Vince Young entering the NFL draft.

[Longhorn]

It just scrolled across the screen here in Austin during the Giants-Carolina game. Press conference at 3 p.m. CST. :(

[joeybee12]

1. If you have ESPN, turn it on...

...that's all they've been talking about for the past hour!

[hijinx87]

2. smart move.

his stock is awfully high after a stellar performance in the
rose bowl. I suppose it could be higher if he returned to UT
and won a HT, but I really don't know how much more he can improve
his position.

Although I haven't seen his draft position projected yet . . . .

[Longhorn]

3. They're saying top three.

I don't think it would have been a mistake for him to stay but I don't see how it's a mistake for him to go, either. I'm just sad for my Longhorns.

[hijinx87]

4. well, if you're going to go in the top three . . .

I suppose you may as well go early. the NFL usually adheres
to a formula for contracts for new draft picks. I'm not sure
how much difference there is between #1 and #3.

and sorry about your longhorns. he is definitely the engine
that makes them go. how good is their next guy on the depth
chart?

[joeybee12]

5. Yeah, who else is Texas losing?

Via graduation, that is, or otherwise?

[Longhorn]

7. I haven't heard of anyone else going early.

However, safety Michael Huff is a senior. I'm sure there are many others but contrary to what my user name implies, I'm no expert on the Longhorns. ;)

[Longhorn]

6. Here's what our local paper says about it:

"The future is less bright for the Longhorns, who will defend their national championship with an inexperienced quarterback. Young's backup, Matt Nordgren, was a senior this season. The Longhorns also used Matt McCoy, a junior walk-on who played when games were well in hand.

The likely starter for next season is Colt McCoy, a redshirt freshman who has yet to take a snap at the college level. He'll likely be pushed by freshman Jevan Snead, a recruit from Stephenville who plans to sign with the Longhorns next month. The Longhorns also have a commitment from quarterback recruit Sherrod Harris of Arlington."

http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sports/stories/longhorns/01/7young.html

[hijinx87]

8. kid's name is "Colt McCoy"?

jeeeez. he's certainly named for the role.:)

[hijinx87]

14. found some more info on graduating longhorns

Young's departure leaves a gaping hole to fill in the offense if Texas is to defend its title.

The only other scholarship quarterback on the roster, freshman Colt McCoy, redshirted last season and didn't take a snap. Texas expects to sign another prep standout, Jevan Snead, who plans to enroll in school this month and participate in spring drills in February.

"We have 15 starters back next year and our expectations today remain the same as before Vince's decision," Brown said. "We are defending national champions and will move forward."


http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft06/news/story?id=2284744

15 out of 22 starters isn't bad at all.

[Yavin4]

9. Don't Be Surprised If Young Does Not Go High In The Draft

I really don't see a team taking him high in the 1st round. He may even fall to the 2nd round.

[hijinx87]

10. according to unnamed "draft analysts"

"Young (6-foot-5, 233 pounds), who racked up 467 yards of total offense in the Longhorns' 41-38 victory over Southern California, is projected by NFL draft analysts to be taken among the top three players in April's draft."

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/13580296.htm

[Yavin4]

12. He Was Great In A College Game

There's a huge difference between playing OB in college vs. playing QB in the pros. Huge. A big chunk of Vince's game is running, and currently, NFL teams are souring on running QBs because running QBs are more likely to wind up on the IR.

[hijinx87]

13. most if that is true, but someone will draft him in the top 3 anyway.

they just can't help themselves. do you want to be the GM that "passed on
rose bowl hero, Heisman Trophy runner up, and QB of the reigning national
champion texas longhorns"? that's suicidal, unless the player you pass him
over for is a bush or a leinhart.

and besides, it's a crap shoot trying to predict NFL success for college QBs, period.

just ask heath schuler, ryan leaf, or joey harrrington, just to name a few.

[terryg11]

11. he'll go top three

too many teams without a good QB, San FRan, Tampa BAy, Jets (trust me they need a new one), Green BAy and DEtroit will even be in the market. Unless you've got a proven starter or a young franchise QB your team will be looking at him.

[northzax]

15. I hear, as everyone else does, that the Titans might be interested

the sign Steve MacNair to a two year deal first, and have him mentor Young. they are already friends.

[argyl]

17. He'll go before slow footed glass jawed Leinart. Either him or Bush

will be #1.

[PDittie]

16. The Texans will be forced to take him

Vince Young played high school ball here. They'll not tender David Carr on his $8 million option, making him a free agent (I think).

I wish they would trade the pick, move down to about 4 or 5 and take OL D'Brickeshaw Ferguson from UVa, but they simply cannot bear the howling from the irate fan base if they do.

[hijinx87]

18. more info, and a quote from gil brandt . . .

Young's hometown Houston Texans have the first pick. Young said it would be wonderful to play in Houston, but realizes he could wind up somewhere else. Indeed, according to a source in an ESPN.com story, the Texans will select USC running back Reggie Bush, who won the Hesiman this season.

Gil Brandt, longtime Cowboys personnel director and current NFL.com draft analyst, called Young a likely top five pick but said he thought Young should have stayed at Texas another year.

"He is very, very similar to Randall Cunningham," Brandt said. "Had he waited, he probably would've been a better player. All quarterbacks get better with the more experience they get. Going from college football to the NFL is about like going from eighth grade to being a graduate student at MIT."

http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/sports/football/nfl/philadelphia_eagles/13582282.htm

[Awsi Dooger]

19. I would never draft him high as a QB

Projections are incredibly dangerous in the NFL when you pay a high price on the guesswork. That's always my main criteria for picking high in the first round; take someone who was pedigreed to be a superstar at the position all his life. Many of the high profile busts have been the late bloomers who are overrated based on short term production. Last year the 49ers were somehow considering Aaron Rodgers for the top pick in the draft when a couple of seasons earlier he was a modestly rated JC player in California. No thank you. I can name all the bust examples in that regard. Taking a chance in a later round is OK, but given the salary cap realities you need to invest the big bucks in long term excellence and near certainty.

Coming out of high school, the questions about Vince Young were identical to what they are now, does he fit the QB position? My Hurricanes apparently wanted him to play WR, not QB. So you can laugh at that, or correctly assess that if the questions have been there for 3+ years there must be a reason for them. Trying to pretend the reason for the questions won't show up at the highest level is ignorant, IMO. Just like when pro teams tried to pretend Tim Couch's absurd windup delivery and weak arm didn't matter.

Matt Leinart was rated extremely high coming out of high school, in the top 100 overall prospects and the #4 pro style passer. Reggie Bush was considered the premier running back in the country. Nothing has changed.