5th Round: Jason Shirley

[BengalsDieHard1]

I repeat.....fire em' all!!! (Bengals scouts, and mB if he wanted this guy) This guy and his baggage makes Frostee look like a church pastor.....terrible and wasted pick.

[kingwilly]

well, Askew never materialized and then, his fault or not, ended up tasered right out of town....

I knew this draft was going too well...here to hoping Mr. Shirley can come into town with his act together and contribute...has the tools but also the legacy of stupid, stupid behavior....

as an aside, living in Fresno would make me want to drink heavily as well.

[HairOnFire]

this does not mean Mr. SHirley won;t keep his nose clean but why, when there are so many viable options, do you roll dice on the another CI guy????? ????? ???? ??? ?? ?

Because they believe he's the better player. And frankly, given that the one area this team has been very successful at has been ID'ing talent at DT late in the draft, I'm prepared to trust them on this one.

It's never been about identifying talent. It's personality profiles they could use a little help with.

[BTG]

His physical skills and size are great, but seriously, this coaching staff hasn't shown the ability to squash those character problems in the past. Why should I believe they can do so with this guy?

I swear, the Bengals are like n abused woman who keeps dating a**h***s thinking she can change them, and then she wonders why she gets beaten up all the time.

[kingwilly]

watching that video shows just what he can do...yes, impressive but also countered by shots of him giving up and not showing good technique or desire...

so here is where the problem is....

we've got 2 r6's and 2 r7's...how, do they choose to sit still and just "take whoever is there" instead of dealing to get in a sopt to grab a gy who helps and is not a potential felon?

this team and FO has a learning disability....maybe they are dyslexic. ...oooh, "misdemeanor".... not " Mr. Demon"

[HoosierCat]

I repeat.....fire em' all!!! (Bengals scouts, and mB if he wanted this guy) This guy and his baggage makes Frostee look like a church pastor.....terrible and wasted pick.

Even if it is...big deal. A fifth round pick is lucky to even make a team's final roster. These guys are usually ticketed to the practice squad from day one.

I remain far more upset about the bengals' waste of their second round pick.

[Spor_tees]

I repeat.....fire em' all!!! (Bengals scouts, and mB if he wanted this guy) This guy and his baggage makes Frostee look like a church pastor.....terrible and wasted pick.

Even if it is...big deal. A fifth round pick is lucky to even make a team's final roster. These guys are usually ticketed to the practice squad from day one.

I remain far more upset about the bengals' waste of their second round pick.

Not true...MOST 5th round picks are expected to make the team.

[bengalboomer7]

watching that video shows just what he can do...yes, impressive but also countered by shots of him giving up and not showing good technique or desire...

so here is where the problem is....

we've got 2 r6's and 2 r7's...how, do they choose to sit still and just "take whoever is there" instead of dealing to get in a sopt to grab a gy who helps and is not a potential felon?

this team and FO has a learning disability....maybe they are dyslexic. ...oooh, "misdemeanor".... not " Mr. Demon"

I don't think you can trade compesentory picks

[Pidge]

Can he be suspended if the run in/run ins with the law occured before he entered the NFL? Or only if he breaks a condition of the contract he signs with the NFL? I'm going with the latter but I just want to know for sure.

[alleycat]

anyone know if pat sims can play DE in a 3-4? I know Peko could play that spot, as well as do ok at NT. But u can bet that Shirley is a classic 3-4 NT. I would have liked to have seen us grab one of the OLB's earlier...

[kingwilly]

I repeat.....fire em' all!!! (Bengals scouts, and mB if he wanted this guy) This guy and his baggage makes Frostee look like a church pastor.....terrible and wasted pick.

Even if it is...big deal. A fifth round pick is lucky to even make a team's final roster. These guys are usually ticketed to the practice squad from day one.

I remain far more upset about the bengals' waste of their second round pick.

huh? Simpson is a guy with all the tools, high ceiling, measurables that match production and NO character issues? I wil take guys like that all day long versus a CI guy in any round. This team has not shown a single ability to manage ONE character issue guy at all...

if you can point to one, ONE, CI guy who the Bengals have "helped get it" then I will desist in my criticism of this pick.

[Pidge]

I repeat.....fire em' all!!! (Bengals scouts, and mB if he wanted this guy) This guy and his baggage makes Frostee look like a church pastor.....terrible and wasted pick.

Even if it is...big deal. A fifth round pick is lucky to even make a team's final roster. These guys are usually ticketed to the practice squad from day one.

I remain far more upset about the bengals' waste of their second round pick.

Not true...MOST 5th round picks are expected to make the team.

