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C Nick Mangold (All American, B1G Champion, National Champion, 7x Pro-bowler)

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Mel Kiper has Nick going as the 29th pick of the first round to the NY Jets as the highest C picked. It's been no secret that the Jets are extremely interested in Nick.

Warning! ESPiN link

Edit: Added link
 
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http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/5497044


6. I think Ohio State center Nick Mangold is eventually going to be an all-pro center. He is physical, cerebral, and a born leader. Tampa, Jacksonville, the Jets, and Pittsburgh would be wise to consider him in the first round. The Jags, with Brad Meester's health, and the Jets, will the releasing of Kevin Mawae, have the greatest need for the center.
If for some reason he dropped into the second round, it would make too much sense for the Saints with the loss of LeCharles Bentley. And imagine this concept. Mangold told me this week he is taking five classes and is adamant about graduation. He also used the word "plethora" twice in the interview. That's a new record. (And a major contrast to Michigan defensive tackle Gabe Watson who flushed the toilet midway through a conversation last week. If you got to go, you got to go, I guess ...)
 
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scarletngrey77 said:
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/5497044


6. I think Ohio State center Nick Mangold is eventually going to be an all-pro center. He is physical, cerebral, and a born leader. Tampa, Jacksonville, the Jets, and Pittsburgh would be wise to consider him in the first round. The Jags, with Brad Meester's health, and the Jets, will the releasing of Kevin Mawae, have the greatest need for the center.
If for some reason he dropped into the second round, it would make too much sense for the Saints with the loss of LeCharles Bentley. And imagine this concept. Mangold told me this week he is taking five classes and is adamant about graduation. He also used the word "plethora" twice in the interview. That's a new record. (And a major contrast to Michigan defensive tackle Gabe Watson who flushed the toilet midway through a conversation last week. If you got to go, you got to go, I guess ...)
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:biggrin:... I will be kind and leave it at that...
 
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4/19/06

MIDDLE OF THE STORM

With the collection of talented tackles creating all the electricity, Ohio State's center stands out

Monday, April 17, 2006

By Jimmy Smith
Staff writer

It's a big year for offensive tackles in the upcoming NFL draft.

Of the top five offensive line prospects, four play the tackle position, two each sandwiched around Ohio State center Nick Mangold, who ranks as third best across the line, in part because of his performance for one week in January at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.
"I had a blast," said Mangold, 6 feet 4, 300 pounds. "I was real busy. They kept us busy, which was a good thing. Had a ton of fun. Loved the guys I was down there with. Had a blast.
"And I hope I improved myself. The goal was to go down there, to be the best I could be. And I think I did pretty well going through the drills and everything. I had a lot of fun. So if I'm having fun, I must be doing something right. I had a good time with it."
In a year where Virginia's D'Brickashaw Ferguson is getting most of the attention at the top, followed by Southern California tackle Winston Justice, Mangold's position, placed just before Auburn tackle Marcus McNeill and Miami tackle Eric Winston, makes the shortest guy among the top five stick out.
He's ranked by his position coach, Jim Bollman, on a par with former Saints center LeCharles Bentley, who left this offseason for the Cleveland Browns via unrestricted free agency.
Mangold can also play guard, but he has made a name for himself at center.
He's heading into the April 29-30 proceedings with a rather carefree attitude, considering he's the only center who's expected to be drafted in the first round.
"My expectations are to hopefully get picked up," Mangold said. "After that, I'm not really too worried about it. I want the opportunity to keep playing and be the best that I can be. I'm trying to be the best center in the draft."
It appears as though Mangold has a frame that will allow him to put on another 20 pounds or so without diminishing his speed and effectiveness. That added bulk will be a necessity when going up against the bigger interior defensive linemen of the NFL.
Yet for Mangold, and Justice, their forays into other sports have helped boost their draft stock.
Mangold's high school wrestling background, he said, helped him tremendously in developing the necessary skills to play in the middle of the offensive line.
"Helped me out a ton," he said. "It taught me a lot about balance and a lot about countering other guys' moves. And I think that's been a huge bonus for me that I had that background instead of a basketball background. I don't think that helped too much."
When Justice needed some help with his hand speed, he turned to boxing.
Justice took up the sport during a year's hiatus from football -- he was suspended for a prank in which he pulled a toy gun on a Southern California student he mistook for an acquaintance.
"I got a lot out of it," said Justice, who played right tackle -- protecting the blind side of left-handed quarterback Matt Leinart. "Boxing helped me so much with my hands and my footwork. I think that translated a lot into my football game, too. I boxed for a whole year while I was out. I sparred against different guys. I think it helped me out a lot with my football game.
"Moving my feet, for example. Jump-roping. Hands, the hand speed. You need quick hands to box, and you need quick hands for football, too. It helped me a lot. It helped during that year off, too. Because I boxed and worked out so much, it kind of deadened the pain of sitting out that year."
Justice, 6-6, said he didn't have much difficulty finding suitable sparring partners.
"Actually, it wasn't hard," he said. "Boxers want to show how tough they are, so they want to pick the biggest guy to fight."
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Dispatch

4/27/06

Postseason award snubs stick in Mangold’s craw

Thursday, April 27, 2006

Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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For Ohio State center Nick Mangold, this weekend’s NFL draft might be salve for the pain of postseason snubs.

