PAT ELFLEIN is an upgrade.

[zygrot24]

Really like what I've seen from elflein. Not just on the field but in the locker room, and on the link itself. Think the guy is a born leader, and really hope that Mike browns love for buckeyes plays a part and we grab him in the third.

With our line troubles last year, and losing 2 big pieces, we need all the help we can get. I think pat can come in and be an instant upgrade at center, plus he can play gourd as well.

Shouldn't have to burn a high pick to upgrade an important position, if he is there at pick 73 I'd say pull the trigger.

[BengalFanInNJ]

He can play Guard too, right? I know Center is his primary position but I've heard he could play Guard as well.

[schroomytunes]

I like him, Lamp, or Moton in the 3rd, seems like the round to get an offensive lineman!

[Hammerstripes]

I'd rather have Feeney, but I would have no problem if they took Elflein.

[BengalFanInNJ]

This is the draft they can grab a good Center. You have Elflien, Pocic, Orlosky, Fuller and Toth. I'm leaning towards Elflein over Pocic and Orlosky after. I haven't seen Toth play but heard he's solid and just as good as the others and will be available around round 5.

[Hammerstripes]

(03-13-2017, 11:39 PM)BengalFanInNJ Wrote: This is the draft they can grab a good Center. You have Elflien, Pocic, Orlosky, Fuller and Toth. I'm leaning towards Elflein over Pocic and Orlosky after. I haven't seen Toth play but heard he's solid and just as good as the others and will be available around round 5.

I'm not waiting for round 4 or 5.  We need to take the top guy and move on.  This crap about waiting until the 4th round has gotten us where we are today.  If we burned a 2nd rounder on a C or even a 3rd rounder, I feel like they would have to justify the pick by playing him at some point.

[SunsetBengal]

(03-13-2017, 11:34 PM)BengalFanInNJ Wrote: He can play Guard too, right? I know Center is his primary position but I've heard he could play Guard as well.

Hell yes, he can play Guard.  This season was his first time at Center, and he was All-American and won the Remmington.  He was a Guard his entire college career, save for this past season.

[*Go Cards*]

Am fine with this selection but agree with Hammer as well that lets get a guy we want early and not just hope someone is available later.

Because we have all seen many times teams trade up right in front of us and grab our guy.

[muskiesfan]

As much as I would love an NFL quality C, I just don't see it happening. Alexander the Great handpicked Bodine and our HC said the OLine is not an issue. I expect a Bodine extension to eat away at the ginormous amount of unused cap space that the Browns keep pretending they don't have.

[Whatever]

(03-13-2017, 11:33 PM)zygrot24 Wrote: Really like what I've seen from elflein. Not just on the field but in the locker room, and on the link itself. Think the guy is a born leader, and really hope that Mike browns love for buckeyes plays a part and we grab him in the third.

With our line troubles last year, and losing 2 big pieces, we need all the help we can get. I think pat can come in and be an instant upgrade at center, plus he can play gourd as well.

Shouldn't have to burn a high pick to upgrade an important position, if he is there at pick 73 I'd say pull the trigger.

Depends on who's there, honestly.  This C class isn't great, imo.  I don't see them starting a guy with one year of college experience at C over Bodine, although he could compete for the RG job and eventually slide over.  His poor feet and lack of athleticism are a concern.  As a C, he has to come off double teams to pick up delayed blitzers and he struggles with this because of his athletic limitations.  We face the Steelers twice a year, and they love double A gap blitzes.  He's a high floor/low ceiling guy that isn't going to get much better, and he struggled against NFL draftable talent in pass pro in the Michigan and Clemson games.

[phil413]

I was going to be that dude saying this is draft forum stuff, but it isn't really. The dread that I have come draft time, is the team will actually pen (vs pencil) in the young players to start with guys like Winston, TJ Johnson and possibly Andre as insurance behind them. It's like they don't even want any competition so Bodine, Westerman and Ced "win" jobs by default. That's beyond flawed logic, but playing along I'm hoping that versatility like a young C/G type would be welcomed. I mean how many teams have a deep OL anymore? Isn't that a luxury worth taking advantage of? Even if they stubbornly keep Bodine in if he doesn't progress his contract is up soon. Westerman may not be ready yet, so though I'm having problems with feeling like we have to sell this idea to the team....maybe they will go OL in the first 2 days. The more they plug other holes though, the more possible that could be if an OL is among the BPAs when each Bengal pick comes up.

[*SHRacerX*]

(03-14-2017, 12:26 AM)muskiesfan Wrote: As much as I would love an NFL quality C, I just don't see it happening. Alexander the Great handpicked Bodine and our HC said the OLine is not an issue. I expect a Bodine extension to eat away at the ginormous amount of unused cap space that the Browns keep pretending they don't have.

I thought the same thing, but have emphasized to them that this (drafting Elflein) would make much more sense than the plan they had in drafting the turnstile.  If Ced failed at OT, he wasn't the type that could kick inside and be successful.  All your chips were on one number, and it busted.

