Vince Young

Vince Young, the junior quarterback for the national champion Texas Longhorns, announced Sunday that he is leaving college to enter the NFL this year. In all the press coverage of this, one thing has really annoyed me: The constant harping about his mechanics.

I admit the only time I saw him play was in the Rose Bowl. But I didn't see a problem with his passing mechanics. What I saw was the quickest delivery I've seen from a quarterback since Dan Marino, maybe even faster. Playing against Vince Young, defenses don't have the luxury of knowing when a pass is coming before the ball leaves his hand. That is a huge advantage in the NFL.

Throw in the fact that Young's passes are accurate, easy-to-catch balls, and you have a monster quarterback prospect. Let's not forget the intangibles like:

-Won a national championship
-Strong work ethic
-His teammates love him

What's Young's downside? The same one all rookie quarterbacks have: He has to learn to read NFL defenses. I have no idea whether he can do this, although I certainly hope he can. He would be fun to watch.

Should the Houston Texans take Young with the first pick in the draft? No. They have David Carr, who in my opinion has shown that he can be a successful quarterback IF HE HAS TIME TO THROW THE BALL (read: they need pass blocking).

The Texans need Reggie Bush (the running back from USC). Dominick Davis, their current running back, has shown a propensity to get hurt. I like Davis, but the Texans need someone for 16 games/year.

After the Texans, the Saints have the next pick. They would be fools to pass on Young. Aaron Brooks has proven to be one of the most inconsistent quarterbacks in the NFL, when he's not downright awful.

That being said, the Saints have proven to be one of the most inept franchises in the NFL, so I could easily see them taking Matt Leinart instead. Which would leave Young going to the Titans, which would be a perfect fit for him. From what I hear, Young has a good relationship with Steve McNair, who has already stated a willingness to mentor Young.

Regardless of where Young ends up, I am looking forward to watching him in the coming years.