Indianapolis – He wore a plain, gray sweat shirt, just like the 300 or so other prospects who have gathered for the meat market that is the NFL scouting combine.
His sweat shirt identified him by position, just like all the others. Only in his case, “RB” doesn’t have to stand for running back. It can also stand for Reggie Bush.
For even in an environment where players are measured, weighed, poked and prodded along, Bush is royalty. Long before Bush declared himself eligible for the NFL draft last month, the sensational Southern California running back was considered the no-brainer choice as this year’s No. 1 overall pick.
Come April 29, when the NFL draft begins, everybody expects Bush to become the first player called as the No. 1 choice of the lowly Houston Texans.
“I’m doing everything I can to position myself to be the No. 1 draft pick,” Bush said. “Make sure I take the necessary steps, from the little things to the big things as far as interviews, the workouts, 40 times. Everything that plays into it when teams choose who they want to be the No. 1 pick.”
Only 20 years old and the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, Bush is serious about becoming No. 1 because he realizes Vince Young’s performance in the national championship game complicated the Texans’ choice. Young was the quarterback who all but single-handedly lifted the Texas Longhorns over Bush’s heavily favored Trojans 41-38 in the Rose Bowl.
Young turned in arguably the most significant, single-game performance in college football history by passing and running for 467 total yards and three touchdowns. Also, the Texans share their state’s great football fan base with the Longhorns and Houston is Young’s hometown. But should one game potentially count so heavily while determining the No. 1 pick in the draft?
“I’m not surprised at all,” Bush said. “It’s just part of competing. I’m competing right now and I’m pretty sure he’s doing the same thing, to be the No. 1 draft pick.”
Texas’ national title not only spiked Young’s value, it exposed some doubt about Bush.
Bush played well against the Longhorns, rushing for 82 yards on 13 carries and catching six passes for 95 yards. But he continually ran toward the perimeter, seemingly unwilling to cut inside. For the biggest play of the game, a fourth-and-2 play late in the fourth quarter that would have clinched victory for USC if converted, Bush watched from the sideline as LenDale White was stopped short.
Suddenly, the question was asked: Is Bush an every-down back? And if the answer is no, should the No. 1 pick be a player who doesn’t play every down?
“In my opinion, with Reggie Bush, more may be less and less could be more,” said Phil Savage, general manager of the Cleveland Browns. “What I mean is, whichever team takes Reggie at the top of the draft, if they utilize him in the right way he could still be the Heisman Trophy winner at the pro level even if he’s only touching the ball 10, 15 times a game.
“But you get in a situation with his size, 200 pounds or so, when you’re carrying 20, 25 times a game for 16 games, I think that’s almost an impossibility for somebody to do that the way the game is played right now.”
The Texans recently extended the contract of quarterback David Carr, a possible indication they will use their top pick on Bush. But Carr’s presence may not be enough reason for new Texans coach Gary Kubiak, who spent the previous 11 seasons as the Broncos’ offensive coordinator, to feel good about bypassing Young.
Perhaps a one-on-one interview with Bush this week will ease Kubiak’s concerns.
“A lot of people have asked me the question of why I wasn’t in there in key situations,” Bush said. “But you have to understand, our team, we have so many talented guys that they can go in there and break the game open at any time. They just felt like LenDale could take care of the job at that time. It had nothing to do with me not being able to do it.
“Obviously when the game is on the line, I want the ball as a competitor. But it’s the coach’s decision ultimately, and it would have been completely wrong of me to go in there and make a fuss about it.”
Mike Klis can be reached at 303-820-5440 or mklis@denverpost.com.
