Combine Interviews

[*pally*]

day 2

This is the current list I have for players the Bengals have met with. Sure I have missed a couple here and there so please let me know if you see an omission. There will be OL visits coming out tomorrow when they meet with the media so don't stress about that. pic.twitter.com/aqc12ruQ5k

— Bengals & Brews (@BengalsBrews) February 28, 2025

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(02-28-2025, 12:59 PM)BigRed75 Wrote: I would definitely take Jalon Walker...I just don't see him being there.  Really liked everything I saw from Jihaad yesterday...not sure why some had put an early second round grade on the guy.  He looks like an absolute stud and someone who will vastly upgrade the LB position over a stiff like Pratt.  Our LBs are not good at blitzing right now.

Same, Jihad would be a nice pick that could play the "viper" position for Golden. Jalon probably won't fall to 17 like you say as well.

I think ADG would be a good blitzer, as that is the way I thought he would been used best when we drafted him, but Lou never used him this way.

Logan is a decent blitzer, but nowhere near what Jalon or Jihad would bring as far as pass rushing talent from the LB position.

(02-28-2025, 01:46 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I thought that Robinson is a 3T?

Yep, Robinson is a DT not an End like Hubbard.

[Isaac Curtis: The Real #85]

(02-28-2025, 02:04 PM)pally Wrote: day 2

This is the current list I have for players the Bengals have met with. Sure I have missed a couple here and there so please let me know if you see an omission. There will be OL visits coming out tomorrow when they meet with the media so don't stress about that. pic.twitter.com/aqc12ruQ5k

— Bengals & Brews (@BengalsBrews) February 28, 2025

That's a good list and thanks for posting. The safeties are cut off (Starks & Winston most notable). 

About what you'd expect. A lot of DE + some DL. Some blue chippers in case they fall (Johnson, Warren, Jeanty). 

I'd hoped for more DTs (Grant, Harmon, Collins, the kid from Toledo). 

I want to avoid the traits but little production guys (Stewart, Williams, Walker). So I do not love those meetings. 

Nor do I like no IOL and the LBs we talked to. Talk to Campbell & Strutsman. 

[Clark W Griswold]

After yesterday’s performance I would hope they meet with Emmanwori. Or maybe don’t worry about the meeting and just pick him if he’s there at 17. I liked Starks better but Emmanwori just has elite natural talent that you can’t teach. Bengals need G/DL help in the worst way but a safety like this could help the D on all 3 levels.

[Truck_1_0_1_]

(02-28-2025, 01:46 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I thought that Robinson is a 3T?

Definitely a DT, but he can play LE: he dropped 20 pounds in the past few years or so, so I think he's prepping to play 3-4 DE or 4-3 3-tech/LDE on running downs.

Hubbard is around 275-280 (he isn't 265 like he was when he got into the league, his listed weight is definitely wrong lol), so there isn't much of a difference in terms of size.

I know it's a bit of wishful thinking on my part, but the guy would be a good fit for us regardless, if we miss out on one of the rd 1 DTs.

[Joelist]

They're talking to Tate Ratledge. I imagine more will follow. The Tyler Booker question is if he'll be there at 17. Also if he is would he still be there at, say, 25 (I'm thinking they made consider a trade down given the way this draft seems structured).

[Truck_1_0_1_]

(03-01-2025, 12:50 PM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: That's a good list and thanks for posting. The safeties are cut off (Starks & Winston most notable). 

About what you'd expect. A lot of DE + some DL. Some blue chippers in case they fall (Johnson, Warren, Jeanty). 

I'd hoped for more DTs (Grant, Harmon, Collins, the kid from Toledo). 

I want to avoid the traits but little production guys (Stewart, Williams, Walker). So I do not love those meetings. 

Nor do I like no IOL and the LBs we talked to. Talk to Campbell & Strutsman. 

1. Not a great draft for IOL.

2. They hadn't even showed up yet at the time of the tweet. They are there now, getting measured and tomorrow will do their stuff, thus I'd expect interviews to be done by then.

