With 131st pick of the 2010 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals select linebacker Roddrick Muckelroy from Texas. Cincinnati's need at linebacker was slightly debatable. If anything, the team addressing linebacker was a necessity for the future with several of the team's top linebackers up for free agency after the 2010 season. ESPN ranks Muckelroy with many traits above average to exceptional, such as his instincts. ESPN ranked him as the seventh best inside linebacker coming into the draft.
Mocking the Draft praises Muckelroy's ability to get to the ball with incredible natural instincts.
Muckelroy is arguably the most heady linebacker in this year's class. He always gets himself in good position and rarely misses an assignment.
Although he's not the fastest or most athletic linebacker, his football intelligence makes up for it. Some are knocking him for his average showings at the Senior Bowl and combine. But just watch a Texas game and you'll be hard pressed to not see Muckelroy in on almost every play.
He topped 100 tackles in his final two seasons in Austin. A starter in 29 of 40 games played, Muckelroy was named the to Big 12 all-conference team twice. He's good against the pass when he drops back and has a minimal injury history. Absolutely no character flaws to speak of.