Mangold had a stellar career at OSU, where he was a threeyear starter, a captain and the Buckeyes’ best offensive lineman last season. But when the 2005 season awards were doled out, Greg Eslinger of Minnesota collected them all.

All-Big Ten? Eslinger first team, Mangold second.

Associated Press All-American? Eslinger first team, Mangold third. Rimington Trophy, presented to college football’s best center? Eslinger.

To say Mangold was upset "is the understatement of the year," said his father, Vern. "It was really unfortunate and probably the lowest point in his career."

Nick said, "At first, I was real disappointed, but I’ve gotten past it. Now it’s just kind of one of those things you look back and say, ‘I wish that would have happened, but now you’ve got new stuff.’ "

That new stuff should work out well for Mangold. The draft could be sweet vindication, because he is considered the top center available. He wowed scouts at the Senior Bowl in January, then backed it up with solid workouts at the NFL combine and OSU’s pro day.

Mangold is projected to be selected late in the first round Saturday or early in the second round. Eslinger, a bit undersized in the pros’ eyes, is projected as a third- or fourthround pick. Being the first center drafted has become a point of pride. "When you hear stuff like, ‘You’re the best center,’ that’s nice," Mangold said.

Any Mangold-Eslinger rivalry is on paper and not personal. The two spent time together at the combine and have nothing but kind words for each other.

"He was a great player, a great universal player," Eslinger said. "I think he’s an outstanding player and a better person."

Vern Mangold said what hurts his son the most about being shut out at awards time is that he will not have a tree planted in his name in Buckeye Grove or a photo on the wall of the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. Those are reserved for OSU’s first team All-Americans.

"It will be bittersweet for him," Vern said. "College is a special time."
But in a few days, maybe he can console himself with a large signing bonus.
"The postseason awards didn’t really come out like I and my family wanted," Nick said, "but that’s over. (I) got past that, now it’s on to the next level."

[email protected]
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Thursday, April 27, 2006
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4/27

PHILADELPHIA -- With the draft just two days away, the rumors are heating up. The Eagles still want to move into the top 10, where they almost certainly would take a defensive tackle. The quality drops off dramatically after Brodrick Bunkley of Florida State and Hatoli Ngata of Oregon, the top-rated tackles. Neither will drift to 14.


A vertical move would be unlikely to happen until the first day of the draft, according to Eagles general manager Tom Heckert.


"I think it would be more when we’re on the clock, or the day of," Heckert said. "And it’s the same way for the teams that are moving down. They don’t want to do it until the last second, because they might get something better, which I can understand."

If the price to go up is too steep, the Eagles would be OK selecting offensive tackle Winston Justice, according to sources, should he fall to 14. The competition for Justice most likely would come from the Detroit Lions, who own the ninth pick, and the Arizona Cardinals at 10.

The buzz also is the Eagles could stand pat at 14 and draft a linebacker -- yes, a linebacker -- such as Ernie Sims of Florida State. Although the Eagles obviously need to improve the front seven that struggled to make plays last season, the organization hasn’t taken a linebacker off the board in the first round since Jerry Robinson of UCLA arrived at No. 21 overall in 1979.

The Eagles might have another prospect, as well, whom they expect to be on the board if they hang in with the 14th pick. It would be their moment of truth.

"That’s where you have to weigh whether you take the guy there," Heckert said, "or do you move down, or if you get stuck, are you happy with the guy?"

Sources say the Eagles are prepared to trade down just far enough in the first round to pick up another draft pick and a quality offensive lineman, like center Nick Mangold (6-3, 305) of Ohio State.

Mangold isn’t going to sell a lot of Eagles jerseys but he has star qualities. He’s considered a solid technician and a budding leader that could step right in and play well. The Eagles have been unable to hide their interest in Mangold, according to sources.

While Heckert said the Eagles are OK at the center position -- veterans Hank Fraley and Jamaal Jackson are scheduled to battle for the starting job -- it’s obvious the coaching staff had serious doubts about the pivot play.

After all, the Eagles were ready to throw a $10 million-plus signing bonus at center-guard LeCharles Bentley on the first day of free agency. Bentley chose the Cleveland Browns.

Bentley would have been a dynamic upgrade for the Eagles and quarterback Donovan McNabb, who have been feeling the heat up the middle since Super Bowl 39.

