Bengals Checked Out Tight End Tony Moeaki During Iowa's Pro Day

by Josh Kirkendall on Apr 13, 2010 11:03 AM EDT in NFL Draft

Based on our chart, the Bengals have expressed some level of interest with at least eight tight ends coming into the NFL draft this year. Of those tight ends, only Mickey Shuler Jr. has been reported to have actually visited the Bengals in Cincinnati. For as much as we've heard that the Bengals should address the position, they haven't done much outside the standard participation at Pro Day or the known three tight ends that the Bengals have request medical files for.

The list of tight ends that we know that the team has shown interest in are Florida's Aaron Hernandez, Oklahoma's Jermaine Gresham, Pittsburgh's Dorin Dickerson, Arizona's Rob Gronkowski, BYU's Dennis Pitta, USC's Anthony McCoy and Shuler.

Add another to the list.

According to Aaron Wilson, the Bengals sent Tight Ends coach Jonathan Hayes to check out Iowa's Tony Moeaki during their Pro Day. Moeaki, who is scheduled to meet with the Ravens on Tuesday, is expected to be a second-round to third-round prospect. Voted to the first-team All-Big Ten Conference, "Moeaki caught 75 career passes for 955 yards and 11 touchdowns. Last year, he caught a career-high 30 passes for 387 yards and four touchdowns."

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It wouldn't surprise me to see us draft Moeaki

late second/early 3rd round is a good place to grab a TE.

by UpStateMike on Apr 13, 2010 11:09 AM EDT reply actions

I like him and where you have him

but hope someone like McCoy is there. Both are plus blockers as well as have the hands and athleticism to be immediate upgrades at the position. I just prefer McCoy because he is 2.5" taller and 15lbs heavier, but I would be happy with either one.

by Cedric Benson Boat Party on Apr 13, 2010 12:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Same here.

I’m desperately hoping we get either McCoy or Moeaki in the third. Though, given our horrific TE situation, and the fact that we drafted WRs in back-to-back rounds last year, maybe we’ll get both…

by Big Sky Bengal on Apr 13, 2010 6:07 PM EDT up reply actions

I love how our coaches are our scouts..

If I was a coach and had the added responsibility than I would ask for more money.. More responsibility is grounds to ask for a raise of some sort.. All the while you know Mike Brown waited until the Bowl Games last year sitting on his coach eating a dollar double cheeseburger from Burger King playing Paul Brown with his notebook and pen… I can just hear him yelling at Katie for another can of Mountain Dew while flipping from game to game..

by JamesShively on Apr 13, 2010 2:51 PM EDT reply actions

that's so untrue!

We all know Mikey drinks Sam’s Club Mountain Thunder.

by UpStateMike on Apr 14, 2010 9:22 AM EDT up reply actions

lmao

i’m not sure he’s willing to pay for the Sam’s club membership

3 yards and a pile of dust

by Hudepohl Dey on Apr 14, 2010 9:31 AM EDT up reply actions

Aside from Hernandez and Gresham

That’s a solid list.

by Jaegner on Apr 13, 2010 8:25 PM EDT reply actions

Moeaki

good prospect if you’re a football coach; great prospect if you’re an orthopedic surgeon.

by Mr. X on Apr 13, 2010 11:47 PM EDT reply actions

Good call

From CBS sports.com

Injuries have prevented Moeaki from meeting the lofty expectations he brought to Iowa as a high school All-American and the top tight end prospect in the country by some recruiting services. Even in his first-team All-Big Ten breakout senior season (30 receptions, 387 yards, four touchdowns) he missed three games with a high ankle sprain.

After two years in which he offered solid blocking and receiving as a reserve (11-140-3 in 2006, 8-112-0 in 2005 as a true freshman), he played only nine games with one start in 2008 (13-144-1) due to nagging injuries and concussions and four games in 2007 (14-170-3) before receiving a medical redshirt due to a broken wrist and dislocated elbow.

When healthy, Moeaki’s strong blocking and ability to make spectacular catches make it easy to picture him as an NFL starter. those durability issues will not disappear during the draft process no matter how much he impressed scouts with his hands and athleticism at the Combine and his pro day.

He sounds like a great talent, but if you don’t want to draft Gresham due to injuries, I wouldn’t want to draft this guy.

This is our year!

by Paul Cannon on Apr 14, 2010 11:51 AM EDT up reply actions