2022 NFL Draft

[membengal]

In equal time on Falale here is Brugler on him from "The Beast" in the Athletic. He has him as his 7th tackle: 

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STRENGTHS: Humongous natural frame with rare build thickness and measurements (9 1/2-inch wrists, the largest at the combine) ... uses his upper-body power and
massive hands to knock back defenders at the point of attack ... generates steady movement in the run game ... displays the reach and grip strength to latch, snatch
or put his target on lockdown before they can get to him ... naturally stout and shows very little give versus bull rushers ... moves with surprising balance and
footwork for a player his size ... excellent initial quickness to set up and stay well timed through the rep ... naturally wide; it takes a $20 Uber ride to get around him ...
throws plates around in the weight room and worked hard to reshape his body, shedding bad weight and adding muscle mass ... a soft-spoken individual, but his
coaches say he’s always smiling and has the mental aptitude required for the NFL game ... durable, starting 31 games over his three seasons.

WEAKNESSES: Wide rush speed will stress his lateral range ... has a soft inside shoulder and is susceptible to rushers crossing his face ... needs to tidy up his
landmarks and pass-set depth ... needs to better incorporate angles into his point-of-attack blocks to seal lanes ... coordinated at contact, but will overextend and his
sustain skills require maturing ... penalized 16 times over his three seasons, including three holding flags as a senior ... his mobility in the run game is only average ...
struggles to roll his hips as a drive blocker because of his taller stature ... still a novice in his ability to sort through blitzers, stunts and late pressures ... his
conditioning is important to his continued development (weighed 426 pounds when he enrolled at Minnesota and was north of 400 pounds prior to the 2021 season)
... avoided major injury in college, but some scouts have mentioned potential injury risks because of his size ... lacks experience at guard or left tackle (his only career
offensive snap not at right tackle was his goal-line touchdown in his final game).

SUMMARY: A three-year starter at Minnesota, Faalele lined up at right tackle in the Gophers offense and had the same offensive line coach (Brian Callahan) since he
stepped foot onto campus. An Australian rugby player who didn’t play a football game until his senior year at IMG Academy, he worked his way into the starting
lineup as a true freshman and showed incremental improvements during his three on-field seasons in college. Faalele engulfs edge rushers with his wide frame and
uses his anvil hands and natural power to overwhelm his man at the point of attack. He moves with balanced footwork and body control but can be caught
leaning/falling off blocks in the run game and his body angles require refinement. Overall, Faalele has range/mirror limitations and is still learning the position, but
he has a unique package of size, play strength and fluid movements. He should compete for an NFL starting right tackle job during his rookie season.
GRADE: 2nd-3rd Round (No. 66 overall)

 

 

[membengal]

ps - If you all want me to paste Brugler's write-up on certain players from The Beast, just let me know...

[TJJackson]

CB Elam

CB McDuffie

ORT Penning

DE Mafe

FS Brisker

ORT Tyler Smith (on a tradedown, hopefully adding a 3 next year rather than a 4 or 5 this year)

(aside from Linderbaum, who I would be interested in if it can be demonstrated that he will add 5-10 more pounds of muscle mass prior to camp, these are the players I am primarily interested in)

(dont want Booth due to injury history.  Dont want Gordon due to lack of speed.  Dont want the Connecticut DT because he sounds more like a NT than a 3TDT).

[Stripes]

Some mostly wild guesses about the picks I think are most likely to happen given the Bengals' interests and availability (assuming they stay at 31 or only drop a few spots):

1. Kaiir Elam
2. Arnold Ebiketie
3. Kyler Gordon
4. Daxton Hill
5. Lewis Cine

[HoosierCat]

A quasi-consensus mock over at PFF gives them Linderbaum.

https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2022-nfl-mock-draft-best-picks-pffs-2022-mock-drafts-qb-desmond-ridder-seattle-seahawks-aidan-hutchinson-jacksonville-jaguars

He also seems to be the favorite of mocks da site is tracking.

https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-2022-mock-draft-6-0

None of this means anything of course, just interesting to see the conventional wisdom form. 

