With their 2–14 record in 2005, the Texans earned the right to the first selection in the 2006 NFL Draft. Leading up to the draft most believed the team would select RB Reggie Bush out of University of Southern California, who was being compared to Gale Sayers and touted as the greatest prospect to ever enter the draft. Many local fans in Houston wanted the team to draft hometown hero Vince Young who had led the University of Texas to a Nation Championship in January. However, the Texans would choose neither and announced the day before the draft that they would pick defensive end Mario Williams out of NC State instead. Williams was signed to a six-year, $54 million contract.