People are so quick to label a TE a "blocking TE" because the college system he played in didn't utilize their receiving skills fully. Go look at Sample's combine numbers and compare them to Irv Smith's. Sample put up significantly better numbers across the board with the exception of 40 time where Smith ran 4.63 and Sample ran 4.71. Smith is 6'2. Sample is 6'5. This kid will NOT be just a blocking TE, though he does that extremely well.

I wonder if they're planning on using him in the H-back role. Seems like he'd be a good fit.

(04-27-2019, 08:24 AM)treee Wrote: I wonder if they're planning on using him in the H-back role. Seems like he'd be a good fit.

Honestly, that was one of the first things that crossed my mind when they drafted a TE with an astronomical blocking grade.  This team has been missing it's dynamic blocking facet, ever since Ryan Hewitt got injured, and eventually departed the team.  Hewitt never showed up big in the stat sheets, but he had a tremendous impact on the productivity of the offense.

I haven't watched enough of Sample to be able to determine weather he will be a good lead blocker, but from what I've seen of him blocking inline and down field, he certainly seems to enjoy initiating contact.

I was pretty upset after this pick, so I chose not to come on here and b!tch about it. After reading and watching the little bit of tape that there is, I have some hope. Could we have gotten him later? Not trying to be a homer, but I don’t know. Originally yeah, I was pis$ed because just like everyone else was saying, he was a projected 4th round pick. I’m not one of the people who thinks Irv Smith was a way better prospect cause I was never high on him to begin with. In fact, after Hock and Fant, I really didn’t care for any of these guys. Admittedly I didn’t spend much time studying tape on other prospects before the draft because I really didn’t expect a pick at TE this early.

With all of that being said, he should be a great help in the run game and there is nothing that suggests that he can’t be a pass catching TE. In fact, there’s plenty of argument to suggest that he can be a great pass catching TE.... He’s not the sexy TE that we may have preferred, but I think there’s a really good chance we look back and say that just like our pick at 11, this was a safe pick. Early? Maybe. Bad pick? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I will wait to see what the guy can bring. Looks like better run/pass blocking is worst case scenario here. Call me a homer, but I’m just trying to look at this from the Bengals point of view.

Welcome big guy!

Interesting take. I am not defending or promoting the pick but he is TE3 on his board.

https://www.thehuddlereport.com/blog/?p=783

Drew Sample TE Washington
by Drew Boylhart • April 10, 2019
STRENGTHS
Drew is a complete Tight End who can block and catch. His talents are similar to the Cowboys Jason Witten. Drew is an excellent in line blocker and does a solid job running routes but his ability to catch the ball with a big catch radius is accomplished because of the effort he gives to make the catch in any situation. Drew is a Tight Ends, Tight End. He shows excellent balance to make his blocks and good run “after the catch” skills because of his size and compact style of running, making it difficult for smaller LB’s, CB’s and Safeties to tackle him. Drew really showed his route running skills and Velcro like hands to catch the ball at the Senior Bowl practices but as it is his style, not many noticed.
CONCERNS
I do wish he was a little faster but as long as the team that selects him keeps him to the normal Tight End routes and doesn’t try to make him into a wide receiver, Drew will impact.
TALENT BOARD ROUND 2.00
Do you really want to know why no one but me…is talking about Drew Sample? It’s because his quarterback couldn’t identify an 8 ft tall, open tight end receiver, standing in the middle of the field, waving his arms with Kim Kardashian standing next to him. I cannot tell how many times I saw on film, Drew wide open and his QB throw the ball to a covered receiver down the field. To be honest…I don’t know how Drew didn’t come back to the huddle and smack that QB in the back of the head. It shows what kind of teammate and the type of character Drew has, that he never got upset and just went back to work trying to block for him. This kid has the potential to start for the team that selects him for the next ten years and have a career that will make fans fall in love with him. He will be a fan favorite and a core player for the team the selects him. Believe it. If he was faster and flashier, and if his QB only would have passed the ball to him, someone else, other than me might have taken notice…you can bet the scouts did.

