Draft Class Is Getting More Praise From PFF!

[BFritz21]

Cincy Jungle has an article about how PFF is praising our draft class:

Quote:Rodney Dangerfield may have been thinking about the Cincinnati Bengals when he said, “I can’t get no respect.”

That's really nothing new, and I'd say "until we win a playoff game," but I think we'd need to win at least two to get any respect.

Quote: But at least one national publication might disagree. Pro Football Focus recognizes the strides the Bengals are making under head coach Zac Taylor, and tabbed Cincinnati’s 2020 NFL Draft class as the best in the NFL.

PFF has a pretty high opinion of their 2021 class, as well. In its annual Fantasy Football Rookie Scouting Report, PFF named five of the Bengals’ 10 selections among the top 10 rookies at their positions.

PFF is pretty hard to top in credibility and, even though it's just projections, it makes me feel pretty good.

Quote:Leading the way, of course, was former LSU wide receiver and Cincinnati’s first-round selection Ja’Marr Chase, who was projected to be the top rookie receiver.

No real surprise there but it does have to get you at least a little excited that PFF is projecting him to have the best year of an rookie receiver and doesn't think we'll ruin him. It's also worth noting that this was a deep and talented receiving draft class, which gives that comment even more merit.

Quote:Something of a surprise was Chris Evans, the former Michigan running back who the Bengals nabbed with pick No. 202 in the sixth round. Evans, who was No. 106 on PFF’s Big Board, came in at No. 7 among rookie running backs.

You have to love Evans being ranked that high, especially since we got him in the sixth round and I think he's really starting to develop more. He already has the physical tools- speed, agility, hands, playmaking ability- so we just need to use him correctly as a change-of-pace back and we'll be asking ourselves "Gio who?"

(Loved Gio and what he did for us, but moving on is the nature of the beast.)

Quote:Clemson’s Jackson Carman, who Cincinnati traded back for in the middle of the second round, was forecasted to be the ninth-best rookie offensive tackle. While many publications considered Carman to be something of a reach for the Bengals, PFF had him ranked No. 48 on its Big Board.

I've said it over and over again: this team can be special if we can protect Burrow and win in the trenches on defense.

Quote:Former inside linebacker and converted edge rusher Joseph Ossai of Texas, whom Cincinnati selected in the third round with pick No. 69, was projected as the ninth-best rookie edge rusher, while massive defensive tackle Tyler Shelvin of LSU was designated as the No. 10 rookie defensive lineman.

Like I said, winning in the trenches on defense- stopping the run and getting after the passer- is going to be HUGE in our team's success because, if we have an offensive line, we can control that part of the game, but you can't fully control a game if the other team can control the clock and flow of the game.

Quote:Both Chase and Shelvin are already impressing in rookie minicamp, and Evans is off to a fast start, as well. Of course, there is still a long way to go until the opening of the regular season, and a 17-game schedule is sure to take its toll. But it’s good to know that the Bengals finally seem to be earning some respect. Now, we can only hope that respect translates into another successful rookie campaign.

It does feel good to finally be getting a bit of respect, so now we just need to put it on the field.

WHO-DEY!