Tom E. Curran • E-mail

Two years ago, D’Brickashaw Ferguson was the NFL Draft’s sure thing. A 6-foot-6, 312-pounder with arms like vines, a beautiful mind and a charming personality, Ferguson stood out as a low-risk, high-reward guy. And he’s proven to be that.

Taken by the Jets with the fourth overall pick, he has lined up at left tackle every game since he got there. So how does Ferguson regard the ongoing draft hoopla now? And what’s he think of the myriad moves Gang Green’s made after its 4-12 season? And, of course, where does he rank William Shatner on the list of famous Wills?

TC: If you knew then what you know now, how would you have approached the pre-draft differently?
DF: The draft is a major time — a lot of hype and fun. You get real nervous and there’s anxiety because you don’t know what to expect, but there are opportunities for draftees to do big things. I would make sure my camp was intact well before the draft — agents, financing, marketing. The sooner you do that the better because it’s a hassle regardless, but there’s so much energy and activity going on leading into the draft that you want to take advantage of all the opportunities available to you.

TC: What are the top prospects going through?
DF: They have a lot of turmoil right now. They have everybody telling them everything, “You could go here, you could go there,” but the work has been done once your pro day is passed. It’s not up to them anymore. Every class, every year, a guy that’s expected to go high drops, and a guy that’s expected to go later jumps up. All the work is done, you’ve taken your tests, now relax because you don’t have control over what happens.

TC: What’s the most ridiculous part of the pre-draft process?
DF: It’s the draft magazines. You have 30 magazines and they say 28 different things. You have people just guessing on what they feel you are. They pick you apart and if you read it, it’s nerve-wracking but it’s really like a comic book.

TC: What do you think of the Wonderlic?
DF: I guess it has some use. There’s tests similar to that at school, tests similar to that in other lines of work — I guess it has an application here.

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TC: Your team’s been awfully busy in the offseason so far. What are your thoughts on that?
DF: I feel we’re going into a different direction from last year. We’ve moved key guys – Jonathan Vilma’s out; Alan Faneca is in. You can tell we’re not playing around, there's a new direction. I mean, Jonathan Vilma is an excellent leader and he’ll do well wherever he goes, but this just shows the changes a team can and will make. As a player, it’s amazing. A player told me when I was starting that you have a different team every year. At the time, I heard him but I didn’t hear him until I saw it happen this year.

TC: Have you spoken yet to Alan Faneca?
DF: I did have a chance to talk to him. He’s a great guy and his track record is very nice. We will get to work and we’re excited to have him. We’re just going to get to work on chemistry and bonding.

TC: Who’s the smartest teammate you have?
DF: Nick Mangold (the Jets center). He’s a really smart guy. Actually, centers have a lot of responsibilities and have to be accountable and they have to block with one hand. They’re all smart guys and Nick Mangold is the smartest.

TC: Any songs on your iPod that would surprise?
DF: I have some Sam Cooke on there. A little Earth, Wind and Fire … ?

TC: Rank ‘em…Will Ferrell, William Shatner, Will Smith.
DF: I’ll say Will Ferrell, Will Smith and William Shatner.

TC: Which reality show would you have the best chance of winning: Survivor, American Idol or Dancing With the Stars?
DF: I’d say American Idol. Dancing with the stars is cool but maybe not so much. Survivor …who wants to do that? I think I’d be all right on Idol. Find a song to do, maybe some R&B. Luther Vandross, R. Kelly. The classics. It’d have to be the classics.