Tight end round 1, Center round 2

[Bengalstripes9]

1 TE Dallas Goedert

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8XIc9WLYOI

Eifert insurance. Looks very similar to Eifert in terms of body type. Fast, smooth runner. Could develop into a great route runner at the next level. Amazing ball skills. Catches in traffic. One handed Grabs. Touchdowns. Red Zone. Just a playmaker.

With all 3 tight ends in the last years of their deals, this gives us a lot of cushion heading into Free Agency next year. Eifert is supposedly healthy. Assuming he has a great season, can we keep him for the same amount of money? Can we afford him next year? Should we let him walk? If Goedert can replace Eifert, that allows us to play him on a rookie 5 year contract, then we can pay Kroft as his backup.

Would love this pick. Great first round value. Get a huge playmaker for the next 5 years. Allows us to move on from Eifert.

2 Center Frank Ragnow

Obvious need here. Ragnow could very well be Pollack's guy. Great ratings from PFF, for what that's worth. Could very likely take control of the job this year for us. Should be available in the 2nd. Very unlikely that all three of the top 3 centers are gone when we pick; I'd be happy with any of them.

3a RT Orlando Brown

From 3a I'd be targeting a few positions. I'd love to get a DE like Arden Key with this pick if he drops that far, giving us insurance heading into FA next year--and giving us more reason to cut Michael Johnson and save some money. The other position I'd like to target is offensive tackle. I'd be very happy with Cappa here too. Or guard or Linebacker.

3b LB Shaquem Griffen

If Griffen falls this far, and it seems likely, I think he's a great value pick. He's a 1st round caliber pick in my opinion. Great motor. Great vision/instincts. Great tackler, pretty good in coverage as well. Can come off the edge and provide pressure too. Very complete linebacker prospect. Well, almost complete. Just a high character guy that could be a leader for us. Gives us 3 really solid linebackers on our depth chart, with some solid backups as well. Linebacker turns into a strength.

4 DT Pittman

Feel good about this guy. Feel good about taking a defensive tackle in the 4th round.

From here I'd target a corner/safety in the 5th. Maybe look for a kicker late in the draft as well. A wideout is a possibility in the 5th too. A guard or DE wouldn't surprise me either.

Stepping back, I like this draft. We weren't able to address DE or Safety in the top of the draft, but I'm okay with that. We have good starters at safety. We just don't have a playmaker, and I'm not sure there is one where we're drafting. This is also a weak draft for defensive end. We'd have to get pretty lucky to have the right guy fall to us.

[Bengalstripes9]

Oops, meant to post this in mock drafts. Sorry about that

Edit: Here's a highlight video of Jamiyus Pittman
http://www.patriots.com/video/2018/02/25/college-highlights-jamiyus-pittman-dt-ucf

[*ochocincos*]

(04-04-2018, 04:07 PM)Bengalstripes18 Wrote: 1 TE Dallas Goedert

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8XIc9WLYOI

Eifert insurance. Looks very similar to Eifert in terms of body type. Fast, smooth runner. Could develop into a great route runner at the next level. Amazing ball skills. Catches in traffic. One handed Grabs. Touchdowns. Red Zone. Just a playmaker.

With all 3 tight ends in the last years of their deals, this gives us a lot of cushion heading into Free Agency next year. Eifert is supposedly healthy. Assuming he has a great season, can we keep him for the same amount of money? Can we afford him next year? Should we let him walk? If Goedert can replace Eifert, that allows us to play him on a rookie 5 year contract, then we can pay Kroft as his backup.

Would love this pick. Great first round value. Get a huge playmaker for the next 5 years. Allows us to move on from Eifert.

2 Center Frank Ragnow

Obvious need here. Ragnow could very well be Pollack's guy. Great ratings from PFF, for what that's worth. Could very likely take control of the job this year for us. Should be available in the 2nd. Very unlikely that all three of the top 3 centers are gone when we pick; I'd be happy with any of them.

3a RT Orlando Brown

From 3a I'd be targeting a few positions. I'd love to get a DE like Arden Key with this pick if he drops that far, giving us insurance heading into FA next year--and giving us more reason to cut Michael Johnson and save some money. The other position I'd like to target is offensive tackle. I'd be very happy with Cappa here too. Or guard or Linebacker.

