LB in First round

[Whur CHad At?]

On the Bengal's website, Hobson says that we will address the LB position 1st or 2nd round. So at least now we know what we are going to do in one of the rounds. So who is the LB going to be????

[TippCityRick]

Thurman from Georgia in second

[cHaD711Johnson]

If the first round...It would be Chowder right...or possibly Blackstock but that is too high...If Merriman somehow slipped it would be him.

[chrishcovga]

The only way we get a linebacker first round is through a trade down. Crowder has injury concerns and is dropping, and O'Dell is probably gone towards the end of the first.

- Center may still be our biggest need in round two, and our defensive Ends are average.

[bnglsfan26]

wonder how the signing of Sharper will affect this

[Whur CHad At?]

If we sign him....

[#85MVP]

Trade down for Crowder. This guy reminds me of Ray Lewis. Marvin Lewis was Ray Lewis's Defensive Co-Ordinator for his first 4 seasons. I think ML can mold Crowder the same way.

* if we sign sharper i would move to 3-4 with Simmons Sharper Crowder and L.Johnson

[Whur CHad At?]

I agree with 85MVP

[HoTbOy]

At this point everyone is saying that teams are trying to trade down, so who is willing to trade up...I like 3-4, but would still use 4-3 as base

[kingwilly]

I second that. My bold prediction is that by game 5 we see quite a bt of 3-4 alignments.

If we get Sharper, we will NOT draft a LB in the first round. If we do not, then we will. Either way, Crowder will be gone by the second. Thurman may fall to us.

From what I can tell here are the top 8 LBs. Any or all of these will be gone on the first day.

1. Johnson

2. Merriman - tweener

3. Crowder

4. Blackstock

5. Thurman

6. Ware - tweener

7. Burnett

8. Rudd

I'd prefer to have Sharper and then snag Burnett or Rudd.

If not then trade down to get Crowder or Blackstock IF they insist on taking a LB in the first round.

[BengalPappaw]

I believe that if we take a LB in the first two rounds, it should be Barrett Ruud in the 2nd.

IMO there is only one college experienced LB that should be in the first round -- Derrick Johnson.

I believe there are several LBs that could go in the 2nd ODell Thurman, Barrett Ruud, Kevin Burnett, Channing Crowder, and Alfred Fincher.

I also believe there are a couple of candidates for converting to LB -- Shawn Merriman, Thomas Davis, and David Pollack that could go in the first two rounds.

I'm think its more likely the Bengals will take a WR than a LB in the first two rounds.

If they take Thomas Davis -- I think he counts as a SS rather than the the LB that Mel Kiper has him listed.

[TJJackson]

Hobson has no official read on the team's draft plans.

Given that the Center almost certainly needs to be drafted in round 2, and given that there are no linebackers (excepting DJ, who will go far earlier) worthy of pick 17, including Crowder, it is unlikely they'll take one in round 1.

The only scenario where Hobson's thoughts might be right is the one where the Bengals wait until round 3 to take a center, which would be a mistake made worse by the fact that they ignored this position last year when it was almost as great a need.

Frankly, I don't see a LB until at least r3 unless the Bengals trade for more day 1 picks.