The Lass Word: Blocking His Way Into History

On April 29, 2006, Paul Tagliabue, in one of his final acts as NFL commissioner, declared the NFL draft open at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The Houston Texans had the number one pick, and selected defensive end Mario Williams out of North Carolina State. The New Orleans Saints followed by snatching running back Reggie Bush, who starred at Southern Cal, and the Tennessee Titans then picked quarterback Vince Young from Texas.

In all, 255 players were taken in the two day draft. Today, only one of them remains on an NFL roster. Marcedes Lewis, a star tight end at UCLA, was the 28th player selected in the first round of that 2006 draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. When the Green Bay…