I know all the big dogs are getting the publicity, but I really like the LB haul. They all look like what Nick Vigil was supposed to be but never was. One thing that stuck out for me was after watching the highlight reels of each of them, they look and act like receivers when they are in coverage. Especially if they get an INT, where most LB's are just happy they made the catch and look lost after that, all three of these guys make the catch look like the easy part, once they get the ball in their hands, it's looking and running for daylight. I wouldn't be surprised by a handful of pick sixes by this unit this season. Opponents TE won't be an Achilles heel from this point forward IMHO. Solid A if for no other reason that we no longer will see Hardy Nickerson on an NFL playing field ever again....

(04-25-2020, 08:07 PM)jason Wrote: C

As in I don't know til I see them on the field. Loved the first 2 picks for sure.

Then wouldn't that be INC?  Ya hardass.

(04-25-2020, 11:01 PM)McC Wrote: Then wouldn't that be INC?  Ya hardass.

I was going for the pun aspect of it.... On paper I give it a solid B+.

But we'll C...

(04-25-2020, 11:05 PM)jason Wrote: I was going for the pun aspect of it.... On paper I give it a solid B+.

But we'll C...

My bad.  I musta been looking down when it went right over my head.

I give it a B+.If they had taken Josh Jones with the third round pick,I would have given it an A+.

(04-25-2020, 08:24 PM)Circleville Guy Wrote: There are several people on here that grade the draft an A every year. I’ve given low grades in the past but this feels more like a solid B+ at the worst. There should be at least 3 long term starters in this group. It’s the best draft they’ve had in awhile. Having the first pick every round is awesome but let’s hope it’s another 15 years before they have to do that again.

Ya never know, huh? Maybe they'll intentionally tank one more season and have the first pick(s) again next year even though I HIGHLY doubt that's gonna happen unless all these guys come down with covid19.. That's my only concern with this draft class..

Looking back through the #NFL draft classes.

Five teams that stand out based on rookie scheme fits...

• Ravens
• Browns
• Cowboys
• Colts
• Bengals

— Matt Bowen (@MattBowen41) April 26, 2020

(04-25-2020, 11:00 PM)dr tarzan Wrote: I know all  the big dogs are getting the publicity, but I really like the LB haul.  They all look like what Nick Vigil was supposed to be but never was.  One thing that stuck out for me was after watching the highlight reels of each of them,  they look and act  like receivers when they are in coverage.   Especially if they get an INT, where most LB's are just happy they made the catch and look lost after that,  all three of these guys make the catch look like the easy part,  once they get the ball in their hands, it's looking and running  for daylight.   I wouldn't be surprised by a handful of pick sixes by this unit this season.  Opponents TE won't be an Achilles heel from this point forward IMHO.  Solid A if for no other reason that we no longer will see Hardy Nickerson on an NFL playing field ever again....

I was excited about that too. The Wyoming kid used to be a receiver, and you can see it in the highlight where he highpoints the ball. all 3 guys seem to have good hands and decent sideline to sideline speed. My only concern with these guys is how they will be at shedding NFL blockers. Hoping they bulk up in year one.

Solid B

The same grade the majority of experts are giving it, a solid A.

Solid A for draft alone, the entire offseason is an A+++++++

(04-25-2020, 07:06 PM)Bengalbug Wrote: If burrow pans out it’s an A+, any other contributors is just gravy.

Does anyone else remember who the colts drafted outside if manning? How about the packers when they drafted Rodgers?

Jerome Pathon and E.G. Green were picked back to back after Manning, I know that.

For Rodgers, the aforementioned Nick Collins and Brady Poppinga, I remember.

we'll see in a few years how accurate these grades were

Here are the #Bengals draft guides I have found so far: pic.twitter.com/mqv870MNby

— Dan Hoard (@Dan_Hoard) April 26, 2020

WalterFootball gives us a C+. Gives Tee Higgins a D grade.

Letter grades before anyone plays a down are a little silly, but based on the perceived value of each pick, and where they were drafted, I will give it an B+. Only one pick raised my eyebrows and it was only after some information came out. At the very least, I see three first-year starters that will be impact players with a lot of quality depth.

Burrow- A+

Higgins- A: I wanted the more explosive guy in Mims or Claypool, but I love that Higgins grew up a Bengal Fan and AJ Green is his favorite player. Plus, he's only 21.

Wilson- A+: Excellent value, a true 3 down LB. Instinctive, film and gym rat, and leader. I loved where it said how he was all business at the Senior Bowl and he would get on teammates that weren't taking things serious at Wyoming.

