Eric Ghiaciuc

[Indycat]

Eric Ghiaciuc

C | (6'4", 302, 5.06) | CENTRAL MICHIGAN

Strengths: Is a work in progress but has some upside because of his size and mobility. Has good upper body strength (30 reps of 225 lbs.). He has a great frame and should continue to get bigger and stronger. He has long arms and shows good awareness in pass pro. He has decent quickness in his pass pro set but he's actually a lot more effective when coming forward than he is when moving backwards or laterally. He runs well and consistently gets out to his assignments on the second level. Shows some ability to adjust to the moving target. Also shows good overall leadership skills and an understanding of the position.

[chrishcovga]

I'm actually a little dissappointed here. I think there were much better prospects available, ... This is what happens when you don't trade down.

We didn't have the extra picks, so we're forced to reach for a guy we like, but didn't think he'd make it another 37 picks.

[thenati85]

mel really likes this guy but i wanted to see a strong safety brimmer from unlv is still out there and shazor is still in play. :player:

[volcom69]

Mel loved this kid so he must not be to bad of a guy and hes not starting this year so let him learn.

[bengalsfan33]

I thought Wilkinson or Brown would've been a better pick here.

[BengalPappaw]

Ghiaciuc looks to be a better athlete than Braham -- AND even Mel Kiper was happy. Kiper said the Bengals did a good job getting this center.

It is a position of "desperate" need -- and looks like a quality player -- even though I haven't check him out on tape -- yet.

Keep it going ML!!!

[chrishcovga]

In Highschool he was a state wrestling champ, so I think that's why Cincinnati like him over Brown and Wilkerson. Guys with wrestling backgrounds usually have very good feet and play with excellent leverage and strength.

Small program he comes from though, so we'll have to see how he matches up with bigger defensive lineman. :player:

[ShulaSteakhouse]

Watched his films and he has real NFL potential - not just a "project" nor his he raw - Redshirt senior and he looks pretty polished.

He could play guard too (very quick and has good technique/footwork) but I'm sure they'll want to try and keep him at C.

I wouldn't be suprised to see him challenging Braham and Moore for a starting nod in preseason, but I'm guessing he'll get a year to learn until they know what they've got.

Not a bad pick folks, and I was hoping they'd address the interior 0-line here, it was sorely needed. In fact they could use another guard or tackle.

[HoosierCat]

Yeah, I thought this guy sounded like more of a project than some others still available. Welcome back for another year, Rich Braham.

[Whur CHad At?]

Marvin loves projects esp. S.Andrews who will prob be let go after training camp. Bad choice, should've gone Wilkerson or Brown.

[ShulaSteakhouse]

He's not a project! He's ranked about the 6th or 7th center prospect in the draft, and the guys ranked above him are pretty good.

And it's not as if Central Michigan doesn't play Division I ball - they are in the MAC and play Miami of OH, Big Ten teams, Toledo, Akron, Ohio, Army etc...,

[HoosierCat]

He's not a project!

tell that to espn...

"Overall: After playing sparingly as a freshman in 2001, Ghiaciuc was a fulltime starter at center from his sophomore season in 2002 through his senior season in 2004. Ghiaciuc is tall and has the frame to get bigger. He continues to improve with more experience at the position and he has some upside because of his size/mobility combination. He also was an extremely durable and reliable player at the collegiate level. However, Ghiaciuc still needs to improve his lower body strength, explosiveness in his upper body, and lateral movement skills in pass protection. Overall, Ghiaciuc has some late-round value as a developmental center prospect that could eventually develop into a solid backup in the NFL. He is too unpolished and has too much to work on between now and that point to use anything higher than a sixth or seventh round selection on."

Where he ranks depends on where you look. I've seen him at 6, at 12, and at 20. He still appears to need quite a bit of work.

[turnip]

He's a project. He's ranked high as a prospect because of his upside, not his readiness.

To be a project is not a bad thing.

[TJJackson]

This guy has enough athletic ability, strength, size, and smarts to start by the end of this year, which is exactly what we need.

Still, I have to wonder just how bad off Wilkerson is that he wasn't drafted instead. Everything I had heard said Wilkerson would be good to go well before training camp....ah well. I hope they still draft him. One can play guard, the other can play C

[membengal]

He's not a project!

tell that to espn...

