6th Round: Ryan Whalen, WR, Stanford

[TJJackson]

Well good.

Looks like chances are improving that I am wrong about this pick, and if so, mark me down as glad to be wrong

[HairOnFire]

[Quan Cosby can't play anywhere else....or at all for that matter.

The truth is quite to the contrary

No, it isn't. You even say as much with the very next sentence you wrote. Check it out.

Quan has caught almost everything thrown to him, despite the very few opportunities he has been given on offense

There it is. No opportunities. For years. Almost no role whatsoever in the Bengals base passing offense.

Do you think that's going to change?

[ArmyBengal]

I suppose it depends on who you want to believe, with their write ups, but based on this, who would you have picked if it were your choice.

Whalen:

Whalen is a hard worker with good size, but he lacks the physical tools to be a contributor at the next level. He does not have breakaway speed and he is a bit stiff in the hips which slows him down in and out of breaks. He will not be able to separate in man coverage, but he has a good feel for the game and gets open in zone. He flashes the body control and focus to make difficult catches in traffic, but he is too inconsistent in this area. Whalen's limited upside makes him a later round pick.

Sanzenbacher:

Sanzenbacher is a crafty receiver with a great attitude that could contribute in the slot at the next level. He lacks ideal speed and suddenness, but he is a very savvy route runner that uses a variety of fakes to set up defensive backs. He has great hand eye coordination and makes difficult catches look easy. He is not going to get consistent yards after the catch, but he is fearless over the middle and very effective at moving the chains. Sanzenbacher is a very good football player and a coach's dream that will likely be a third day pick.

[TJJackson]

[Quan Cosby can't play anywhere else....or at all for that matter.

The truth is quite to the contrary

No, it isn't. You even say as much with the very next sentence you wrote. Check it out.

Quan has caught almost everything thrown to him, despite the very few opportunities he has been given on offense

There it is. No opportunities. For years. Almost no role whatsoever in the Bengals base passing offense.

Do you think that's going to change?

You're wrong

Here's what you are wrong about.

You said "Quan Cosby can't play anywhere else....or at all for that matter"

Focus on the word "can't" as in "unable to do so"

I saw that when given the chance to take the field as a WR on offensive downs, Quan caught virtually everything thrown his way

So to me, he "can" play "elsewhere", ie wide receiver as opposed to his regular role as a punt returner

It is not his fault that the coaching staff does not put him in more often as a wideout - this is not dissimilar to the story last year with Dunlap and with your boy Simpson.

Clearly, they were productive when given a chance to be.

As was Quan

Bottom line: the fact that he isn't being given a chance to play WR much is not the same as saying he can't play WR.

[HoosierCat]

with this pick wasted on a useless WR, they need to get the RB and K now, and can no longer afford to pick up the extra OL or S they need

As it turns out, they had pretty good indications they didnt need a kicker.

BEST NON-DRAFT NEWS: The one day Bengals kicker Mike Nugent was able to come into the facility last week, he was able to kick a football and make all of his handful of field-goal tries. And that’s just five months after undergoing reconstructive surgery on his kicking knee.

[ArmyBengal]

Good for Nugent.

Hopefully it translates into being good for the Bengals overall !!!

[princeton]

pro day work out numbers were quite good -- he's growing on me.

[HairOnFire]

with this pick wasted on a useless WR, they need to get the RB and K now, and can no longer afford to pick up the extra OL or S they need

As it turns out, they had pretty good indications they didnt need a kicker.

BEST NON-DRAFT NEWS: The one day Bengals kicker Mike Nugent was able to come into the facility last week, he was able to kick a football and make all of his handful of field-goal tries. And that’s just five months after undergoing reconstructive surgery on his kicking knee.

Not to split flaming hairs, but last year I openly supported an obviously inferior kicker simply because I didn't and couldn't trust Mike Nugent's health. One year later I'm even less confident.

[derekshank]

Not to split flaming hairs, but last year I openly supported an obviously inferior kicker simply because I didn't and couldn't trust Mike Nugent's health. One year later I'm even less confident.

Blasphemy! I cannot sit idly by while you speak of "The Nuge" as if he were a mere mortal like us!

Or perhaps the memory of those legendary OSU years are effecting my better judgment.