[Joelist]

(03-01-2025, 02:17 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote: 1. Not a great draft for IOL.

2. They hadn't even showed up yet at the time of the tweet. They are there now, getting measured and tomorrow will do their stuff, thus I'd expect interviews to be done by then.

There are a couple of good solid starter caliber types at the top in Booker and Ratledge but yes it tails off a lot after them. This is also an interesting draft on IDL. Lots of 3Ts who look promising but only a very few NT types. Consequently I've had Oregon NT Jamaree Caldwell on radar. 

[Truck_1_0_1_]

(03-01-2025, 03:14 PM)Joelist Wrote: There are a couple of good solid starter caliber types at the top in Booker and Ratledge but yes it tails off a lot after them. This is also an interesting draft on IDL. Lots of 3Ts who look promising but only a very few NT types. Consequently I've had Oregon NT Jamaree Caldwell on radar. 

Correct: every draft will have 1-3 blue chippers at every position, but the fall off for G this year from the top 2 guys is HUGE.

The NTs look to be a good group though, despite being few.

[Joelist]

Ratledge's combine numbers could very well push him into Day 2 from where he formerly was (Day 3). And we may be too low in Day 2 for him so may need to do some wheeling and dealing.

[Luvnit2]

(03-01-2025, 04:04 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote: Correct: every draft will have 1-3 blue chippers at every position, but the fall off for G this year from the top 2 guys is HUGE.

The NTs look to be a good group though, despite being few.

It seems Booker is the consensus best Guard. Then Jackson and Zabel. Then, it appears a number of OT's may be better suited for guard on some team's boards.

Campbell
Membou
Savaiinaea

I would take anyone of them with pick 49. I think we need to go edge or DT with #17. Ideally if we trade down in round 1, we may be abke to get a solid DT/Edge and a startiing guard (by ened of year 1 or start of year 2).

[coachmcneil71]

(03-01-2025, 04:04 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote: Correct: every draft will have 1-3 blue chippers at every position, but the fall off for G this year from the top 2 guys is HUGE.

The NTs look to be a good group though, despite being few.

I read an article earlier linking us to Big Z again. Kevin Zeitler back in stripes? Just throwing it out there as food for thought. 

[pulses]

(03-01-2025, 12:50 PM)Isaac Curtis: The Real #85 Wrote: That's a good list and thanks for posting. The safeties are cut off (Starks & Winston most notable). 

About what you'd expect. A lot of DE + some DL. Some blue chippers in case they fall (Johnson, Warren, Jeanty). 

I'd hoped for more DTs (Grant, Harmon, Collins, the kid from Toledo). 

I want to avoid the traits but little production guys (Stewart, Williams, Walker). So I do not love those meetings. 

Nor do I like no IOL and the LBs we talked to. Talk to Campbell & Strutsman. 

Collins is a stud and I think Strutsman is gonna be really good as well.

[Isaac Curtis: The Real #85]

(03-01-2025, 02:17 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote: 1. Not a great draft for IOL.

2. They hadn't even showed up yet at the time of the tweet. They are there now, getting measured and tomorrow will do their stuff, thus I'd expect interviews to be done by then.

Booker or Donovan Jackson would be fine by me at 17. Or Campbell if you think he's a G. 

[007BengalsFan]

(Yesterday, 10:14 PM)coachmcneil71 Wrote: I read an article earlier linking us to Big Z again. Kevin Zeitler back in stripes? Just throwing it out there as food for thought. 

It's not surprising at all.  Zeitler's name has been mentioned several times in various threads.  Zeitler may be older but he is still playing at a high level.  He would be an improvement over Cappa and would cost about the same.  You could swap out Cappa for Zeitler and have little impact on the salary cap.  The same would be true with Becton or James Daniels if their salary projections are correct.  I think Cappa will end up getting cut and someone like Zeitler, Daniels or Becton will be brought in to take Cappa's spot.