clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Fox Sports Analysis

Here's a Bengals run-down of Fox Sports analysis of their picks.

Leon Hall

A phenomenal athlete who looks like a natural in coverage. He stops and starts on a dime, makes plays when the ball is in the air with great adjustments, and is good one-on-one, lockdown defender who'll shut down average receivers. However, he doesn't have enough raw speed to be an elite NFL corner and got beaten up by Ted Ginn and Dwayne Jarrett late in the year. Overrated, even though he slid.

It never gets tiring of two games defining this guy's career -- even though those players aren't in the AFC North.

Kenny Irons

A disappointment as a senior having problems staying healthy, he's a quick back who'll be great in stretches as long as he's healthy. A tough gamer, patient through the hole, and has good acceleration, he plays bigger than his 5-10, 195-pound frame. While not an elite NFL back, he'll be a nice starter as long as he's a part of a rotation.

Football Outsider's Michael David Smith says the Bengals picking up Kenny Irons was one of three "best picks" in the second round..

3. Cincinnati chose Auburn's Kenny Irons, and he'll be an excellent fit as their backup running back. Although he ran a mediocre 40-yard dash time at the scouting combine and has a history of injuries, he is an elusive runner who is a two-time first-team All-SEC player. He'll have some big games for the Bengals.

Marvin White

He works his tail off, is exceptionally fast, and has made himself stronger to fill out his lean 6-foot-1 frame. While he's not a natural in pass coverage and will get burned way too often at the next level by savvy receivers who run crisp routes, he's a nice value pick.

Jeff Rowe

A veteran starter who grew into a good passer in Nevada's "pistol" offense, he has good size, a decent arm and good decision-making ability. However, he doesn't have an NFL caliber arm and little mobility. Think Indianapolis backup QB, and former Wisconsin Badger, Jim Sorgi.

Mike Tanier says of Rowe "just wondering".

2. Now that the Bengals drafted Nevada quarterback Jeff Rowe, will they add the pistol formation to their offense? If you've never seen Nevada play, you are missing out: the Pistol is an odd half-shotgun formation with a tailback behind the quarterback. Rowe could hand off or pass from the formation, and he ran some options as well. It would be a cool wrinkle to throw off the defense.

Matt Toeaina

A tough rock of a 300-pounder who's always going 100 miles per hour and is the type of leader and self-motivator who'll be hard not to keep around. While not an every down tackle, he could be a terror as a part of a rotation.

Dan Santucci

He showed enough quickness and athleticism in the Combine to have generated a bit of a buzz. Quick off the ball, mean and tough, he's worth a late-round flier as purely a guard prospect. He has to be more consistent.

Chinedum Ndukwe

He hits like a ton of bricks, but he covers like he's carrying them. Sometimes he tries to deliver the kill shot and misses out on making the needed play. Even so, he has good speed and the potential to become a dangerous defender if given the chance to develop and gets good coaching.