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Combine Coverage


kingwilly

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I thought the max on player interviews was 60. Are the Bengals interviewing just 30? So far, the interview list includes only 1 potential 1st rounder in Gabe Watson. Maybe if the Bengals media outlets concentrated a little less on Greg Blue and probed a little farther, they might find some interesting info.

Most helped by combine performance so far:

1. Chad Jackson WR: Speed kills and the guy is cut. Doesn't have the best cuts among the Top 5 wideouts but with that kind of speed, he'll still get separation over the middle, which immediately boosts his stock because he's now a legitimate double threat as a deep threat and possession receiver. Goes from late 1st/early 2nd to mid-1st.

2. Jay Cutler QB: With a little help from Vince Young, Cutler clearly established himself as -- at the very least -- the #2 QB in the draft.

3. Vernon Davis TE: He is a freak: 33 reps and a sub 4.4 time. He was already Top 10 before the combine, but his showing could boost him a few spots up.

4. Brod Bunkley DT: No more question about strength with 44 reps on bench press. Excellent dash time and showed solid short area quickness. Moves up significantly into middle of 1st round by further separating hilmself from a DT class thin in 1st round prospects.

5. Sinorice Moss WR: Picking up where he left off with the Senior Bowl, Moss again boosts his stock for 1st round consieration with a 4.38 40 and another demo of his quicker-than-the-eye cuts.

6. Joseph Addai RB: 4.40 speed, 38-inch vertical and real sharp in drills, Addai gets into the 1st round with his performance if the right team is picking.

7. Nick Mangold C: Performed too well to let slide by in the 1st for teams looking for a center or guard with center skills.

8. Leonard Pope TE: Great speed and catching skills shown in drills. Should secure a 1st round spot with combine performance.

9. Winston Justice T: His excellent measurable separate him from the rest of the tackle pack after D'Brick and secure him a mid-1st round spot.

10. Eric Winston OL: Solid measurables for Winston might be enough to keep him in the 1st round but decision not to lift didn't help him.

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I thought the max on player interviews was 60. Are the Bengals interviewing just 30? So far, the interview list includes only 1 potential 1st rounder in Gabe Watson. Maybe if the Bengals media outlets concentrated a little less on Greg Blue and probed a little farther, they might find some interesting info.

Sixty? I dunno, I thought teams were limited to 30 or 35 maybe interviews.

BTW, I found one more on KFFL.

Bengals | Team meets with Wilkinson

Sun, 26 Feb 2006 18:44:03 -0800

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports Georgia Tech LB Gerris Wilkinson said he met with the Cincinnati Bengals at the Combine.

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I agree about Chad Jackson...he has bolstered his appeal with his good showing, especially the speed drills.

Some of the mid-to-late roujnd WR prospects I like:

Brandon Marshall - UCF...dubbed the "baby-TO" due to the physical size/skills...not attitude. Guy played at a very high level his junior/senior year, with a strong showing in the Hula Bowl. He showed excellent speed, 4.50, for such a big guy 6'4 1/2" 229 and very good hands, from the coverage I caught on NFL network.

Jeff Webb - SDSU...shows very good movement, speed and hands along with size (6'2"-200). Caught most of the balls I saw tossed his way. Had

Good read on Webb's combine 40 run.

http://www.thedesertsun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/.../602270332/1002

Chris Hannon - Tennessee....has serious speed and decent size (6'4"-200+) a little thin, like Henry.

Mix...more on him in a bit

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Maybe we should keep a list of the propects interviewed by the Bengals at the combines. So far...

Oklahoma DB Chijioke Onyenegecha

Georgia S Greg Blue

Michigan DT Gabe Watson

Miami CB Devin Hester

Texas TE David Thomas

Virginia Tech DT Jonathan Lewis

Purdue DE Ray Edwards

Let's see, that's seven. Just 23 more to find. :lol:

I really like the thought of going after Devin Hester. The guy is an amazing player.

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Guys who slipped at the combine, so far:

Brian Calhoun - ran a slow 4.65 forty. The surface they are on is deemed "fast" by all...bad run will hurt him compared to guys like Addai and Norwood. I think he drops to r3

Derek Hagan - ran a good forty - 4.42 but dropped many, many passes...and of the ones I saw him catch were in the body....dude has the physical tools but not the hands...yet....someone will gamble and take him early r2.

E. Winston...generally a good combine but his techmnique was really criticized on air. His size is a question mark also...

Baskett - not that he has done poorly just that many others stepped up thier effort.

Bing - just the fact that HE admits he is lacking in the speed department says alot...either he is very honest or is priming folks for a slow 40 time.