[ArmyBengal]

I guess I'm the lone guy that doesn't like Elam ??
If he's the pick, I will hope to be wrong, but I just don't like his game.
Seems more grabby when the WR has a step on him and that won't get better in the pros.

[TJJackson]

which corner do you prefer to 31, Army?

McDuffie highly unlikely to fall there (I listed him as there is a very small chance)

Gordon is slow

Booth has major major major availability issue (injury)

and dont say Sauce :-)

 

[membengal]

I like Elam. My order would be Elam/Booth/Gordon . I would be okay with any of them at 31. 

[membengal]

Brugler has them ranked (after the big 3) - Booth/Elam/Gordon.

Here's the write-ups from the Beast:

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Booth:

STRENGTHS: Fluid athlete with quick feet, long gait and controlled hip movements … shows a natural feel for pattern matching in press or off-man … anticipates route
breaks and combinations to stay in the wide receiver’s shadow … quick to recover because of his body control and was penalized only once on defense the last three
years (pass interference vs. Notre Dame in 2020) … excellent tracking and disrupt skills when the ball is in the air … has the length to take away passing lanes … looks
like a former wide receiver at the catch point, including multiple one-handed interceptions on his tape … quick to read, drive and close to blow things up at the line of
scrimmage … calms his feet and keeps a wide base to make open-field tackles … doesn’t allow receivers to push him around, quickly shedding blocks with his physical
hands … energetic, expressive personality on the field and off – wears his competitive emotions on his sleeve … led the team in interceptions in 2021.

WEAKNESSES: Will bite hard on pumps and route fakes, creating wasted steps and slowing his transitions … will surrender throws in front of him and not as
comfortable in zone … needs to clean up his jam techniques and timing … lined up predominantly outside and doesn’t have experience in the slot … his
overaggressive nature in the run game can backfire, leading to missed tackles … ejected for throwing a punch against Louisville (October 2019) as a freshman (head
coach Dabo Swinney made him ride the equipment bus back to campus instead of flying with the team) … missed one game as a junior because of a hamstring injury
(October 2021) and another because of a stinger (November 2021); required surgery after his freshman year to repair a tear in his patella tendon in his right knee
(January 2020); also battled some knee tendinitis in high school; missed most of the pre-draft process because of a Grade 2 quad strain and double hernia surgery
(April 2022).

SUMMARY: A two-year starter at Clemson, Booth was an outside cornerback in former defensive coordinator Brent Venables’ man and zone schemes, including bail
and side-saddle techniques. A former five-star recruit, he blossomed over the last three years for the Tigers and had a strong junior season, including impressive tapes
against the two SEC teams on the 2021 schedule (Georgia and South Carolina). Booth stays in phase because of his lower-body quickness and hip-flip skills to mirror
routes, staying coordinated in his transitions and in position to make plays on the ball. There is nothing finesse about his play style and he takes his contain
responsibilities seriously in the run game, but his downhill aggressiveness makes his tackling an adventure. Overall, Booth’s tape has some volatility and he must
mature his feel for spacing, but he has fluid athleticism, finds the football and disrupts the catch point, three important ingredients to playing the position at a
high level. He has NFL starting traits (if he stays healthy) and projects best in a man-heavy scheme.
GRADE: 1st-2nd Round (No. 26 overall)

 

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Elam

STRENGTHS: Big athlete with an ideal build for the position … smooth strider and controlled in his turn and run to carry speed vertically … keeps his upper and lower
bodies synchronized … has the play strength to reroute receivers at the line of scrimmage … above-average ball skills and aggressively plays through the hands of
receivers … much more comfortable when he keeps things in front of him as opposed to playing with his back to the ball … eager run defender and flies downhill to
make open-field stops on screens … selected by the coaches to represent Florida at the SEC Leadership Council in 2021 (former head coach Dan Mullen: “He’s been a
high-character, hard-working guy from the day he got here.”) … grew up with an NFL player for a father and will be prepared for professional life.