(04-27-2019, 03:05 AM)mikey6866 Wrote: I consider myself wrong because ultimately did not work out at all.  I literally loved that draft I was so confident that we got 3 super stars and they all could have been but it didnt work out.  If you look at old boards im not a huge poster but im a draft junkie so I post more around draft time and I spend a shit ton of time watching a lot of prospects.  I am right a whole lot more than I am wrong and I seem to have a knack for picking out which guys are gonna be busts.  I literally wanted to cry when we drafted chis perry and ogbuehi.  It was so obvious to me that those guys were gonna suck, so when we took them I absolutely hated it.  But on the other side of things I thought jj watt was gonna just be a 10-12 year solid player that would get you 5-8 sacks a year.  I was way wrong on him.

I hear you on that....but had those guys panned out? Yikes!

I usually hit about 40-60% on the players I know. Like you, I had a feeling Og would be a shit show, but I thought Fish would at least be serviceable. I called the Johnny Fartball shit show from the drop, I almost threw a brick through the TV when we drafted Akili Smith, I was skeptical of Klingler because of the run and shoot and level of competition coming out of Houston. To be fair to David, he didn't really get a fair shake with a suspect line and Shula....but I still say he would have never been more than a journeyman backup. I'll tell ya one I was bad wrong on for us was Reinard Wilson. As a FSU fan, I was stoked when we snagged him, that didn't work out so well...lol. So far I was wrong on Baker Mayfield being Fartball 2.0. I also thought ol Timmy Couch would be a solid QB. I watched him from high school.

The thing that makes this site so great at draft time is all of the guys like you that know about a lot of the players. As I've gotten older, I don't watch as much college ball on Saturdays with work sometimes on Saturday, and the dreaded Honey Do list that comes with being a home owner....and two kids I have to keep entertained some as well...lol. 

(04-27-2019, 08:44 AM)SErebel11 Wrote: Interesting take. I am not defending or promoting the pick but he is TE3 on his board.

https://www.thehuddlereport.com/blog/?p=783

Drew Sample TE Washington
by Drew Boylhart • April 10, 2019
STRENGTHS
Drew is a complete Tight End who can block and catch. His talents are similar to the Cowboys Jason Witten. Drew is an excellent in line blocker and does a solid job running routes but his ability to catch the ball with a big catch radius is accomplished because of the effort he gives to make the catch in any situation. Drew is a Tight Ends, Tight End. He shows excellent balance to make his blocks and good run “after the catch” skills because of his size and compact style of running, making it difficult for smaller LB’s, CB’s and Safeties to tackle him. Drew really showed his route running skills and Velcro like hands to catch the ball at the Senior Bowl practices but as it is his style, not many noticed.
CONCERNS
I do wish he was a little faster but as long as the team that selects him keeps him to the normal Tight End routes and doesn’t try to make him into a wide receiver, Drew will impact.
TALENT BOARD ROUND 2.00
Do you really want to know why no one but me…is talking about Drew Sample? It’s because his quarterback couldn’t identify an 8 ft tall, open tight end receiver, standing in the middle of the field, waving his arms with Kim Kardashian standing next to him. I cannot tell how many times I saw on film, Drew wide open and his QB throw the ball to a covered receiver down the field. To be honest…I don’t know how Drew didn’t come back to the huddle and smack that QB in the back of the head. It shows what kind of teammate and the type of character Drew has, that he never got upset and just went back to work trying to block for him. This kid has the potential to start for the team that selects him for the next ten years and have a career that will make fans fall in love with him. He will be a fan favorite and a core player for the team the selects him. Believe it. If he was faster and flashier, and if his QB only would have passed the ball to him, someone else, other than me might have taken notice…you can bet the scouts did.

Interesting indeed......

