1st Round Pre-Pick Thread

[cHaD711Johnson]

Forget Cyprien later give me Elam or Shamarko Thomas instead

Elam doesn't cover well and is undisciplined. I'll pass.

Analysts have been on Cyprien throughout the process. It's not like he just rose from no where. I'll gladly take him.

[HoosierCat]

If they do move down, I hope they get picks for next year

I would not be surprised to see that. The rookie wage scale is making the draft a lot more attractive (versus paying big bucks to veterans). So the more future picks ownership has, the more leverage they have. But for that reason plus the fact that this is seen as a draft with a lot of good players but few elite talents, trade deals could be hard to come by. All reports are that virtually every team in the top 10 wants to trade down.

[HoosierCat]

Tyler Eifert is an intriguing possibility

Warning: I mentioned Eifert before and Army began pre-smashing TV screens.

[jjakq27]

Tyler Eifert is an intriguing possibility

Warning: I mentioned Eifert before and Army began pre-smashing TV screens.

Save your receipts or make sure you have the extended warranty first Army lol..

[volcom69]

Forget Cyprien later give me Elam or Shamarko Thomas instead

Elam doesn't cover well and is undisciplined. I'll pass.

Analysts have been on Cyprien throughout the process. It's not like he just rose from no where. I'll gladly take him.

Yes I agree! I want Vaccaro, but if he is not there give me Cyprien! I don't want Elam or Reid at all, and would be disappointed if they choose them over Vaccaro or Cyprien.

[Scottishbengal]

Looking at the first round mock drafts on NFL.com, out of the 8 pundits we have been predicted to take FS (by 3), RB (by 2), WR, OT, and CB (all by 1 each).

From this you'd surmise that the draft nicks consider our greatest areas of need to be RB and FS ... so are they assuming we are set at LB with the Harrison signing and that Andre Smith will more than likely re-sign too ??

Lets look at these "areas of need" and see what we already have on the roster.

Safeties:

Reggie Nelson, Jeromy Miles, and Chris Crocker, although Crocker is at the tail end of his career.

George Iloka will be looking to continue his development.

Taylor Mays has been steadily improving according to the stats but at 4 years experience it's high time he showed up or shipped out.

Tony Dye - coming back from injury, largely unproven talent.

Robert Sands - also coming back from injury, but like Mays needs to prove he's worthy of a roster spot

Perhaps a mid rounder or two to add depth and push Mays, Sands, and Dye for their spot.

Running Back:

BJGE is going to be the principle ball carrier like it or not, like him or not! He did crack up 1000yd season last year although his YPG is far from spectacular.

Cedric Peerman has proved a capable change player and Bernard Scott coming from injury needs to improve his stats.

Daniel Herron will continue to develop and see limited appearances.

We need depth at this spot and to to replace Brian Leonard - I can't really see the Bengals using the No.21 pick overall to take a RB but they do need a change of pace back with a different dimension to balance the running game.

Cornerbacks:

Leon Hall, Dre Kirkpatrick, Adam Jones,

Brandon Ghee and Shaun Prater coming back from injury - will they be good enough?

Terence Newman and Nate Clements both getting on in years at 34 and 33 respectively.

Chris Lewis-Harris - 1 years experience

Perhaps a mid/late rounder would add some depth and prepare for when Clements/Newman hang up their boots.

Wide Receiver:

AJ Green, Andrew Hawkins, Mohamed Sanu, Marvin Jones, will, IMO, form the nucleus of the air attack if all stay healthy

Brandon Tate will stay on the team due to his Special Teams duties but could improve his stats when in a game as a wideout.

Ryan Whalen needs to start to produce, same goes for

Taveon Rogers, coming back from injury needs to prove his worth, as does Dane Sanzenbacher - both at 5' 11" they're not the tall reachy wideouts preferred by Marvin Lewis.

Justin Hilton, will need more time to develop, and only has 1 yrs experience. If the coaches don't see something in him he could be practice squad or cut if a better option is drafted.

If healthy perhaps Sanu or Jones emerge as the legit No.2 with Hawkins filling the slot. If not fully healthy or the coaches think there's a better option in the draft then a WR could well be the first round choice.

