The 2012 Senior Bowl, a game between NCAA football senior all stars organized into north and south teams, is just a day away, which means we get to sit back and watch some players that could very well end up in Bengals uniform. National Football Post's Wes Bunting recently picked his top-10 Senior Bowl players and picked NFL teams that would be a good fit for them. Two of those top-10 players are picked to be good fits for the Bengals.
The fourth-ranked prospect on the list is North Alabama cornerback Janoris Jenkins, who Bunting believes would be the best fit for the Bengals, Lions or Patriots.
He was simply the most impressive cover man down here this week. Jenkins displays natural fluidity when asked to turn and run, stays low out of his breaks and is a bear to separate from on all levels of the field. Looks like an NFL starter early on in the NFL.
There's no question that Jenkins has great talent and there's also no question that the Bengals need help at the cornerback position, however, Jenkins' off-field troubles are a big red flag. I think I'd rather have a slightly less talented cornerback that wasn't quite as big of a risk.
The other player is the ninth-ranked prospect, Boise State running back Doug Martin, who Bunting believes would be a good fit for the Bengals, Buccaneers or Jets.
Martin isn't a dynamic size/speed guy, but there aren't many negatives to his game. He plays fast, runs low, is natural through the line of scrimmage and has a skill set somewhat similar to former Alabama RB Mark Ingram. He might fall a bit because he doesn't run overly well, but he has the skill set to start in the league.
Actually, the more I hear about Martin, the more I like him. He doesn't seem to have Trent Richardson talent but he seems to be somewhat of a Ray Rice carbon copy and we've all seen what Rice has been able to do in the NFL with the Ravens. The Bengals were unable to effectively run the ball in 2011 and they need a set of fresh legs at the running back position. However, it's my belief that the Bengals also need to draft offensive linemen to help the run game. A player like Martin could possibly fall to the second round which would give the Bengals the time in the first round to find a guard.
What do you think about Bunting's players that could be good fits for the Bengals? Are there any other players on his list you'd rather see in stripes?