WEAKNESSES: Lacks quick twitch in his transitions … adequate speed to stay on top of routes but doesn’t always play as fast as he timed … needs to be more
controlled with his jam to connect and not surrender inside position … doesn’t always trust play indicators and his processing must improve … his catch-point timing
must improve … committed seven penalties in 10 games in 2021, including four defensive holding calls and two pass-interference penalties … throws his shoulder
around in the run game, but needs to be a better wrap-up tackler to consistently finish guys to the ground … missed three games as a junior with a sprained right
knee (September 2021) … his interception numbers decreased each season.

SUMMARY: A three-year starter at Florida, Elam lined up at left cornerback in former defensive coordinator Todd Grantham’s zone and man scheme, occasionally
seeing snaps inside against the slot. One of the highest-ranked recruits out of high school, he put his name on the NFL radar with an impressive freshman year,
although he struggled to match that hype during his next two seasons in Gainesville. Elam checks boxes for size, strength, physicality and athleticism, mixing it up with
receivers and crowding the catch point downfield. He will surrender spacing on stop and comeback routes, which can be masked by coaching and scheme, but slight
stiffness in his mirror and transitions will always be there. Overall, Elam needs to tidy up his timing and processing issues, but he is a good-sized athlete with natural
cover talent and NFL-ready intangibles. With his physicality for press-man, he compares favorably to Tampa Bay’s Carlton Davis when he was coming out of
Auburn.

GRADE: 2nd Round (No. 45 overall)

 

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Gordon

STRENGTHS: High-level athletic traits with a prototypical build for the position … accelerates to his top speed in a flash and bursts to close … pliable movements to
suddenly redirect his movements (childhood background in dancing and kung-fu) … controlled footwork and body control to stick with any type of receiver … wasn’t
responsible for any penalties the last two seasons … shows growing confidence and trust in his eyes, which allows him to play at full speed and find the quickest route
from A to B … fires downhill in run support and not shy playing physical … very experienced on special teams coverage (434 snaps) and was named the Huskies’ “most
outstanding special teams player” in 2019 and 2020 … durable and didn’t miss a game to injury the last three seasons … led team in passes defended and
interceptions in 2021.

WEAKNESSES: His instincts are still being developed … will overthink concepts and must improve his mental process … prone to route fakes that can draw him out of
phase … can play a tad upright in reverse, hurting his sink-and-react skills … needs to continue bolstering his fundamentals to limit separation out of breaks … spotty
jam technique … needs to create more interception opportunities for himself (recorded an interception in only one of his 33 career games played) … physical striker,
but will launch his shoulder instead of consistently wrapping up … only one season as a full-time starter.

SUMMARY: A one-year starter at Washington, Gordon was primarily an outside cornerback in former head coach Jimmy Lake’s defensive scheme, also lining up
inside against the slot. After losing his starting job to Trent McDuffie in 2019, he worked his way back up the depth chart and earned First Team All-Pac 12 honors in
2021, leading the team in passes defended and interceptions. Gordon has freakish athletic abilities with the impressive acceleration to plant and drive or close the
gap after a lost step. Although he played more decisive with his read-react in 2021, he is still figuring out how to dissect his keys and how to prepare for different
types of route runners. Overall, Gordon needs to continue maturing his technique and cover awareness, but his fluidity and toughness are ideal for the next level.
As he continues to develop the mental side of the position, he has the skills to become a full-time NFL starter.

GRADE: 2nd Round (No. 51 overall)

 

 

[membengal]

11 minutes ago, TJJackson said:

which corner do you prefer to 31, Army?

McDuffie highly unlikely to fall there

Gordon is slow

Booth has major major major availability issue (injury)

and dont say Sauce :-)

 

Gordon was a 4.52. It's not "fast" but I wouldn't say it is "slow" either. bengals historically have been good w/ drafting CBs who run in that range. Gordon has a lot of other stuff going for him. I wouldn't complain about it at 31.

[TJJackson]

I suppose I use too strong a term here, but to me, speed in the 4.4s or lower are more or less necessary for the CB spot

again, necessary might be too strong a word.  But I see it as so.

I'd really prefer a 4.3 guy, but I dont think there are any at 31

[Stripes]

I generally don't care about the 40 unless it's awful.

