Who do you hope the Bengals take?

[bryce40]

This isn't a question about who you think the Bengals will take in the draft but who you hope they take? Here's my top 5 hopefuls.

1.E. Monroe OT; I don't want the headache that A. Smith seems to be.

2.W. Beatty OT

3.M. Unger OL

4.N. Davis QB, I want an insurance policy for Carson

5.B. Williams DE

[fattyjay]

Agreed on A. Smith. I don't think there is a question about his talent, but the last thing the Bengals need is another problem child. Other than that I really hope they take Maualuga or a player like him. A fiery intimidating force on the defensive side of the ball will really take this defense to the next level. I think with that they could be on the verge of being a top five defense.

[CJBestInAFC]

I agree, at 6 I don't want someone that has really any question marks about character, motivation, or being a fat turd like Andre Smith. I think if you want Rey in the first best idea would be to trade down. At 6 I want Monroe or Jason Smith if they go for OT. I don't think either will be there when the Bengals draft. I also like Orakpo, Everette Brown, or Crabtree with the 6 pick. If they take Crabtree then Chad should be traded. I still think the best idea is to trade down in the first. I think they can maximize the draft the best by doing this, especially if Sanchez is there at 6 and teams like Denver, Redskins, and Jags want to move up to get select him.

[gregstephens]

I hope they pick the guy that doesn't prove to be another Bengals' first round bust. At this point, we can keep starting these threads about who they should pick, or who we hope they pick, but that's the final answer. It's all an expensive crapshoot.

[DesperateDerelict]

This isn't a question about who you think the Bengals will take in the draft but who you hope they take? Here's my top 5 hopefuls.

1.E. Monroe OT; I don't want the headache that A. Smith seems to be.

2.W. Beatty OT

3.M. Unger OL

4.N. Davis QB, I want an insurance policy for Carson

5.B. Williams DE

I don't see us getting 2 OT's at the top of the draft, nor a QB before round 6, and no way Unger's there in the 3rd. Or is this just a list of people you'd like in stripes next year?

This team has ALOT of needs, and will only satisfy them all this year by TRADING DOWN. We need alot of quality OL help, increase pressure on the opposing QB, LB depth (especially MLB), secondary depth, a quality Tailback, a fullback, and a punter - plus special team players and projects.

With Sanchez a 'hot' commodity, BJ Raji's drug test being discredited / deemed unimportant, Crabtree likely to still be there, and Andre Smith coming back up the charts, the Bengals will get trade offers - and should listen to them if they're even somewhat close to fair market value. Possible trade partners: Green Bay, San Fran, Denver, Detroit, Philly, and New England - all of these trade partners allow them to grab a very good OT in the 1st (Oher, Beatty, or man-boobs Smith) and address their other needs with better players.

Assuming idiot Mikey makes no trade:

1) Jason Smith or Eugene Monroe / B Orakpo / A. Curry

2) C. Barwin or L English / A.Smith or Britton or Beatty or Meredith / A. Mack or E. Woods

3a) If 2 OL earlier, best DE/LB (P. Kruger?) else best OL (Caldwell, Tropog, Loadholt, Cadogan)

3b) BPA - probably RB (Jennings / Greene) or ILB (Beckwith)

4) BPA - TE (J. Casey) or DB (Barnes or Clemons) or LB (Holtzclaw or Freeman)

5) BPA - OL project (Lang or Bell)

6a) FB - Brannan Southerland

6b) P - Kevin Huber

7a 7b 7c) - I hope they get special team contributors instead of practice squad fodder they'll lose to other teams

(my picks in bold)

[bryce40]

This isn't a question about who you think the Bengals will take in the draft but who you hope they take? Here's my top 5 hopefuls.

1.E. Monroe OT; I don't want the headache that A. Smith seems to be.

2.W. Beatty OT

3.M. Unger OL

4.N. Davis QB, I want an insurance policy for Carson

5.B. Williams DE

I don't see us getting 2 OT's at the top of the draft, nor a QB before round 6, and no way Unger's there in the 3rd. Or is this just a list of people you'd like in stripes next year?

This team has ALOT of needs, and will only satisfy them all this year by TRADING DOWN. We need alot of quality OL help, increase pressure on the opposing QB, LB depth (especially MLB), secondary depth, a quality Tailback, a fullback, and a punter - plus special team players and projects.

