Who was the last #1 that you though was a lock?

[walzav29]

Watching Keith Rivers in college, mini-camps and from his interviews I feel like he is a lock. This means nothing. I thought Ki-Jana and Big Daddy would be locks. Wasn't sure about Palmer. Who was yours?

[Wraith]

David Pollack

previous to that

Willie Anderson

previous to that

Kijana Carter

1 out of three ain't bad, right?

[markymark69]

Carson for me.

Despite the possible Heisman Trophy jinx. I thought he had the arm and played in a system that was conducive to succeeding in the pros. Plus and this is a big plus. He was signed before the draft. He did not miss any training camp time (ala Akili Smith, David Klingler).

I agree with the original poster, Rivers looks very good.

[redsbengalsbucks]

Kijana Carter, if he does not get hurt I still think he would have been special.

[711chad]

carson

[walzav29]

I was still scarred from Kligler and Smith to put faith in Palmer. I remember watching him against Iowa though and thought maybe.....

[BengalPimp]

Carson.....I watched the guy a lot in college, he had hype from his frshman year, and never really showed everything until his senior year, but what a senior year, he was always a leader, and made his receivers better.

The other? Ki-Jana Carter, I played against the guy in college, and I can honestly say the guy was one hell of a RB, was was quick, had thick thighs, and a big burst. Had it not been for injuries, he would have been a multiple Pro-Bowler.

[HoosierCat]

I would say Carson, but that wouldn't be quite true. I was sure he'd be a top-caliber NFL QB -- unless he came to Cincinnati, in which case all bets were off. We were a black hole for QBs, after all.

After Carson...it would have to be this year's pick, Keith Rivers. Worst-case scenario with him IMO is that he's another Brian Simmons.

[ArmyBengal]

I thought for sure Pollack would have been a lock and turn out to be exactly what this defense was missing...

Leadership and productivity on the field. Oh well... At least he won't be living out the rest of his life in a wheelchair.

WHODEY !!!

[icehole3]

Takeo

Carson

[BengalszoneBilly]

The last #1 I thought was a lock was David Pollack. I was sadly wrong. The last #1 I knew would be a bust was Chris Perry. I'm batting .500 here.

[HAPPYJAQ]

For me, there are a few, going strictly on college production and potential (not where they were drafted):

James Francis......6'6'' and super athletic for his time.

Peter Warrick.....One of the greatest and most electrifying college players ever. See the Sugar Bowl versus VT.

Akili Smith......At the time he was drafted, was said to have the strongest arm since Elway; Size and speed to match.

Out of the three, I was most sure of P.Dub. I thought we would be the Barry Sanders of WR's. The other sad thing is that he seemed to be coming into his own, prior to his injury (while coming back earlier than he should have, trying to help the team). Also, probably the Bengals best blocking WR in recent memory, which coincedently helped launch Rudi's career.

[gregstephens]

I hate to admit, but Justin Smith is my answer. I really thought he would be the jumpstart for the D.

[HAPPYJAQ]

I hate to admit, but Justin Smith is my answer. I really thought he would be the jumpstart for the D.

Forgot about him. I still remeber reading a 6-page article on him prior to the draft in the Sporting News. They made him sound like a sure-fire HOF'er. I often wonder how good he could have been on more talented teams on defense. I just hope he's not the next Kyle Vander Bosch, who exploded after leaving AZ and who also has a similar playing style.

[HoosierCat]

Justin Smith and Peter Warrick were locks -- to be good, but not great, players. Both of them were labeled "best of a weak year at their position" coming out of college. That's probably why I was far less disappointed than most by either of them: the Bengals got about what I expected out of them.

Note that I put Rivers in a similar class. He's a lock to be a good player. A great one -- one that people five years from now say, "yeah, he was worth a top 10 pick"? Very likely not.

[BlainThePain]

I grew up with the Bengals of the 90's (I was four years old the last time they were in the Superbowl) so I have never looked at any Bengals pick as a lock, but the last lock I picked from any team was Robert Gallery in the 2004 draft. He had the athleticism, work ethic, mean streak, and natural football ability, but, in my opinion, he still busted. He showed me that there is no such thing as a lock in the NFL draft.

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

Chris Perry.

*not!*

[kevinc1129]

I thought for sure that Akili Smith was going to be the starting QB for the Bengals for a very long time. In fact, his was the first jersey I ever bought.

After that fiasco, I honestly stopped believing that the Bengals would ever be able to draft a franchise QB.

[redsbengalsbucks]

I grew up with the Bengals of the 90's (I was four years old the last time they were in the Superbowl) so I have never looked at any Bengals pick as a lock, but the last lock I picked from any team was Robert Gallery in the 2004 draft. He had the athleticism, work ethic, mean streak, and natural football ability, but, in my opinion, he still busted. He showed me that there is no such thing as a lock in the NFL draft.

I will second that on Gallery, coming from the lineman producing propgram at Iowa and with the talent he has, I was sure he was a multiple pro-bowler.

[gregstephens]

I thought for sure that Akili Smith was going to be the starting QB for the Bengals for a very long time. In fact, his was the first jersey I ever bought.

After that fiasco, I honestly stopped believing that the Bengals would ever be able to draft a franchise QB.

Dude, admitting you have a problem is the first step. We're here for ya', man.

[membengal]

Takeo

[BengalPappaw]

Okay, I'll bare my soul!

David Pollack,

Justin Smith,

Peter Warrick,

Ki-Jana Carter,

Eddie Brown,

Dave Rimington,

[HAPPYJAQ]

Justin Smith and Peter Warrick were locks -- to be good, but not great, players. Both of them were labeled "best of a weak year at their position" coming out of college. That's probably why I was far less disappointed than most by either of them: the Bengals got about what I expected out of them.

Note that I put Rivers in a similar class. He's a lock to be a good player. A great one -- one that people five years from now say, "yeah, he was worth a top 10 pick"? Very likely not.

I still believe that top-4 picks should ALWAYS be perennial Pro-Bowlers, if not HOF's (although it rarely works that way). James Francis and Alfred Williams are two others that I thought were can't-miss, especially Francis. Also, Daryll Williams, who I thought was the next David Fulcher for a year or two (almost Madeiu-like). Francis He was freakishly big and athletic, for his tiime. I'll grudgingly remember Alfred Williams as maybe being the first Bengal to talk his way out of town, paving the road for Pickens, Dillon, Spikes, Neal and maybe Chad one day soon, in future years.