05-03-2024, 05:37 PM
I’d give this draft a solid C+. Chase is awesome. Mac as well. Two difference makers in one draft is an automatic passing grade for any team. Carman would be thought better of if he had a real chance at LT. He’s not good anywhere else but I’ll call him a bust with an Asterisk. We got decent production out of our D line picks and spot depth at o line later on and including Carman. Those games/snaps matter.
People are always much harder on our own drafts than other teams. Not every player will be a star. Nobody drafts like that. The thing the bengals have done well is get a lot of solid role players and depth guys with their “bad” picks. Just because a 3rd/4th/5th/6th rounder isn’t a multi-year starter does not mean it wasn’t a good draft. The bengals have drafted very well since Taylor took over. Last years draft is looking very impressive. Obviously the Burrow draft was a home run. His first draft was unspectacular but still valuable with lots of role players and a solid but not great starting tackle. Sample is a great blocker and finally started showing modest usefulness in the passing game last year which is all we need from our blocking TE.
Look at our LB drafting for example. Two absolute steals in Wilson and Pratt. The other guys we’ve drafted have also been great picks even though they aren’t stars. Bailey, ADG have both played well on ST’s and more importantly when we were devasted by LB injury a while back (plus Bachie but he wasn’t a draft pick). An entire room built from the ground up with the draft under Taylor. And I have no complaints about our LB group. Same with our WR room this year. Chase, Tee, Jones, Yoshi, Burton. Another group where we should be very well off with nothing but Taylor draft picks.
Tons of important starters and depth/role guys in the secondary as well. The only place we haven’t gotten studs under Taylor in the draft is the trenches which is hard for anyone to get because there are so few guys that big who are also good enough to be stars in this league. But he has taken the FA money and put it into those positions very effectively with Trey, reader, rankins, Cappa, OBJ, Karras, etc. If Murphy and Mims end up being hits, we’re winning a SB for sure. Still got a great shot even if both bust.
People are always much harder on our own drafts than other teams. Not every player will be a star. Nobody drafts like that. The thing the bengals have done well is get a lot of solid role players and depth guys with their “bad” picks. Just because a 3rd/4th/5th/6th rounder isn’t a multi-year starter does not mean it wasn’t a good draft. The bengals have drafted very well since Taylor took over. Last years draft is looking very impressive. Obviously the Burrow draft was a home run. His first draft was unspectacular but still valuable with lots of role players and a solid but not great starting tackle. Sample is a great blocker and finally started showing modest usefulness in the passing game last year which is all we need from our blocking TE.
Look at our LB drafting for example. Two absolute steals in Wilson and Pratt. The other guys we’ve drafted have also been great picks even though they aren’t stars. Bailey, ADG have both played well on ST’s and more importantly when we were devasted by LB injury a while back (plus Bachie but he wasn’t a draft pick). An entire room built from the ground up with the draft under Taylor. And I have no complaints about our LB group. Same with our WR room this year. Chase, Tee, Jones, Yoshi, Burton. Another group where we should be very well off with nothing but Taylor draft picks.
Tons of important starters and depth/role guys in the secondary as well. The only place we haven’t gotten studs under Taylor in the draft is the trenches which is hard for anyone to get because there are so few guys that big who are also good enough to be stars in this league. But he has taken the FA money and put it into those positions very effectively with Trey, reader, rankins, Cappa, OBJ, Karras, etc. If Murphy and Mims end up being hits, we’re winning a SB for sure. Still got a great shot even if both bust.
![[Image: 4CV0TeR.png]](https://i.imgur.com/4CV0TeR.png)