With Sanchez a 'hot' commodity, BJ Raji's drug test being discredited / deemed unimportant, Crabtree likely to still be there, and Andre Smith coming back up the charts, the Bengals will get trade offers - and should listen to them if they're even somewhat close to fair market value. Possible trade partners: Green Bay, San Fran, Denver, Detroit, Philly, and New England - all of these trade partners allow them to grab a very good OT in the 1st (Oher, Beatty, or man-boobs Smith) and address their other needs with better players.

Assuming idiot Mikey makes no trade:

1) Jason Smith or Eugene Monroe / B Orakpo / A. Curry

2) C. Barwin or L English / A.Smith or Britton or Beatty or Meredith / A. Mack or E. Woods

3a) If 2 OL earlier, best DE/LB (P. Kruger?) else best OL (Caldwell, Tropog, Loadholt, Cadogan)

3b) BPA - probably RB (Jennings / Greene) or ILB (Beckwith)

4) BPA - TE (J. Casey) or DB (Barnes or Clemons) or LB (Holtzclaw or Freeman)

5) BPA - OL project (Lang or Bell)

6a) FB - Brannan Southerland

6b) P - Kevin Huber

7a 7b 7c) - I hope they get special team contributors instead of practice squad fodder they'll lose to other teams

(my picks in bold)

You may not see us taking 2 OT at the top of the draft but I sure hope we take at least 2 OT with our first 3 picks so our QB is hopefully not running for his life again this year!

[fattyjay]

I keep seeing the notion that the Bengals need to trade down to get better value out of their first pick. the only problem is that nobody is going to want to trade up to be their partner. Mark my words there will be no trading up into the top ten. This draft doesn't have the players necessary for such an event to take place. There may be some trading up after that point where there seems to be more value, but I don't see any team willing to risk a fortune on any player in this draft.

[Bearcat1975]

but I sure hope we take at least 2 OT with our first 3 picks so our QB is hopefully not running for his life again this year!

You draft for depth, not salvation.

If the Bengals are depending on 2 rookies to shore up the oline, then the trainers might as well have the stretcher ready to go on the sidelines because a statue like Carson won't last 5 minutes.

[Jet23]

I keep seeing the notion that the Bengals need to trade down to get better value out of their first pick. the only problem is that nobody is going to want to trade up to be their partner. Mark my words there will be no trading up into the top ten. This draft doesn't have the players necessary for such an event to take place. There may be some trading up after that point where there seems to be more value, but I don't see any team willing to risk a fortune on any player in this draft.

If Sanchez is still there at 6, there will be teams interested in trading up.

[HairOnFire]

It's a crappy draft.

There's no standout player at the top, the crop of so-called blue chippers is as small and flawed as any I can remember, and most sources admit there aren't more than 25 players who grade out as 1st round picks. Even more troubling, I consider that expert appraisal to be rather optimistic. And on top of that it's not a deep draft at all, with some important positions being almost bare of top talent.

So for me it's less about hoping the Bengals take this guy or that one, and more about hoping they don't take some guy I like even less. In fact, let's call it the Michael Oher rule. For example, as this thing winds down I find myself openly wanting Andre Smith, a player who I admit brings far more questions and baggage with him than any 6th overall pick should ever be associated with. But then again, I don't like any of the alternatives any better....including some of the players many of you are hope will somehow fall to #6.

So in a crappy draft put me down for the crappy blue chipper. Just don't ask me to like it.

[HAPPYJAQ]

I thinks it's a draft that's not exactly top-heavy, but a draft with above-average depth, especially at C, DE/OLB and OT. As somebody already mentioned, I don't see any team wanting to trade into the Top 10 this year. John Clayton reported today that the Seahawks brass is saying they'll take Sanchez (although they could be attempting to bump up the trade value of the 4th pick) and he is probably the only player worth trading into the Top 6 for. The good news is it probably means that Eugene Monroe or Jason Smith falls to 6. At this point, either player is about the best we could hope for with the 1st round pick this year.

[Whur CHad At?]

I can see the Redskins trying to trade up, maybe with us if Sanchez slips past Seattle.

