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As the Bengals scouting department (both scouts) start combining rankings and scouting reports to come up with a consensus draft board, I'm also putting my own rankings aside to bring you the first Bengals-oriented big board of the draft season. This big board will evolve throughout the off-season as the Bengals fill their holes in free agency and prospects work out for scouts and NFL teams. I'll also try to keep an eye out for all of the mis-information that we'll be hearing until late April.
This board has already eliminated the elite prospects that have no shot at being available come picks 17 and 21(Luck, RG3, Kalil, and Claiborne). I have combined my own personal grades and rankings with others whom I trust (Not ESPN). Then I added in how each prospects fit into the Bengals plans and kept in mind the tendencies the Bengals have shown on draft day in the Marvin Lewis era. Punch all of those factors into the draft computer and out comes my list of the 25 prospects (in order) that the Bengals would draft. Somewhere amongst these players are at least two that will be wearing stripes in 2012.
|
Player |
Position |
Height/Weight |
Player Description |
Bengals Fit |
|
Trent Richardson Alabama |
RB |
5'11" - 224 lbs |
Power runner who can play all three downs from day one. Elite player. |
Starts day one and instantly provides an upgrade over Benson in every phase. Gives the Bengals an every-down RB for first time in a long time. |
|
David DeCastro Stanford |
OG (RG) |
6'5" - 310 lbs |
Elite pulling ability and stands out in the 2nd level. Top-16 NFL guard from day one. |
Starts at LG or RG depending on what the Bengals do with their former starting OGs. Pro-Bowler by 2013. |
|
Dre Kirkpatrick Alabama |
CB |
6'2" - 190 lbs |
Tough, physical, long CB. The new breed of CB that can cover the big WR. |
Starts season as #3 unless Leon Hall isn't ready. Starter by year's end in 2012. Instant difference-maker. |
|
Quinton Coples North Carolina |
DE |
6'6" - 275 lbs |
Long, strong and physically gifted athlete that didn't live up to potential on the field. |
Probably starts at RDE and rotates along the DL playing every position on passing downs. Upgrade over Rucker or Geathers. |
|
Justin Blackmon Oklahoma State |
WR |
6'1" - 215 lbs |
Run-after-the-catch type possession WR. Best on slants and drags. |
Starts opposite Green and is the underneath guy that can bring a physical presence. |
|
Courtney Upshaw Alabama |
DE/Sam LB |
6'1" - 270 lbs |
Versatile, power player that brings intensity. Probably only an 8-sack per year guy. |
Starts at either RDE or Sam LB. Helps against run as LB and can put his hand down in nickel to provide rush. Upgrade over Lawson. |
|
Janoris Jenkins North Alabama (Florida) |
CB/PR |
5'9.5" - 193 lbs |
Natural man-cover CB. He was born to play CB. Off-the-field issue behind him? |
Outside starter in nickel defense. Has ability to be #1 shutdown type. Man skills could be on J.Joe's level one day. |
|
Stephon Gilmore South Carolina |
CB |
6'0" - 191 lbs |
Raw but physically gifted. Isn't afraid to tackle and hit and can match up with bigger a WR. Good blitzer. |
Outside starter in nickel defense. Provides blitz opportunities for Zimmer. Upgrade over Clements on outside. |
|
Mark Barron Alabama |
SS |
6'2" - 215 lbs |
Hard-nosed, physical enforcer type with enough ball-skills to develop into an elite safety. |
Starts from day one at safety and eventually could become the leader of the secondary. Immediate upgrade over Crocker. |
|
Iowa |
OT |
6'6" - 300 lbs |
All-around OT prospect that should be drafted top-10. Some don't grade him as high as I do. |
If drafted, it would allow Andre Smith to move to RG while Reiff starts at RT and eventually LT in a few years. |
|
DT |
6'5" - 310 lbs |
Has the ability to become an impact DT in both phases of the game. |
Rotates with Peko and Atkins as rookie and eventually starts for Peko in future. |
|
|
Georgia |
OL (T & G) |
6'5" - 343 lbs |
