Post by 77bengal on Jan 13, 2018 18:56:48 GMT -5
There are many, many paths the Bengals can take to improve the team and Mike Brown will not be hiking on any of them... I hope. Anyway, it will be interesting to see which players the team actually selects now that a whole host of new coaches will be vying to have their positions improved upon. This is a rather 'optimistic' draft that does include a trade. IMO, there are too many holes (and man are they huge) that need filled immediately. This draft also assumes that Roquan Smith and Connor Williams are off the board at pick number 12. Here goes.
Round 1) The Bengals trade down with the Bills. The Bills receive the Bengals first round pick (12). Bengals receive both of the Bills first round picks (21, 22). Bills seek a new QB.
Round 1), pick A: Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame. We all saw how much the Bengals offense improved once Clint Boling was plugged into the LT position at the end of the season. McGlinchey has the potential to elevate the entire offense all by himself by not only protecting Dalton's blind side, but opening up running lanes for Mixon, Bernard and Hill. Note: McGlinchey isn't a sure bet. He comes with some risk. He has been beat on occasion by speed rushers, but he's more than capable of improving. It just might take him a year or so to fulfill his potential.
Round 1), pick B: Quentin Nelson, OG, Notre Dame. They'll be talking about this years draft for years to come in Cincy. The Bengals grab McGlinchey's line mate in Quentin Nelson. The Bengals land the drafts best player regardless of position. Nelson immediately fills a huge hole regardless of what position he ends up playing. Nelson is so gifted, there's a chance he could become a great RT or even a C. A true Steeler Crusher. Now imagine a line that has Boling moving back to LG, McGlinchey anchoring the LT position and Nelson killing opponents wherever he's lined up. The Bengals are drastically improved in only one round.
Round 2) Frank Ragnow, C, Arkansas. My favorite player in this draft. Ragnow has dominated at Arkansas since his arrival against some of the best competitors in all of college football. Ragnow has over forty starts in his career as a Razorback and he has NEVER GAVE UP A SACK! Dalton will now be able to step up in the pocket and deliver the ball which is something he hasn't had the luxury of doing because of Russell Bodine constantly be shoved back into his lap.
Note: Billy Price, C, Ohio State, may be the player the team should draft in round one or two instead of Ragnow. Why? Because the Bengals play the Ravens and the Steelers twice a year and both teams run a 3-4 defense. This means that both teams usually have a very good nose tackle and one of Price's main attributes is his ability to stymie very big and talented nose tackles at the point of attack. So the drafting of Billy Price may make more sense than the drafting of Ragnow for this reason. However, this doesn't mean that Ragnow isn't as capable as Price at handling good nose tackles (he may prove to be better), but Price is well known for doing a great job at stopping these guys in their tracks.
Round 3), pick A: Martinas Rankin, OT, Ole Miss. It's hard for me to imagine that Rankin will fall this far, but that's where he's ranked according to Ourlad's. Rankin is a fundamentally sound tackle in almost every regard. The Bengals luck out and grab a faller.
The drafting strategy that I used per the first four picks is one which I call 'Block Drafting'. I came up with this strategy several years ago. Basically, block drafting consists of selecting multiple players at a particular 'group position'; i.e. OL, DL, WR, LB, etc. This is a great strategy to use when a team is really weak at a particular 'group position'.
Round 3), pick B: (for Kevin Zeitler): Tim Settle, DT, Virginia Tech. The second most significant problem with the Bengals is their inability to stop the run; especially between the tackles. Ryan Glasgow and Andrew Billings have the potential to fill this role, but it doesn't hurt to have some insurance in case they falter. At six-foot three and three-hundred and thirty pounds, Settle brings the size, strength and the attitude to stuff the run and he also has some pass rush ability.
Round 4): Jerome Baker, OLB, Ohio State. The Bengals need a lot of help at the LB'er position and Baker can do it all. Baker is a good tackler, has speed and plays the pass really well. A poor mans Roquan Smith.
Round 5), pick A: Levi Wallace, CB, Alabama. The Bengals really need to part ways with Adam Jones and I think they will. Jones is getting up there in age and he isn't quite the player he was just two years ago. Dre Kirkpatrick hangs out with Jones around Cincy and in all due respect, that relationship seems to have hampered Kirkpatrick's progress. Getting rid of Jones is 'addition by subtraction'. Wallace may not be the highest rated CB in this draft, but he's athletic and learned a lot playing under Nick Saban. He faced great receivers and did a good job overall.
Round 5), pick B: (for Andrew Whitworth): Chris Worley, ILB, Ohio State. The Bengals doubled up by drafting two Fightin' Irish at the beginning of the draft, so why not double up on two promising Buckeyes at a position of need? Worley is an under the radar type player who plays very similar to his teammate Jerome Baker. Like Baker, Worley is fast, a good tackler and he plays the pass well. Don't underestimate this guys NFL potential. A poor mans Jerome Baker.
Round 6): Johnny Townsend, P, Florida. Whenever a team has an opportunity to improve it's kicking game or special teams with a great player this late in the draft, they should pounce. Kevin Huber is not the punter he once was and has dropped to the category of 'serviceable' and/or just average. Townsend has an extremely powerful leg which would go a long way in giving the Bengals an advantage when it comes to winning the field position battle.
Round 7), pick A: Tyree Robinson, S, Oregon. The Bengals need depth at safety after the loss of Deron Smith to the Browns and Robinson supplies just that. Like George Iloka, Robinson is a tall safety standing at six-foot-four. His size alone gives him a slight advantage in defending against the pass.
Round 7), pick B: Andre Chachere, CB, San Jose State. Like I stated earlier, Adam Jones has to be shown the door for various reasons. Chachere may not be a highly sought after player, but he does have speed to keep up with the big boys.
