Mel Kiper's Sportscenter prediction

[Folz]

Mel Kiper predicted on Sportcenter today that the Bengals would pick CB Jimmy Williams from Virginia Tech at 24. What do you guys think?

[Whur CHad At?]

I think this is the wrong forum...but I totally disagree with Mel. Horrible Pick. I'd take Pope, Watson, Bunk, Simpson, or even Cromartie before I would take Williams...but that is my 37 cents

[bengalboomer7]

I like it.

Personally, if we take a tight end with our first pick I'm going to spoon out my eyeballs

Same goes for Lavar.

[bengal4life]

I would like to get Tye Hill, but I'm sure he'll be gone before we pick. The way the mock drafts have been going we might be able to pick up a good pass rushing end at 24.

[KiLBurn]

I would love the pick. Pretty big for a CB. Has played safety as well... Insurance at 2 positions.

[HoTbOy]

If he is as good as DHall(Virginia Tech) is for the Falcons then we have ourselves a winner...

[ShulaSteakhouse]

CB looks more likely every day.

Whitner from OSU, if he falls that far, would be someone I'd think hard about also.

It's not about need here so much either, just who will have the biggest impact on your team - at any given position of need.

I think DB's at the time the Bengals' pick in the 1st will be rated higher than any DT or DE.

I wouldn't rule out Mangold just yet either.

The Bengals' surely are not going to skimp on protecting their highest paid player in franchise history.

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

CB looks more likely every day.

Whitner from OSU, if he falls that far, would be someone I'd think hard about also.

It's not about need here so much either, just who will have the biggest impact on your team - at any given position of need.

I think DB's at the time the Bengals' pick in the 1st will be rated higher than any DT or DE.

I wouldn't rule out Mangold just yet either.

The Bengals' surely are not going to skimp on protecting their highest paid player in franchise history.

So, what, do you move Tory to S? Because otherwise that's one expensive nickelback. And if you do, Jackson is a fairly expensive backup. And I'll be pissed if we waste our 1st round pick twice in 3 years. I'd only go corner if all the DTs, DEs, Ss, and TEs graded into the second round or worse, and I don't think that would happen.

I'll agree you don't reach a full round to get a guy, but at the same time, I don't think you draft a guy you don't need just because he "grades well." Especially since you could do better than scout "grades" with a Ouija board half the time. At the bottom of the first round and in all subsequent rounds, I think you need to consider need pretty strongly, as well as how a guy fits into your system.

I think I'd only take a corner if I really thought he was half a round better than a guy at a position where I had a need.

[bengalboomer7]

This isn't about allegiances or favorite players, or about vets getting their due, this si about fielding the best team possible. It's a business. CB isn't only logical, it has some need. Regardless, Tory is 32(?), Dexter is approaching 30, and while I love Madieu, he's yet to start a whole season. I think CB is a very important position of depth and we need some youth.

The draft is ripe with CB's this year and I for one will be doing cartwheels for a Whitner, Hill, Williams, Huff, Allen type guy.

And I'd put Jimmy Williams last on that list!

[kingwilly]

Jimmy Williams had some serious issues this year, both with his team and in his perfomrances at the combine and ProDay...as in slow, weak and bad attitude.

Better options exist...Cromartie is interchangeable...the othr S propects are faster than Tory...Allen, Bullocks, Simpson and Whitner...

The impact we need is from a pass rush...Kiwi or Hali fit the bill...THe fall-off for the DE's is pretty big...

He is a fine player but we will not pick Mangold...no way, no how....

r1 QB's, WR's and CB's are the biggest wash-outs that occur...stick with Defense or a TE...that is what will make this team better.

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

This isn't about allegiances or favorite players, or about vets getting their due, this si about fielding the best team possible. It's a business. CB isn't only logical, it has some need. Regardless, Tory is 32(?), Dexter is approaching 30, and while I love Madieu, he's yet to start a whole season. I think CB is a very important position of depth and we need some youth.

The draft is ripe with CB's this year and I for one will be doing cartwheels for a Whitner, Hill, Williams, Huff, Allen type guy.

And I'd put Jimmy Williams last on that list!

Yeah, true - and if the D weren't swiss cheese up front I'd completely agree with you. But the interior line is even older except for smith. If there's a decent D lineman projected at the bottom of the 1st, I'd hit him. I'd also look at a S. And a guy who would play CB or S would be good too.

I'm not saying I wouldn't draft a corner at all, mind you, even at 2nd round I'd be cool with it - but I think we need a contributor from round 1.

[kentjett]

Look at production instead of workouts, this guy is a stud. He is the best all around athlete in this draft. I don't care about his 40 time or anything else. If you have watched him play for the last two years, you would know that this guy is the best playmaker on the defensive side of the ball period. He is one of the best tacklers, has great hands and makes great reads. He fits into the Charles Woodson mold( when Woodson first came out)a true playmaker. Put him at nickelback this year and start him over Tory next year. I believe he would be a better safety but he has the capability to play either position. People look too much into these workouts and end up drafting players just because of great workouts and they end up being bust( Akili Smith)Virginia Tech has had a great defense for the last couple of years and if you watch any old games you can definitely tell that Jimmy Williams is the best player on the field. I'm all for this pick. Hill is way too small for NFL recievers, he's almost a whole foot shorter than a lot of recievers.

[ShulaSteakhouse]

I won't complain about getting any good DB in the 1st round - Tory gives you some time to ease him into things, use it while you got it.

DC - Either James keeps his spot, or he doesn't. He's served his purpose here, that's a key position, and someone has to fill it after this season - Ratliff hasn't really shown he's worthy.

Frankly T James might be better off as a nickel, as he was in Oakland most of the time from what I remember.