Elflein could be drafted this year to push Bodine in his contract year.  If the light suddenly goes on for Bodine (doubt it) and he earns a second contract, then Elflein could be our RG.  If Elflein offers an upgrade at Center, bye-bye Jethro.

Elflein has that flexibility in his game.  

Another quick point:  Someone mentioned Moton in the 3rd and I actually have him as the #1 guard in the draft.  I don't think he can play tackle but if you watch him even against Ohio State's defensive line, he moves people like they are made of styrofoam.  He  may not have the agility to play OT, but he has done it and could likely play RT in a pinch. 

A lot of folks have been calling for Andre Smith to come back, but his injury history and work ethic really give me pause for a long-term solution.

If the Bengals slide a bit in Rd 1, draft Ross at WR, and draft Moton and Elflein in the second (one is the additional pick from sliding in Rd 1), then the Bengals are dramatically better on offense and set for many years to come at two key positions.  

Plus, maybe Bodine not being re-signed will net a weak-ass 7th round compensatory pick (Bengal Management Bait)

[*ochocincos*]

(03-13-2017, 11:34 PM)BengalFanInNJ Wrote: He can play Guard too, right? I know Center is his primary position but I've heard he could play Guard as well.

Yes, RG specifically.

[SunsetBengal]

(03-14-2017, 09:38 AM)ochocincos Wrote: Yes, RG specifically.

Yes, he was a second team All-American at RG, for the 2015 season, his Junior year.

[Fan_in_Kettering]

My advice to the Front Office and the coaches is to "go Buckeye" in the first and second rounds: Take free safety Malik Hooker in the first round and get center/guard Pat Elflein in the second round. This immediately upgrades two weak spots in Cincinnati: The deep secondary and the center of the offensive line.

[Benton]

(03-13-2017, 11:44 PM)Hammerstripes Wrote: I'm not waiting for round 4 or 5.  We need to take the top guy and move on.  This crap about waiting until the 4th round has gotten us where we are today.  If we burned a 2nd rounder on a C or even a 3rd rounder, I feel like they would have to justify the pick by playing him at some point.

(03-14-2017, 12:13 AM)Go Cards Wrote: Am fine with this selection but agree with Hammer as well that lets get a guy we want early and not just hope someone is available later.

Because we have all seen many times teams trade up right in front of us and grab our guy.

Agreed.

A couple years ago it was "don't burn a high pick on DL, you can get first round talent through the third." Same with safety the year before or after. Bleh. If there's a quality guy at a position of need, take him. We need a center yesterday, take one early and not hope somebody slips because of rehabbable injury, drug problem, character issue, etc. Even if it's a "deep" year at a position, you're still only talking about a 7-8 guys who can start in a season or two at some positions (and I doubt there's a center class so deep it producers half that many starters in a season). Don't wait until 100 guys are off the board to try and find one of those.

[Okeana]

Center is the most under valued and most important positions in football. Almost every center drafted in the first round becomes a multi time pro bowler just go back 10 years and look. That said for some reason the Bengals put no value on this position and I think we have a better chance of going to the Superbowl this year than drafting a replacement.

[zygrot24]

Beyond the on the field stuff Pat will bring, he's also bring leadership, and a guy to bring the o line together. The bodine experiment failed. We need an upgrade bad.

I think Pat gives us that. Plus if needed he can play guard

[Whatever]

(03-14-2017, 02:00 PM)Okeana Wrote: Center is the most under valued and most important positions in football.  Almost every center drafted in the first round becomes a multi time pro bowler just go back 10 years and look.  That said for some reason the Bengals put no value on this position and I think we have a better chance of going to the Superbowl this year than drafting a replacement.

C has an extremely steep learning curve, and it's gotten steeper in recent years with the spread offense taking over the college ranks.  Guys who can step into that position and play at a high level, like Mack, Mangold, and Pouncey, invariably go in the 1st.  There isn't anybody like that this year, and teams are loathe to spend a 2nd or 3rd on a guy who will need 2-3 years of development.  

[*ochocincos*]

(03-14-2017, 07:22 PM)Whatever Wrote: C has an extremely steep learning curve, and it's gotten steeper in recent years with the spread offense taking over the college ranks.  Guys who can step into that position and play at a high level, like Mack, Mangold, and Pouncey, invariably go in the 1st.  There isn't anybody like that this year, and teams are loathe to spend a 2nd or 3rd on a guy who will need 2-3 years of development.  

If the Bengals can play a 4th rounder as the starter in his rookie season, I think a 2nd/3rd rounder could come in and do the same, but be an improvement.

Btw, Cody Whitehair did pretty darn good with the Bears as a rookie at C, even though he played LT in college. He was taken in the late 2nd. It doesn't have to be first round or bust, but it does likely have to be Day 1 or Day 2 of the draft.