 100% Homer and it will change as next April approaches. The purpose of this very early mock draft is to show the talent available within the first few draft picks.

Top 10, Round One

1. Houston Texans- Matt Leinart QB USC: Leinart is one of the best QB prospects to enter the draft in the last 10 years, and is a proven winner. He’s got a great arm, is extremely accurate, can operate outside the pocket, and he has two National Championships. If that doesn’t say enough about him, he is also an excellent student and a natural leader. He is the complete prospect in any NFL Draft. I don't see how the Vikes can pass him up if available.

2. San Francisco 49ers- Reggie Bush RB USC: Reggie Bush is an electrifying talent at RB. He is exactly the spark that the Vikes offense needs.

3. Green Bay Packers- A.J. Hawk LB Ohio State: Perhaps the best defensive prospect in the draft for 2006, Hawk has a ton of upside. He’s great in coverage, and wraps up nicely when tackling. He is the defensive playmaker that Minnesota so desperately needs to rebuild their defense. Hawk will use his athleticism and hands to be a dominate coverage LB.

4. Oakland Raiders- Mario Williams DE NC State: Mario Williams is one of the most athletic defensive linemen available for the draft in 2006. He has great size, excellent speed and quickness, and is very experienced both against the run and pass. He may project to OLB if the Vikings keep a 3-4 defense, but his athletic nature will help him to transition easily.

5. Arizona Cardinals- Chad Greenway LB Iowa: The addition of Greenway would help to solidify the shaky Minnesota LB corps. Greenway is a good athlete with excellent vision and a ton of starting experience.

6. Minnesota Vikings- Laurence Maroney RB Minnesota: The state of Minnesota has fallen in love with RB Laurence Maroney from the University of Minnesota. He’s a workhorse, a downhill runner who breaks a lot of tackles. He lacks top end speed, but his ability to break through the line of scrimmage and make the first man miss will make him an asset to be had. Minnesota is in need of a full time starter.

7. Tennessee Titans- D’Brickashaw Ferguson OT: D’Brickashaw is at the head of this very deep Offensive Tackle class. He is a dominate athlete, and he has unbelievable explosion from the three-point stance. His superb agility and ability to beat the pass rushers in space give him potential to be a franchise LT in the NFL. And give a boost the maligned Vikings offensive line.

8. Miami Dolphins- Mathias Kiwanuka DE Boston: One of the more dominate speed rushers in College football this year, Kiwanuka also shows great strength. The Vikings need to start addressing their depth at DE.

9. New York Jets- DeAngelo Williams RB Memphis: DeAngelo Williams is one of the more experienced and productive running backs in the draft this year. His combination of speed and strength are hard to match by any running back. He’s very well rounded, and can do all the little things well. If Minnesota takes him, they solidify the RB position for years to come.

10. Cleveland Browns- Haloti Ngata DT Oregon: Ngata is the best defensive tackle prospect available this year. Since it appears that Minnesota is looking to build a 3-4 defense they need to add the right personnel. Haloti is a 2 year starter, who has really started to live up to his expectations this season. He has great size, and is very active underneath.

And there you have it. Of course, the order of how the teams select will change ten times over before April. And you can see how the Vikes can drastically improve their chances of a blue chip selection by losing....which is a topic for another day.

But let us say the Vikes do find themselves in the top three. Who do they take?

And I know there are some real draft experts who read my blog. Am I missing anyone that needs to be named for consideration within the Top 10? What position would you like the Vikes to draft for....QB, RB, LB, DE...offensive line? Whom would you like the Vikings to draft in the first round next April? Leave your Comments below.

Posted by maasx003 at November 2, 2005 06:31 AM