The Bengals likely see Key injuries on Offense as the reason the team struggled in 2016.
No Tyler Eifert early on, then no AJ Green or Eifert down the stretch plus the loss of Gio.
Major Red Zone struggles.
Offense may get the 1st pick attention, since the Defense did OK in 2016 by comparison.

OJ Howard will likely be gone before pick 9 and the Bengals may still feel a sense of loyalty to Eifert or think Eifert can rebound physically. Garrett, Thomas, Lattimore, Fournette, Adams, Hooker & Jonathan Allen could all be gone before we pick as well. That would leave Reuben Foster, Derek Barnett and Mike Williams as the remaining Big names.

Drafting Mike Williams at 6 foot 3 and 5/8 inches tall & 220 pounds would provide another Eifert type Red Zone threat.
If Eifert stays injured we have another Red Zone threat in place with Williams. Williams should also provide some DURABILITY to the receiving core on Offense. Remember, the Bengals likely feel that injuries to Key offensive weapons killed the 2016 season. Williams would be an insurance policy in the Red Zone for any injury to Tyler Eifert.
If Eifert stays healthy we have multiple tall Red Zone threats. (Eifert, Williams, AJ)

Mike Williams even looks like a Bengal type pick with his rare size and good speed for his size combo. He has above average hands, can move the chains and be a Big Red Zone threat which we struggle with when Eifert is out. Williams ran a 4.50 forty which is good for his size. He is a size mismatch for corners, wide receiver is a 3 down position versus say a rotational defensive end which the Bengals tend to take in later rounds and he has that Bengal style physical Freak characteristic the Bengals tend to like.

Buckle up because Mike Williams may just be the pick.

Mike definately is a possibility and i am not against it. His forty time at his Proday made me feel fine with the pick.

Before that i was wondering a little bit why he didn't run at the combine.

Still love John Ross's speed and he is my favorite WR in this draft but i can understand taking Mike for redzone purposes.

It was definately a big time problem last year and Mike Williams would help this.

So would OJ Howard if he is there.

Mike Williams, is the guy. I have posted this many times. I think with him being the size body he is and being able to go up and get the ball with him and AJ there would be no 2 CBs in the leauge able to handle them.

The Bengals have never drafted a player like Mike Williams, nor should they when it comes to his playmaker scores. Ross is a better redzone threat than Williams. Just because he's big doesn't mean as much

(04-18-2017, 04:05 PM)eoxyod Wrote: The Bengals have never drafted a player like Mike Williams, nor should they when it comes to his playmaker scores. Ross is a better redzone threat than Williams. Just because he's big doesn't mean as much

(04-18-2017, 04:15 PM)Marlon23 Wrote:

Wow what an argument. I cannot come back with anything

I think Williams will be highly Durable and the Bengals may value that more right now given our injury problems with Eifert & AJ Green. Players like John Ross and Corey Davis may be viewed as less able to take an NFL pounding than Mike Williams by the Bengals.

I heard Former GM Charlie Casserly on NFL Network talk about Mike Williams.
He had him as the highest rated wide receiver and said he has Williams ranked higher coming out of College than former Clemson wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins who plays for the Texans.
He also said that Williams has some of the Best hands he has seen, runs a good speed for his size and uses his Big Body well even when covered to gain an advantage on the ball.

Problem is Mike Williams ranks in the lower percentiles in a lot of factors relating to explosiveness and comparative speed. He also ranked a playmaker score of only 70% which isn't necessarily bad, but not worth a high pick. Most good first round WRs get a playmaker score of over 70%. A WR the size of Williams should rank much higher from TD catches, but didn't catch TDs compared to that especially with a great QB at the helm. He also had a very average YPC average which should be higher for a WR that is supposed to high point deep passes much better.

Similarly, he compares athletically to Laquon Treadwell who has had a rough start in the NFL. He doesn't have the separation ability that other WR prospects have which is much mroe important than just being big. More WRs with his measurable and same supposed "wow" factor fail than succeed

(04-18-2017, 04:05 PM)eoxyod Wrote: The Bengals have never drafted a player like Mike Williams, nor should they when it comes to his playmaker scores. Ross is a better redzone threat than Williams. Just because he's big doesn't mean as much

9 is a prime spot for a trade back a few spots...  and could still get Ross

I'd be ok with Mike Williams. I prefer Howard, Ross, and Davis over him, but wouldn't be mad by the selection by any means.

I just don't think we are going to throw the ball enough to need another wide receiver early. A TE at least (not withstanding Eifert injury) makes a little more since with Eifert's contract up. But that's the only reason why. I doubt Dalton is going to throw the ball 30+ times a game to take advantage of yet another receiver.

(04-18-2017, 05:01 PM)eoxyod Wrote: Problem is Mike Williams ranks in the lower percentiles in a lot of factors relating to explosiveness and comparative speed. He also ranked a playmaker score of only 70% which isn't necessarily bad, but not worth a high pick. Most good first round WRs get a playmaker score of over 70%. A WR the size of Williams should rank much higher from TD catches, but didn't catch TDs compared to that especially with a great QB at the helm. He also had a very average YPC average which should be higher for a WR that is supposed to high point deep passes much better.

Similarly, he compares athletically to Laquon Treadwell who has had a rough start in the NFL. He doesn't have the separation ability that other WR prospects have which is much mroe important than just being big. More WRs with his measurable and same supposed "wow" factor fail than succeed

This is the comparison that scurrs me. Treadwell, but Mike ran faster than Treadwell at his Pro-day so it
scurrs me less. Good points here though Eox, John Ross had some ridiculous catch per TD rate, don't
have the stat with me now but it is crazy.