[Esiason#7]

If they go offense, I want Andre Smith. Heres a little thing I found about him on bengals.com:

Unless, of course, you're talking about Andre Smith. His comeback the past two weeks from a PR nightmare that was seemingly hatched by the Nixon White House is nothing short of stunning. Only in the age of the mouse click could it have happened. If he took off his shirt to run the 40-yard dash 10 years ago, he never would have had time to get out from underneath the criticism.

But since Smith's disastrous Pro Day decision and combine walkout, a testimonial from fellow 'Bama product Ozzie Newsome had to do wonders in the public perception dept., not to mention a vote of confidence from Eagles general manager Tom Heckert. If there is a Hall of Fame drafter in the last 15 years, it is Newsome.

Of course, Newsome and Heckert aren't going to be faced with drafting Smith. But here are three other voices that are on the Andre Bandwagon:

Dave Lapham, former Bengals offensive linemen and the club's current radio analyst who also does color for Big 12 TV games:

"I rate him as the top tackle physically. He's never on the ground. That was the thing I would marvel about with Anthony (Munoz). Great balance. You can't be out too far over your feet and you can't be back on your heels. He's got the balance.

"I don't know how the Bengals can’t take him. They've got no depth. It's fine to say you put (Andrew) Whitworth at left tackle and (Anthony) Collins at right tackle. But what if one of them goes down? They're done.

"I think it's a question of immaturity. Did he make some bad decisions? Yeah. He's got his family always hanging around and the entourage and, yeah, that's a concern. But he's not doing anything criminal. I just think he's a guy that's been recruited all his life and maybe is a bit spoiled and he's never been out of Alabama. He's been exposed to the same thing. He's young.

"He reminds me of Willie (Anderson). He can play left tackle, but he's not going to be elite. But he's an elite right tackle. Willie would have been criticized for having a bad body, but he blew people 10 yards off the ball. That's what this kid does. He drills people. And I think he'll be a good pass-protector. His arms are long as hell."

A former NFL general manager who has participated in drafts during the last three decades:

"The two best players in this draft are Crabtree and Andre Smith. The thing about him taking his shirt off is ridiculous. You know how many great linemen look like that with their shirt off? They're big people.

"You know he's been well coached down there with Nick Saban. The guy has great explosion and is a hell of an athlete. I don't think his weight is an issue. I do think there are some maturity questions. But you're not talking about a guy who tests positive for drugs or a guy that gets arrested."

Rob Rang, senior analyst for NFLDraftScout.com:

"Sure, he makes me nervous. But there is no denying his talent. It would be a great value pick for a franchise that has to protect its best player. If he gets past Cincinnati, he won’t last long. I'd have him going No. 10 to San Francisco."

But, symbolic of this draft, it depends on who you ask. Here is a report from NFLDraftScout.com: "There are times when he simply dominates the action, but when he feels that he is not being challenged, he will throttle down. Scouts have often shown concerns about his lack of a consistent motor, especially questioning his overall aggressiveness. Smith has always battled the "bulge" and while he is best playing at 335-340, he has seen his weight balloon to the 375-380 range, where that added bulk has affected his overall mobility. He needs to be monitored in the training room, but will respond to tough coaching."

One thing to keep an eye on in the next few days is that Smith reportedly is changing agents. Some view it as showing instability just before the draft. Others see it as a sign of maturity.

How the Bengals see it, and the rest of the board, remains to be seen.

[Dadraftnick]

If they go offense, I want Andre Smith. Heres a little thing I found about him on bengals.com:

Unless, of course, you're talking about Andre Smith. His comeback the past two weeks from a PR nightmare that was seemingly hatched by the Nixon White House is nothing short of stunning. Only in the age of the mouse click could it have happened. If he took off his shirt to run the 40-yard dash 10 years ago, he never would have had time to get out from underneath the criticism.

But since Smith's disastrous Pro Day decision and combine walkout, a testimonial from fellow 'Bama product Ozzie Newsome had to do wonders in the public perception dept., not to mention a vote of confidence from Eagles general manager Tom Heckert. If there is a Hall of Fame drafter in the last 15 years, it is Newsome.