OT:

This surely all depends on IF Flesh Zepplin signs and if he does what the terms of the deal are .... ie, just one year?

The longer he holds out the morehis stock goes down in my book, if the Bengals take an OT with the 21st pick then Smith ain't getting the $$ he or his agent think he's worth. If he walks then he could end up with having to take a job wherever for whatever salary is offered ...... hasn't been that much interest in him so far it would seem.

If the Bengals are in any doubt that Smith will be the RT for the enxt few years then the 21st pick goes on his replacement, even if he signs a one year deal (or a deal with a get out clause after one year) then a replacement is taken now.

As stated above, it seems like the draft nicks think we'll not take a LB in Round 1 - but I'm not so sure. We have 10 LB's on the roster but quality at depth is an issue.

James Harrison, although adding something, is not the future - that's obvious, but he'll be encamped with Burfict, Moch, Maualuga, with Howard Thomas coming back from injury.

Vincent Rey, Aaron Maybin, Lamur Emmanuel will all need to step up with their development and push for playing time.

Brandon Joiners' missed season due to "off-field issues" could prove costly to him if some competition comes in for roster spots. Same goes for JK Schaffer who needs to proves he's worth of a number.

If Andre Smith signs a mid/long term deal then I can see the Bengals drafting an OT in the later rounds if they see fit - freeing up the No.21 pick for a Linebacker ... perhaps Alec Ogletree Jarvis Jones, Mani Te'o or Arthur Brown

[ArmyBengal]

I began looking at Eifert some more and while I can agree that he has talent, aren't his skills why we drafted Charles ??

Didn't we just pick up another TE with those skills as well ?? How often do we use the TE ??

Two TE sets ?? I can't recall using them enough to warrant another 1st round TE.

[skyline]

I have no clue who they'll take in the 1st, and I love that. Safety is the only position I'd classify as an actual need.

Overall, this is the perfect draft scenario for teams that made the playoffs last year. Yes, there's good talent in the top 10, but the difference between picking there and picking in the early 20s isn't night and day. So, you get a good chance to add quality talent and all the teams picking early in the draft don't really have the same chance to completely remake their team with one big player (ala A.J. Green/Andrew Luck/RGIII).

[HoosierCat]

Peter King thinks it will be Lacy. Seems high to me.

/>http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/-nfl-draft/news/20130424/2013-nfl-draft-mock-draft-peter-king/?sct=hp_t11_a5&eref=sihp

[ArmyBengal]

I couldn't get on board with Lacy in the first.

He's not hands down THAT much better than any other of the top 3 RB's in the draft.

Some would probably be better suited for what the Bengals actually need at the position.

Lacy at #21 ?? Pass.

[HoosierCat]

Ourlads argues for Cyprien.

/>http://www.ourlads.com/nfl-mock-draft/2013/

Joe G. goes the same route, tho he adds the Bengals could shift to Reid since they normally go for big-school guys.

/>http://www.cincyjungle.com/2013/4/24/4251264/nfl-draft-2013-final-first-round-mock-draft

[Stripes]

For me:

Vaccaro > Cyprien > Elam > Reid

[TJJackson]

For me

Vaccaro > Elam > Shamarko > Reid > Cyprien

Army: sorry, Rambo is not on my board at all due to off the field troubles

[jjakq27]

Peter King thinks it will be Lacy. Seems high to me.

http://sportsillustr...11_a5&eref=sihp

"There's a legit chance none go in the first round, but the Bengals love this guy." - Peter King

How does he know? Sometimes I think these guys make this stuff up.

[membengal]

My favorite part of the yearly draft meltdowns is when folks pre-hate on picks.

[TJJackson]

My favorite part of the yearly draft meltdowns is when folks pre-hate on picks.

By "pre-hate" - do you mean not wanting prospect x because prospect x has one or more known/established issues which may affect his ability to perform on the football field or (worse still) to make it onto the field at all?

[Kazkal]

Well I don't wanna see a Defensive End to early I could understand why they would go that direction if they feel like they won't be keeping Dunlap & MJ...Hobson kept mentioning Cornerback we just took Dre we have Leon cornerback is one few positions I don't want to see drafted...

