| 2006 NFL draft | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Date(s) | April 29–30, 2006 |
| Time | Noon EDT (April 29) 11:00 am EDT (April 30) |
| Location | Radio City Music Hall in New York City, NY |
| Network(s) | ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, NFL Network |
| Overview | |
| 255 total selections in 7 rounds | |
| League | NFL |
| First selection | Mario Williams, DE Houston Texans |
| Mr. Irrelevant | Kevin McMahan, WR Oakland Raiders |
| Most selections (12) | Green Bay Packers |
| Fewest selections (5) | Atlanta Falcons |
| Hall of Famers | 1
|
The 2006 NFL draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City, New York, at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006.[1][2] 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 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.[3] 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:
- 33 Wide receivers
- 31 Linebackers
- 26 Safeties
- 23 Defensive tackles
- 23 Cornerbacks
- 22 Defensive ends
- 22 Offensive tackles
- 20 Offensive guards
- 16 Tight ends
- 14 Running backs
- 13 Quarterbacks
- 9 Centers
- 3 Fullbacks
- 2 Kickers
- 2 Punters
- ^ "NFL Draft Locations". FootballGeography.com. October 2, 2014. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
- ^ Salomone, Dan (October 2, 2014). "NFL Draft headed to Chicago in 2015". Giants.com. New York Giants. Archived from the original on September 30, 2015. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
- ^ "Who's No. 1? Texans, Williams sign contract". April 29, 2006. Archived from the original on May 6, 2006. Retrieved April 29, 2006.