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Team's draft boards are set and now the draft just needs to unfold. That's the tricky part. How exactly does it shake out? Teams have done their work and are ready for every possible scenario. The good teams follow their board and let the draft come to them. The Bengals are finally in that situation. They have the luxury to let the draft flow and let the board direct them to their new players. I've used my own board, a couple of other analyst's boards and a consensus rankings to create my final attempt to replicate the Bengals board as it sits ready for draft day. I have removed Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin already and tried to rank each player based on who the Bengals would select.
Rank |
Player |
Position |
Height/Weight |
Player Description |
Bengals Fit |
|
1 |
Trent Richardson |
RB |
Alabama |
5-10, 225 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 the first time in a long time. |
2 |
Morris Claiborne |
CB |
LSU |
5-11, 200 lbs |
Top defensive player in the draft. Elite ball skills. |
Almost no chance he gets out of the top 5 picks. It would cost a lot to move into position to draft him. |
3 |
Matt Kalil |
OT |
USC |
6-5, 305 lbs |
Top O-lineman in the draft. Has every skill to be an elite pass protector. |
Kalil is a top 6-pick lock. If somehow he became a Bengal, he'd start at RT while Andre Smith moved to RG. |
4 |
David DeCastro |
OG |
Stanford |
6-5, 316 lbs |
Elite pulling ability and stands out in the 2nd level. Top-16 NFL guard from day one. |
Starts at RG on day one and instantly upgrades the running game. Pro-Bowler by 2013. |
5 |
Justin Blackmon |
WR |
Oklahoma State |
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. |
6 |
Stephon Gilmore |
CB |
South Carolina |
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. |
7 |
Michael Floyd |
WR/PR |
Notre Dame |
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. |
8 |
Luke Kuechly |
MLB |
Boston College |
6-3, 240 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 at MLB or eventually WLB. |
9 |
Quinton Coples |
DE |
North Carolina |
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 in nickel situations. |
10 |
Mark Barron |
SS |
Alabama |
6-2, 215 lbs |
Hard-nose, 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. |
11 |
Dre Kirkpatrick |
CB |
Alabama |
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. Especially in physical presence. |
12 |
Fletcher Cox |
DT/LE |
Mississippi State |
6-5, 295 lbs |
Long, strong and great motor for Cox. He's the best pass rushing DT and has huge upside. |
Would rotate with Peko at the opposite DT spot and start inside in nickel packages. |
13 |
Riley Reiff |
T/G |
Iowa |
6-6, 300 lbs |
All-around lineman prospect that should be drafted top-15. Some don't grade his as high as I do. |
If drafted, Reiff starts at RT or RG and Andre Smith starts at the other spot. |
14 |
Kendall Wright |
WR |
Baylor |
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. |
15 |
Doug Martin |
RB/KR |
Boise State |
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. |
16 |
Courtney Upshaw |
DE/SLB |
Alabama |
6-1, 270 lbs |
Versatile, power player that brings intensity. Probably only a 6-sack per year guy but great against the run. |
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. |
17 |
Melvin Ingram |
DE/SLB |
South Carolina |
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. |
18 |
Cordy Glenn |
T/G |
Georgia |
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. |
19 |
Whitney Mercilus |
DE/SLB |
Illinois |
6-4, 265 lbs |
One year wonder with 10+ sacks potential in the NFL. He needs coaching and general experience. |
Would rotate at RDE with Michael Johnson and he can provide rush opportunities at LDE in nickel packages. |
20 |
Lamar Miller |
RB/KR |
Miami |
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? |
21 |
Peter Konz |
C/G |
Wisconsin |
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 RG as a rookie and maybe center one day. |
22 |
Nick Perry |
DE/OLB |
USC |
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. |
23 |
Dontari Poe |
NT |
Memphis |
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 Peko in every way. |
24 |
Dont'a Hightower |
ILB/SLB |
Alabama |
6-2, 265 lbs |
Can play both inside and outside while also putting his hand down in pass rush situations. Power/Enforcer type player. |
Would start at MLB or SLB in due time. Would add physicality Maualuga was supposed to be. |
25 |
Michael Brockers |
DT |
LSU |
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. |
26 |
Stephen Hill |
WR |
Georgia Tech |
6-4, 215 lbs |
Freak athlete that is incredible raw mostly due to his offensive system in college. |
Would start day one opposite Green and Hill would probably have a limited play book (Go routes, screens, slants, posts). |
27 |
Andre Branch |
DE/SLB |
Clemson |
6-4, 260 lbs |
Great first step and has good length. Should be a good pass rusher in NFL. |
Rotates at RDE and comes in and plays in nickel packages primarily. |
28 |
Kevin Zeitler |
OG |
Wisconsin |
6-4, 315 lbs |
Run blocking guard who can really open lanes. Needs pass protection work, but he knows it. |
Starts at RG day one and instantly helps the run game. Probably a downgrade in rookie year from Bobbie Williams. |
29
|
Devon Still |
DT |
Penn State |
6-5, 303 lbs |
Power DT with enough agility to be a solid NFL pass rusher |
Still would get into the rotation quickly and probably start in 2013. |
30 |
Janoris Jenkins |
CB/PR |
North Alabama (Florida) |
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. |
31 |
Rueben Randle |
WR |
LSU |
6-3, 210 lbs |
Randle is a big, strong WR with some deceptive deep speed. Underutilized at LSU. |
Randle starts day one and has been compared to Hakeem Nicks. I don't see that physicality but I do like Randle's upside. |
32 |
Amini Silatolu |
OG |
M'Western state |
6-4, 312 lbs |
Division FCS player that is a mean, road grading type lineman. High upside but will be a learning curve. |
Probably starts at RG but could also back up at OT. He'll eventually upgrade the short yardage running game. |
33
|
Jonathan Martin |
T/G |
Stanford |
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 first round pick. |
I think he could play OG or OT and would find a starting spot soon on this offensive line. |
34 |
Mike Adams |
OT |
Ohio State |
6-7, 323 lbs |
Adams is a finesse pass blocker and really needs a fire lit under him. |
I don't think Adams starts anywhere on the Bengals line as a rookie. He needs a strength program. |
35 |
Brandon Boykin |
CB/PR |
Georgia |
5-9, 184 lbs |
Boykin is a very high caliber athlete and great return man. |
He starts in nickel packages and adds a much needed boost to the return game. |