(04-27-2019, 08:44 AM)SErebel11 Wrote: Interesting take. I am not defending or promoting the pick but he is TE3 on his board.

https://www.thehuddlereport.com/blog/?p=783

Drew Sample TE Washington
by Drew Boylhart • April 10, 2019
STRENGTHS
Drew is a complete Tight End who can block and catch. His talents are similar to the Cowboys Jason Witten. Drew is an excellent in line blocker and does a solid job running routes but his ability to catch the ball with a big catch radius is accomplished because of the effort he gives to make the catch in any situation. Drew is a Tight Ends, Tight End. He shows excellent balance to make his blocks and good run “after the catch” skills because of his size and compact style of running, making it difficult for smaller LB’s, CB’s and Safeties to tackle him. Drew really showed his route running skills and Velcro like hands to catch the ball at the Senior Bowl practices but as it is his style, not many noticed.
CONCERNS
I do wish he was a little faster but as long as the team that selects him keeps him to the normal Tight End routes and doesn’t try to make him into a wide receiver, Drew will impact.
TALENT BOARD ROUND 2.00
Do you really want to know why no one but me…is talking about Drew Sample? It’s because his quarterback couldn’t identify an 8 ft tall, open tight end receiver, standing in the middle of the field, waving his arms with Kim Kardashian standing next to him. I cannot tell how many times I saw on film, Drew wide open and his QB throw the ball to a covered receiver down the field. To be honest…I don’t know how Drew didn’t come back to the huddle and smack that QB in the back of the head. It shows what kind of teammate and the type of character Drew has, that he never got upset and just went back to work trying to block for him. This kid has the potential to start for the team that selects him for the next ten years and have a career that will make fans fall in love with him. He will be a fan favorite and a core player for the team the selects him. Believe it. If he was faster and flashier, and if his QB only would have passed the ball to him, someone else, other than me might have taken notice…you can bet the scouts did.

Interesting. Good explanation as to why he was overlooked by many.

Welcome Drew Sample. Too bad the welcome thread turned into a Crybaby thread.

What I find funny in all of this.....if an expert says the kid sucks, "that guy knows his stuff!" If an expert says this kid is a good sleeper pick "that guy's a hack!"



The best part is, our TE coach actually PLAYED TE in the NFL, wanted this kid, but apparently doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground. He obviously isn't the expert some of these pencil neck geeks on a website somewhere are.

I love this pick, welcome aboard Drew!

(04-27-2019, 01:20 AM)Lionel Hutz Wrote: 3 hours and 10 beers later, still hate this fuggin pick. Great players everywhere in the 2nd round and the Bengals decide to show everyone how smart they are. Unreal.

Who did you want at 52, out of curiosity?

I'm looking at this 2nd and early third round and I don't see anyone that really sticks out to me as a terrible missed opportunity.

(04-27-2019, 09:07 AM)Wyche Wrote: What I find funny in all of this.....if an expert says the kid sucks, "that guy knows his stuff!" If an expert says this kid is a good sleeper pick "that guy's a hack!"



The best part is, our TE coach actually PLAYED TE in the NFL, wanted this kid, but apparently doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground. He obviously isn't the expert some of these pencil neck geeks on a website somewhere are.

I can understand some that are not happy with the pick.. it seems less about what he could give to the team but more we could have waited for him if we really have him high on our board and others don;t.. and that is the problem... some think this simple math or that you share your test answers with the guy next to you.  The bottom line all teams at times reach.. they don;t do it because they want to suck, they do it because they think this person fits and they can;t just assume every other team does not think the same.  

If drafts were that easy we would also have zero busts on these players they say can miss and we know that is not true.