Or rather, most teams draft players that stand a good chance of making the team and not just taking a flyer. It's not as if we're almost just set as a SB bound team and these picks will turn out to be the cherry on top. It would have been nice to take a solid safe pick here to help us throughout the season. Hopefully, regardless of his previous troubles he can still do that.

[HairOnFire]

Self-inflicted slips put Shirley's draft stock in question

By Bryant-Jon Anteola / The Fresno Bee

04/24/08 23:03:42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A chance. That's all Jason Shirley wants. A chance to get selected this weekend during the NFL draft.

A chance to keep playing.

But the former Fresno State football player knows he severely hurt those chances in October when he was charged with three misdemeanors, including driving under the influence.

The incident led to Shirley's third suspension of the season, and essentially ended his senior year.

"I know NFL teams frown upon those types of incidents," Shirley said. "It's always a big deal when you did something like I got involved in.

"They don't want guys who get in trouble. I just tell them: 'It was a mistake; it's unfortunate. I've moved on, and I've learned from it.' "

Most mock drafts project Shirley as a late-round selection or a free-agent signee.

At 6 feet, 5 inches and 329 pounds, and capable of running a 40-yard dash in 5.02 seconds, Shirley is one of the biggest and fastest defensive tackles in the draft. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/13.gif)

He ranks 22nd overall at his position, according to NFLDraftScout.com, which cites his size and potential as positives but his stamina, off-the-field issues and maturity level as negatives.

Shirley said life hasn't been the same after his senior season was limited to three games because of the suspensions.

Shirley was suspended the first two games for conduct detrimental to the team. Stripped of his starting role, he returned to play three games and contributed immediately as the Bulldogs' primary run stopper.

He was suspended a second time after he was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving. Police say he crashed a car into an apartment complex on Oct. 8. Shirley was charged with three misdemeanors: driving under the influence, driving with a blood-alcohol content of .08% or higher, and hit and run.

Shirley appealed the suspension and provided medical documents that detailed a concussion he received days before the car crash. He soon was back on the team.

But a few days after he was reinstated, Shirley was charged with driving with a suspended license and expired registration. He was suspended again, this time for the remainder of the season.

Shirley said he became depressed, embarrassed and confused. The structure of football always had helped him manage his time, forced him to stay disciplined with his grades, and most importantly, gave him a sense of belonging and camaraderie.

When around his teammates, Shirley often pulled little pranks, like the time he sprayed a water bottle all over fullback Reynard Camp.

"Do you ever stop playing?" Camp yelled at his teammate.

Without football, Shirley was distant and kept to himself.

During his suspension, Shirley didn't watch another Fresno State game until the Bulldogs' Humanitarian Bowl victory.

"Watching them play was like putting salt on the wound," said Shirley, his eyes filling with tears. "I was proud of my former teammates. They showed a lot of heart. I just wish I could have been a part of it."

Shirley said he snapped out of his funk when he began playing football again in two senior all-star games: the Hula Bowl and the Texas vs. The Nation Bowl.

"I felt good to be back in pads, be back around the guys," he said.

Shirley took this semester off from school to prepare for the draft. He performed well last month at Fresno State's Pro Day, where NFL hopefuls run drills in front of scouts.

Among Shirley's more impressive marks were his 40-yard time, vertical jump (35 inches) and broad jump (9 feet, 10 inches). In comparison, USC's Sedrick Ellis, considered the second-best defensive tackle available, ran the 40 in 5.26, had a vertical jump of 26-1/2 and a broad jump of 8-7. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/13.gif)

Still, ESPN NFL draft expert Mel Kiper called Shirley an enigma.

And then there are Shirley's court issues.

Shirley appeared before a Fresno County Superior Court judge Wednesday for his DUI case, with his lawyer ready to go to trial. But the prosecutor from the District Attorney's Office asked for a delay, and the trial start was pushed to May 21.

Shirley's lawyer, Charles McGill, said a handful of NFL teams have called his office to find out details of Shirley's case. McGill said he couldn't recall how many teams or which specific teams called, except for the Cincinnati Bengals.

"I have a good feeling that Jason's going to get drafted," said McGill, who is representing Shirley in his legal case, but is not his sports agent.

Shirley said he plans to watch the draft from his parents' home in Fontana.

"Life is good," Shirley said. "I feel blessed. I'm excited. I'm a little nervous about this weekend. I'm not depressed anymore.

"I'm just ready to move on with everything, get back to playing football."

The reporter can be reached at banteola@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6362.

[Pidge]

3 f**king times in a year? He's learned nothing. Zilch.

[JPW]

Well maybe I am the only one ...

But I was actually hoping that the Bengals would get him.

And I thought that there was a fair chance that they might, since they had him brought him into town, for a pre-draft interview.