"Overall: After playing sparingly as a freshman in 2001, Ghiaciuc was a fulltime starter at center from his sophomore season in 2002 through his senior season in 2004. Ghiaciuc is tall and has the frame to get bigger. He continues to improve with more experience at the position and he has some upside because of his size/mobility combination. He also was an extremely durable and reliable player at the collegiate level. However, Ghiaciuc still needs to improve his lower body strength, explosiveness in his upper body, and lateral movement skills in pass protection. Overall, Ghiaciuc has some late-round value as a developmental center prospect that could eventually develop into a solid backup in the NFL. He is too unpolished and has too much to work on between now and that point to use anything higher than a sixth or seventh round selection on."

Where he ranks depends on where you look. I've seen him at 6, at 12, and at 20. He still appears to need quite a bit of work.

yeah, and yet Kiper was kinda gushing over him, and the Bengals coaches clearly saw something they liked. he's smart, so we know he can handle the middle, he has time to work on his lower body strength.

we are at the "coach 'em up" part of the draft, so I tend to relax and trust that ML and co. must have seen something they liked at this point.

[Dadraftnick]

PFW has Ghiaciuc rated as the #9th best center and a 7th round to undrafted free agent.It looks like he got drafted because he is 6-4 302 5.13 40 yd dash.You dont want to draft a guy in the 4th round because hi is 2 inches taller than someone esle.He may be good but here??in the 4th ? It looks like he would have been there in the 6th of 7th at least.

[alleycat]

Our O-line coach, Paul Alexander, coached him in college. That speaks well, IMO.

[Dadraftnick]

He's not a project!

tell that to espn...

"Overall: After playing sparingly as a freshman in 2001, Ghiaciuc was a fulltime starter at center from his sophomore season in 2002 through his senior season in 2004. Ghiaciuc is tall and has the frame to get bigger. He continues to improve with more experience at the position and he has some upside because of his size/mobility combination. He also was an extremely durable and reliable player at the collegiate level. However, Ghiaciuc still needs to improve his lower body strength, explosiveness in his upper body, and lateral movement skills in pass protection. Overall, Ghiaciuc has some late-round value as a developmental center prospect that could eventually develop into a solid backup in the NFL. He is too unpolished and has too much to work on between now and that point to use anything higher than a sixth or seventh round selection on."

Where he ranks depends on where you look. I've seen him at 6, at 12, and at 20. He still appears to need quite a bit of work.

A 6th or 7th rounder---NOT A 4TH ROUND PICK---------a BIG GIANT IF in the 4th round. After taking Henry who is a punk in the 3rd.and there some questions on Thurman's character.

[BeyondTheJungle]

If he's such a question mark in the 4th, then why did Kiper praise the pick? The ESPN guys never shy away from ripping on the Bengals. So if we reached for Ghiaciuc, I'm sure they would have let us know!

[Dadraftnick]

Our O-line coach, Paul Alexander, coached him in college. That speaks well, IMO.

How did Alexander coach him when he has been in Cincinnati for over 8 years????"

[alleycat]

Our O-line coach, Paul Alexander, coached him in college.  That speaks well, IMO.

How did Alexander coach him when he has been in Cincinnati for over 8 years????"

You're right. In my giddiness (the draft can't go wrong now, IMO), I misread the Bengals.com write up:

Bengals offensive line coach Paul Alexander, who once coached at Central Michigan,

[Dadraftnick]

If he's such a question mark in the 4th, then why did Kiper praise the pick? The ESPN guys never shy away from ripping on the Bengals. So if we reached for Ghiaciuc, I'm sure they would have let us know!

Because he is filling air time.Not paying attention.Its your guess.But I bet you he didn't have him rated in the 4th round.

[membengal]

If he's such a question mark in the 4th, then why did Kiper praise the pick?  The ESPN guys never shy away from ripping on the Bengals.  So if we reached for Ghiaciuc, I'm sure they would have let us know!

Because he is filling air time.Not paying attention.Its your guess.But I bet you he didn't have him rated in the 4th round.

Um, espn is more than happy to have Mel Kiper "fill air time" by ripping a pick and a team to shreds. No one is telling him to pull punches. If he likes the pick, then that is one thing in our favor...

[alleycat]

If he's such a question mark in the 4th, then why did Kiper praise the pick?  The ESPN guys never shy away from ripping on the Bengals.  So if we reached for Ghiaciuc, I'm sure they would have let us know!

Because he is filling air time.Not paying attention.Its your guess.But I bet you he didn't have him rated in the 4th round.

In his defense, last night after the draft when they were reviewing the best remaing players, he was the first center listed and one that Chris Berman was saying he was really excited about.

He was rated in the 70's overall, I think..

[Whur CHad At?]

I remeber Mel saying Maurice Mann was an excellent pick for us last year in the 5th round. But he didnt even make the team.