If you were Bengals GM

[Wraith]

9) Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC, so much has been said about this but the Bengals NEED a dominent player at DT and Ellis is perfect for that, wouldn't sneeze at Glen Dorsey either for the same reason. If not Ellis or Dorsey, Branden Albert, Derrick Harvey, or Phillip Merling. I wouldn't be too upset with Keith Rivers although I still believe he is more like Brian Simmons than Derrick Brooks. I am against Clady because I think he is lazy and not dedicated to the sport which is dangerous when all of a sudden you are rich and you still have to go out and get your brains beaten in every week.

46) Chris Johnson, RB, East Carolina, no he will never be an every down back and if Johnathan Stewart were to fall to us in the second I would take him instead but, he can catch the ball like a receiver, he is a VERY dangerous Kick Returner, and he is the fastest guy ever to play in the NFL since the combine era. This guy is a threat everytime he touches the ball, he demands attantion when he is in the game ala Maurice Jones-Drew. He will ease the load on Rudi Johnson so he can extend his career and yet defenses have to account for him. He will make our receivers better. His game tape is sick and many of those plays are against NFL caliber players.

77) Dexter Jackson, WR, Appalachian St. Yes he is small but he runs great routes can get deep on the edge and has the quickness to get loose in the middle of the field. Reminds me alot of Steve Smith at Utah and has had similar production.

Great potential as a special teamer as well.

97) Jeremy Zuttah, OT/OG/C, Rutgers, Best position might be Center but played Left/Right Tackle for Rutgers because of need. Smart and had on of the best interviews at the combine in recent memory. Very similar to Whitworth in that he can play at a high level anywhere you put him on the line.

112) Corey Lynch, S, Appalachian State, What's not to like, has the size, speed, and athletism to play at a high level, will be an instant impact player on special teams where he blocked 6 kicks in college. 24 Ints and 28 PBUs at App St. Besides we like to tag team players for the same school in the draft (see Chad Johnson and TJ, David Pollack and Odell Thurman)

145) Brian Johnston, DE, Gardner Webb, High production, outstanding athletism (comparable numbers to Vernon Gholston) VERY high ceiling. Actually had a better 3 cone and shuttle time than Gholston had at the combine with a .01 of a second slower 40. Is heavier and taller than Gholston and had 24 Tackles for loss last year.

177) Franklin Dunbar, OT, Middle Tennessee State, Great Athlete from a small school similar in size and ability to Stacy Andrews but with more polish.

207) Adarius Bowman, WR, Oklahoma State, yes he is a character concern but a late 6th round pick would work for a risk like that. Best WR I saw in all of college football last year. He slips because of the drug bust and slow 40 times but there is no doubting his talent, runs great routes and constantly can beat his man off the press.

244) Jeremy Geathers, OLB/DE, UNLV, Yes Jumpy's son and Robert's cousin. Good prospect, had good numbers in college good bloodlines. Smallish might be better suited for a 4-3 SSOLB probably where I project him for the Bengals at 6'2" 256 lbs.

Had a very slow combine 4.96 but a better 4.84 pro day still his combine effort pushes him down to the seventh.

247) Haruki Nakamura, S, Cincinnati, I just like the way this guy plays might make the team as a special teams ace.

That would be my dream draft and the players I would pick if I were the Bengals GM.

[DuffMan]

I don't like Johnson in the 2nd, you said he'd never be an every down back, well it looks like we have no everydown backs with Rudi (oft-injured/powerback), Watson (3rd down RB), 3D (small scatback), Perry (3rd down RB, injured), and Irons (injured).

If anything we need a guy who can step in for Rudi if he struggles, like a Stewart, Mendenhall, Forte, Choice, or Rice.

And if we did take Johnson b/c he was BPA, why would we take a small school WR with questionable hands, route running, and size in the 3rd? Sure he can be a KR but isn't that Johnson's biggest perk?

I have no problem otherwise. Just having Johnson and Jackson back to back doesn't seem to add up.

[redsbengalsbucks]

I just noticed that you have alot of Small/Mid level kids in your draft, seems a bit risky, but you never know.

Look at the HOF there are plenty of small schools represented there.

[Wraith]

I take Johnson because while he might not be a better all around back than Ray Rice or Matt Forte, he is a much better change of pace back, Again I expect Johnson to have an impact similar to Maurice Jones-Drew I think he is that kind of player and neither Rice nor Forte will have that kind of impact.

Jackson I selected because IF we lose Chad Johnson the Bengals DESPERATELY need a WR to stretch the field, no WR currently on the Bengals roster can get deep with regularity (Housh does it because defenses have rotated towards Chad leaving him one man to beat) and Jackson is the best talent available with the speed to get deep consistently.

As far as small school players, I believe that you get a better bang for your buck with small school talent in the later rounds than with bigger school kids because the bigger school kids are a more known quantity. With small school players their achievments often get overlooked because of the talent they have playing against, there is always a concern that their skills will not translate to the NFL but that is where the pro day and combine testing comes into play and if a kid has the athletic ability to match up with the other prospects it justifies what they accomplished on the field.

Before Hair starts railing on me for being inconsistent with regards to Leodis McKelvin, I believe in looking at small school prospects later than Rd. 2 unless they have had an exceptional career and they have tested very well, since Leodis McKelvin will be long gone by Rd. 3 and since he has had a very pedestrian college career I have taken him off my draft board. Rogers Cromartie had a much stronger college career but not a strong enough one to entice me to select him with the 9th overall pick. Again I go back to McKelvin intercepting all of 4 passes in his four year college career and having only 22 Pass Breakups in four years he simply was not an impactful player on the field and given the type of talent he competed against in conference (I recognize that Troy plays a brutal non-conference schedule) I expect much more production based upon his talent level.