Of course, Newsome and Heckert aren't going to be faced with drafting Smith. But here are three other voices that are on the Andre Bandwagon:

Dave Lapham, former Bengals offensive linemen and the club's current radio analyst who also does color for Big 12 TV games:

"I rate him as the top tackle physically. He's never on the ground. That was the thing I would marvel about with Anthony (Munoz). Great balance. You can't be out too far over your feet and you can't be back on your heels. He's got the balance.

"I don't know how the Bengals can’t take him. They've got no depth. It's fine to say you put (Andrew) Whitworth at left tackle and (Anthony) Collins at right tackle. But what if one of them goes down? They're done.

"I think it's a question of immaturity. Did he make some bad decisions? Yeah. He's got his family always hanging around and the entourage and, yeah, that's a concern. But he's not doing anything criminal. I just think he's a guy that's been recruited all his life and maybe is a bit spoiled and he's never been out of Alabama. He's been exposed to the same thing. He's young.

"He reminds me of Willie (Anderson). He can play left tackle, but he's not going to be elite. But he's an elite right tackle. Willie would have been criticized for having a bad body, but he blew people 10 yards off the ball. That's what this kid does. He drills people. And I think he'll be a good pass-protector. His arms are long as hell."

A former NFL general manager who has participated in drafts during the last three decades:

"The two best players in this draft are Crabtree and Andre Smith. The thing about him taking his shirt off is ridiculous. You know how many great linemen look like that with their shirt off? They're big people.

"You know he's been well coached down there with Nick Saban. The guy has great explosion and is a hell of an athlete. I don't think his weight is an issue. I do think there are some maturity questions. But you're not talking about a guy who tests positive for drugs or a guy that gets arrested."

Rob Rang, senior analyst for NFLDraftScout.com:

"Sure, he makes me nervous. But there is no denying his talent. It would be a great value pick for a franchise that has to protect its best player. If he gets past Cincinnati, he won’t last long. I'd have him going No. 10 to San Francisco."

But, symbolic of this draft, it depends on who you ask. Here is a report from NFLDraftScout.com: "There are times when he simply dominates the action, but when he feels that he is not being challenged, he will throttle down. Scouts have often shown concerns about his lack of a consistent motor, especially questioning his overall aggressiveness. Smith has always battled the "bulge" and while he is best playing at 335-340, he has seen his weight balloon to the 375-380 range, where that added bulk has affected his overall mobility. He needs to be monitored in the training room, but will respond to tough coaching."

One thing to keep an eye on in the next few days is that Smith reportedly is changing agents. Some view it as showing instability just before the draft. Others see it as a sign of maturity.

How the Bengals see it, and the rest of the board, remains to be seen.

I am not saying I would not take Andre Smith because, you almost have to if Jason Smith and Eugene Monroe are gone.

You could take Oher who, has his own questions.

You could trade down a few spots and hope that, Oher or Eben Britton is still there but- after Britton I dont think that I would risk Carson on any of the tackles in this draft.

Back to Andre Smith--- This is a Big Time Boom or Bust player, there are red flags out the a$$ on this guy ,that he is not that stable.

Before the combine most guys had him as the #1 OT in the draft going somewhere in the top 3 to 5 picks.

Then he shows up at the combine, after messing around for awhile he calls his agent then, gets the hell out of there.

Alot of guys show up at the combine, and dont do some or all of the exercises.

Some guys dont do anything but, do the interviews with the coaches, some of them say that they are sick, some say that they are saving it for the Pro Day- which is what Andre Smith should have done.

Then he had his Pro Day which was not that good, it was OK - the whole no shirt thing , not so much- and kind of a stupid thing to do.

Then in the last weeks Smith fired his agent.

I saw a thing where Ala.'s coach was was introducing his new players that he had just signed and it kind of READ like finaly we have a Good LT with long arms that we can count on and how good it was to see Smith go.

He reminds me of Ricky Willians- his tape did not lie, he could play- he just did not want to.

And the red flag Williams came to surface when he kept doing interviews with a helment on with a dark visor on.

I dont know if Smith is a big baby and blames everything others such as his agent, if he has mental problems, if he is just overwhelmed or, misunderstood.

I dont think the coaches at ALA had much love for him and I dont think that you would get the truth if you asked them.

It helps their recruiting to have their players drafted high so, theyre not going to tell you the thruth.

I dont think that the Bengals can afford to get out of the 1st rnd with out one or the top 5 OT's and Eugene Monroe and Jason Smith are much better than the other 3 OT's.

