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If Chris Johnson is available in the 2nd take him


walzav29

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He can catch and is a game breaker. Draft this guy.

#1 - DT

#2 - RB

#3 - DE

#4 - Linebacker

#5 - Linebacker

All the rest and the comps get OL and Secondary.

Chris Johnson

RB | (5'1", 195, 4.25) | EAST CAROLINA

Scouts Grade: 81

Flags: (B: BULK/SIZE) Lacks size/bulk for position(D: DURABILITY) Player that can't stay healthy

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Strengths: Possesses elite speed. Is an explosive open-field runner. Brings excellent versatility to the table thanks to his experience at RB, WR and KOR. He can explode through a hole. Gets from 0-to-60 mph faster than most RB's. Shows excellent burst to and through the hole, as well as the second-gear to run away from defenders in space. Vision and patience were much improved as a senior in 2007. He has a compact running style and will do a decent job of protecting his body. He displays very soft hands as a receiver and return specialist. Has great experience working out of the slot and knows how to separate as a route runner. Can pluck on the run and gets upfield in a hurry after the catch. Shows good vision and run instincts when he gets into space; knows when to cut back against the grain and how to set up blocks.

Weaknesses: Is undersized and must add more bulk to frame in order to hold up physically at the next level. Has better strength than frame indicates but still not strong enough to break lots of tackles or push the pile as an inside runner. Doesn't always drive his legs and finish runs strong. Durability was a problem throughout college and most concerning is his history of neck injuries. Lacks ideal running instincts and got away with a lot at the college level because of his speed that he won't get away with in the NFL. Will get overwhelmed at the point of attack versus bigger linebackers in pass pro. Will struggle to hold up in that facet of the NFL game. Ball security has been a problem at times, as he turned the ball over seven times on fumbles during his first three seasons. He also has small hands (7 ¼ inches).

Overall: Johnson became a starter as a true freshman and during his career at East Carolina served as a running back, wide receiver and kickoff return specialist. In his first three seasons (2004-'06), he played 34 games (23 starts) and ran for 1,559 yards and 15 touchdowns on 388 carries (4.0 average). In that span, he also had 88 receptions for 768 yards (8.7 average) and four touchdowns, plus 79 kickoff returns for 1,706 yards (21.6 average) and four touchdowns. Johnson broke out as a senior, starting all 13 games and leading the nation in all-purpose yards per game (227.7). He had 1,468 yards and 17 touchdowns on 236 carries (6.0 average), 37 receptions for 528 yards (14.3 average) and six scores, and 36 kickoff returns for 1,009 yards (28.0) and another TD. In 2006, Johnson had offseason neck surgery that forced him to miss spring drills but no playing time. He missed one game and was limited in others later that season because of a turf toe injury on his left big toe. Johnson shares a lot of similarities with Jerious Norwood, who was selected by the Falcons in the second round of the 2006 draft. Like Norwood, Johnson is a homerun threat with exceptional speed and versatility but marginal size and below-average strength. A team that can afford a luxury item like Johnson will be able to maximize his big-play potential as a runner, receiver and return specialist. However, we are not convinced he's capable of handling a fulltime role at running back in the NFL, which is why we don't grade him out as high as some. Regardless, Johnson is vying to become the first senior running back off the board. He projects as a second or third round pick.

Dude, we already have guys like this on the team who can't stay in the game named DeDe Dorsey and Chris Perry. The tape looked nice though... but c'mon.... it was ECU...

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5'1 ?? Wow, this guy will get blown up in the NFL !!! Can you imagine him getting pounded by some MLB at about 6'4 265 ??

WHODEY !!!

Army - he's 5'11"

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I was just looking at the post by WhodeyNation... It's says 5'1, but 5'11 sounds much better !!!

WHODEY !!!

Sorry Brothers... cut and paste. Scouts.com site has him listed wrong.

If he'll switch to WR and promise to run underneath routes without getting short arm syndrome, then I like him in maybe round 4

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I know we 've had 0 luck getting a receiving, blazing RB but we had the same problems getting a QB. What if we would have quit drafting 1st rnd QB's after Akili? We still need one. The Bengals have to be able to cut Perry by now.

I don't really want us to draft a RB before the 3rd rd. at the least. This is a RB heavy draft and I think we could even get a blazing, receiving Rb in the 4th.

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I know we 've had 0 luck getting a receiving, blazing RB but we had the same problems getting a QB. What if we would have quit drafting 1st rnd QB's after Akili? We still need one. The Bengals have to be able to cut Perry by now.

I don't really want us to draft a RB before the 3rd rd. at the least. This is a RB heavy draft and I think we could even get a blazing, receiving Rb in the 4th.

Don't we already have 2 of those. What the Bengals need is a new bell-cow. Cut Rudi, keep Perry, draft Mendenhall or Stewart and call it good.

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Cut Rudi, keep Perry, draft Mendenhall or Stewart and call it good.

Pushy? Is that you?

I think only you would be dumb enough to write such a thing.

