What DRAFT prospects tickle your fancy?

[AMPHAR]

So which players would you like to see or be happy about if they landed to the Bengals in any round?

Su Cravens  -   Easily converted to FU Ravens.

Ifedi -  T A&M tackle.   Not convinced we have future tackles sewn up as Fisher may be a great Interior Line player

Deon Jones - I'm a sucker for the 90s and any football defender named Deon

Karl Joesph - bad ass safety.   Many think the BEST safety.   Does he fall because of injury? 

Tyler Boyd - I like the highlights they show of him

Dak Prescott - Poor man's Cam Newton

 

[Wraith]

Jaylon Smith LB Notre Dame .... this is assuming that there is no longer term damage.  He is the most fluid LB prospect I have seen coming out in a very long time.  Redshirt him and have a perennial all star.

Keyarris Garrett WR Tulsa - if he slips to us in the third or later a great prospect attainable at a relatively low price.

Sterling Shepard WR Oklahoma - Antonio Bryant clone and who couldn'the use the?

Shaq Lawson DE Clemson - explosive rotational pass rusher with the body to do more.

Karl Joseph S West Virginia - hard hitter and a heck of a football player.

I also like Su'a Cravens for his versatility.

These are the guys I am high on right now.

[chrishcovga]

Guys I'm high on are 

#1. Robert Nkemdiche. - I love the idea of him and Geno playing together. The kid has greatness in him. And Cincy is the perfect place for a "Bad News Bears" type of player. He reaches his full potential, we're talking about a defensive line similiar to Deacon Jones, Morlen Olsen etc..etc..

#2. Roger Lewis Wr Bowling Green. His tape is awesome. He has everything. Speed. Hands. Route running. He's "The Guy" when he's on the field. He is under scouted. Think of him as our new T.J. Houshmanzadeh.

#3. Trae Elston Fs Ole Miss. He is everywhere the ball is on every snap. Hands are average. But if there's one safety that could come in and become another Reggie Nelson for us, its him.

#4. Demarcus Robinson Wr Florida. He has an attitude problem no doubt. But he's more athletic than any wr in this draft. 

#5. Cyrus Jones cb Alabama - Solid corner with great return skills.

#6. Kevin Peterson cb Oklahoma St. - Solid cover skills needs some weight.

#7. Jon Bullard Dt/De Florida - Better pass rusher than his stats show. 

#8. Brian Poole cb - Florida - poor mans Jason Verrett.

[BengalszoneBilly]

34 minutes ago, chrishcovga said:

Guys I'm high on are 

#1. Robert Nkemdiche. - I love the idea of him and Geno playing together. The kid has greatness in him. And Cincy is the perfect place for a "Bad News Bears" type of player. He reaches his full potential, we're talking about a defensive line similiar to Deacon Jones, Morlen Olsen etc..etc..

#2. Roger Lewis Wr Bowling Green. His tape is awesome. He has everything. Speed. Hands. Route running. He's "The Guy" when he's on the field. He is under scouted. Think of him as our new T.J. Houshmanzadeh.

#3. Trae Elston Fs Ole Miss. He is everywhere the ball is on every snap. Hands are average. But if there's one safety that could come in and become another Reggie Nelson for us, its him.

#4. Demarcus Robinson Wr Florida. He has an attitude problem no doubt. But he's more athletic than any wr in this draft. 

#5. Cyrus Jones cb Alabama - Solid corner with great return skills.

#6. Kevin Peterson cb Oklahoma St. - Solid cover skills needs some weight.

#7. Jon Bullard Dt/De Florida - Better pass rusher than his stats show. 

#8. Brian Poole cb - Florida - poor mans Jason Verrett.

Nice list Chris. Good to see you back in the neighborhood.

[HoosierCat]

 

[GapControl]

I think it's time to take a first round WR.  Fuller has the speed we need but not the size.  The only other guy that has that kind of speed is the Baylor dude but he's similar to Alford.  

[AMPHAR]

I'm going to add Malcolm Mitchell on my list.     Highly rated dude out of highschool that has had some injury problems during his time in Georgia.    High character guy it seems and isn't the tallest but has big catch radius due to long arms and has the Jerome Simpson factor of large hands.   Good deep ability too.

 

 

[redsbengalsbucks]

Below, some of the small school talent that I like in the mid rounds.

 

 

 

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

3. Javon Hargrave, DT, South Carolina State

Interested in a three-technique that gets upfield? Hargrave's your guy. Not unlike Geno Atkins coming out of Georgia a few years ago, Hargrave will be seen as a one-trick pony. But that trick -- getting after the quarterback as a penetrator up front -- is pretty important. Expect him to be selected in the third round, like Atkins.

6. Ryan Smith, CB, North Carolina Central

Every year, at least one or two corners from a non-FBS team make it into the top four rounds of the draft. Smith's athleticism, closing speed and ball skills (seven interceptions, 24 pass breakups as a four-year starter) caught the eye of scouts. The ability Smith displayed as a kickoff returner in his senior year only increases his value to teams that were already looking at him as a third- or early fourth-round pick.

