FanPost

It was one year ago April 25, 2013...




It was one year ago today, that Marvin Lewis taught the band to play...

One year ago from tomorrow, the 2013 installment of the NFL draft began.

Also, we had a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse, but I digress...

All of the mocking and deliberations and discussions were finally brought to an end, as the real thing began.

But this year, we’ve got the pleasure of 2 more weeks of endless mocking and rumors until the draft finally gets underway.

Just like this year, and in several previous years, defensive back (safety) was of primary concern for Bengals’ fans as a position of need.

Other positions that we collectively hoped would be addressed included:

RB (an upgrade or rbbc for BenJarvis)

OC/OG (Livings was gone, Boling was unimpressive as a rookie, and Kyle Cook was Kyle Cook)

LB (Could Burfict impress again, Maualuga was not a popular retainee in the middle, it was unknown what was left in Harrison’s tank, and the others were unknowns)

WR (somebody to put opposite AJ Green)

Popular targets included:

Kenny Vaccaro was the favorite among Cincy Junglers as the Bengals’ preferred target, with the expectation at 50/50 whether he would fall to #21 overall.

Eric Reid, Jonathan Cyprien, DJ Swearinger, TJ McDonald, Baccari Rambo were acceptable options if we didn’t get Vaccaro, but most were seen as round 2 ~ round 3 guys. Not guys to take at #21 overall.

DeAndre Hopkins & Tavon Austin were popular options, if still available, as a viable WR opposite Green. Although there was some heated debate whether Austin would amount to more than an undersized punt returner.

The push for Eddie Lacy received some traction on Cincy Jungle as an upgrade over BJGE.

Linebackers Alec Ogletree, Kevin Minter & Arthur Brown were also desired as picks in round 1 or early round 2 for Cincy to replace Maualuga.

Even guys who could fall to Cincy such as DE’s Sam Montgomery & Damontre Moore were discussed as future replacements for franchise tagged MJ93, if either was still there in round 2.

As the draft unfolded, Vaccaro & Reid were gone, but everybody else listed above remained.

The intrigue was high, pondering who would be taken at #21.

The popular choices were Cyrpien / Ogletree / Hopkins / Lacy (in no particular order)

But the Bengals shocked everybody by taking a Tight End: Tyler Eifert

Wow! We didn’t see that coming...

(Although there is always that one guy who will claim that he did)

Ultimately none of those guys listed above as favorite Bengal targets by the collective of Cincy Jungle ended up being drafted by the Bengals.

After months of mocking and rating and speculating, we got to see who the Bengals ultimately selected.

And it wasn’t exactly what we expected – A safety, but not who we ever considered. Another first round TE. Some Estonian named Margus Hunt. Etc...

And that brings us to this year. Instead of beginning that exciting, yet slowly plodding round 1, today, we get 2 more weeks of mocks and more mocks, and rumors and talk of good motors and how much sand in their pants a player has.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Cincy Jungle's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan, which is as important as the views of Cincy Jungle's writers or editors.