08-20-2018, 07:28 PM
(08-20-2018, 11:49 AM)fredtoast Wrote: For years I have been pointing out that after we got Dunlap and Atkins in 2010 we had a bad stretch of drafting D-linemen (many with high picks)
'11....Dontay Moch in 3rd
'12....Devon Still in 2nd, Brandon Thompson in 3rd
'13....Margus Hunt in 3rd
'14....Will Clark in 3rd
'15....Marcus Hardison in 4th
Then we took Billings in the fourth round of the '16 draft. One of the most overhyped picks ever by some people here, but it looks like he will develop into a solid player.
In '17 we took Jordan Willis in the 3rd and Carl Lawson in the 4th. Lawson was an instant impact player. Willis got a good bit of playing time, but only one sack. But this year it looks like he has taken that next step that we waited for Still, Hunt, and Clark to make after their rookie seasons. We also took Glasgow in the fourth and he played a lot of snaps, but that could have just been because we were so thin at DT.
This year we took Hubbard in the 3rd and he is looking good so far.
When you depend on the draft to build your team as much as the Bengals do you just can't miss on as many D-line picks as we did from '11 through '15. Hopefully we have gotten over that problem.
Agreed, that was a rough stretch alright. Hope it is over and these guys end up being studs like Geno and Dunlap.
Sure has been the bright spot of the team so far this Preseason. I really hyped Billings as you know, the injury really
slowed him down but he is still very young and is just starting to get that nasty, mean, attitude that i loved at Baylor.
Not saying Billings will ever be Geno, maybe no one will, but he could be that great run stoppin' sumbitch that could
get 5-7 sacks a year. Willis i hyped big time anywhere from the 2nd on, was a 3 down DE at Kansas State and actually
had him rated above Derek Barnett cause of this and even above Carl Lawson. Willis didn't play up to my expectations
as a rookie but it sometimes takes a year and i hear he looks like a monster now.
Lawson just has great balance and gets so low, he very well could do what he predicted and be our all-time sack
leader, that is how good of a pass rusher he is. He just needs to stay healthy which was his knock besides not being
the best at stopping the run or in coverage. But what the heck, use him as a pass rusher then, he will get his.