[Stripes]

https://twitter.com/Ben_Baby/status/1517548546643435524

Duke doesn't think the Bengals have immediate starter needs. That could just be Dukespeak, granted, but I suspect he believes it. I am not suggesting it's right or wrong, but it does provide a little clue about their draft mindset.

[TJJackson]

25 minutes ago, Stripes said:

I generally don't care about the 40 unless it's awful.

I dont care about it for certain positions.......generally DT and OL, plus of course P, K, and LS

but for CB.....I see the 40 as critically important......4.5 and higher for a CB is imo just not good (enough)

[ArmyBengal]

Honestly, I have Booth, Gordon and Elam in that order, but understand why someone would have Elam higher, I just don't want him.
If I were betting what the team would do if it were down to those three, I would bet they take Elam and I would root hard for him.

Sure the 40 is important to a point, but how quick are they and how quickly can they accelerate makes a big difference for CB's as well.
That's when you hear people say, they play quicker than their timed speed or a small guy playing bigger than his size.

I've always been a fan of Gordon's though as I've watched him play the most of these three.
I've watched Booth the least, but he's solid for sure.
I've watched Elam a little less than Gordon and just don't like his game.  Can't really expand much.

That being said, I would prefer they wait and take Coby Bryant.
If they could manage both him and Marcus Jones, I would go crazy.
There are also late round guys I like as well.  I believe the CB class is deep, although some disagree.

[TJJackson]

what do you think about Booth's potential availability issues?  (injury history)

[Stripes]

I go Elam > Booth > Gordon. I also think it’s a crapshoot though.

[ArmyBengal]

I haven't read much about Booth's injury history, but if it is significant, that would certainly give me pause in using a first rounder on him.

Some of the later round guys I like:
Isaac Taylor-Stuart, CB, USC
Kalon Barnes, CB, Baylor
Jermaine Waller, CB, Virginia Tech

Honestly, I don't know how the dude from USC isn't getting more love.
In damn near everything I seen him in, he's 5th or 6th round guy.
I think he's better than that personally.  Has that length and speed Bengals coaches look for.
His lowly 2 INT's makes his ball skills more of an unknown however.

[membengal]

He had core muscle surgery about a month ago. Supposed to be ready by camp but…it makes me nervous. He also was not able to test at all.

[Stripes]

I threw together a full first round mock of what I think teams will do (given who's available) rather than what they should do.

https://i.postimg.cc/ZnQth1m2/nfl-mock-22.png

It's all guessing obviously, but I'll be interested to see how close I end up. I don't care about getting players right, but getting positions right counts for something. I already know I bonered up the Packers by taking two tackles by accident, but they're weird like that anyway. I only threw in one trade, with the Ravens reaching up to ensure they can take McDuffie due to Ja'Marr Chase nightmares.

[ShulaSteakhouse]

Maybe best Def player works, need rotational guys/starters at CB, DT, depth at LB, S.  Another DE wouldn't hurt if he's an impact type.  Just get the best dude.

[HoosierCat]

A note from McShay this monring:

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• Three prospects I've heard who could fall out of Round 1: Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean, Purdue defensive end George Karlaftis and Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum. Dean is the most likely of the trio to still be a first-rounder.

That would be a pretty good trio to have to  choose from.

[Stripes]

Lower-value positions like LB and C can always drop. Karlaftis would surprise me quite a bit.

[membengal]

I would sprain something running to the podium to draft Karlaftis.

[AMPHAR]

I would love Karlaftis.      I think the pick will be defensive BPA.   Look at next year's CB group and they have 2 under contract for next year.   I believe they don't have a single safety under contract for next year.    I think they typically keep a total of 10 DBs. 

D-line the roster numbers don't look bad.  I think they still are 1 short of their typical roster number.    The issue there is improving the rotation.

An strong case can be made for multiple picks at DE, DT, CB, and S in the top 100-150. 

As stated before, I really think they dig themselves into a hole drafting IOL in the top 100.   I'm sure the IOL prospects are worth it but I'm not convinced the common target Linderbaum is any more valuable than the typical group of Defenders that are projected in that range.

Just hope their isn't a crazy run on defensive positions.