Last year's Rams offense was run oriented. The run game was what made the pass game so efficient. They were only 14th in the league in pass attempts but 8th in rush attempts.

And when they did throw the ball it usually was not to the TE. The Rams TEs had 57 receptions for 612 yards. The Bengals had 1200 fewer passing yards than the Rams but our TEs had more receptions (67) and yards (708).

I don't get into all the pre-draft rankings like I used too. I don't really know anything about all the TEs available, but if our offense depended on having a certain type of TE that was not on our roster I can see why we would use a second round pick to get the best one.

Yep. I think Sample was a good addition to the roster. We've see TE's from systems that are all passing and no blocking struggle entering the NFL because they can't learn to block.

Sample actually can block and he has good hands on small attempts. I think the routes and tricks to get open can be taught.

That said, it appears we could have got him in the 3rd or 4th Round.

The board just played out in a bad manner for us in the 2nd and 3rd as there were no LB's worth taking with our 2nd Round pick. As good as it played out in the 1st Round to fill an OT need, it played out the opposite in the 2nd.

Honestly, with how much they've emphasized Sample's blocking abilities in the press conferences, it's almost like they drafted an offensive lineman with catching capabilities. And a lot of fans were calling for an offensive lineman in the second round anyway.

Drew Sample said he and his agent were thinking he would go in the third or fourth round maybe, so even he was a little surprised. #Bengals

— Laurel Pfahler (@LaurelPfahler) April 27, 2019

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As IF a poor blocking TE has ever failed in the past..  I guess everyone has forgotten how big of a stud Chase Hoffman turned out to be in the running game for us.. 
OK, I lied.. So sue me.

(04-28-2019, 02:17 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote:

Drew Sample said he and his agent were thinking he would go in the third or fourth round maybe, so even he was a little surprised. #Bengals

— Laurel Pfahler (@LaurelPfahler) April 27, 2019

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Inline blocking TEs are always rated lower and drafted higher. Sample wasnt the only one to go higher than they were rated Trevon Wesco was considered a 6 rounder to UDFA but went in the 4th round. Sample is alot more athletic than Wesco and showed through the draft process he has upside as an underneath receiver. He was considered the best TE prospect at the Senior Bowl.

He has a chance to become a guy like Jermaine Gresham a great inline guy that catches alot of pass underneath. Gresham was a huge and highly underrated part of that great season Jeremy Hill had in 2014.

Sample could have been drafted in round 5 or 6 it was a stupid pick for a second rounder. Rest of draft was good but let’s not act like that was a good value pick.

(04-28-2019, 02:05 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Yep. I think Sample was a good addition to the roster. We've see TE's from systems that are all passing and no blocking struggle entering the NFL because they can't learn to block.

Sample actually can block and he has good hands on small attempts. I think the routes and tricks to get open can be taught.

That said, it appears we could have got him in the 3rd or 4th Round.

The board just played out in a bad manner for us in the 2nd and 3rd as there were no LB's worth taking with our 2nd Round pick. As good as it played out in the 1st Round to fill an OT need, it played out the opposite in the 2nd.

If his agent didn't know he'd go that high, it could mean teams did a good job of hiding their interested. Paul Dehner Jr from the Enquirer and Kat Terrell from ESPN both tweeted that they'd heard from different scouts/teams that he wouldn't have lasted much longer from where we took him. If that means 2nd round or beginning of 3rd, I'm not sure. But he's obviously a guy that they targeted so I'm excited to see how he performs. 

(04-28-2019, 02:31 PM)Socal Bengals fan Wrote: Sample could have been drafted in round 5 or 6 it was a stupid pick for a second rounder.  Rest of draft was good but let’s not act like that was a good value pick.

I don't think anyone's saying it was good value. They're saying they understand the pick and we're trying to form an identity.

In other words "we get it". Also, you have no idea if he would've been available that late.

(04-28-2019, 02:31 PM)Socal Bengals fan Wrote: Sample could have been drafted in round 5 or 6 it was a stupid pick for a second rounder.  Rest of draft was good but let’s not act like that was a good value pick.

(04-28-2019, 02:31 PM)Socal Bengals fan Wrote: Sample could have been drafted in round 5 or 6 it was a stupid pick for a second rounder.  Rest of draft was good but let’s not act like that was a good value pick.

Can you please prove this? Pure speculation that you are getting from those who sit around and talk about football. I would be willing to bet that those who are actually working in the game had a far higher grade on Sample. Those actually working in the game are not our for fantasy football rankings and understand the importance of guy with the skillset of Sample.

You are right it was not a good value grade. If he works out like they are planning then it is a great value pick.