I can see it now....Chris Perry in the backfield, strapped to a guerny pushed by Bengals medical staff, takes the handoff from Palmer, the staff members fake the guerney to the left then push it to the right......they roll the guerney over the top of Joey Porter! Ouch, you know that had to hurt! Stopped after a 2 yard gain as the middle linebacker threw the front-side medical staffer to the ground.....substitution coming up, Perry carried back off the field....wait, looks like there is a penalty, yep, you can see on replay that Perry wraps some of his medical tape around the ball to help secure it.....thats a 5 yard penalty, still second down

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Combine #'s for Johnson.

4.24/40, 10'10" Broad Jump, 35" vert. Yes, I said 4.24/40. I believe that is the fastest time ever at the combine.

The Bengals have had luck with small speed backs that can catch run and block, his name was James Brooks and was arguably the best RB in Bengals history. I think Johnson can be that kind of player, the kind of burst he has in the open field is Willie Parker-esque and that seems to have done ok for Pittsburgh. If available in in the second I would take him. Comparing Johnson to DeDe Dorsey is not an apples to apples comparison, Dorsey had an untutored 4.59 before speed drills helped him drop it to 4.38 which is in any case not in Johnson's category. Dorsey went to

Lindenwood College which is an NAIA school. Chris Johnson had 154 Rushing/Receiving Yards and 3 TDs against North Carolina, 89 Yards and 1 TD against West Virginia, A Whooping 313 Yards and 4 TDs against Memphis, and 255 Yards and 2 TDs against Boise State in the Hawai'i Bowl. This is against Division 1 football teams when he was the main/only offensive option. He is also an incredible Kick Returner averaging over 28 yards per return. IMHO this guy is a faster version of Maurice Jones Drew.

Almost 3,000 (2,960: 1423 Rushing, 528 Receiving, 1009 returning) total yards and 24 total TDs (17 Rushing, 6 Receiving, 1 Returning) is nothing to sneeze at against Division 1 competition for a single season.

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All very nice but he is very light, which is a major contributor to his speed and major drawback in the NFL.

I am not against the idea but this team needs a down-todown solution efore we can get fancy with a 3rd down speed back, despite the talent. DeDe has done nothing to make me want to look for a better vrsion of him. If Brat would just use the DeDe weapon properly, we'd get more balance and be more effective. Everytime DeDe has been given a chance he has exploded, so why shop for a better version when there are SO many other needs right in our face?

Remember how fast Broussard was? Guy was a flash but weighed like 163 lbs. He retruned kicks and punts here and at Jax but was just too small.

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Maurice Jones-Drew 5'7" 207 lbs

Warrick Dunn 5'9" 187 lbs

Kenny Irons 5'11" 200 lbs

Julius Jones 5'10" 208 lbs

Reggie Bush 6'0" 203 lbs

Brian Westbrook 5'10" 203 lbs

James Brooks 5'10" 180 lbs

Dave Meggett 5'7" 190 lbs

Gale Sayers 6'0" 198 lbs

Barry Sanders 5'8" 203 lbs

Chris Johnson 5'11" 197 lbs

Nobody brought up Irons' size because he had proven himself in the SEC, all of these guys (with the exception of Irons) have had significant success in the NFL and are within 10 lbs of Chris Johnson. If this kid has Westbrook's talent (and I believe he does) then he will be successful barring injury. 10 lbs is one season under an NFL weight program.

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A couple of points...

First, Chris Perry's salary cap hit hasn't been a problem for years...as his early injuries kept him from triggering any of his incentives. It's even been suggested he's still a Bengal only because of how cheap it's been to keep him.

Next, Chris Johnson may indeed be an attractive option but not with the 2nd round pick. That said, I'd have no problem with the idea if you change the thread title to "If Chris Johnson is available the Bengals should burn their comp pick on him"

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Maurice Jones-Drew 5'7" 207 lbs

Warrick Dunn 5'9" 187 lbs

Kenny Irons 5'11" 200 lbs

Julius Jones 5'10" 208 lbs

Reggie Bush 6'0" 203 lbs

Brian Westbrook 5'10" 203 lbs

James Brooks 5'10" 180 lbs

Dave Meggett 5'10" 190 lbs

Gale Sayers 6'0" 198 lbs

Barry Sanders 5'8" 203 lbs

Chris Johnson 5'11" 197 lbs

Nobody brought up Irons' size because he had proven himself in the SEC, all of these guys (with the exception of Irons) have had significant success in the NFL and are within 10 lbs of Chris Johnson. If this kid has Westbrook's talent (and I believe he does) then he will be successful barring injury. 10 lbs is one season under an NFL weight program.

All fine and good, maybe weight won't be an issue. Doesn't solve the "every-down" back problem, with Rudi looking like the tank is dry. Doesn't solve the issue of already having DeDe and Irons (yes, injured but needs a chance to get back) and Perry (not counting on him in ANY ay but still on the roster) and even Watson, who also does quite well catching the ball and playing the 3rd down role. It also doesn't address the issue of Joshnon probably being taken in r2-3, where we need to be taking defensive players. Heck, I'd go WR before I'd take a RB.

r2-3 for Johnson is just way to high for a luxury pick like this when our DT's are about as sorry as to depth and talent as I can ever recall.

Should we get Dorsey or Ellis in r1, then a guy like Merling or Campbell in r2 and we have an r2 comp pick, how can we pas on a WR like Hardy or Manningham or a LB like Marcus Howard or Ezra Butler just so we can get Johsnon?

I cannot see the justification.

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