[Pidge]

Well maybe I am the only one ...

But I was actually hoping that the Bengals would get him.

And I thought that there was a fair chance that they might, since they had him brought him into town, for a pre-draft interview.

In which he no doubt said his numerous mistakes in the past were all behind him and, despite what his own history has shown, it'll never happen again. Cwoss my heart and hope to die.

[HoosierCat]

huh? Simpson is a guy with all the tools, high ceiling, measurables that match production and NO character issues?

And they could have swapped their second for the Pats' high third, moved up in the first, taken Ellis, and still gotten Simpson. And in that case they probably don't take Shirley.

if you can point to one, ONE, CI guy who the Bengals have "helped get it" then I will desist in my criticism of this pick.

Go ahead and criticize. But if you're going to bitch about the 5th round pick while ignoring what they did in the first and second -- or rather, what they didn't do -- well, I'm going to have a hard time taking you seriously.

[duus]

Well maybe I am the only one ...

But I was actually hoping that the Bengals would get him.

And I thought that there was a fair chance that they might, since they had him brought him into town, for a pre-draft interview.

In which he no doubt said his numerous mistakes in the past were all behind him and, despite what his own history has shown, it'll never happen again. Cwoss my heart and hope to die.

Something tells me that they told him that if they reach out and get him that he will zero chances to mess up. He knew he was going to be a late pick at best, and he knew the Bengals might grab him. This potential at number 5 is beautiful ... assuming they have had that heart-to-heart talk ... and I'm sure they did.

[Pidge]

Well maybe I am the only one ...

But I was actually hoping that the Bengals would get him.

And I thought that there was a fair chance that they might, since they had him brought him into town, for a pre-draft interview.

In which he no doubt said his numerous mistakes in the past were all behind him and, despite what his own history has shown, it'll never happen again. Cwoss my heart and hope to die.

Something tells me that they told him that if they reach out and get him that he will zero chances to mess up. He knew he was going to be a late pick at best, and he knew the Bengals might grab him. This potential at number 5 is beautiful ... assuming they have had that heart-to-heart talk ... and I'm sure they did.

I sincerely hope you're right. He moves like stink for a big guy. Scary. Has the potential to be a space eater and inside pass rusher all in one. You'll have to forgive my scepticism re: his character. Maybe he's the one guy who "gets it" though and knuckles down.

[TJJackson]

I just don't know what his 5.02 40, 26 reps, and awesome short shuttles will do for him behind the bars at some California penal institution

Maybe the facility will have it's own football team

[HairOnFire]

Well, speaking of team interviews I remember reading an article that included Pat Sims amongst the players who wounded their draft standing during combine interviews. I'll never find the piece but I remember a line about Sims leaving several teams "bewildered"

Thus, I now grant him the nickname.... Pat "BewilderBEAST" Sims

[icehole3]

more Shirley highlights, cant believe Mike Brown's gonna give this dude drinking money and cut him loose on the tri-state

http://www.topix.com/ncaa-football-players...n-court-tuesday

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

Who knows? It's crazy. Yeah, sure we could cut him and ultimately we lose very little if it goes tits up.

At 330 lbs, maybe 'tits up' wasn't the best choice of words. We're probably talking DDs here.

[kingwilly]

huh? Simpson is a guy with all the tools, high ceiling, measurables that match production and NO character issues?

And they could have swapped their second for the Pats' high third, moved up in the first, taken Ellis, and still gotten Simpson. And in that case they probably don't take Shirley.

if you can point to one, ONE, CI guy who the Bengals have "helped get it" then I will desist in my criticism of this pick.

Go ahead and criticize. But if you're going to bitch about the 5th round pick while ignoring what they did in the first and second -- or rather, what they didn't do -- well, I'm going to have a hard time taking you seriously.

didn't answer my question...who?

my criticism of the Rivers pick/lack of effort to get Ellis has rung loudly. We all know the FO has no effective management to make these things (Rogers, Robertson, Ellis) happen. they just can't get it done.

Simpson MAY ave been there early r3 but given the disarray in the way the WR's were taken why risk it when the other portion of your formual did not work out?

The only downside with Simpson is he might not end up being worth the pick, the same risk with ANY selection. The downside of a CI guy, in any round is worse due to the added issues it creates. If you can't see that from the recent sting of dunces who have bounced through Cincy based on real character gambles then...well, perhaps you should forward your resume to the Bengals FO.

[Pidge]

Who knows? It's crazy. Yeah, sure we could cut him and ultimately we lose very little if it goes tits up.

At 330 lbs, maybe 'tits up' wasn't the best choice of words. We're probably talking DDs here.

He can always find work with tits that big.