To get Mangold, sources say the Eagles probably couldn’t trade down much further than the 20th spot, owned by the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Chiefs and the Eagles are compatible trade partners. The Chiefs need a cornerback or a safety. The Eagles, at No. 14, would be able to offer K.C. its choice of the top defensive backs.

If Mangold escaped the grasp of the Eagles, linebacker Chad Greenway of Iowa would be a consideration, providing he slides. Heckert has made no secret of his affection for the versatile Greenway, whose stock fell after he ran a 4.79 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine.

"I think he’s an outside guy but I think he can play both -- strong or weak," Heckert said. "He’s a good player. He’s so smart and so aware and instinctive that he can do all of that stuff. He’s got some size."

The Eagles also are aware their best-laid draft plans could blow up if another teams pulls off a trade.

"There’s going to be some trades," ESPN Draft Analyst Mel Kiper said Wednesday. "I don’t know about a lot. We talked about Philadelphia, if it’s the right situation. And Baltimore (No. 13), if Ngata’s not there. Chicago, now that they’ve got Ricky Manning Jr. at corner, could move out of (No. 26). Houston might look to move back into the first round needing offensive linemen the way they do. There’s going to be some activity. Will there be a lot? I don’t know how you quantify a lot. But there will be some activity."

There was speculation Wednesday the Eagles were trying to upgrade the wide receiver position with Javon Walker, who before Brett Favre recently delayed his retirement another season, vowed never to play again for the Green Bay Packers.

Sources say the Eagles offered defensive tackle Hollis Thomas and a sixth-round choice -- not enough, it appears, to get the job done.

ESPN reported the Eagles offered the Packers Thomas and guard Artis Hicks, while the Denver Broncos shopped wide receiver AshleyLelie and a sixth-round pick.

The Packers want a first round pick according to CBS SportsLine.
 
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DDN

4/30/06

Joy, relief as Mangold goes in first round

Hawk, Whitner, Carpenter, Holmes, Mangold drafted in Round 1, setting Ohio State record.

By Doug Harris
Staff Writer

CENTERVILLE | Vern Mangold popped a bottle of champagne after son Nick was picked in the first round of the NFL draft Saturday. And as the bubbly started to flow, the cork also came off of his emotions.

The elder Mangold — who said the pre-draft anxiety had turned him into an insomniac — sobbed tears of joy and draped himself on family, friends and even a reporter after the Ohio State center was selected 29th overall by the New York Jets.

"We watched this kid take his first steps, watched him ride a bike and go off to school," Vern said, "but this was the most nerve-wracking thing I've ever been through in my life.

"When (the Jets) called, Nick was talking in muffled tones. And when his name popped up on the TV screen, it felt like a walk-off home run."

Mangold was joined in the first round of the draft by Ohio State teammates A.J. Hawk (fifth pick), Donte Whitner (eighth), Bobby Carpenter (18th) and Santonio Holmes (25th). The Buckeyes set a school record for first-round picks and became only the fourth team in history to have five or more (Miami owns the NFL mark with six).

"It's exciting to say I went in the first round," Mangold said. "It's something I can tell my kids and grandkids. They'll never be able to take that away from me."

The reaction was the same in Hawk's home — breathless anticipation and then sudden jubilation when the Green Bay Packers made him the highest Buckeye draft choice since 1997.

"I've grown up watching the Packers for a long time and just have a lot of respect for their tradition and history," Hawk said. "I think it's a good fit, hopefully, because I come from Ohio State where we have great tradition, and it's a football town, just like Columbus."
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Couple of snippets from others regarding Mangold

Columbus Dispatch from 5/1 - the primary subject of the article is Rob Sims
Bollman thought Mangold was the premier center in college football this past season, and Mangold’s status was reflected in the draft. Though Minnesota center Greg Eslinger won the Rimington Award as the top player at the position, he didn’t go until the sixth round.
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LINK

From the SI.com column on yahoo. (Peter King's ramblings about the draft, actually a fairly good read).
LINK
I like what the Jets did. Quite a bit. I'm not sold on D'Brickashaw Ferguson as the next Walter Jones; I don't think he mauls people quite the same as a dominating tackle. But he'll be good. The center they got, Nick Mangold, was loved league-wide. Loved. Physical tone-setter type of guy. People who know quarterbacks thought Oregon's Kellen Clemens, the second-round passer they got, has a chance to be a long-term starter; if so, getting him at 49 was a steal, obviously. And I may be overrating Brad Smith, the Missouri quarterback who will be an NFL slash guy (receiver/runner/special-teamer/occasional thrower, sort of a latter-day Ray Lucas, or maybe a poor man's Antwaan Randle El), but getting him at 103 was good value. There was a ton of pressure on new GM Mike Tannenbaum and coach Eric Mangini, but they acquitted themselves well.
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Interesting comments from Bollman, and high praise indeed from across the league for Nick Mangold.

Character counts, now - can we re-count those Rimington Award ballots please?
 
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