To do a mock draft, you really have to have an idea of who will be taken before your team picks, so you know who to take for your team (the Bengals). i took a look at about a dozen reputable mock drafts (that have all been updated in APril) and compiled the top 16 picks to get a reasonable idea of who is projected/expected to be gone before the Bengals make selection 1a. And then i looked at the next 3 guys off the board to see who is left at pick 1b.
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Below are the names and average draft position of the top 16 guys taken when averaging a dozen or so mock drafts. So safely assume that all these guys are likely gone when the Bengals make pick 1a.
1 - A LUCK (1.0) QB
2 - RGIII (2.0) QB
3 - M KALIL (3.4) OT
4 - T RICHARDSON (4.3) RB
5 - M CLAIBORNE (5.0) CB
6 - J BLACKMON (6.1) WR
7 - R TANNENHILL (7.3) QB
8 - Q COPLES (10.0) DE
9 - D POE (10.6) DT
10 - M INGRAM (11.0) DE
11 - F COX (11.1) DT
12 - R REIFF (12.0) OT
13 - D DECASTRO (12.9) OG
14 - M FLOYD (13.6) WR
15 - L KUECHLY (14.7) ILB
16 - D KIRKPATRICK (18.1) CB
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Then the Bengals get to make a selection at 17, and the next 3 guys go off the boards. Per the dozen or so mock drafts, the next 3 guys who go average to be. So safely assume that these guys are additionally gone when the Bengals make pick 1b.
17 - C UPSHAW (18.4) OLB
18 - C GLENN (18.7) OG
19 - S GILMORE (19.7) CB
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So what does that leave the Bengals?
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Group A - Guys who will be available at pick 17:
DB - S Gilmore, M Barron, J Jenkins
O Line - C Glenn, J Martin, P Konz, M Adams
WR - K Wright, S Hill, A Jeffery, R Randle
D Line - M Brockers, W Mercilus, D Still, A Branch, N Perry
LB - C Upshaw, D Hightower
RB - D Martin, L Miller, D Wilson
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Group B - guys who will be available at pick 21:
DB - M Barron, J Jenkins
O Line - J Martin, P Konz, M Adams
WR - K Wright, S Hill, A Jeffery, R Randle
D Line - M Brockers, W Mercilus, D Still, A Branch, N Perry
LB - D Hightower
RB - D Martin, L Miller, D Wilson
So you can reasonably assume that for the Bengals, you can either take 1 guy from Group A and 1 guy from Group B, or 2 guys from Group B.
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So who are you taking?
Poll
So who are you taking at #17?
S GIlmore (DB) - he's a great value at #17 even if we already have a dozen 1st round pick DB's (65 votes)
C Glenn (OG) - we NEED a RG, and he won't be there at #21 (28 votes)
C Upshaw (LB) / M Brockers (DT) - a great defensive prospect who is a steal this late (16 votes)
K Wright (WR) - we NEED at WR2, and i think he steps right in as a rookie to contribute (4 votes)
D Martin (RB) - i need to exercise, and reaching is good for me :-) (1 vote)
Other. like M Barron or somebody else... (13 votes)
None of them. I'm taking my Easter eggs! (4 votes)
131 total votes
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