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

So in a crappy draft put me down for the crappy blue chipper. Just don't ask me to like it.

On the positive side, Dirty Sanchez is flying up draft boards with speculation having him going at 4. If that's the case, then the Bengals are guaranteed somebody pretty solid who would be a fair #6 pick in most drafts. If only 1 QB goes, or God forbid none, then we're screwed.

At this point, after the non-trade of Chad and the signing of Tank, I'm in Dr. Strangelove mode. I'm learning to love the bomb. So I'm saying to hell with it - draft Andre Smith. Either he's a fantastic lineman, *OR* it will be friggin' hilarious. If we're lucky, both. If you're going to be a Bengals fan, you have to laugh at these dips**ts.

Bring on the stupidity. This must be what it's like to be a Raider fan.

[HairOnFire]

At this point, after the non-trade of Chad and the signing of Tank, I'm in Dr. Strangelove mode. I'm learning to love the bomb.

I'm still trying to get there.

I'll even admit I've had this "embrace the thuggery" bubble floating around my head for several days.

[HAPPYJAQ]

At this point, after the non-trade of Chad and the signing of Tank, I'm in Dr. Strangelove mode. I'm learning to love the bomb.

I'm still trying to get there.

I'll even admit I've had this "embrace the thuggery" bubble floating around my head for several days.

It's all about wins and losses.

The Pittsburgh Steelers, amongst several other teams, have brought in guys with questionable characters and antics since the '70s. They don't get mentioned in the same breath as the Bengals because they've hoisted several Lombardi trophies over their history and they always have head coaches that can keep those guys in check.

Minus not getting rid of the migraine headache also known as Chad Ocho Cinco, I like what the Bengals have done this offseason and the direction in which the team is going. One thing's for sure, the Bengals are not letting potential media backlashes affect their roster decisions, and that could bode well for a guy like Andre Smith getting drafted at #6.

[Whur CHad At?]

I want Monroe, Curry, Jason Smith, or Maualuga in no particular order. Well maybe Monroe and Curry being the top two

[ArmyBengal]

My first round pick if there is no trade down is still Andre Smith without thought.

As for the rest of the picks, that sounds like another mock draft that I would like to put together before the actual draft...

[ArmyBengal]

Ok, I was going to put together another mock draft, but for the first time in a long time, I'm actually completely stumped by who the Bengals take.

I still want to see Andre Smith in the first followed by Alex Mack in the second. I also believe that has a good chance of being an option for us.

That being said, anything after the second round is completely up for grabs. Here's my thoughts...

#1. If they don't take a DE or LB in the first two rounds, there isn't much difference in the guys that are left on the board in the 3rd to say we definitely want (name your player here).

#2. With getting Russell at RB, it can push getting a RB until the later rounds and make looking for that "scat back" more of an option. Thing is, who's that guy ?? There are only a few speedsters and we already have James Johnson on the roster.

#3. I can remember seeing reports about the Bengals looking at some TE's and could honestly see them now using one of their 3rd rounders on the position in a player like Chase Coffman out of Missouri. I'm not saying I would be overjoyed with that scenario, I'm just not ready to rule it out completely either.

#4. I think it's just hard to tell who is going to be the best player available when they are on the clock and who fills a needs to make a guess.

#5. I also think with all the confusion involved with this draft targeting the best Fullback needs to be a priority. Just get it done already...

So maybe:

1. Andre Smith, OT

2. Alex Mack, Center

3. ** name your player **

3. Chase Coffman, TE

4. ** name your player **

5. Quinn Johnson, FB

6. ** name your player **

6. ** name your player **

7. ** name your player **

7. ** name your player **

7. ** name your player **

I just want to see them be proactive with getting someone they really want and making some moves up and down the board...

[HAPPYJAQ]

Ok, I was going to put together another mock draft, but for the first time in a long time, I'm actually completely stumped by who the Bengals take.

I still want to see Andre Smith in the first followed by Alex Mack in the second. I also believe that has a good chance of being an option for us.

That being said, anything after the second round is completely up for grabs. Here's my thoughts...

#1. If they don't take a DE or LB in the first two rounds, there isn't much difference in the guys that are left on the board in the 3rd to say we definitely want (name your player here).

