Your Draft Grades Please

[ArmyBengal]

Funny how he has Jason Shirley as a player that will have a better career than most of the players drafted ahead of him and yet he can't sniff the field.

I wish he could realize his potential..

[whizzo]

i agree. athletically, Shirley could be a pro bowler. now if only he'd step up to the plate and take a good swing at it...

[HAPPYJAQ]

900 Footballinks now has THIS YEAR'S - DRAFT GRADE UP

Check it out, you will like what he has to say.

*note - if you click on the players name it will give you the player profile for that player.

http://www.900footballlinks.net/bengals.htm

I cant remember him liking a draft this much,except the Carson draft.

In the critique he mentions the all star games here is his takes on the all star games and practice

East/West shrine game

http://www.900footballlinks.net/2009ewshrine.htm

Senior Bowl practice-North team

http://www.900footballlinks.net/2009sbpnorth.htm

Senior Bowl practice South team

http://www.900footballlinks.net/2009sbpsouth.htm

Senior Bowl Game

http://www.900footballlinks.net/2009seniorbowl.htm

This is an AWESOME site. Thanks for bringing this to the board. This guy really likes Bernard Scott, eh? I didn't realize his Combine results were that high up on the rankings. Sounds like a guy that actually went to the Senior Bowl, as opposed to relying on the NFL Network's coverage, which should make for a pretty decent source of information.

I think we'll get at least 6 starters out of this draft, so in my mind, it's an A+. Morgan Trent is becoming more intriguing to me and I can't wait to see him on the field. He has as good a chance of any late pick to make the roster.

As far as Shirley goes, he's my pick to have a breakout season. In limited action last season, he was pretty impressive. I remember watching games last season and thinking he was a DE in how quick he got in the backfield, not a 338 pound DT. I can really see why Marvin says the team might've hit a homerun with him, eariler in the offseason. I'd like to see a lineup in 2 years that has Peko and Shirley playing in front of Rey. That could quite possibly be the Bengals equivalent of the Adams/Siragusa/Ray triangle in Baltimore, during their Super Bowl year. More than anytime I can remember as a 25+ year Bengals fan, I like the way the roster is shaping on defense.

[themaninblack]

Little late to the party on this one but I'll give my thoughts:

Round 1- Andre Smith, OT, Alabama:

I am as ecstatic about this pick as I was with the David Pollack selection a few years ago and I was a huge fan of his. There is no doubt in my mind that he is far and away the best offensive lineman in this draft class on the field. He has very rare ability in the run game and his skills as a pass blocker are way above average. I think he was the second best player in this draft class overall behind Micheal Crabtree. Whether he lines up at RT or LT, I believe Andre will have a stellar NFL career and will be one of the great OTs we have ever had here. His character concerns are completely blown out of proportion IMO and I think more than anything, this was the RIGHT pick for this team. Simply put, this kid is a DOMINANT football player and is one of the best offensive lineman I've had the pleasure to scout in awhile.

Round 2- Rey Maualuga, LB, USC:

Another pick that I am really stoked about. This guy is easily one of the best defensive football players in this entire draft and he brings that attitude this team so desperately needs. I expect Rey to bring that attitude to this defense from the moment he steps on the field and I know for a fact that his draft placement will magnify that even more so. Again, just a flat out play maker at his position and while he may not have the crazy athletic ability of an Aaron Curry, he more than makes up for it with that hard nosed attitude and play making ability. Amazing value here.

Round 3- Micheal Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech:

A guy with that rare athletic ability that is only seen in such players as Mario Williams and Julius Peppers at his position. He has had some question marks with his on field play but I think the thing that most people don't realize with this kid is how much of that concern is directly related to him growing into his own body. I remember seeing him as a Sophomore on the KO team and thinking how skinny the kid was. Another amazing value at this spot and I think if we continue to let him grow as a player/person, he could be an absolute force as a DE in this league. The value far outweighs any reservations I may have had about the kid as a player but I was never one of those guys who saw him as a top 10 pick. First round value in the third and given our problems in the pass rush, a hard guy to pass up on. He really is a very hard worker and a high character kid and I think that bodes very well for his situation.

