This is a series of posts in which we're going to reset everything and determine what the Bengals options could be in the second and third rounds on Friday. With eight more draft picks before we call this draft complete, the first round will neither make or break this weekend. On Friday the Bengals will will pick 54th (overall), 84th and 96th. What positions could the Bengals address? First, we're going to examine Wide Receiver.
The Bengals hosted seven wide receivers this offseason, making us believe that the team will address the position at some point this weekend. Two of those receivers, Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas, are gone. The available receivers: Illinois' Arrelious Benn, Morgan State's Edward Morton-Green, Minnesota's Eric Decker, Connecticut's Marcus Easley and Cincinnati's Mardy Gilyard. Decker and Benn are possible second round selections while Gilyard could go from the second to third rounds (we're thinking third).
With Gilyard, there's an obvious connection there with receiver and team gravitating towards each other for the past year. Not saying the Bengals will take him, but if he's rated as their best player available in the third round and they drafted another position in the second round, Gilyard could be the obvious choice.
If we're to assume the team will draft a receiver in the second round, then Benn and Decker could be highest on their board -- Decker visited the Bengals earlier in the offseason. However, if Golden Tate, the highest ranked receiver available heading into Friday, is still available, the Bengals could pull the trigger on the Notre Dame receiver depending on how the receiver did during a sit down with Bengals coaches.