Nick Daschel is a veteran sports writer and columnist who has worked on the West coast for nearly three decades. Nick has covered the Pac-10 for about 15 years, primarily focusing on the Northwest schools.
Note: With the NFL draft approaching later in April, we thought it would be fun to look back at the Pac-10’s top draft picks of the past decade (2000-09) to see where we would pick them. Continuing today and ending sometime close to the draft on April 25, we’ll count down a first round worth of Pac-10 draft picks, from 32 to 1. The list includes five quarterbacks, five running backs, five defensive linemen, six linebackers, three defensive backs, three wide receivers, three offensive linemen and two tight ends.
2. REGGIE BUSH, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, RB
Reggie Bush’s bio on USC’s Web site has 6,291 words, or approximately the number of missed tackles he caused during a sensational three-year Trojans career.
From a statistical standpoint, many players in Pac-10 history have had better careers. Besides, the 6-foot, 200-pound Bush shared the ball-carrying load with thunderous tailback LenDale White. But no one in recent history was as much of a can’t-miss player than Bush. Every time he touched the ball, Bush was a threat to take it for a touchdown. Ninety three times during his career, Bush carried the ball for more than 20 yards.
“If you’ve got a linebacker covering him,” Washington State coach Bill Doba once said, “you might as well start singing their fight song.”
During his Heisman Trophy-winning year in 2005, Bush averaged nearly 9 yards per carry. Bush’s stop-on-a-dime sideline move that broke several ankles against Fresno State was a SportsCenter staple. Bush caught 89 passes in his USC career, turning at least one during each of his three seasons for more than 60 yards.
Bush had only two questions as NFL teams probed his worth at their level: Could his game equally translate in the NFL, and will he hold up? It’s probably what separated Bush from becoming the No. 1 pick in 2006, instead of defensive end Mario Williams.
Both have turned out to be fair concerns. Bush hasn’t been the electric player with New Orleans that he was in college, and he has had durability issues. Still, it’s too early to write Bush off as a bust. There is a lot of ability in that body if an NFL coach ever figures out the right scheme and use for Bush.
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