ADG: D-: I loved what I saw on film and his play at the Senior Bowl week, but could a lack of vetting on his medicals cost them a valuable selection? I understand the fracture in his foot can be repaired, but the "bone on bone" comment about his knee has me scared to death. If his medicals check out, he would be a steal with the first pick in Rd 4. Some places had him ranked above Wilson. But those medicals are a huge risk.

Khalid Kareem: B-; I like the captain/high character traits, but it seemed to me that you go for athletic freaks later that can be coached up. I wonder with a father as a coach and being at an institution like ND with their coaching staff, strength training, diet, etc. if he is a maxed out talent. I understand that he fell because of injury his senior season, and based on his junior year he could have been a Rd 3-4 selection. I get the buy-low mentality here, but at the very top of Rd 5, there were still a lot of crazy athletes on the board. I am assuming his high football IQ and ability to shed is what the Bengals see as a DE and NASCAR package guy where they line up all DEs and just try to shoot gaps to get the QB.

Hakeem Adeniji: A-; Big, strong man with position versatility. A little raw in his game. I wonder if they will train him almost exclusively as a RG, or will they use his versatility to back up both RG and RT, possibly allowing them to release Hart and start Johnson at RT.

Markus Bailey: A+; I know...you are probably saying: You killed ADG for his medicals and here you love a guy with two knee injuries in college. Understood, but this is where you take those risks. This guy was CRAZY productive at Purdue outside of injuries. Even after his first ACL injury, he came back and was productive after his first one in 2015. How productive? Coming off ACL surgery, the next season (his redshirt freshman year), the guy had 97 tackles and 4 INTs. Wow. I know the Patriots were snooping around this guy a lot leading up to the draft and they seem to know a thing or two about LBs. Could be the so-called "steal of the draft".

I give the draft an A. Not only did we pick up some the talented players we needed, we picked I don't see this group, along with the remaining veterans, accepting losses nonchalantly as in the past. One thing I loved about Pacman was how bad he hated losing. I think we just got a locker room with that same mentality. And outside of Burrow, Green, Boyd, Williams and Mixon, I don't think anyone has a starting job they won't have to compete for. No more phoning it in.

Without seeing any of these guys in action yet it's tough to say, but I'm going to give this draft class an A.

I love the personalities of the guys we are getting. Well-spoken, captains of their squads, many with high academic standings. This is a far different approach then the past. No more brain dead Malik Jeffersons…. ok, no offense to Malik, but man that dude had all the tools but was dense as hell.

These letter grade things are silly at best AS IF they're all still in 4th grade and if a team gets an F their daddy's will give them all a spanking when he gets home from work..the Bengals never even got a stern talking to over the years. 

(04-26-2020, 10:37 AM)Goalpost Wrote: WalterFootball gives us a C+. Gives Tee Higgins a D grade.

Ridiculous.

(04-25-2020, 09:06 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: So Wilson was a bit of reach, but the value of ADG made up for it.

I love that everyone keeps knocking Wilson (not saying that you did).  The medicals probably hurt ADG, but I am really excited about Wilson.

A buddy of mine was a scout for the Bears.  It has been 20 years, but I remember him telling me about this small school LB that was a hybrid (actually used that word) safety and LB that not only was a beast on defense, but he even played WR and returned kicks!  He swore up and down that he was going to be the next big thing in the NFL and that the Bears were dead set on drafting him.

He showed me film (VHS) about the guy and I couldn't believe what I was seeing.  6'4", 250 lbs that ran at 4.57.  Never having seen New Mexico on TV, I had no clue about the guy.  What he loved most about him was his absolute love for the game and his instincts.  He said that when you have that kind of pure athleticism with instincts, you go after him.

Twenty years ago, the Bears drafted one Brian Urlacher.

Now, I am not saying Wilson is a Brian Urlacher.  Wilson is about 10 lbs lighter.  He ran .05 seconds slower in the forty.   He jumped just 2" shorter in the vertical.  Bench press wasn't even close:  Wilson 21 reps and Urlacher 37.  But what I love about Wilson was that he played cornerback, WR, punter, and place kicker in his high school team.  Talk about doing it all!  He has a TON of experience of starting (yes, he is 23, but I will take the "has seen it all" at LB over his age not being 21. 

I loved his quote when he was asked about his uncanny ability to see things before they happen.  He responded (paraphrasing) with how he has studied tape so much for each opponent that he recognizes what is coming before it begins.  Speed is one thing (he has it) but instincts, and the ability to make plays on the ball in the air is another.  Wilson is going to be a 3-down LB on the Bengals for a long time.  I can't wait to see him.