[HairOnFire]

Not to split flaming hairs, but last year I openly supported an obviously inferior kicker simply because I didn't and couldn't trust Mike Nugent's health. One year later I'm even less confident.

Blasphemy! I cannot sit idly by while you speak of "The Nuge" as if he were a mere mortal like us!

I assumed as much.

Sadly, I still find myself in the same position as last year. That being, willing to acknowledge Mike Nugent is dramatically better than any of the other options likely to be available, but completely unwilling to take a chance on his durability.

Put me in the other guys camp, regardless of who he turns out to be.

[ArmyBengal]

He's growing on me.

Well have that sh*t cut off, it could be cancerous.

[Stripes]

Nugent's health is definitely questionable, but I think I'd still prefer the Bengals gamble on him. I'd rather have Nugent kicking as long as he is able and THEN go for whoever else it must be if/when he gets hurt than go with some other inferior kicker for the entire season.

[volcom69]

On Nfl network Brian Baldinger said that this kid will be a great fit for the Bengals, and will be playing. He said he catches everything and is going to be a great fit, kind of like TJ was. Everybody keeps busting on this kid, but it was Lucks go to guy, and everything im hearing it sounds pretty good so lets give him a chance before we bust on him

[derekshank]

Per Reedy from player organized OTAs:

Late-round rookie to keep an eye on -- 6th-round WR Ryan Whalen. Nice quickness and playbook is similar to what he had at Stanford.

[ArmyBengal]

The only way Whalen sees an active roster is if Chad leaves, so I'm rooting for him !!!

I don't know if he can return punts, because minus that, he won't beat out Cosby.

[HoosierCat]

Per Reedy from player organized OTAs:

Late-round rookie to keep an eye on -- 6th-round WR Ryan Whalen. Nice quickness and playbook is similar to what he had at Stanford.

So...which one of you college football fans can tell us what Stanford's offense looks like?

[ct_bengal]

whalen = caldwell replacement

[ArmyBengal]

Whalen = Practice squad unless he can beat out Cosby returning punts or Chad leaves.

I know there are positive things that have been said about him, but he was one of the picks I really didn't care for.

That's not the reason he will be a practice squad guy, but Caldwell isn't going anywhere. It's just numbers.

[ct_bengal]

Whalen = Practice squad unless he can beat out Cosby returning punts or Chad leaves.

I know there are positive things that have been said about him, but he was one of the picks I really didn't care for.

That's not the reason he will be a practice squad guy, but Caldwell isn't going anywhere. It's just numbers.

he def will be on the practice squad but they will let caldwell walk at the end of the season and that's where whalen will replace him. i like caldwell but he's never on the field enough, and def not now with the drafting of green. Either simpson or caldwell is walking and i don't think browns going to let simpson leave...I honestly think whalen will pan out in a year or two.

[BengalPimp]

Whalen = Practice squad unless he can beat out Cosby returning punts or Chad leaves.

No time to think when returning punts, so speed an elusiveness are key. I just don't think a guy like Whalen who ran a 4.53 40 at the combine would make for a good punt returner.....unless he has amazing hands....but even then he's not a threat to break one.

[ArmyBengal]

That's my whole point Pimp. Whalen just doesn't seem to fit right now and even if Chad were to leave, he's the #6 (See inactive) at best. I guess there could be worse things than seeing your 6th round WR make the team, but you get my point. I can see the "what if" when Simpson and Caldwell are due for FA, but I don't want to be pinning the hopes of replacing two higher drafted players with a "hopeful" 6th rounder. As much as it pains me to say it, I could see WR being drafted in the first three rounds again next year for that very reason.

[BengalPimp]

That's my whole point Pimp. Whalen just doesn't seem to fit right now and even if Chad were to leave, he's the #6 (See inactive) at best. I guess there could be worse things than seeing your 6th round WR make the team, but you get my point. I can see the "what if" when Simpson and Caldwell are due for FA, but I don't want to be pinning the hopes of replacing two higher drafted players with a "hopeful" 6th rounder. As much as it pains me to say it, I could see WR being drafted in the first three rounds again next year for that very reason.

We are on the same page regarding Whalen, and you're probably right my friend, they very well could end up taking a WR in the first 3 rounds next year too.........Uhhhhhhhhhh