NFL Draft: Bengals Liking Jonathan Cyprien In First Round, Per Reports

There are many who would not be surprised if the Bengals use their No. 21 overall pick on former Florida International safety Jonathan Cyprien, according to Draft Insider.

As reported by several sources, Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer privately worked out safety Jonathan Cyprien of Florida International today. More than a few people I spoke with this afternoon would not be surprised if the Bengals select Cyrprien in the first round.

The workout, which we reported on, took place on Monday between Cyprien and Zimmer in Florida. The Bengals are in need of a safety to play alongside Reggie Nelson. The top safety in this year's draft class is considered by many to be Texas' Kenny Vaccaro. However, Vaccaro, according to the latest mock drafts, is unlikely to be available when the Bengals go on the clock. Luckily, safeties like Cyprien and Matt Elam should be available.

If the Bengals do decide to select Cyprien, they'd likely have one of the most complete secondaries they've had in a long time.

Joe Goodberry's scouting report on Cyprien:

"Jonathan Cyprien not only stood out as the best athlete on the FIU defense, he's also the most instinctive; an intimidating and high-energy player on either side of the field. He's a strong safety that's very comfortable playing in the box and the best safety against the run. He has a great feel for running lanes and quickly measures up ball-carriers to make crushing hits. When he doesn't leave his feet, Cyprien is one of the better form-tacklers in this draft class. His aggressive angles can hurt him at times and he can get blocked-out by linemen, but after watching a bunch of safeties in this class, he's no worse than the rest. He can also play bump-and-run in coverage against tight ends and running backs. From a coverage perspective, Cyprien's anticipation shined. Where I was most impressed with Cyprien was his range as a center fielder. He can get sideline-to-sideline in a hurry and appears to read the quarterback's eyes very well. He can get to those deep routes along the boundary for a big hit or make a play on the ball. Cyprien's ball skills and range sold me on him as a prospect. I felt like I was watching something special the first time I watched him."

Make sure you check out the return of Who Dey Weekly on Wednesday night.