#2. With getting Russell at RB, it can push getting a RB until the later rounds and make looking for that "scat back" more of an option. Thing is, who's that guy ?? There are only a few speedsters and we already have James Johnson on the roster.

#3. I can remember seeing reports about the Bengals looking at some TE's and could honestly see them now using one of their 3rd rounders on the position in a player like Chase Coffman out of Missouri. I'm not saying I would be overjoyed with that scenario, I'm just not ready to rule it out completely either.

#4. I think it's just hard to tell who is going to be the best player available when they are on the clock and who fills a needs to make a guess.

#5. I also think with all the confusion involved with this draft targeting the best Fullback needs to be a priority. Just get it done already...

So maybe:

1. Andre Smith, OT

2. Alex Mack, Center

3. ** name your player **

3. Chase Coffman, TE

4. ** name your player **

5. Quinn Johnson, FB

6. ** name your player **

6. ** name your player **

7. ** name your player **

7. ** name your player **

7. ** name your player **

I just want to see them be proactive with getting someone they really want and making some moves up and down the board...

I agree with you for the most part and I'm conceding to the fact that the pick might just be Andre Smith. Hey, if the Bengals feel like he's the best player to help the team, I'm all for it. In fact, I'm more interested in seeing what the Bengals do after the 1st round than I am to see whether or not they'll take Andre. Alex Mack may be a possibility, but I'm reading that the Steelers, Colts and Patriots all love the Top 3 Centers so they may be gone before we pick again in Round 2. I'd be OK with Caldwell or a similar player in the 3rd and maybe we can a guy like Sintim or English at the top of the 2nd to help with the pash rush. Quinn Johnson would be an excellent pick in any round after the 3rd, IMO. I like your idea about a TE and one of my favorite players in the draft is Cornelius Ingram. To me, he's Antonio Gates part 2 and a more willing blocker. He's a player that might've been a 1st rounder had he not missed the entire year.

[Kazkal]

1.)Andre SMith or Defense

2.)Alex Mack or Eric Wood

3.)Jasper Brinkley

3b.)Kevin Barnes

4.)Jeremiah Johnson

5.)Quinn Johnson or Tony Fiammetta

6.)Kevin Huber

6b.)Enter Special teamer or Depth here

7x3 see above.

But I'd also be very happy with going Defense(Curry,Orakpo or maualuga) in the first then getting like a Tupou or Loadholt in the 3rd..I also wouldn't mind Connor Barwin,Michael Johnson,James Laurinaitis or Clint Sintim in round 2 but my preference is center...

I dont think that the Bengals can afford to get out of the 1st rnd with out one or the top 5 OT's and Eugene Monroe and Jason Smith are much better than the other 3 OT's

How are they better tackles then Andre?

Jason Smith has never played in a pro style offense and is going to have to adjust though he seems like he has the most upside.

Eugene Smith-Seems like the safe pick that will be ready to go but I don't think he's higher then Andre when it comes to playing.

[ArmyBengal]

In going back and looking at rankings from last November up to the combine, see how many times Andre Smith was at the very top of all player rankings. Now go back and see how many times the other OT's were in that same position. Hell at one time last November Britton was ranked above all OT's minus Andre Smith and Jason Smith wasn't even considered a top 32 player.

I just don't believe that a player can improve SO MUCH in such a short period of time that isn't a product of hype whereas you have a player that has ALWAYS been considered the dominant player not only at his position, but overall in the draft.

Go ahead and by into all the crap Mel Kiper is feeding everyone....

[Thurmanation]

Frank "the tank" Summers with our 6th rounder!!!

[UF_Gators_15]

Round 1: Eugene Monroe, Andre Smith, Aaron Curry, Orakpo, Raji (in that order)

My question is for Round 2, my first choice would be Eric Wood followed by Mack, Unger but what if Laurinaitis is there? I am one that wants ReyRey but only if we can trade down but to get James in the 2nd would be a great get.

Round 3: I would love to take a TE with our comp 3rd.

Round 5: I would be ecstatic if we got Quinn Johnson here but if we had to take him in the 4th to guarantee it I would still be crazy happy.

Round 6: Joe Burnett outta UCF, he can be our nickelback and is the best return guy in the draft.

Round 6: Kevin Huber, Kyle Larson is garbage!