(04-28-2019, 02:31 PM)Socal Bengals fan Wrote: Sample could have been drafted in round 5 or 6 it was a stupid pick for a second rounder.  Rest of draft was good but let’s not act like that was a good value pick.

5th or 6th is quite a stretch ! 3rd ? perhaps

But ZT has a plan which is run first like the OP states and provide eye candy with motion and play action passes and a blocking TE gives you options in how you set up that eye candy motion.

Like I said in another thread if Mixon goes for 1,750 rushing it won't seem like that big a reach.

Rams had the highest percentage of Play Action passing plays last season at 36%.

They were only 2nd to NE in yards per Play Action play.

https://www.footballoutsiders.com/2018/rotopass-play-action-offense-charting

(04-28-2019, 02:31 PM)Socal Bengals fan Wrote: Sample could have been drafted in round 5 or 6 it was a stupid pick for a second rounder.  Rest of draft was good but let’s not act like that was a good value pick.

Taylor said that the room didn't think he would still be there when they picked in the 3rd, so they decided to take him in the 2nd. 

(04-28-2019, 02:31 PM)Socal Bengals fan Wrote: Sample could have been drafted in round 5 or 6 it was a stupid pick for a second rounder.  

You have absolutely no idea.

I am surprised people keep repeating myths like this when every single draft has multiple examples of player being drafted both much higher and much lower than the "experts" predict.

Funny thing is that when a player gets drafted higher people always claim the team that took him was wrong and the media "experts" were correctrt, but when a player goes much later no one tries to argue that every single team in the league was wrong and the "experts" were right.

(04-28-2019, 02:47 PM)GreenCornBengal Wrote: Rams had the highest percentage of Play Action passing plays last season at 36%.

They were only 2nd to NE in yards per Play Action play.

https://www.footballoutsiders.com/2018/rotopass-play-action-offense-charting

Thanks. I get the ProFootbalOutsiders almanac every year and it has all that info in it, but I don't think the almanac is available yet.

(04-28-2019, 02:56 PM)fredtoast Wrote: You have absolutely no idea.

I am surprised people keep repeating myths like this when every single draft has multiple examples of player being drafted both much higher and much lower than the "experts" predict.

Funny thing is that when a player gets drafted higher people always claim the team that took him was wrong and the media "experts" were correctrt, but when a player goes much later no one tries to argue that every single team in the league was wrong and the "experts" were right.

If me and you got a nickel for everytime the "experts" were wrong, we'd have a lot of nickels !

How many times watching the draft do you see an "experts" top 5 available and 10 picks later those top 5 are still available. I tend to believe the 32 NFL staffs aren't totally brain dead.

(04-28-2019, 02:45 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: 5th or 6th is quite a stretch ! 3rd ? perhaps

But ZT has a plan which is run first like the OP states and provide eye candy with motion and play action passes and a blocking TE gives you options in how you set up that eye candy motion.

Like I said in another thread if Mixon goes for 1,750 rushing it won't seem like that big a reach.

That's what I was thinking. NFL scouting departments are rarely THAT far apart in evaluations. IF the Bengals reached, it's likely that Sample was viewed as a late-2nd or 3rd round value, and the Bengals saw him as a guy that fit what they're doing and didn't want to risk him not being there in the 3rd. 

I see that as far more likely than "our scouts are buffoons and took a 6th round talent in the 2nd round".

(04-28-2019, 03:03 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: That's what I was thinking. NFL scouting departments are rarely THAT far apart in evaluations. IF the Bengals reached, it's likely that Sample was viewed as a late-2nd or 3rd round value, and the Bengals saw him as a guy that fit what they're doing and didn't want to risk him not being there in the 3rd. 

I see that as far more likely than "our scouts are buffoons and took a 6th round talent in the 2nd round".

It has also been mentioned that Taylor received several text messages from other teams applauding him on the selection and confirming that he would have been gone very soon.

(04-28-2019, 03:03 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: That's what I was thinking. NFL scouting departments are rarely THAT far apart in evaluations. IF the Bengals reached, it's likely that Sample was viewed as a late-2nd or 3rd round value, and the Bengals saw him as a guy that fit what they're doing and didn't want to risk him not being there in the 3rd. 

I see that as far more likely than "our scouts are buffoons and took a 6th round talent in the 2nd round".

Yep!

What teams really say is not “this players is over/over valued at this pick” but rather “will this player still be on the board for our next picks after this one?”. If you’re up in say Round 2 and a targeted player is there and you have reason to believe they will be gone by the time you come up again you don’t mess around - you take them.