05/01 — I was struck over the weekend by the empathy that Jets center Nick Mangold had for Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn as he continued to slide down the first round, with ESPN very happy to show his growing discomfort.

"It's horrible watching it," Nick said Saturday during the Draft Day Party at Dave & Buster's in New York City. "I was talking with Brady yesterday about what might happen. Now, to see it in his eyes, and he has no control over it, it's tough. And the camera's on him the whole time."

Where does Nick's concern for Brady come from? I forgot the connection: Mangold was Ohio State teammates with linebacker A.J. Hawk, who married Quinn's sister, Laura.

Quinn's agony ended when Cleveland traded up with Dallas to get him at 22. (Another nice touch by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, escorting Quinn away from the backstage cameras and into a private suite until he was chosen.)

Everything's relative, of course, so Mangold, one year removed from being the 29th overall pick a year ago, had no regrets about his draft day. "I went a little earlier than what my people were expecting, so it was great for me," said the bearded one. "It seems like a lifetime ago."

Erik Coleman, who was also at the party along with fellow Jets Bryan Thomas, D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Anthony Schlegel and Leon Washington, also fondly remembered his draft day in 2004.

"That was one of the best days in my life," said Coleman, one of the most upbeat guys I've met in this game. "I didn't go until the second day [Round 5], but it was a great day for me, my life's dream. It was a blessing and everything's been good ever since."

It was also great to see Wesley Walker, one of the great Green & White alums. I remember reminiscing with him for one of the first stories I did as The Record's Jets beatwriter back in 1994 and running into him on the road or at home many times in the years since. He was on hand at the party to sign autographs.

"Compared to when I went through the draft, it's totally different now," said Walker, who was the Jets' second-pick, 33rd overall, in 1977. "I just enjoy being here with Jets fans. They admired what you did, and whatever makes them come out now, I enjoy being there."

Good to see you again, Wesley.

Two final vignettes for this postdraft blog: Schlegel, last year's third-round pick, intently watching the announcement on the big screen of San Francisco taking Patrick Willis 11th overall.

Professional curiosity, perhaps — one inside 'backer interested in the destination of another ILB. And Schlegel and Mangold, captured by our driven photographer Al Pereira, breaking away from the party to duel each other, right, in D & B's Daytona USA. Road rage is a good thing, if it's used constructively in, say, Miami, Orchard Park or Foxboro.