Wanna improve your Defense vs Passing? Get a real safety instead of a stop gap.

[HoosierCat]

With picks Vaccaro and Eifert from prior mocks gone in his final effort, Hobson lays out the choices.

This is what the Bengals are going to be faced with Thursday night. A group of about half a dozen players as it gets whittled toward No. 21. Here's the universe, although it's unexplored because no one has any idea how the Bengals have graded players that are supposedly this high:

According to the various infinite mocks, players in play at this point for Cincinnati could be Eddie Lacy, the Alabama running back, Florida State tackle Menelik Watson, Cal wide receiver Keenan Allen, cornerbacks Xavier Rhodes of Florida State and Desmond Trufant of Washington, as well safeties Eric Reid of LSU and Jonathan Cyprien of FlU.

You could make arguments either way for this group.

The Bengals take a back in the first round once a decade, but would they do it after injuries blew up Ki-Jana Carter and Chris Perry? And yet they really need one to pair with BenJarvus Green-Ellis.

Watson has played just one season of big-time football, but where is Andre Smith?

Allen isn't a burner with no big yards after catch, but he's a big, strong, Bengals-like No. 2 receiver.

Reid has flashed inconsistencies in tackling and that doesn't fly in a Mike Zimmer defense and the Bengals don't usually look at small-school guys like Cyprien early. But who is the safety opposite Reggie Nelson?

Some thought Rhodes came out too early, but at 6-2, 215 pounds he's built like the prototypical modern corner. Trufant isn't as physical as maybe the Bengals like and they just took a corner with the 17th pick last year in Dre Kirkpatrick. But you can never have enough, right?

My gut tells me that, in this case, the Bengals pull the trigger on Allen. Cincy traditionally loves WRs, it's arguably the safe pick and the value is there. But thinking about it, I gravitate toward corner. The Bengals also traditionally love premium positions early, there's a lot of years at corner and Kirkpatrick is still hurt. I don't see Watson, safety has rarely gotten much first-round love from the FO and RB can wait.

[Kazkal]

We signed Newman and Pacman if we take a corner in the 1st I just feel either Dre is heading to Bust Status or Their preparing for a Leon Hall Departure to early....They wanna help our Secondary find us a non Crap Strong Safety.

[princeton]

I expect to be surprised. Nobody jumps out.

since Bengals opted to franchise Johnson and sign ASmith longer term, I'm expecting a DE to walk next year. So Bjoern Werner's a pretty safe choice, more for 2014 than for 2013.

Trufant would be another surprise. But Bengals have dead weight and/or mileage at corner

[HoosierCat]

We signed Newman and Pacman if we take a corner in the 1st I just feel either Dre is heading to Bust Status or Their preparing for a Leon Hall Departure to early....They wanna help our Secondary find us a non Crap Strong Safety.

Newman and Pacman are a combined 65 years old and prone to injury. Kirkpatrick is still a mystery. Hall is the only guy we can count on, and their base D last year was the nickel. I have no problem with a corner. But safety would be fine as well.

[TJJackson]

There are some reports today of Milliner dropping (no idea how far) due to "multiple offseason surgeries"

yeah, probably not far enough, but still

if he drops to say 17 or so might we trade up to get this top 5 talent?

[volcom69]

Alot of people have the bengals taking Reid in the first, and that would be a huge downer. If you guys want somebody who can cover I'm telling Cyprien is the right choice, and will be a great safety for years. If Vaccaro is not there Cyprien is the only other safety I want. I know he is from a small school, but watch the tape again this kid will make the secondary that much better!

[Wraith]

I think it is also possible that Jarvis Jones falls to us, we will see what the Steelers do.

About Cyprien, watch the tape of the Senior Bowl small school or not the kid can play.

[volcom69]

I think it is also possible that Jarvis Jones falls to us, we will see what the Steelers do.

About Cyprien, watch the tape of the Senior Bowl small school or not the kid can play.

I do not want Jones anymore, I was a huge fan of his at Georgia though.

Yep I'm so pimpin Cyprien all the way! It does worry me though that because of his small school status they don't take him. It's funny how some have him mocked in the first round, while others have him in the second. Either way I don't care I want this kid on the bengals!