2012 NFL Draft: Bengals Need David DeCastro

ESPN AFC North blogger Jamison Hensley thinks that the Bengals should draft Stanford offensive lineman David DeCastro. Many Bengals fans would agree with Hensley that DeCastro would be a great fit with the Bengals. The real question is if DeCastro will still be sitting around without a team when the Bengals are on the clock at 17.

Hensley has statistics that back up his opinion that the Bengals need DeCastro. The Bengals guards struggled in their run blocking last season. According to ESPN Stats & Information, the Bengals struggled while running up the middle. They were 30th in the NFL in yards per rush (3.3) and 24th in the NFL in yards after contact per rush (1.6). They also finished 28th in yards before contact per rush (1.8) and were tied for 21st in touchdown runs with three. A running game like that is not likely to result in much success. The Bengals likely think they have already improved the position this off-season by replacing Nate Livings with Travelle Wharton. They also signed veteran Jacob Bell for depth.

Jamison Hensley says that the signings of Wharton and Bell should not stop the Bengals from taking a top rated guard in the draft like DeCastro:

"There is a strong likelihood that the Bengals will do so. They will either take DeCastro with that top pick, or a guard like Georgia's Cordy Glenn later in the first round."

DeCastro and Glenn are not the only guard options for the Bengals in the first round. They could take Wisconsin's Peter Konz or Kevin Zeitler at pick 21. Konz played center in college but many believe could play guard in the NFL. Zeitler and Midwestern State's Amini Silatolu are possibilities at 21. Though they may be reaches at 21, neither player is likely to be available when the Bengals pick in the second round. If the Bengals wait until round two to grab a guard, Miami Ohio's Brandon Brooks or California's Mitch Schwartz could be possibilities.