I want John Ross the most for our team, we have size, we need that crazy speed and JR has it and is a
damn good Receiver to boot. He isn't just speed. He is the Flash, sometimes he moves so fast you cannot
even see him. Smooth as silk and runs good routes.

He is about the same size as Antonio Brown so the size doesn't bother me.

(04-18-2017, 05:29 PM)jj22 Wrote: I just don't think we are going to throw the ball enough to need another wide receiver early. A TE at least (not withstanding Eifert injury) makes a little more since with Eifert's contract up. But that's the only reason why. I doubt Dalton is going to throw the ball 30+ times a game to take advantage of yet another receiver.

Quick calculations..... Dalton averaged about 35 attempts per game last year.

That being said, I'd still prefer Howard over a WR if available.

(04-18-2017, 05:01 PM)eoxyod Wrote: Problem is Mike Williams ranks in the lower percentiles in a lot of factors relating to explosiveness and comparative speed. He also ranked a playmaker score of only 70% which isn't necessarily bad, but not worth a high pick. Most good first round WRs get a playmaker score of over 70%. A WR the size of Williams should rank much higher from TD catches, but didn't catch TDs compared to that especially with a great QB at the helm. He also had a very average YPC average which should be higher for a WR that is supposed to high point deep passes much better.

Similarly, he compares athletically to Laquon Treadwell who has had a rough start in the NFL. He doesn't have the separation ability that other WR prospects have which is much mroe important than just being big. More WRs with his measurable and same supposed "wow" factor fail than succeed

So did a guy named Larry Fitzgerald....

Not too mention Boldin was never known as explosive with his speed.

Speed is not the end all be all. Look at the Raiders and all the times they drafted guys who had great 40 times. Give me the guy who runs nice crisps routes (Williams) has a big body that can take the hits in the NFL (Williams) and has played against the top level of competition and still managed to make a major impact. 

(04-18-2017, 06:30 PM)Murdock2420 Wrote: So did a guy named Larry Fitzgerald....

Not too mention Boldin was never known as explosive with his speed.

Speed is not the end all be all. Look at the Raiders and all the times they drafted guys who had great 40 times. Give me the guy who runs nice crisps routes (Williams) has a big body that can take the hits in the NFL (Williams) and has played against the top level of competition and still managed to make a major impact. 

For every Fitz or Boldin, there are ten with similar characteristics who played a year or two and just faded away.  Just because you rin the same speed as Larry doesn't mean you will be him.  Maybe what you're implying is not necessarily valid.

(04-18-2017, 03:55 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Mike definately is a possibility and i am not against it. His forty time at his Proday made me feel fine with the pick.

Before that i was wondering a little bit why he didn't run at the combine.

Still love John Ross's speed and he is my favorite WR in this draft but i can understand taking Mike for redzone purposes.

It was definately a big time problem last year and Mike Williams would help this.

So would OJ Howard if he is there.

Give me Corey Davis, 6-3, 209, Western Michigan (first): Davis led the Broncos in receiving for four straight years. He had a career-high 97 catches, 1,500 yards receiving and 19 touchdowns last season to earn the MAC offensive player of the year honors.

His highlight tape is AMAZING he is 6'3" and ran a 4.38 low and 4.48 high....the draft steal at 9 in my opinion.

(04-18-2017, 05:01 PM)eoxyod Wrote: Problem is Mike Williams ranks in the lower percentiles in a lot of factors relating to explosiveness and comparative speed. He also ranked a playmaker score of only 70% which isn't necessarily bad, but not worth a high pick. Most good first round WRs get a playmaker score of over 70%. A WR the size of Williams should rank much higher from TD catches, but didn't catch TDs compared to that especially with a great QB at the helm. He also had a very average YPC average which should be higher for a WR that is supposed to high point deep passes much better.

Similarly, he compares athletically to Laquon Treadwell who has had a rough start in the NFL. He doesn't have the separation ability that other WR prospects have which is much mroe important than just being big. More WRs with his measurable and same supposed "wow" factor fail than succeed

Are you also taking into account that Williams played on a talent loaded team?  Watson did a pretty good job of distributing the ball around to Clemson's many assorted weapons.

(04-18-2017, 06:42 PM)mhbsavant Wrote: Give me Corey Davis, 6-3, 209, Western Michigan (first): Davis led the Broncos in receiving for four straight years. He had a career-high 97 catches, 1,500 yards receiving and 19 touchdowns last season to earn the MAC offensive player of the year honors.

His highlight tape is AMAZING he is 6'3" and ran a 4.38 low and 4.48 high....the draft steal at 9 in my opinion.

I really like Davis too but he has his negatives as well being injury concerns and the fact he played against
way lower competition than either Mike or JR. But i would definately not be against him if that is who Urban
wants. I trust Urban's eye for talent, he has always done well with his receivers.

Davis does look way more explosive out their on film than Mike Williams i will give you that.

(04-18-2017, 07:09 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: I really like Davis too but he has his negatives as well being injury concerns and the fact he played against
way lower competition than either Mike or JR. But i would definately not be against him if that is who Urban
wants. I trust Urban's eye for talent, he has always done well with his receivers.

Davis does look way more explosive out their on film than Mike Williams i will give you that.

Which may be why the Bengals don't go WR early.  They drafted two last year, and re-signed Lafell for two more years.  Before is all said and done, I really feel like Core is going to be a playmaker this year.

(04-18-2017, 06:29 PM)jtsmith38 Wrote: Quick calculations..... Dalton averaged about 35 attempts per game last year.

That being said, I'd still prefer Howard over a WR if available.

I agree...Howard over any WR
...but Howard may be gone befor 9
Do'h