Reggie Bush vs. Vince Young vs. Mario: The Infamous Texans Draft Snub
HOUSTON — The 2006 NFL Draft will be remembered by some as a missed opportunity for the Houston Texans.
The draft marked the second time in the history of the franchise that Houston obtained the No. 1 pick. Instead of drafting Texas quarterback Vince Young - as some assumed would be the case - the Texans took defensive lineman Mario Williams.
Passing on the Houston native Young in favor of Williams was seen as a catastrophic mistake at the time. But a recent social media clip showcased that Reggie Bush has his own memory of the mistake.
"The night before the draft, I'm supposed to go No. 1 overall to Houston," former All-Pro running back Reggie Bush said during his guest appearance on the I Am Athlete podcast in September. "My agent had been talking to Houston's general manager Charley Casserly through the entire process. I did not even interview with the other 31 teams because they were like, 'He's not going to be here.'
"I only spoke to Houston. Everything I was thinking was Houston. Then the night of, we found out on ESPN that Mario Williams was going first."
Bush entered the draft as arguably the top-rated prospect after dominating college football, and the Texans could have used his services after finishing the 2005 campaign with a 2-14 record.
He led USC to the Rose Bowl game after rushing for 1,740 and 16 touchdowns. Bush's performance resulted in the then 20-year-old prospect winning the 2005 Heisman Trophy before getting drafted by the New Orleans Saints with the No. 2 pick.
Injuries hindered Bush's NFL career. But he did manage to become an All-Pro running back in 2008. Bush was inducted into the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame in 2019. He played five seasons with the franchise. He played a significant role in helping the Saints win Super Bowl XLIV over the Indianapolis Colts in 2009.
Meanwhile, in fairness, Young won Rookie of the Year with the Titans but was largely a journeyman after that. And Williams experienced a solid career, even getting All-Pro mentions twice in his 11 years in the NFL while also making four Pro Bowls. But everybody gets to remember things their way. And now we know how Reggie Bush remembers it.
You can follow Coty M. Davis on Twitter at @CotyDavis_24
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