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Ko is going to have a meeting with bengals says our site :P and if i'm not mistaken ngata had one too :P

Bengals might change their mind about Blue after meeting with Big Ko :D

As for Hester, I want the guy becuase he is a great corner(lost spot becuase they moved him to WR)and he is a amazing Punt Returner, something we seriously need!

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Mix looked good. Really strong, built guy who caught well. Could do alot worse in searching for a Henry replacement.

I'm high on B. Marshall.

2005 UCF stats...2004 he played at Safety...I won't go there!

74 catches

1195 yrds

16.1 avg

69 long

11TD's

Big games in the Hawaii Bowl..(11 for 210 3 td's) and then the Hula Bowl... (5 for 101 1 td) showcased his ability.

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I like where this is headed with players like Hester, Marshall, and Mix.

Questions aside about whether Hester is a WR or CB, there's no question that he is an explosive threat as a punt returner. Had he stayed at Miami, what his position is would have been better sorted out, but with the incredible short area quickness he has, he shouldn't have much problem as a nickel slot or a quick slant/deep threat at wideout, provided he can grasp the playbook. He's far from tall, though, as a WR but that combination of quickness and straightline speed is appealing. Gotta figure it'll take a 2nd to get Hester.

Both Mix and Marshall present a double threat. Both have respectable straightline speed and great hands, which positions them as possession WRs with some vertical ability also. Both are tall with enough size and frame to probably also fill Schobel's position. If either one remains in the 4th, the Bengals should be tempted.

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I'm disgusted by the Blue slurping by the Bengals....

I watched his forty and all of his drills, and he looked stiff in and out of his breaks. I understand that it's attractive to have a big hitter like him, but I don't know.

I thought my boy Addae looked pretty good, as did Cromartie.

I also think it's pretty clear that Huff we be taken in the top part of the first round as a corner. The spped he showed pretty much assures that methinks.

And, uhh... Where's Jimmy Williams?

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I thought Blue looked awkward as well.

he did not move fluidly or seem very agile.

Addae seemed very smooth and had decent speed but he is short and did not jump so high, comparitively. I think Allen or Bullocks showed more speed and agility, especially at their size, cmpare to the othr safeties...

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I thought Blue looked awkward as well.

he did not move fluidly or seem very agile.

Agreed. Blue either stumbled, slipped, or took extra steps in almost every drill. By comparision, they said that Darnell Bing was up to 227 lbs. and his turns and changes of direction were smooth and effortless.

And if you're looking for a smaller more athletic SS...Bullocks was outstanding.

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The issue I'd have with Bing is that he lacks the speed. Even he admittied as much. He looked pretty good in the drills at the combine they showed.

What he runs at his Pro day will determine if he is a r1 or r2-3 player....whihc may benefit the bengals, should he slide...truth, though is that if we want a big hitter, we can get Slay in the r3-4 range...

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The issue I'd have with Bing is that he lacks the speed. Even he admittied as much. He looked pretty good in the drills at the combine they showed.

It's apples and oranges. Bing may play the same position as a quicker 205 lb. Strong Safety but he's now throwing around 227 lbs. He clearly doesn't fit the description the CB/FS tweener the Bengals have always hinted they want, but he compares very well to Thomas Davis, a player Marvin is on record of wanting to draft, and Greg Blue, a player that keeps being linked to the Bengals in draft rumors. It may turn out to be true that the Bengals have no real interest in a player like Bing or Blue, but if they are you've got to admit that Bing is far smoother and much more polished than Blue, the SS he most closely resembles in type.

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totally agree that Blue is ..dare I say...clumsy looking..and that Bing exhibited very good body control and smoothness.

Since Bettis is retired and it looks like J. Lewis's days in Baltimore are over... that is 4 games where we won't face a psycho monster RB who KK cannot tackle...possibly defraying the need for a guy like Blue/Bing.

If it is a matter of having the SS be a guy who can take an angle on a Willie Parker or Lee Suggs type guy, I'd rather have the speed of a Bullocks or Allen...

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I am not a Blue fan either... Bing would be acceptable, but I think we'll be able to do better in the first two rounds... My favorite is Ko Simpson, but I'd also be in favor af Addae.

If we want the big hitter, then I agree with the Dwayne Slay angle.

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The big SS between Blue, Bing, and Slay is definitely there for the taking, with at least 1 of them being there in the 3rd. But speed wise, Addae should be a good bit faster than any of those 3, just not as big. I really don't think Ko fits a strong safety bill. He looks to me like a pure FS who might be able to swing some zone corner. I wouldn't consider Ko as a SS or even an interchangeable safety as much as a FS and zone CB.

Bing got work with the LBs at the combine and Blue is more LB than anything else. One advantage for the Bengals in picking up either of them or Slay is that all 3 should be able to play some weakside LB and come up into the box in 4-4-3 sets.

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