7. Miles Killebrew, S/OLB, Southern Utah

Killebrew joins Cowser as likely mid-round picks from the Thunderbirds. NFL teams will be split in their projections of the 6-2, 217-pound defender. Some will consider him a fit as a safety in their scheme, others as a weakside linebacker. Either way, he comes downhill in a hurry to hit ball carriers.

10. DeAndre Houston-Carson, CB/S, William & Mary

Houston-Carson is exactly the type of versatile secondary leader that teams need in today's NFL. Experienced as a press corner and free safety, he can line up all over the field to neutralize receivers. "DHC" will be graded as a Cortez Allen-type corner by some, a safety by others and a 'tweener by doubters. I compare him to Green Bay Packers hybrid defender Micah Hyde, who plays an integral role on the Packers' defense. Like Hyde, Houston-Carson will likely end up a fourth- or fifth-round pick (Hyde went in the fifth round in the 2013 draft) unless a team sees him as a sure-fire starter at corner.

 

[AMPHAR]

I've seen Hargrave mocked to us in the later rounds.

[HoosierCat]

 

[TJJackson]

oh hell no

Jeffro got to go (to the bench)

[redsbengalsbucks]

OK, so here is my somewhat optimistic draft, with backup pick in some rounds.

 

1 Corey Coleman WR Baylor, he is the best fit for our biggest need (Josh Doctson WR TCU)

2 Kenneth Clark DT UCLA, Peko replacement ( Sura Cravens S USC)

3 Zack Hargrave S OK, in case Williams does not improve (Javon Hargrave DT SCS)

4 Dean Lowry DE NW long and fast like they like them

5 Ryan Smith CB NCC lots of upside and a returner

6 Cody Core WR Miss has talent could see LB like Jordan Jenkins from Georgia here

7 Brandon Shell OT SC backup talent that could move inside and start

UDFA Jake Brendel C UCLA

[AMPHAR]

Interview with Lap suggested Bengals offered more money to Jones than the Lions.   Jones left because he truly wanted to prove he was No. 1.

So clearly WR is going to get play in this draft.   The biggest ????? I have with WR is if they are looking at the 3rd/4th WR by the time they select and given the common opinion that this is a mediocre WR class will they use the 1st round pick on the position? 

[HoosierCat]

Whatever WR is there at 24 will somehow be the top receiver on their board (/sarcasm)

[COB]

22 hours ago, HoosierCat said:

 

High on Bodine?  Yes, I too get a great high from watching our center get pushed back into our QBs face.  Paul Alexander, wake up and quit trying to be a brilliant genius who is so smart only he sees the potential greatness in guys that everyone else knows are mediocre.  Ghiaciuc.  

[COB]

We go to the Bengals film room:

Paul Alexander sits in a large overstuffed club chair.  A snifter of brandy in his left hand, he strokes his beard thoughtfully.  His elbow-patched blazer has a distinctive herringbone pattern to it.  "Roll the tape, Felicia," he says in a slightly British accent.

Felicia rolls the tape.  Bengals center Russel Bodine snaps the football, and is trampled by half the Steelers defensive squad as they unleash an all-out assault on the Bengals' backfield.

"My God, he's brilliant.  His footwork, his arm positioning.  He's sublime," says Alexander, stroking his beard, again, thoughtfully.  "Roll another one, Felicia."

Felicia rolls another one.  Bengals center Russel Bodine snaps the football.  As he tries to stand up to pass protect, a Ravens defensive tackle trucks him, then steps on his face as he terrorizes Andy Dalton into throwing an incompletion.  

"Breathtaking.  He's a virtuoso.  Michelangelo sculpts, Leonardo paints, Bach composes, and Russell Bodine blocks.  I'm afraid I'm overcome.  (begins to cry)  Felicia, don't roll another one until I can compose myself.  My god!"

 

[AMPHAR]

What's interesting is the way Ryan Kelly's name popped in that interview.  Lance kinda brought it up out of the blue as if it was planned to talk to Lap about it.  That's me reading the tea leafs.   So I'm guessing he's on their radar.   Whenever Lap gets in these interviews and is that specific with a name.   It's usually comes about as future Bengal or one they wanted but it didn't make it to them.

Lap sounded like he threw in the Paul high on Bodine to cover the tracks a little.    Either way,  I never been a big believer that Center is a position you need a top performer at but they need something more that bottom performances from Bodine.

What's funny is Guycheck was horrible and Bodine has been horrible yet Palmer and Dalton had two of the Best QBing seasons behind them in the Lewis era.  (2006 and 2015)

 

 

 

[TJJackson]

Keep in mind that a better center will also help the inside running game

GIMME A LINEMAN

[AMPHAR]

38 minutes ago, TJJackson said:

Keep in mind that a better center will also help the inside running game

GIMME A LINEMAN

Maybe.   Hill and Hue hold a lot of blame for that.    Also the Bengals last year switched gears on offense and they were not wrong either.    Up until Dalton injured his thumb this was a top offensive unit. 

With the wide open attack the inside running declined.   They ran way more out of pass protection sets and more with tackles lined up as WRs or unbalanced line.

