Been Blogging Since the Start of the Draft but I just got logged in....don't ask...

High intrigue at the top of the draft. After the Texans took Sam Bowie (drafted ahead of Michael Jordan in 1984) off the hook by passing on Reggie Bush and signing Mario Williams Friday night, the heat was on the Saints.

I was driving to Gillette with the Saints on the clock and listening to The Fan (660 am out of New York), the hosts were absolutely drooling at the prospect of the Jets dealing up for Bush. When the Saints drafted him, you could actually hear the air go out of them followed by a “Well…no big splash for the Jets…”

By the time I got to the stadium, the Titans had effectively ended the Jeff Fisher Era by drafting Vince Young. ESPN’s Sal Palontonio then announced that the Jets – who were on the clock at the time – were facing a “public relations nightmare” because they looked like they were going to draft D’Brickashaw Ferguson of Virginia. Hmmmph. Perhaps the only absolute sure thing in the draft aside from Bush is Ferguson. Ironically, when the Jets took him, the Jets-centric fans at Radio City Music Hall were pleased.

Ron Jaworski on USC quarterback Matt Leinart who’s in the process of rapelling down the board: “There’s no question he’s ready to play in the …NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE. Which is a plus, because he just graduated and all.”

Chris Berman just announced the “Oakland Leinart” were about to make their pick.

Poor Jay Cutler. The ESPN camera just swung to him with Buffalo on the clock. He looked like he was ready for sentencing. Then he banged his mother on the elbow and stuck out his palm to request his Blackberry. Ma Cutler complied. Then, when the two of them noticed the camera on them, they grinned like they were having the time of their lives.

The back-to-back selections of safeties Michael Huff (7 to Oakland) and Donte Whitner (8 to Buffalo) were eyebrow raisers. Huff was a definite top 10 but the Raiders figured to take a quarterback. As for Whitner, he was figured to be on the board when the Pats selected at 21. Not so fast, my friend. The Bills take him to replace Lawyer Milloy.