Leodis McKelvin

[Wraith]

Had Leodis McKelvin as the pick at #9

Team Player

POS

School

1 Miami

Jake Long

OT

Michigan

2 St. Louis

Chris Long

DE

Virginia

3

Atlanta

Glenn Dorsey

DT

LSU

4

Oakland

Vernon Gholston

DE

Ohio State

5

Kansas City Matt Ryan

QB

Boston College

6

New York Jets Darren McFadden

RB

Arkansas

7 New England (from San Francisco)

Sedrick Ellis

DT

Southern California

8

Baltimore Ryan Clady

OT

Boise State

9

Cincinnati Leodis McKelvin

CB

Troy

10 New Orleans Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie

CB

Tennessee State

Question: as the voice of the Bengals fan would ANY of you take McKelvin over Rivers, Harvey, Merling, Albert, Williams or any of the other line positions?

[TJJackson]

Had Leodis McKelvin as the pick at #9

Question: as the voice of the Bengals fan would ANY of you take McKelvin over Rivers, Harvey, Merling, Albert, Williams or any of the other line positions?

No - I voted for Williams (preferring him as a LEFT tackle specifically), and was very disappointed with the results.

[DesperateDerelict]

A corner for the 3rd year in a row??!!??

Somebody been smokin da spliff!!!

[Wraith]

My Question, would ANY Bengals fan vote for ANOTHER Rd. 1 Corner?

[HairOnFire]

My Question, would ANY Bengals fan vote for ANOTHER Rd. 1 Corner?

I've said it before and I'll say it again. It's not my first choice and it probably isn't my second, but I like the idea of drafting McKelvin better than burning #9 on an OT who would sit for a ear OR a WR who isn't worthy of the slot.

[BengalszoneBilly]

A corner for the 3rd year in a row??!!??

Somebody been smokin da spliff!!!

No doubt. Biggest goofball pick I've seen yet.

[HairOnFire]

A corner for the 3rd year in a row??!!??

Somebody been smokin da spliff!!!

No doubt. Biggest goofball pick I've seen yet.

I'm not pimping McKelvin, but I wouldn't call it a goofball pick. After all, he might turn out to be the best player available, he's the consensus #1 ranked CB prospect, he has almost unlimited upside, he's said to be a high character person with an outstanding work ethic and very coachable, and just for giggles.....he produced seven kick returns for TD's in his college career, one short of the all-time NCAA record.

Yeah, pass the joint....because I might just have me some of that.

[Wraith]

Is there a great deal of difference between Cason from Arizona and McKelvin? Yes McKelvin has a .07 difference in the 40 time but Cason is bigger stronger and jumps better. On the field, they are both excellent PR, but Cason had 5 Ints (15 Career) and 14 pass breakups vs. 2 Ints and 9 Pass Breakups for McKelvin oh and Cason was in the Pac 10 while McKelvin played for Troy St. I bring this up because we can likely draft Cason or Talib in the 2nd oh and Cason could play free safety.

Now I don't think the Bengals should draft either player and should wait to the third for Tyrell Johnson, Corey Lynch or Tyvon Branch. Branch for one is a better athlete than McKelvin and is bigger and stronger and will probably be available at our first pick in the third.

McKelvin for his career at Troy St. had 17 PBUs and 4 Ints, conversely Cason has 32 and 15, Talib 43 and 13, Porter 30 and 16. Porter had almost as many Ints at Indiana as McKelvin had Pass Breakups. All of these guys excelled as Punt Returners (all over 10 yards per return) and while none come close to McKelvin's production as a returner, McKelvin has never shown ANYTHING as a Cornerback to indicate that he will be an elite player and how much of his return ability came at the expense of barely D-1 grade talent in the Sun Belt conference?

The Bengals need to come out of the first round with either Dorsey or Ellis, the dropoff between them and the other DTs are significant and it fills the biggest need area the team has. If that means trading a 4th to New England to make sure, I am fine with that. If that means we have to trade a third to K.C., I am fine with that. Dorsey and Ellis (barring injury) will be pro bowlers in the NFL if that means sacrificing Frostee Rucker, Caleb Miller, Chris Henry, Kelly Wahsington, or Sean Brewer I am ok with that.

[TJJackson]

if that means sacrificing Frostee Rucker, Caleb Miller, Chris Henry, Kelly Wahsington, or Sean Brewer I am ok with that.

I think we can also throw in our lovely and talented GM, and Stanley Wilson, and a virginal goat.

If we can find a virginal goat.

[HairOnFire]

Is there a great deal of difference between Cason from Arizona and McKelvin? Yes McKelvin has a .07 difference in the 40 time but Cason is bigger stronger and jumps better. On the field, they are both excellent PR, but Cason had 5 Ints (15 Career) and 14 pass breakups vs. 2 Ints and 9 Pass Breakups for McKelvin oh and Cason was in the Pac 10 while McKelvin played for Troy St. I bring this up because we can likely draft Cason or Talib in the 2nd oh and Cason could play free safety.

I haven't seen McKelvin play, so everything that follows should be taken with an even finer grain of salt than normal. But yeah, there does seem to be a huge difference between the #1 ranked McKelvin and the #17 ranked Cason. (Per PFW)

Upside - I've read scouting reports that claim McKelvin has elite quickness, the smoothest backpedal of any CB in the draft, and the best change of direction skills of any CB prospect drafted in recent memory. By comparison, Cason is often described as a fairly marginal athlete with tight hips. Thus, while he has good speed it's said to be the straight line type, and his ability to change directions quickly is often described as poor or slow.