Bodine is not good but you can't throw the decline in inside running a his feet.   The offense didn't stick with it and you can say that was the right call because they found success elsewhere.   Hue constantly challenged Hill to beat the defenses pursuit with the line just shadowing defenders.    Hill also constantly passed up marginal gains in order to bounce it for an attempt at a bigger gain that hurt his YPC.   Hill also was a headcase as he often ran scared due to fumbling issues when he was in tight quarters.

The last two games the Bengals seemed to scrap the cute stuff in the run game and got back to the grind nature and had better YPC as I think Hill rip off big a couple big runs like his rookie season.   Of course he fumbled the game away too.

[chrishcovga]

If Tuerk (USC) and Kelly are gone. UCLA's tackle Caleb Benenoch has the physical ability to play the position. He's played all 5 positions and has the feet and strength to start all over. 

[AMPHAR]

NFL network draft mock group put Ryan Kelly to Bengals in first round. 

A lot of heat around that name suddenly for the bengals.

[Wraith]

Here is my dream scenario....yes I am that big of a nerd.

Round 1 - Pick 24:  Jaylon Smith, OLB, Notre Dame.  I have been on this guy since day 1 of my draft prep, smooth athlete, smart, football first kind of a guy.  I think he is going to be a perennial all-pro and a potential HOF provided he can bounce back from injury.  Because Marvin likes to sit his rookies anyway this kind of player is perfect for the Bengals and would be our long term answer opposite Vontaze at OLB.

Round 2 - Pick 55: Sterling Shepard, WR, Oklahoma.  Bit of a risk because I am seeing steam that Shepard might go as high as late first (and I wouldn't be mad if he was our pick at 24 personally) but if teams are scared away by his size he could drop to us in the 2nd which would be a complete steal.  I have said this before....I think this guy is an Antonio Brown clone and will be a star in the NFL before too long.  Dad was a profootball player and has been training since he was 6.  Smart, team leader, good clubhouse guy and tough as nails.  Again measurements are nearly identical to Antonio Brown's when he came out of Central Michigan and the tape is amazingly similar.

Round 3 - Pick 87:  Max Tuerk, C, USC.  Another situation where injury might drop a talented player to us.  Tuerk can play several positions, has strength and length and the intelligence to be a very good Center in the NFL for quite some time.  Tuerk is averaging a mid third round grade right now so it is a crap shoot whether he will fall to us.

Round 4- Pick 122 - DeAndre Houston-Carson, S, William and Mary.  This guy is all over the map from an evaluation standpoint.  I have seen him as high as the third round and as low as the 6th.  Gambling a little that this guy will still be available in the 4th but I think this is about right for him.  The good news is this guy is just the best of a good crop of mid-round safeties

Round 5 - Pick 161: Keyarris Garrett, WR, Tulsa.  Another guy I have been following for a while.  He has the physical ability (ran a 4.40 40 at his pro day and a 36.5 vert), size (6'3" 220 lbs, 34.5" arms - though small hands for his size 9"), and the college production (122 YPG last season) you are looking for.  I think a lot of the analysts are missing on this guy but I doubt NFL Scouts are which is why we need to grab him before the 6th.  Too many drops (13 his senior year) and a limited route tree have dropped him down boards but has all the physical make-up you could ask for and is worth a flier in the 5th round.

Round 6 - Pick 199: DeIondre Hall, CB/S, Northern Iowa.  Versatile and has succeeded wherever they placed him.  Got rave reviews from his coach regard intelligence and work ethic.  Has the length (6'2") and the athleticism (37.5" vert though he struggled at the combine with his 40 4.68) you are looking for in a pro prospect.  Ball hawk with great instincts, was moved all over the field the last two seasons and thrived at both corner and safety.

Round 7 - Pick 245: Darius Jackson, RB, Eastern Michigan.  Under-recruited in HS and was a backup until last year when he burst onto the scene for over 1,00 yards and 12 touchdowns.  Has the size/speed combination you are looking for (6'0 220 lbs and ran a 4.40 40 at his pro day) and still has a lot of tread on his tires.  Caught 44 passes in his college career and has good hands and is a willing blocker.  Could be a diamond in the rough.

[HoosierCat]

13 hours ago, AMPHAR said:

NFL network draft mock group put Ryan Kelly to Bengals in first round. 

A lot of heat around that name suddenly for the bengals.

I'd be ok with Kelly. I'd be absolutely thrilled with him if they had managed to keep Jones, but I have temper my response due to the now-crying need for a receiver.

If they take Jaylon Smith at 24 I am getting in my car, driving to Minnesota, hunting wraith down and kicking him in the nads. 

[Wraith]

Temper that you may need to buy me a drink of my choice next year.

[AMPHAR]

  Most draft experts have marked this WR class as "solid" but lacking top talent.     Most mocks have the Bengals taking the 4th WR at 24.  

It'd be different if the top of the WR class was described as "blue chip" or "elite".    Taking the 4th WR off the board at 24 is probably landing you the same qualify WR you would get in the 2nd/3rd round.