Massive player who should develop into a nice power player with technique refinement. |
Starts at RG on day one while also having the ability to backup both OT positions. A step down from Bobbie Williams as run blocker but step up as pass blocker in year one. |
|
Baylor |
WR |
5'10" - 190 lbs |
Elite speed and a deep threat who actually lays his body on the line for a catch. |
Provides instant relief for Green because Wright will blow the top off of a defense. Makes everybody better because it opens the field. |
|
Miami |
RB/KR |
5'11" - 212 lbs |
Top-notch speed, acceleration and open-field elusiveness. Home run threat in every sense. Inexperienced as a blocker and receiver but flashes ability. |
Miller becomes the 1A back in a two-back system for Bengals. Also provides return ability. First home run threat at RB for Bengals since? |
|
LSU |
DT |
6'6" - 318 lbs |
Freak athlete inside. Young and still raw but has great potential as run defender and pass rusher. |
Rotates with Peko and Atkins as rookie and probably starts inside in nickel. Can also play DE in 3-4 defense if ever needed. |
|
South Carolina |
DE/OLB |
6'2" - 276 lbs |
Short arms and looks unaware at times but is very versatile and provides a spark at more than one position on defense. |
Could start at Sam LB or RDE in base defense while also sliding inside in nickel packages to use his talents to the fullest. A player the offense must find before every play. |
|
Jonathan Martin Stanford |
OT |
6'5" - 305 lbs |
Looks like a RT in the NFL and doesn't always play with great power. Still, he's a good player and is probably a top-20 pick. |
I think he could play OG or OT and would find a starting spot very soon on this offensive line. |
|
Wisconsin |
C/G |
6'4" - 315 lbs |
Technically sound and plays with good strength in run game. All-around player. |
Wisconsin's offensive line uses the same exact schemes and ideas the Bengals do on Sundays. Konz starts at either guard spot as a rookie and maybe center one day. |
|
Boston College |
MLB |
6'3" - 237 lbs |
Tackle-machine and intellectual leader of a defense. Not a physical presence and may not make many "impact" plays in the NFL. |
Depending on Rey Maualuga's situation, Kuechly could be starting day one for the Bengals. |
|
Notre Dame |
WR/PR |
6'3" - 224 lbs |
A true gamer that rises to the occasion. Floyd is a perfect #2 WR type that provides ability on all types of routes. Not great speed. |
Starts for Bengals opposite of Green. Not an instant impact guy, but will make more plays as season wears on. |
|
Nick Perry USC |
DE/OLB |
6'3" - 250 lbs |
Great burst off the line and raw pass rush ability. Needs to develop more moves but could end up as the best DE of this class. |
Rotates with Michael Johnson at RE and also provides more options in nickel packages as pass rusher. Probably a more effective rusher than MJ93 already. |
|
Virginia |
CB |
6'0" - 185 lbs |
Long, lean, tough and has good ball-skills. Minnefield has NFL pedigree and has the tools to develop into an impact player. |
Probably a year away from starting but could provide nickel snaps from inside and out and also help provide relief for Hall as he recovers. |
|
Boise State |
RB/KR |
5'9" - 223 lbs |
Short, squatty and thickly built. Martin actually earns the Ray Rice comparisons. Three down player that provides special teams help. |
Starter from day one and it will be hard to take him off of the field. Martin can block, catch, run between tackles and take it to the house. |
|
Memphis |
NT |
6'5" - 350 lbs |
Massive power player with enough agility to become elite inside force. Needs to play more consistent. |
Rotates with Peko at NT but could easily push him for more and more snaps by season's end. Physically superior to |
|
Nebraska |
CB/S |
5'10" - 205 lbs |
Short but thick CB that can jam WRs. If he loses at the line, he can't recover and find the ball. Might be a better safety prospect. |
Dennard might be the 2nd best safety in this draft and if the Bengals drafted him, he could be that elusive CB/S hybrid type that Zimmer has mentioned before. |