In his first Mock Draft that was released in mid-November, ESPN's Todd McShay had the 2-6 Cincinnati Bengals drafting North Carolina defensive end Robert Quinn with the sixth overall pick. This was largely before Carlos Dunlap emerged as a wrecking ball with quarterbacks. And during his first NFL Draft after the completion of the regular season, McShay had the Bengals drafting Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green. A month later, McShay released another mock draft, having the Bengals selecting Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green.
So it might surprise you on who McShay selected in his latest Mock Draft.
With the fourth overall pick, McShay has the Bengals selecting Georgia Wide Receiver A.J. Green.
Using a top-10 pick on a wide receiver isn't always a wise move but Green is a special player. Lots of wideouts are big and fast, but Green's route-running savvy, toughness, body control and ball skills separate him from most other receivers. The Bengals could also deal with the reality of the Carson Palmer situation and draft Newton in this scenario or upgrade at defensive tackle, but with Terrell Owens gone and Chad Ochocinco likely on his way out, Green becomes the best value here.
We understand the point. But some of us (read: me!) don't agree that the Bengals should use their fourth overall selection on a wide receiver, considering the team is planning to return to a power rushing offense without even a quarterback determined yet.