Round 3- Chase Coffman, TE, Missouri:

One of the elite TEs in this class as a receiving threat, Chase saw his stock take a dip due to a broken foot that hampered his pre-draft process. Another outstanding value here as I had him as a second round pick myself. He's gonna have a great chance to come in and contribute right away as a receiving TE and he definitely has the body/attitude to be a decent blocker as well.

Round 4- Johnathan Luigs, C, Arkansas:

With some of the great value picks that fell into our laps, we missed out on the top centers in this class. Fortunately, we picked up a guy who I think was being VERY overlooked in that regard. A Rimington award winner and four year starter in the SEC who should challenge for a starting spot right away in the fourth round? Another great value here and I am higher on this kid than most draft people. If he had come out last year I believe he would have been rated much higher and probably would have been picked in the 2nd/3rd round.

Round 5- Kevin Huber, P, Cincinnati:

The consensus best punter in this draft and while some may see this as a bit of a reach, I think the impact he can have on our team right away is going to be very very valuable. Should bring some damn stability to the position for once and will greatly help our ST.

Round 6- Trent Morgan, CB, Michigan:

A guy who has plenty of physical tools to work with but for whatever reason never realized that potential at Michigan. He probably won't be asked to play much from the get-go but if this kid can eventually be our Nickel CB this will prove to be a nice selection. He also walks into a nice situation with 2 great young CBs in front of him and a defensive scheme that probably benefits him the most as a football player.

Round 6- Bernard Scott, RB, Abilene Christian:

His well documented legal history aside, this kid is a VERY talented football player. Given the draft position this pick is worth it just to see what he can do. I would not be surprised if he ends up being great in tandem with Ceddie B this season. If he can stay on the straight and narrow, I see no reason why this kid couldn't be a similar threat in the way Chris Perry was at the start of his career. He's a running back through and through. I hope the best for him.

Round 7- Clinton McDonald, DT, Memphis:

Really surprised to see him available to us here and I believe he could add some athleticism to the DT rotation. Should at least help with the pass rush.

Round 7- Freddie Brown, WR, Utah:

Pretty talented receiver who should have some STs value.

Overall I would give this draft an A-/B+. I'm really a big fan of the value we walked away with and I think we made the right picks in almost every round in order to help the team now and into the future. There are some question marks as far as potential/character with some of the picks but as I said before, I think the value far outweighs the risks associated with that type of thing. Really excited about this class.

[membengal]

Welcome, friend. Nice contribution.

[HoosierCat]

That means that the first 6 players the Bengals drafted will likely have an immediate impact on the team. How do you not give that an A?

As to grades, I dunno. Ask me again in three years. I do know I like the draft, I like the potential, I like the needs addressed, I like everything.

And here we are, three seasons later. Time to judge the draft. And one thing is perfectly clear: none of us had a clue.

Everybody actually thought this was a good draft.

As Nelson would say: HA HA!

1. Andre Smith: A tub of crap who didn't even start to make an impact until this past season. Bengals declined to pick up his option so he's a FA after this year. Maybe there's still something to salvage there but when you get picked 6th overall you aren't supposed to be a project. D

2. Rey Maualuga: Mediocre LB who keeps embarrassing the team off the field. D

3. Michael Johnson: Finally showed some life in 2011 with 6 sacks. 2012 is a big year. C

3. Chase Coffman. His big moment was getting made fun of on Hard Knocks. F

4. Jonathan Luigs. 1 year in Cincy then out of football. F

5. Kevin Huber. Good punter who appears to have finally overcome consistency issues that plagued him for the first couple seasons. B

6. Morgan Trent. Had some moments, had some injuries, released in 2011 and not recalled even after the secondary fell apart. C

6. Bernard Scott. The guy who was supposed to be the big off-field risk turned out to be fine on that front. Solid No. 2 guy, routinely underutilized by the team. A

7. Fui Vakapuna. Never amounted to anything. F

7. Clinton McDonald. We traded him for Kelly Jennings so that's something. C

7. Freddie Brown. First name begins with correct letter.

Overall grade: D. Still has a chance to improve if Smith continues to develop (and the Bengals retain him!), if Rey gets his sh*t together and/or if MJ breaks out.

[volcom69]

Its so sad about Rey, he had the oppurtunity of a lifetime, come to the bengals and be something this team has not had in sometime, a big time playmaker on defense! Where did it all go wrong, he was such a beast in college, a big leader for USC! He comes in the NFL and its like he becomes soft, i remember him knocking heads off in college, and now he struggles to get off blocks. It just really sucks because i had such high hopes for him, but now after this stupid bar fight im begining to wonder if he will ever be something. He was supposed to be this teams leader, and he proved again that he is not.....its just really sucks!

