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| 4th January, 2006 - 4:08 pm | ESPN - Vince Young hasn't studied the 2006 NFL draft nearly as much as he has the Southern California defense that he will face in the Rose Bowl on Wednesday evening, in a game that will determine the national champion.
But the University of Texas quarterback and some of the people advising him about his football future have perused the composition of the top 10 teams in the draft. And the makeup of the top 10, especially the franchises with the first five choices in April, might be enough to convince Young to return to the Longhorns for his senior season in 2006.
The Heisman Trophy runner-up, Young has indicated this week that he plans to return to school to complete his eligibility, and sources close to the Texas quarterback confirmed to ESPN.com that he is clearly leaning that way. One reason he would return to Austin, those sources said, is the sense that, despite his enormous potential, Young might not be selected among the top five picks in the NFL lottery.
Many of the teams in the top 10 of the draft order have invested heavily on quarterbacks in recent years, and they might not be ready yet to give up on those picks, or inclined to use another high choice on the position. Of the teams in the top five, just one, the New Orleans Saints, who own the second overall pick, have a dire need at quarterback.
The New York Jets, with the No. 4 pick, are uncertain about the physical status of starter Chad Pennington, a first-round pick in 2000 who has undergone two shoulder surgeries in less than a year. But the Jets have a considerable financial investment in Pennington and will likely sign a veteran free agent as a contingency plan. [READ] |
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