Scheme - Cason's best position in the NFL may indeed be at FS or more likely as a Cover-2 zone CB. By comparison, McKelvin is said to be a far more physical player and would be an excellent fit on teams who ask their CB's to press or play man coverage. And for the record, I can attest to the fact that he was smacking people around all week during Senior Bowl practices.

Run Support - Both players have comparable size, but Cason has a reputation for weak run support and poor tackling. The exact opposite is true of McKelvin. Scouting reports are consistently glowing on this front and PFW said..."Supports the run hard and will stick his nose in to hit."

Ball Skills - Cason's only true advantage is his ability to consistently produce picks over his 4 year college career, but then again he's never produced more than 5 in a season. No matter though because McKelvin still comes up far short on this front. Whether he can be taught ball skills is yet to be determined, but his abilities as a kick returner points to a player who can catch the ball when he knows it's coming.

Return Skills - Like you said, nobody comes close to McKelvin's production as a kick and punt returner and his ability in those roles would allow him to contribute immediately while being groomed for CB duty. That could be important as the Bengals have repeatedly said finding a big play kick returner is a draft day priority. Granted, most Bengal mocks focus on WR's who have those skills, but McKelvin is actually the highest rated return specialist in the entire draft.

In closing, it doesn't strike me as a goofball pick. Far from it in fact.

[Wraith]

Gosh, Cason had 71 tackles last year to McKelvin's 60. I just don't see spending the #9 pick on a guy who couldn't even dominate the Sun Belt Conference, this looks like another Fabian Washington to me.

[HairOnFire]

Gosh, Cason had 71 tackles last year to McKelvin's 60. I just don't see spending the #9 pick on a guy who couldn't even dominate the Sun Belt Conference, this looks like another Fabian Washington to me.

Uhhh, Fabian Washington played for Nebraska...which pretty much invalidates your own big versus small conference rant. Plus, Washington was lightly regarded until he ripped off a spectacular time in the 40 yard dash. By comparison, McKelvin is the consensus highest rated CB prosoect....while even you have suggested Cason might be looked at as a FS.

Just saying...

[Wraith]

Gosh, Cason had 71 tackles last year to McKelvin's 60. I just don't see spending the #9 pick on a guy who couldn't even dominate the Sun Belt Conference, this looks like another Fabian Washington to me.

Uhhh, Fabian Washington played for Nebraska...which pretty much invalidates your own big versus small conference rant. Plus, Washington was lightly regarded until he ripped off a spectacular time in the 40 yard dash. By comparison, McKelvin is the consensus highest rated CB prosoect....while even you have suggested Cason might be looked at as a FS.

Just saying...

My point is that he was a post-season workout wonder that stole the attention of scouts with his workouts and was a complete bust in the NFL. Nothing about small vs. big I just think McKelvin will have a similar career. Oh and BTW I am a big supporter of Brian Johnson (Gardner-Webb), Tyrell Johnson (Arkansas St.), Corey Lynch (App. St) , this is not about Big vs. Small this is Small with no production other than punt returns, Devin Hester was a second rd. pick so if you are picking a guy at #9 who can only show you punt return ability on the field you are better off waiting until the 3rd or 4th. Look at his game tape, 2 of the 3 punt return touchdowns have come at home vs. small school opponents, both of his INTs were gifts where McKelvin was essentialy out of position. He cannot claim ANY respectable production on defense for his entire college career and we are expected to take him 9th over all? He is not even the most athletic corner in the draft Tyvon Branch would get the nod as far as I'm concerned.

[HairOnFire]

My point is that he was a post-season workout wonder that stole the attention of scouts with his workouts and was a complete bust in the NFL. Nothing about small vs. big

Seems pretty clear to me you were openly mocking the Sunbelt Conference and wondering aloud why anyone would draft a player who couldn't dominate at that level. But by all accounts he did dominate in every way but one, and I conceded he doesn't have the ball skills needed to produce picks. As for college stats, they're just that.

I just think McKelvin will have a similar career.

Total disagreement. I haven't seen much of McKelvin but I've loved everything I've seen. Add the fact that he's said to be a very high character player who accepts coaching well and won't be outworked and I'd definately consider him at #9. Again, he wouldn't be my first choice, or even my second, but I'd happily take him over several more popular options, including Clady, if the draft didn't fall in the Bengals favor. Feel free to disagree, but I don't think it's a crazy idea.

Oh and BTW I am a big supporter of Brian Johnson (Gardner-Webb), Tyrell Johnson (Arkansas St.), Corey Lynch (App. St)

Brian Johnson looked terrible in pass coverage during Senior Bowl week. He never gave up, but he looked stiff and slow. As for the others, I've only seen Lynch play once, against Michigan, but his "triangle numbers" are elite, and I think he'll be drafted higher than projected.

[derekshank]

Reasons why McKelvin would not be a bad pick...

1) He contributes right away as the nickle corner.

2) He is immediately the far and away best return man on the team.

3) He will be better than Leon Hall by the end of the year (and Hall's solid tackling makes him an ideal nickle corner).

4) You can never have too many corners. (cliche? maybe... but in the Bengals case, it is true).

5) If Ellis is gone, McKelvin will likely be the BPA... a strategy I like.

Sure, there are other areas of more intense need, but I'm betting that 5 years from now this would be a pick praised by many a Bengal fan.