[Spor_tees]

Its so sad about Rey, he had the oppurtunity of a lifetime, come to the bengals and be something this team has not had in sometime, a big time playmaker on defense! Where did it all go wrong, he was such a beast in college, a big leader for USC! He comes in the NFL and its like he becomes soft, i remember him knocking heads off in college, and now he struggles to get off blocks. It just really sucks because i had such high hopes for him, but now after this stupid bar fight im begining to wonder if he will ever be something. He was supposed to be this teams leader, and he proved again that he is not.....its just really sucks!

I think the big problem with Rey is, he needs a strong authority figure that stands over his shoulder all the time. He had Norton Jr. at USC but as we all know, there isn't really any disciplinarian with the Bengals and that has hurt him a lot.

[HoosierCat]

Where did it all go wrong, he was such a beast in college, a big leader for USC!

At USC he was playing next to Brian Cushing and Clay Matthews.

I'm a 40-something white guy who gets winded going up and down the stairs and they would make even me look like an all-pro.

[volcom69]

Where did it all go wrong, he was such a beast in college, a big leader for USC!

At USC he was playing next to Brian Cushing and Clay Matthews.

I'm a 40-something white guy who gets winded going up and down the stairs and they would make even me look like an all-pro.

I guess, but i did watch him make alot of plays though for USC, that i was so excited for him when he fell to the bengals. However i guess the same thing can be said about Rivers, a guy who made plays all over the place at USC, and has yet to really improve himself. So maybe it is coaching, if these so called defense guys come in here, and cant improve from one year to the next, then maybe they should start looking at coaching.

[ArmyBengal]

That draft all the makings of one of the best for this organization and absolutely fell apart.

I agree with the thoughts earlier on of that draft getting starters with all of its first 6 picks.

So sad to see things fall apart like that and actually furthers the thoughts of why getting at least one top end FA would help boost things going forward. There wouldn't be so much risk of getting starters at those positions right away. Anyway, hopefully Smith keeps impressing and Michael Johnson can do more.

Nice to give Scott an A I will say...

[HoosierCat]

Nice to give Scott an A I will say...

Absolutely. If you go back you find all sorts of crap coming down on the Bengals for this pick. PFT was all over them for it. Blah blah blah arrested like 5,000 times blah blah blah. Big props to Scott for being the guy that bucked the character odds.

[Spor_tees]

Nice to give Scott an A I will say...

Absolutely. If you go back you find all sorts of crap coming down on the Bengals for this pick. PFT was all over them for it. Blah blah blah arrested like 5,000 times blah blah blah. Big props to Scott for being the guy that bucked the character odds.

Well if Scott screwed up he might up going back to jail in Texas. Jails in Texas are no joke! I saw the one on the Longest Yard and I'm not sure if Scott could handle it.

[cHaD711Johnson]

Well, your grade of Andre Smith was awful and the grade of Bernard Scott was equally as bad. Outside of that I guess that I can agree.

[Spor_tees]

Well, your grade of Andre Smith was awful and the grade of Bernard Scott was equally as bad. Outside of that I guess that I can agree.

I know there isn't going to be another Andre Smith argument. Andre Smith was only listed recently as the most improved Bengal, because he had no where to go but up. He was listed as by far the lowest graded Bengal the year before. Think of it this way, if you were rating players on a gold scale, Andre Smith was a turd in 2010. Then in 2011 he was a rock, which is by far better than a turd...yet miles away from being a nugget of gold.

[cHaD711Johnson]

Well, your grade of Andre Smith was awful and the grade of Bernard Scott was equally as bad. Outside of that I guess that I can agree.

I know there isn't going to be another Andre Smith argument. Andre Smith was only listed recently as the most improved Bengal, because he had no where to go but up. He was listed as by far the lowest graded Bengal the year before. Think of it this way, if you were rating players on a gold scale, Andre Smith was a turd in 2010. Then in 2011 he was a rock, which is by far better than a turd...yet miles away from being a nugget of gold.

Well since we don't rate players on a gold scale I'll just stick with my response that a D is not the right grade for Andre Smith.

