What Would Your Draft Have Been?

[kevin]

(04-30-2025, 06:43 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Many of us (including myself) have been critical of this Bengals draft class.
Many national media sites are rating the Bengals draft one of the worst in the league.

So the question posed to you...looking at who was available at each pick, who would you have taken?
*Assume no trades because we don't know what was offered, only who was available.

Mine:
1) Derrick Harmon, DT Oregon
2) Tate Ratledge, OG Georgia
3) Xavier Watts, SAF Notre Dame
4) Kyle Kennard, DE South Carolina
5) Mitchell Evans, TE Notre Dame
6) Tahj Brooks, RB Texas Tech

Off-ball LB is one of the cheaper positions to address in FA, so I would have been perfectly ok not adding a LB in the draft. I would have been ok with just 1 LB though.

 Bengals could have lost Higgins and Chase, but they put out huge money to keep both long term with Burrow.  That right there is a great off season.  Still, the Bengals Defense has not been good.  Bengals brought in a new D Coach in Golden, getting him to leave a top job at Notre Dame.  Much of the draft was on Defense and O Line Blockers with Bengals weak in the trenches.  

I don't think me or any on this site could have did better.  They had to break the bank to have Burrow, Chase and Higgins locked in long term.   They brought in Golden as new D coach and he likes the D players Bengals just drafted.  Golden says they fit the type defense he intends to have.  The DE and LB first 2 rounds, Golden says they can play in multiple packages, so he won't get caught with the wrong players on the field, since the 2 top picks can line up in different formations.  

Golden also mentioned sometimes he may need 4 LB's on the field.  That is a change from Zac Taylor saying 5 or 6 DB's on the field 80 % of the game.  I think Taylor will still insist on Nickle and Dime packages, but Golden sounds like he wants to also use 3 or 4 LB sets during games also.  Not just sitting back in The Prevent all game as Zac likes.  I think Golden was a much needed addition, and if he is happy with the players drafted, that is fine with me.  

So Chase and Higgins were kept to be long term with Burrow.  Most of NFL thought that impossible.  That right there makes a good off season.  Add in Golden and Golden liking the D players drafted, and that makes a Great off season.   None of on here could have did better.  

I think most of you are going to change your tune when Bengals are winning.  You will say, " Oh, I see.  They kept Burrow, Chase and Higgins and this Golden and his new Defense is so much better.  Now we see. ".  

Golden is not going to sit back in The Prevent giving up yards as Zac has done.  Golden wants to mix in 3 and 4 LB packages with those extra DB packages Taylor likes.  Problem was Bengals didn't have enough Front 7 players for Golden to run his Defenses, so they drafted some players so Golden can run his 3 or 4 LB sets when he wants. Taylor likes 5 and 6 DB Nickle and Dime Prevent Defenses.  Golden just said there will be times he will have 3 or 4 LB's on the field.  So look for Golden to run many more D Packages than Bengals have ever ran before.  Golden mentioned a 4th LB sometimes, but they will still have their 5 or 6 DB sets.  

I bet this was made clear at the start.  Golden had a top job at Notre Dame, he didn't need Bengals.  I'm sure he let it be known that he would not leave Notre Dame to play The Prevent Defense all game as Zac Taylor likes.  However if he could mix in more 3 and 4 LB packages and run his Defense, he would leave Notre Dame for Bengals.  Golden did not have to leave Notre Dame, so when Golden says he is going to run his Defense with Bengals, I believe him. 

Nobody on this board could have did better including me.  GO BENGALS.   Higgins and Chase could be gone, but they are here, and Golden brought in to fix the Defense. It's all good.