Bengals.com - Inside the pick: good timing

[*ochocincos*]

http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Inside-the-pick-good-timing-/fdc9edc8-c2cc-4478-840e-2b58d601a6b4

The article talks about the reasoning behind the pick and also gives insight into the Bengals big board.

Geoff Hobson Wrote:“I saw the most explosive ability to start, stop, and accelerate that I’ve seen in a long time,” Coyle said Thursday night, shortly after the Bengals took Ross with the ninth pick. “He was really rare with his skills set and physical traits to be able to not just have long speed, but the quickness and the ability to start and re-direct is exceptional.”

“Rare.” “Special.” “Unique.”
It was those words that, in the end, with Alabama tight end O.J. Howard neck-and-neck with Ross as the best players left on their board, reflected why the Bengals felt Ross is going to change more defenses lined up with perennial Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Green and tight end Tyler Eifert rather than Eifert lined up with Howard and Green.

“When you have the fastest player in the league,” Dalton said, “it’s going to be hard for that safety not to cheat.”

Or as one Bengals player said right after the draft, “Seven-man boxes,” referencing how Ross’ deep speed prevents a safety from playing near the line of scrimmage.

“When you have a guy that can run past you and also separate from you across the field as well as down the field, it equals up everything,” said wide receivers coach James Urban. “It’s just a different kind of weapon.”

The Bengals faced character concerns with Foster, depth chart questions with Howard, and size questions with three pass rushers in Allen, Tennessee right end Derek Barnett, and Missouri defensive end Charles Harris.

Depth chart? No problem there. The more receivers the merrier, although there is going to be a hellacious roster battle a season after one rookie, Tyler Boyd, had the best season by a first-year Bengals receiver not named A.J. Green in 35 years and another, Alex Erickson, won the AFC kick return title.

There is the matter of his knee injuries and his size, but speed obliterated it all. Ross tore off the record two years after he tore his ACL and meniscus. He had his shoulder repaired right after the combine and as head coach Marvin Lewis said of the Bengals famously strict medical team, “If you can jump through the hoops and pass our medical, then you’re pretty good,” Lewis said. “It’s not my concern once they pass him. If he’s able to stay on (our) board, then he’s pretty good.”

“The film jumps out. And then you see the 40 (-yard dash) time. Then you need to spend time with him. All of those things checked out, he checked all the boxes. The surgery on the shoulder calls for investigation, and our medical people did a great job investigating it. We feel comfortable where he is. But with the numbers I got, most show that he’s effective when the ball is in his hands. He makes plays with the ball in his hands, and at the end of the day, that is what we are looking for: playmakers to help us win football games.”

If you don’t think Ross is a playmaker, you didn’t see the face of special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons as he left the Bengals draft room Thursday night. Usually Simmons doesn’t get help until the third day of a draft, but now the fastest prospect ever just fell into his lap with four career kick return TDs at Washington.

“He has the rare quickness you see at times in smaller receivers, but he has the unique element of straight line speed as well,” Coyle said. “There are very few guys that have that same combination. There are guys his size that have been exceptional in the league. This is a rare athlete, so I think he’s got a great career ahead of him.”