The
2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in
New York City at
Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on
ESPN and
ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by
ESPNU and, for the first time, by the
NFL Network. Having signed a contract with the
Houston Texans on the evening before the draft,
Mario Williams, a
defensive end from
North Carolina State, became the draft’s first pick. The selection surprised many commentators, who predicted that the Texans would draft
Southern California running back Reggie Bush or
Texas quarterback Vince Young.
Ohio State produced the most first round selections (five), while
Southern California produced the most overall selections (eleven). Twenty-seven compensatory and supplemental compensatory selections were distributed amongst seventeen teams;
Tampa Bay,
Baltimore, and
Tennessee each held three compensatory picks. The league also held a
supplemental draft after the regular draft and before the regular season. The 255 players chosen in the draft were composed of:<br clear="all" />