An Offbeat Look at the 2006 NFL Draft

Every potential NFL draft prospect faces tremendous scrutiny from scouts, personnel managers, coaches, and even fans. And not much escapes the microscope most of these players are put under as they are poked and prodded in the weeks leading up to the NFL Draft. But here are some facts about a few of the prospects that you may not know:

• USC running back Reggie Bush went to high school with Alex Smith, last year’s No. 1 NFL Draft selection.
• The grandfather of Boston College defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka, Benedicto Kiwanuka, in 1961 became the first elected prime minister in Ugandan history. Eleven years later, he was assassinated by Idi Amin’s men.
• Quarterback Brodie Croyle grew up in an orphanage, although he wasn't an orphan. His father John Croyle, who played defensive end under Bear Bryant at Alabama, founded the Big Oak Ranch, an orphanage for boys in Rainbow City, Alabama.
• Virginia offensive tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson's first name was derived from that of the main character --father Ralph de Bricassart-- in one of television's first mini-series, "The Thorn Birds".
• Vanderbilt quarterback Jay Cutler hails from Santa Claus, Indiana, a city of about 2,000 people located 179 miles south of Indianapolis.
• Only nine players born or reared in Alaska since 1970 have played in the NFL, but two players from up north face that possibility in 2006. Guards Daryn Colledge of Boise State and the North Pole and Chris Kuper of North Dakota and Anchorage are solid draft prospects.