Don't forget WR Marvin Jones in Bengals' stellar draft

[BengalszoneBilly]

CBS Sports seem enamored with how the Bengals have drafted the past few years.

Forget the "Bungles" moniker and the wisecracks about team owner Mike Brown's unwillingness to spend free agent dollars or even field a "complete" scouting staff, the Cincinnati Bengals are quietly developing into a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Perhaps most impressive of all, they're doing precisely how every other team in the league likes to claim they're doing it (but few actually do) -- by building through the draft.

Everyone knows that the fairest way to gauge a draft is to wait a few seasons but at least based on the small sample set we now have, the Bengals' 2010 and 2011 classes appear to have set the table nicely for this year's rookie class to perhaps put head coach Marvin Lewis' club over the top in the ultra-competitive AFC North division. Front office executives will tell you that the way to build the foundation for a consistent playoff contender is to string three consecutive strong drafts together. That appears to be precisely what the Bengals have done.

Three years ago Cincinnati added a legitimate seam threat with tight end Jermaine Gresham and one of the AFC's better young pass rushers in Carlos Dunlap. In 2011, Bengals landed three immediate starters in young star wideout A.J. Green, quarterback Andy Dalton and offensive guard Clint Boling.

As good as the past two drafts have been in Cincinnati, those close to team can't help but feel optimistic that the 2012 draft class could turn out to be even better. I certainly share in their enthusiasm, giving the Bengals the one of only two "A" grades I have this year (the other went to the Philadelphia Eagles).

Kind of feel good holiday piece to read.

[HoosierCat]

At least it's Rang and not Prisco. Prisco is still not allowed back on the bandwagon.