Addressing Needs in Draft

[Okeana]

I have spent an extensive amount of time scouting players this off season and I personally consider this one of the best draft's in recent memory. A lot of the issues we have can be fixed with a draft that fills need and brings in players to compete. One thing a lot of people were talking about yesterday was trading back to get an Offensive lineman in the first, but this isn't a class with extremely talented first round Offensive lineman. What it does have is a lot of guys in the mid rounds that can be above average players at the NFL level. Included below is a fast Mock I made up to address team needs and illustrate that even a team with holes can have a competitive roster.

http://thebengalsboard.com/Thread-Gold-Standard-Mock?pid=355332#pid355332

Note : I agree that we need to do more in Free Agency, but I want to post a positive thread that shows that all isn't lost and we can take advantage of a great Draft class.

[muskiesfan]

I think there is a lot of talent in this draft as well. The Bengals could definitely address some needs, but I don't think they'll be able to address all of their needs. I would like them to stay at 9 and draft a day 1 starter. Foster, Fournette, or even a blazing WR or pass rushing DE would be nice. A new center would be great as well, but obviously not in round 1.

I agree that some concerns can be eased with the draft. On the defensive side, we don't tend to give rookies much of an opportunity to play in their first couple of years, so that's a concern.

It's going to be interesting. If they decide to trade back and stock up on some more picks, that wouldn't hurt either. Of course with the additional picks if they wanted to trade up and get their guy, that's a possibility as well. I just hope Alexander the Great doesn't get to pick what OLine we're looking at.

[Bengalsrob]

Looks good, I can tell you put some thought and work into that mock. I really like the Indiana G and I want Mixon, I think he's the best one of the bunch albeit with baggage.

[NATI BENGALS]

I wanted Cam Robinson at 9 before free agency. I want him him at 9 even more now.

The best offensive linemen in the draft at 9 is not a reach.

[Atomic Orange]

With the board exploding as it is I honestly forgot all about the draft.

[Sled21]

I would say it is now critical to pick Jon Toth in the 4th round. He can play all three interior line positions, and could push anyone on the current roster, with the exception of Boling, for a starting spot at Center or Guard....

[Okeana]

(03-10-2017, 02:38 PM)Sled21 Wrote: I would say it is now critical to pick Jon Toth in the 4th round. He can play all three interior line positions, and could push anyone on the current roster, with the exception of Boling, for a starting spot at Center or Guard....

yeah.  the point is a lot of these guys can play multiple positions and there is depth at the position

[Okeana]

(03-10-2017, 01:16 PM)muskiesfan Wrote: I think there is a lot of talent in this draft as well. The Bengals could definitely address some needs, but I don't think they'll be able to address all of their needs. I would like them to stay at 9 and draft a day 1 starter. Foster, Fournette, or even a blazing WR or pass rushing DE would be nice. A new center would be great as well, but obviously not in round 1.

I agree that some concerns can be eased with the draft. On the defensive side, we don't tend to give rookies much of an opportunity to play in their first couple of years, so that's a concern.

It's going to be interesting. If they decide to trade back and stock up on some more picks, that wouldn't hurt either. Of course with the additional picks if they wanted to trade up and get their guy, that's a possibility as well. I just hope Alexander the Great doesn't get to pick what OLine we're looking at.

Mark my words Hasson Reddick would have been a top 10 pick if he didn't get injured in highschool and force him to walk on at a small school.  getting a 2nd and 3rd rounder to move from Foster to Reddick is really a no brainier.    This is also an extremely deep WR class with some real burners so you don't need to spend a #1 pick on a WR.  

[Okeana]

btw for those not sold on Reddick just look at his combine results compared to Von Miller

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2017/profiles/haason-reddick?id=2557887

This guy runs as fast as Leonard Fournette at the same size and with his talent at both rushing the QB and Coverage skills (the guy played safety before) I have an extremely high grade on him.

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

As long as they hit a homerun this draft like 2010 and 2011, we'll be ok.  I'm just losing faith that they can pull that off.

[Okeana]

(03-10-2017, 03:02 PM)Wyche Wrote: As long as they hit a homerun this draft like 2010 and 2011, we'll be ok.  I'm just losing faith that they can pull that off.

Lets be fair outside of the Ced pick they really haven't drafted badly we have juts been plagued by injuries on this team.  I have a lot of faith in the guys we drafted last year and with WJ3/Billings back I think we could really vault forward in talent this year.  I also think Westerman has a good chance at being a starter on this team especially at guard, lets just hope hes gotten bigger and stronger the last year.

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(03-10-2017, 03:08 PM)Okeana Wrote: Lets be fair outside of the Ced pick they really haven't drafted badly we have juts been plagued by injuries on this team.  I have a lot of faith in the guys we drafted last year and with WJ3/Billings back I think we could really vault forward in talent this year.  I also think Westerman has a good chance at being a starter on this team especially at guard, lets just hope hes gotten bigger and stronger the last year.

Yeah, I hear you, but when you don't play FA, and you don't re-sign your own big FAs, you better be knocking it out of the park in the draft.  We did that with guys like Dalton, Green, Atkins, Dunlap, Zeitler (now gone), Boling, Bernard, and a few others I am forgetting.  Kirk has become a good CB, finally.  Eifert can't stay on the field, Ced AND Fish have been disappointments, Dennard, Hill has flopped, Bodine, the other TEs, the last few have been a touch underwhelming.  They NEED this draft to be like one from days past, in the worst way.  I sure hope they nail it, and will give them their just due if they accomplish that.  Right now, we look like a worse team than the one that went 6-9-1, which was one season removed from 12-4.

[Okeana]

I think the real issue with our team and the draft is that we basically run our team like a farm team for the league. We draft talented guys. sit them on the bench 2-3 years to develop them. Get 1 good year and then lose them in free agency. We have to get better at playing our draft picks and taking advantage of the 4/5 years we have them.

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(03-10-2017, 03:20 PM)Okeana Wrote: I think the real issue with our team and the draft is that we basically run our team like a farm team for the league.  We draft talented guys.  sit them on the bench 2-3 years to develop them.  Get 1 good year and then lose them in free agency.  We have to get better at playing our draft picks and taking advantage of the 4/5 years we have them.

Absolutely my friend, well said.

[THE PISTONS]

(03-10-2017, 03:20 PM)Okeana Wrote: I think the real issue with our team and the draft is that we basically run our team like a farm team for the league.  We draft talented guys.  sit them on the bench 2-3 years to develop them.  Get 1 good year and then lose them in free agency.  We have to get better at playing our draft picks and taking advantage of the 4/5 years we have them.

Kinda like the old Montreal Expos.

Well...the Bengals are going to be forced to play young guys now.

Food for thought: Dalton, Green, Atkins, and Dunlap all played early. They had to. Perhaps if they were redshirted for 2-3 years they would have never developed?