Does Brandt wonder how NFL history might have changed if the Cowboys had won their last game in 1988 and not landed the No. 1 pick?
"I'm sure a lot of people in Dallas do," said Brandt, who is also an analyst for NFL.com. "But I've never known any coach or player who let that kind of stuff enter his mind once the game starts. Even if you get the No. 1 pick, there are no guarantees. But this year, it would be a fun decision to make. Both of those guys are tremendous, as is Vince Young."
The consensus among scouts is that Young would benefit from staying in college and that Bush has little to gain by staying at USC. Quarterbacks generally take longer to develop in the NFL than running backs do, and the contract bonuses for rookies increase every year.
waiting game
If Young stays at Texas for another season -- the way Leinart remained at USC for this year -- he could increase his chance of becoming the No. 1 pick and possibly receive a larger contract.
"I talked to Matt and his dad last year at this time, and I advised his father to talk to some NFL general managers, which he did," Kirwan said. "There's a lot of talk that Matt would have gone No. 1 last year, but I don't believe that. I think he would have gone more like middle of the first round.
"He had an elbow that needed surgery, and all quarterbacks benefit from experience. Carson Palmer, Peyton Manning, Eli Manning -- all of them benefited from staying in school, and they still struggled as rookies. I think Vince Young can be a very successful NFL quarterback, but I don't think there's any doubt he'd benefit from another year at Texas."
Bush, he said, is a different story.
"I don't think he's going to stay, and I don't think Pete Carroll is going to advise him to stay," Kirwan said, referring to the U.S.C. coach. "Anybody who doesn't think he's ready hasn't seen him play."
Winning the Heisman Trophy would fulfill another dream for Bush. He, Leinart -- last season's winner -- and Young have waited a long time for Saturday night. But fans of the Texans, the Jets and other teams in the draft-pick sweepstakes can hardly wait for April.
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