An upgrade at CB is just as necessary as DT and DE. It's about getting the best for your buck at any of those positions. I would throw C/G in there also.

[kingwilly]

...you are wrong..

I can name 4 guys who are better athletes in the draft...

V. Davis

Mario Williams

Reggie Bush

Vince Young

one could argue that AJ Hawk, Tye Hill, and D'Brick are also "better athletes"...

I'm not just looking at lab numbers, even though his were poor (comparably)...just try to imagine if he could cover a guy like Chad or come up and tackle a Rudi/Jamal Lewis...I like other players better to do those things...

Williams is good and not going to fall out of r1, I just don't want him!

[HairOnFire]

Williams, Cromartie, Jennings....the important thing to consider is that there's always a strong run on CB's in every draft that seems to begin around the 20th pick...immediately after other teams have reached on positions like QB, DE, and DT. The Bengals will be perfectly positioned to participate in that CB run, if they choose to, and they should consider it strongly if for no other reason than their own draft history proves that settling for a 2nd round CB doesn't really solve your problems.

As for what you do with James, the selection of a new CB would put him on the bubble for plenty of reasons, including the cap savings his release would bring, but it's not out of the question that he wouldn't survive for one more season.

[Spor_tees]

...you are wrong..

I can name 4 guys who are better athletes in the draft...

V. Davis

Mario Williams

Reggie Bush

Vince Young

one could argue that AJ Hawk, Tye Hill, and D'Brick are also "better athletes"...

I'm not just looking at lab numbers, even though his were poor (comparably)...just try to imagine if he could cover a guy like Chad or come up and tackle a Rudi/Jamal Lewis...I like other players better to do those things...

Williams is good and not going to fall out of r1, I just don't want him!

Kudla had some pretty impressive "stats" too...

[ShulaSteakhouse]

Vernon Davis is my favorite player in this draft.

That guy is a beast.

[BengalPappaw]

Jimmy Williams would be a good choice -- but I don't think he will be there.

As a Bengal fan, I am hoping for one of the special players to slip down to 24 -- AND it could happen

[schweinhart]

Williams will have a harder time at CB than he did in college but he should be able to swing zone corner fairly well and also should be able to play man in certain matchups. He'll most likely be picked as a FS who provides insurance at corner, though. He would be an upgrade over Keiwan and would push James immediately.

But if they go CB, go CB for real. I wouldn't want to see them draft Williams if Cromartie is still there.

[derekshank]

I don't know anything about Williams specifically. I don't follow college players other than the Buckeyes.

That said... taking a CB in the 1st round has been the position I've held for a long time now. The only way I want anything other than a CB is if Kiwi or Hali falls to us... and it's not likely that either will.

As for James being an expensive nickle... well, you can't play him as the starter just because of his price tag. You play the best players you have... not the ones that get paid the most. James would be an excellent nickle because of his size... and we're going to have to replace him as the starter eventually. Ratliff isn't looking like he'll be that guy... so I'm all for taking someone here.

We have an aging D-Line too... but what we've done with the Adams signing is not forced ourselves into a corner. We don't have to reach for a pick now. If one of the great ones is still there... I'm sure we will take a DT or DE. But I don't want to be forced into taking a position... I want the best available player... and by the looks of it that will be a CB... and I'll be very happy.

[Kazkal]

CB looks more likely every day.

Whitner from OSU, if he falls that far, would be someone I'd think hard about also.

It's not about need here so much either, just who will have the biggest impact on your team - at any given position of need.

I think DB's at the time the Bengals' pick in the 1st will be rated higher than any DT or DE.

I wouldn't rule out Mangold just yet either.

The Bengals' surely are not going to skimp on protecting their highest paid player in franchise history.

So, what, do you move Tory to S? Because otherwise that's one expensive nickelback. And if you do, Jackson is a fairly expensive backup. And I'll be pissed if we waste our 1st round pick twice in 3 years. I'd only go corner if all the DTs, DEs, Ss, and TEs graded into the second round or worse, and I don't think that would happen.

I'll agree you don't reach a full round to get a guy, but at the same time, I don't think you draft a guy you don't need just because he "grades well." Especially since you could do better than scout "grades" with a Ouija board half the time. At the bottom of the first round and in all subsequent rounds, I think you need to consider need pretty strongly, as well as how a guy fits into your system.

I think I'd only take a corner if I really thought he was half a round better than a guy at a position where I had a need.

how was pollack a waste?

...you are wrong..

Nande is up there too

[walzav29]

The guy will have to be 5'10 or better for Marv to put him at cornerback. That is a position of need also. It would be better to groom a cb for a year as a nickel than to throw him to the wolves. I think they'll draft Jennings out of Miami. You have to figure that with the #1 pick you have to take a guy that has the most impact. The 3 hardest positions to fill are QB, CB, and DE. I look for one of those spots to be filled in the 1st round. It won't be a qb, so it will be one of the 2. CB or DE.

[ArmyBengal]

I personally don't care for Williams because of his attitude, but he is a good player. His attitude makes me think of this years Pac-Man Jones and I can't say as that would be a good thing for our defense. Don't give me that "attitude is what's needed" either, because there is a difference in positive and negative attitudes and his is negative.

I also think if the pick is a CB, I would rather Cromartie. Besides CB, d-linemen are always an option as well as TE. The thing is the draft is deep at certain positions of need for the Bengals, so we don't have to necessarily rush into a pick at #24.

DT, DE, TE, S, and CB could all be options at #24. Oh yeah, still don't want to have anything to do with a Mangold pick, we have addressed that last year and don't want to see it again. O-line might be a bigger need in next years draft, but not this one. Well, at least early on...

WHODEY !!!