Quote:“The two safest guys in this draft are Myles Garrett, the end from A&M, and probably O.J. Howard, the tight end from Alabama,” Bengals.com writer Geoff Hobson told Lance McAllister on his podcast. “After that, it’s what do you like? What’s your flavor? Where do you have them ranked? I think if O.J. Howard is the top guy there, and you’ve already got Tyler Eifert, if you’re true to your board, you take O.J. Howard. It’s like I say, what the hell is wrong with having two good tight ends?”

“What they mean by staying true to your board is – if you have a guy ranked, and he’s fifth, don’t go down and get the eighth guy because he fills a need,” Hobson said. “For years they did that. They would look at the depth chart and go, ‘well, we need a safety. Ok, whose the top rated safety? It wouldn’t matter where he was ranked at the players.’ Duke’s (director of player personnel Duke Tobin) done a great job with that.”

“You just can’t force a pass rusher there. If you don’t think Derek Barnett can run fast enough and you got a guy like Howard staring at you,” Hobson said. “If you don’t think that Barnett is big enough, fast enough, then at nine you have to get the surest thing.”

“At No. 9, you’re gonna get a guy that gets five sacks a year? It’s not a walk. He’s a good player, he’d do well for you,” Hobson said. “But, is there somebody a little bit more explosive or athletic ahead of you? Who knows? Howard could be gone, and then maybe they do end up with Barnett. It all depends on where he’s ranked.”

“That’s really the crux of this draft, because there is not a drop-dead, knock-down, gotta have that guy at number nine,” Hobson said. “There’s about three or four very good players that are probably going to be high on everyone’s draft board. That would be the kid from A&M – [Myles Garrett], the safety from LSU - Jamal Adams, and I think maybe the defensive lineman – Solomon Thomas.”

(04-24-2017, 02:45 PM)Au165 Wrote: Kellen Winslow JR seemed like a can't miss prospect too, I hope Howard is more Vernon Davis than Winslow.

(04-24-2017, 02:52 PM)ochocincos Wrote: I like Joe Goodberry's comparison of Howard to Delanie Walker. Not the best overall receiving TE but a very, very solid one that is well-rounded both in receiving and blocking. But I think that since Howard is 3-4" taller and more athletic, he has a higher ceiling than Walker.

(04-24-2017, 02:54 PM)Au165 Wrote: The only difference is Walker was a 6th rounder. If we are taking a TE at 9, he better be Vernon Davis.

(04-24-2017, 02:54 PM)Au165 Wrote: The only difference is Walker was a 6th rounder. If we are taking a TE at 9, he better be Vernon Davis.

(04-24-2017, 02:57 PM)ochocincos Wrote: I think the comparison was more of what Walker's been in Tennessee. Walker came from a small school, was 4" shorter, less explosive, and didn't blossom until his 8th year in the league when he left SF and went to Tennessee. Part of that though is likely because of Vernon Davis being there. Hard to become a top TE when there was already one drafted in the top 5 the same year you came out.

(04-24-2017, 03:00 PM)Bengalbug Wrote: If we got (2015-2016) delanie walker type production for 10+ years you would be looking at a potential HOF.

(04-24-2017, 03:00 PM)Au165 Wrote: ...sound familiar. I worry that Eiffert may hinder Howards development. I am not against it, but we have bungled this move before.

(04-24-2017, 03:01 PM)Au165 Wrote: Sure, but walker didn't even give walker production for a couple years. It could have been San Fran's fault but I still worry that Patriots were the only team to figure out how to use the two TE set effectively so while Eiffert is here we will waste Howard.

(04-24-2017, 03:03 PM)Bengalbug Wrote: You are right, I just don't expect eifert to be healthy for any length of time.  Any NFL player having a fusion on their spine has to really look in the mirror and determine quality of life post NFL.

Eifert is a beast, when healthy.  It's just he can't stay healthy.  

(04-24-2017, 03:05 PM)Au165 Wrote: We are in agreement here, my point is at 9 a TE better be a once in a generation player. Not in a couple years, but right now. There has been a lot of value for TE's in the 2-4 round which is why I prefer waiting for a TE. I don't mind Howard, but I am leery of us over drafting a nice piece over an essential piece.

(04-24-2017, 03:09 PM)Bengalbug Wrote: Dalton is a different qb when he has a beast stretching the defense up the seams.  Regardless of position the offense needs more playmakers outside of AJ Green and Bernard (coming off a knee). 

I agree the bengals need an OL as well, along with DL, and LB. 

If the bengals can get a better offense it will keep the defense fresher.  I'd give the bengals one more season to see if the OL can somehow gel.  It could get dalton killed... But I'd rather see the bengals take an impact playmaker and then get their OL help on day 2/3.

(04-24-2017, 02:53 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: To me, what is most telling about the article, is how Hobson speaks of Barnett in less than glowing terms.  Kind of like he wanted to prepare fans to the idea that Barnett isn't going to be the pick.

(04-24-2017, 03:30 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Yes,that is very telling too. For those that remember, the Bengals were very involved in Derek Barnett's pro day. They got a very good look at him. Perhaps they fear he doesn't have elite potential and instead will take a player with a higher ceiling.

(04-24-2017, 04:21 PM)Au165 Wrote: Hasn't Hobson been very wrong in predicting who the Bengals go with historically? I am not disputing that we may go Howard, but I honestly believe Hobson has no idea at all who we like.