From what I have read, he is an excite blocker and can play H-back and fits the Taylor system.  Second, he has great hands from all accounts and played with a running type offense.. they averaged 240 passing to 180 rushing in this college age that is not the norm....  I looked up the stats.. top two WRs just averaged 40 catches a game and 5 TDS.. Sample as TE was 3rd with 25 catches and 3 TDs qne im sure not many attempts.. and was perfect no drops .  My point is you can;t just look at numbers to make a judgements... put him with a pass happy offense he probably double his stats and looks much better 

Welcome to the jungle Drew ! WHODEY

I hope Drew gives some depth and insurance in the TE group.

If he starts and adds another dimension in blocking and at the least gives Dalton a check-down option then I'm cool with it.

That's one thing I think our offense has lacked for many years is giving AD a chance to dump off passes in the middle just beyond LOS to make the D honest.

We've seen Uz get downfield every once in a while so there is no reason Sample couldn't do this as well too.

I'm not like most on here about Eifert. I believe he'll contribute and bounce back nicely from injury.

Hopefully Taylor doesn't try to square peg into round hole with him and diminish his receiving talents.

(04-27-2019, 03:00 AM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: Drew Lock, Irv Smith, AJ Brown, pretty much anyone other than a blocking TE who will barely see the field.

And we can say let’s wait and see all we want but between his coaching staff fiasco, and his first draft my excitement over Taylor has plummeted.

If that is all it takes then you were never onboard to begin with. Extremely glad they did not take Drew Lock. I believe Sample will be a better NFL TE than Irv Smith. Take a look at the talent surrounding Smith and the talent surrounding Sample. Unfortunately, the Husky offense did not utilize the talent of Sample. That is not the fault of his rather his coaching staff and QB.

(04-26-2019, 10:32 PM)impactplaya Wrote: its fine to draft a run blocking TE that can drive a LB backwards on 2nd and 1.
but your 52nd pick needs to be a EVERYDOWN player sooner than later.
Sample could have been drafted in RD 4 or 5

Nobody knows where he would have actually been drafted.  It all depends on team needs and how they value the player.

If the Bengals got the TE they wanted and still get the rest of the positions/players they need why does it matter where he was picked?  The could've, should've mentality is maddening.  It's the draft, no guarantees with any player until they prove it on the field.

For those who hate the Sample pick, keep in mind it is impossible to judge this pick for a year or 2. Fans complain we can't run the ball. When is last time we had a dominant run blocking TE? Fans complain we can't protect AD, when is last time we had a dominant pass blocking TE?

Callahan spoke on the website on why he wanted him as did Casey, go watch or read the interview. They feel the Bengals need to be able to run the ball in November and December in the cold AFCN. Are they wrong?


Our fans want the flashy guy, but ignore Belichick's unflashy drafts year after year where all he is does is take mostly football players, the unflashy guys. Look at his guys at when they are taken in relation to expert draft boards. Rarely do they not look like reach picks.


We say we want our offense to not be predictable, well a defense having no fear of you running the ball down your throat makes your offense predictable.

They drafted the number 1 rated TE blocking according to PFF, they drafted him to block and if he catches 30 balls a year, that is wonderful, but they drafted him to block.

(04-27-2019, 01:53 AM)psychdoctor Wrote: Again, Reggie Kelly was 2nd round pick in 1998 or something like that.  Many fans then did not like the pick.  He had similar stats to Sample.  I think round 3-4 would be right for value as of now. But Patriots could have taken him and no one would question the pick.

The above statement could not be anymore spot on! Kudos my good man as this is absolutely exactly a fact! Many on these very boards would be praising the Patriots for their ability to uncover talent that others could not see or overlooked.

(04-27-2019, 09:07 AM)Wyche Wrote: What I find funny in all of this.....if an expert says the kid sucks, "that guy knows his stuff!" If an expert says this kid is a good sleeper pick "that guy's a hack!"



The best part is, our TE coach actually PLAYED TE in the NFL, wanted this kid, but apparently doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground. He obviously isn't the expert some of these pencil neck geeks on a website somewhere are.

Yep.  I'll take a coach that's actually played the positions assessment over some draftnick any day.