Bengals Early Mock Draft Concensus

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(02-01-2018, 07:33 PM)Chezaugie Wrote: Following is an early mock draft concensus:

Source (as of 2/1)


Projected Bengals Draft Selection at 12th Overall

NFL.com: Lance Zierlein  OT – Orlando Brown, Oklahoma

NFL.com: Daniel Jeremiah OT – Connor Williams, Texas

NFL.com:  Bucky Brooks OT – Orlando Brown, Oklahoma

CBSSports.com: Chris Trapasso OT – Connor Williams, Texas

SBNation.com: Dan Kadar OT – Orlando Brown, Oklahoma

SportingNews.com: Eric Galko OT – Brian O’Neill, Pittsburgh

WalterFootball.com S - Derwin James, Florida State

BleacherReport.com: Ryan McCrystal S - Derwin James, Florida State

DraftTek.com OT – Brian O’Neill, Pittsburgh

RotoWorld.com: Josh Norris OT – Chukwuma Okorafor, Western Michigan

CBSSports.com: R.J. White OT – Mike McGlinchey, Notre Dame

ESPN.com: Mel Kiper, Jr. LB – Tremaine Edmunds, Virginia Tech

Not to take a dump on your thread, as I like all things NFL Draft, but these are non-Bengal experts that only know that our offensive line sucks, and that we are thin at LB especially when our best LB is unreliable. 

As a Bengal expert, I can tell you that I really doubt they will go for a guy like Orlando Brown in the first round.  He is clearly a RT and not a LT, and although a position of need, I only see the Bengals taking him if they traded WAY down, and not likely in Rd 1.

I think the copycat league nature will be in full-effect come the draft and although the Bengals have huge needs at the tackle positions, they will STILL have Ced and Fisher for one more year minimum.  If they didn't admit defeat and upgrade them last year, I doubt they will this year as they actually did show signs of improvement.  Granted, not enough to be NFL starters, but with the new offensive line scheme, could be much improved.  The Bengals also have some versatility with Boling actually showing very well against the Rats in week 17 and the opportunity (finally!) given to Redmond and Westerman might also shake up the line.  

The Bengals (IMHO) will go defense early, and it could be as surprising to some as the selection of Ross a year ago.  I nailed that one (I don't care if his rookie season was torpedoed by Marv, I was still right about his selection, as I was Willis and Lawson).  I think the Bengals will be looking hard at the S from FSU, Derwin, the LB from Va Tech, Edmunds, and the DT from Washington, Vea.

The fact that Marv got an extension tells me he negotiated for more control over the selection and he probably used the success of the Eagles and Jax as evidence to his desires:  more talent on defense.  Even though the Bengals were horrible most of the season on offense, that probably fell on the lap of Zampese and Fat Ass.

Marvin reportedly REALLY wanted Reuben Foster last year, and didn't want Ross.  We saw how that worked out.  I am not admitting in any way he was right and I was wrong, because it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy when you continually shit publicly on a kid and don't give him the opportunities, but Mike Brown doesn't want another year of that and he sure as hell doesn't want his #1 pick posting "healthy scratch" videos on twitter.

Marv will get his player, and if I had to guess, he will get the LB.  I think safety might be a bigger impact if Derwin is what everyone thinks he is, but our safeties play a very conservative game to prevent big plays.  It might be a bit of a waste unless our new DC has other plans for our scheme and I am yet to see a coach come in with more aggression before Marv puts the conservative brakes on it.  

I would wager on Edmunds from Va Tech or another very highly rated LB.  The potential to trade back and get a different position (like the aforementioned RT or GULP!  a QB that falls) but I would venture that it won't happen, either.