[Spor_tees]

Well, your grade of Andre Smith was awful and the grade of Bernard Scott was equally as bad. Outside of that I guess that I can agree.

I know there isn't going to be another Andre Smith argument. Andre Smith was only listed recently as the most improved Bengal, because he had no where to go but up. He was listed as by far the lowest graded Bengal the year before. Think of it this way, if you were rating players on a gold scale, Andre Smith was a turd in 2010. Then in 2011 he was a rock, which is by far better than a turd...yet miles away from being a nugget of gold.

Well since we don't rate players on a gold scale I'll just stick with my response that a D is not the right grade for Andre Smith.

So what are you going to grade a lazy slob that wouldn't listen to coaches and team officials to keep himself in shape because it would affect his health...and when he didn't listen his foot became an injury issue. Then when he was finally healthy enough to get on the field he was a swinging gate in 2010 before finally putting together an average inconsistent season in 2011? All of which was for a top 10 pick, whom team management thought has played badly enough to turn down his team option for 2013. Thoughts?

[cHaD711Johnson]

Well, your grade of Andre Smith was awful and the grade of Bernard Scott was equally as bad. Outside of that I guess that I can agree.

I know there isn't going to be another Andre Smith argument. Andre Smith was only listed recently as the most improved Bengal, because he had no where to go but up. He was listed as by far the lowest graded Bengal the year before. Think of it this way, if you were rating players on a gold scale, Andre Smith was a turd in 2010. Then in 2011 he was a rock, which is by far better than a turd...yet miles away from being a nugget of gold.

Well since we don't rate players on a gold scale I'll just stick with my response that a D is not the right grade for Andre Smith.

So what are you going to grade a lazy slob that wouldn't listen to coaches and team officials to keep himself in shape because it would affect his health...and when he didn't listen his foot became an injury issue. Then when he was finally healthy enough to get on the field he was a swinging gate in 2010 before finally putting together an average inconsistent season in 2011? All of which was for a top 10 pick, whom team management thought has played badly enough to turn down his team option for 2013. Thoughts?

Sorry, buddy. You're not going to lure me into a pointless pissing match.

[Spor_tees]

Sorry, buddy. You're not going to lure me into a pointless pissing match.

Well it's pretty pointless to come to a thread and critique someone else and then not give your own opinion. I simply asked what your grade of Andre Smith was if you thought a 'D' was far off base.

[ArmyBengal]

For what it's worth, I was one of the few that was really high on Smith coming out and was glad we drafted him.

Then all the stupidity happened that did and I thought he would be gone. I'm glad he had the season he did last year and hope he continues to improve. Nothing would surprise me though. Draft grade ??

Considering it has taken the time it has for a top 10 pick to realize his potential, I give him a C+.

[HoosierCat]

Well, your grade of Andre Smith was awful and the grade of Bernard Scott was equally as bad. Outside of that I guess that I can agree.

Well, you're welcome to offer your own analysis. But as far as Andre is concerned, IMO calling him a huge disappointment doesn't begin to cover it. A guy taken sixth overall is expected to be an elite player. Smith was a nonfactor for his first two years, and while he improved notably in 2011, he was still very inconsistent.

Now, maybe it all clicks next season and he plays at the pro bowl-caliber level we were all hoping for. But so far the Bengals have given Smith more guaranteed millions (21) than he's given them starts (19).

[cHaD711Johnson]

Sorry, buddy. You're not going to lure me into a pointless pissing match.

Well it's pretty pointless to come to a thread and critique someone else and then not give your own opinion. I simply asked what your grade of Andre Smith was if you thought a 'D' was far off base.

Yes, that was before you started talking about gold and turds in reference to him. A D is not an accurate grade, especially as he proves to be valuable this year.

[membengal]

Thats a stupid f**kin grade on smith, hoosier.

[HoosierCat]

Thats a stupid f**kin grade on smith, hoosier.

Yeah, I know, it ought to have been an F but I was feeling generous.

[Spor_tees]

Thats a stupid f**kin grade on smith, hoosier.

Yeah, I know, it ought to have been an F but I was feeling generous.

Since I was chastised for using the Gold standard of grading I made a change. In 2010 I would have given Smith a Triple H grade (Which coincides with his bra size) and then upgraded that to a D in 2011.