There you have it. The first of many drafts I hope to post between now and draft day. Rip it apart; kick it in the head; I don't care. Just let me know what you think and who you would like to see the Bengals draft and why. Thanks gang!
Round 1) The Bengals trade down with the Bills. The Bills receive the Bengals first round pick (12). Bengals receive both of the Bills first round picks (21, 22). Bills seek a new QB.
Round 1), pick A: Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame. We all saw how much the Bengals offense improved once Clint Boling was plugged into the LT position at the end of the season. McGlinchey has the potential to elevate the entire offense all by himself by not only protecting Dalton's blind side, but opening up running lanes for Mixon, Bernard and Hill. Note: McGlinchey isn't a sure bet. He comes with some risk. He has been beat on occasion by speed rushers, but he's more than capable of improving. It just might take him a year or so to fulfill his potential.
Round 1), pick B: Quentin Nelson, OG, Notre Dame. They'll be talking about this years draft for years to come in Cincy. The Bengals grab McGlinchey's line mate in Quentin Nelson. The Bengals land the drafts best player regardless of position. Nelson immediately fills a huge hole regardless of what position he ends up playing. Nelson is so gifted, there's a chance he could become a great RT or even a C. A true Steeler Crusher. Now imagine a line that has Boling moving back to LG, McGlinchey anchoring the LT position and Nelson killing opponents wherever he's lined up. The Bengals are drastically improved in only one round.
Round 2) Frank Ragnow, C, Arkansas. My favorite player in this draft. Ragnow has dominated at Arkansas since his arrival against some of the best competitors in all of college football. Ragnow has over forty starts in his career as a Razorback and he has NEVER GAVE UP A SACK! Dalton will now be able to step up in the pocket and deliver the ball which is something he hasn't had the luxury of doing because of Russell Bodine constantly be shoved back into his lap.
Note: Billy Price, C, Ohio State, may be the player the team should draft in round one or two instead of Ragnow. Why? Because the Bengals play the Ravens and the Steelers twice a year and both teams run a 3-4 defense. This means that both teams usually have a very good nose tackle and one of Price's main attributes is his ability to stymie very big and talented nose tackles at the point of attack. So the drafting of Billy Price may make more sense than the drafting of Ragnow for this reason. However, this doesn't mean that Ragnow isn't as capable as Price at handling good nose tackles (he may prove to be better), but Price is well known for doing a great job at stopping these guys in their tracks.
Round 3), pick A: Martinas Rankin, OT, Ole Miss. It's hard for me to imagine that Rankin will fall this far, but that's where he's ranked according to Ourlad's. Rankin is a fundamentally sound tackle in almost every regard. The Bengals luck out and grab a faller.
The drafting strategy that I used per the first four picks is one which I call 'Block Drafting'. I came up with this strategy several years ago. Basically, block drafting consists of selecting multiple players at a particular 'group position'; i.e. OL, DL, WR, LB, etc. This is a great strategy to use when a team is really weak at a particular 'group position'.
Round 3), pick B: (for Kevin Zeitler): Tim Settle, DT, Virginia Tech. The second most significant problem with the Bengals is their inability to stop the run; especially between the tackles. Ryan Glasgow and Andrew Billings have the potential to fill this role, but it doesn't hurt to have some insurance in case they falter. At six-foot three and three-hundred and thirty pounds, Settle brings the size, strength and the attitude to stuff the run and he also has some pass rush ability.
Round 4): Jerome Baker, OLB, Ohio State. The Bengals need a lot of help at the LB'er position and Baker can do it all. Baker is a good tackler, has speed and plays the pass really well. A poor mans Roquan Smith.
Round 5), pick A: Levi Wallace, CB, Alabama. The Bengals really need to part ways with Adam Jones and I think they will. Jones is getting up there in age and he isn't quite the player he was just two years ago. Dre Kirkpatrick hangs out with Jones around Cincy and in all due respect, that relationship seems to have hampered Kirkpatrick's progress. Getting rid of Jones is 'addition by subtraction'. Wallace may not be the highest rated CB in this draft, but he's athletic and learned a lot playing under Nick Saban. He faced great receivers and did a good job overall.
Round 5), pick B: (for Andrew Whitworth): Chris Worley, ILB, Ohio State. The Bengals doubled up by drafting two Fightin' Irish at the beginning of the draft, so why not double up on two promising Buckeyes at a position of need? Worley is an under the radar type player who plays very similar to his teammate Jerome Baker. Like Baker, Worley is fast, a good tackler and he plays the pass well. Don't underestimate this guys NFL potential. A poor mans Jerome Baker.
Round 6): Johnny Townsend, P, Florida. Whenever a team has an opportunity to improve it's kicking game or special teams with a great player this late in the draft, they should pounce. Kevin Huber is not the punter he once was and has dropped to the category of 'serviceable' and/or just average. Townsend has an extremely powerful leg which would go a long way in giving the Bengals an advantage when it comes to winning the field position battle.
Round 7), pick A: Tyree Robinson, S, Oregon. The Bengals need depth at safety after the loss of Deron Smith to the Browns and Robinson supplies just that. Like George Iloka, Robinson is a tall safety standing at six-foot-four. His size alone gives him a slight advantage in defending against the pass.
Round 7), pick B: Andre Chachere, CB, San Jose State. Like I stated earlier, Adam Jones has to be shown the door for various reasons. Chachere may not be a highly sought after player, but he does have speed to keep up with the big boys.
There you have it. The first of many drafts I hope to post between now and draft day. Rip it apart; kick it in the head; I don't care. Just let me know what you think and who you would like to see the Bengals draft and why. Thanks gang!