3b LB Shaquem Griffen

If Griffen falls this far, and it seems likely, I think he's a great value pick. He's a 1st round caliber pick in my opinion. Great motor. Great vision/instincts. Great tackler, pretty good in coverage as well. Can come off the edge and provide pressure too. Very complete linebacker prospect. Well, almost complete. Just a high character guy that could be a leader for us. Gives us 3 really solid linebackers on our depth chart, with some solid backups as well. Linebacker turns into a strength.

4 DT Pittman

Feel good about this guy. Feel good about taking a defensive tackle in the 4th round.

From here I'd target a corner/safety in the 5th. Maybe look for a kicker late in the draft as well. A wideout is a possibility in the 5th too. A guard or DE wouldn't surprise me either.

Stepping back, I like this draft. We weren't able to address DE or Safety in the top of the draft, but I'm okay with that. We have good starters at safety. We just don't have a playmaker, and I'm not sure there is one where we're drafting. This is also a weak draft for defensive end. We'd have to get pretty lucky to have the right guy fall to us.

I think Goedert, Andrews, Hurst, and Gesicki will all be good TEs. I think on the flip side from your comment, I'd be happy with any of those four TEs and think one will be available at 46, so I'd prefer to get Ragnow at 21 if he's my guy and wait for a TE at 46. Ragnow is my favorite C. However, I suspect the Bengals would more lean toward TE in Rd 1 and C in Rd 2 given past history. We'll see I guess.

Seems rather early for Pittman, but to each his/her own I guess.

[Hammerstripes]

There's no way that I would take a TE in round 1 and then gamble on a center being around at #46. We have capable starters at TE, we have nothing at C.

I'm not advocating that we reach, but if Daniels (or Ragnow or Price) carry 1st round grades with Bengals, they HAVE to take one at #21, barring some unforeseen player being there.

[Bengalstripes9]

(04-04-2018, 04:25 PM)Hammerstripes Wrote: There's no way that I would take a TE in round 1 and then gamble on a center being around at #46.  We have capable starters at TE, we have nothing at C.

I'm not advocating that we reach, but if Daniels (or Ragnow or Price) carry 1st round grades with Bengals, they HAVE to take one at #21, barring some unforeseen player being there.

That's what I've been thinking for awhile now. But I really like Goedert, and don't think he'll make it past the Saints in round 1. This mock was under the assumption that Ragnow is Pollack's guy, too. I haven't seen Ragnow mocked in the 1st round. My other draft has us taking a Center first, tight end second. Could very well be that way. I just really like Goedert, and would be happy with any one of the top 3 centers in the second.

[Bengalstripes9]

(04-04-2018, 04:22 PM)ochocincos Wrote: I think Goedert, Andrews, Hurst, and Gesicki will all be good TEs. I think on the flip side from your comment, I'd be happy with any of those four TEs and think one will be available at 46, so I'd prefer to get Ragnow at 21 if he's my guy and wait for a TE at 46. Ragnow is my favorite C. However, I suspect the Bengals would more lean toward TE in Rd 1 and C in Rd 2 given past history. We'll see I guess.

Seems rather early for Pittman, but to each his/her own I guess.

You're probably right, might be able to get him in the top of the 5th round. Feel good about taking a DT in the 4th round though. Kinda dissatisfied by the 4th round in most mock drafts I look at. Not a whole lot of players I feel great about. But hey, I'm just a fan. Don't know much beyond round 2 or 3 to be honest.

[Bengalstripes9]

Something else to think about. Why did New England trade for the 23rd pick? Who are they targeting? Could it be Goedert? Gronk is thinking about retiring soon, probably because of injury history. New England was able to get in front of the Saints pick, who have been linked to picking a tight end in the first round.

I would think New England is looking at a few candidates. If Mcglinchey falls to 23, that could be it. Not likely he falls that far though. More likely they target an OT with the 31st pick. They also leapfrogged the Steelers, who have been linked to QB Rudolph. But Brady has a couple years left. More likely they wait until later in the draft and use their top 2 picks on win now players.

I think Goedert, aside from maybe linebacker, is the most likely pick for New England if available. We can barely cover Gronk, imagine having two playmaking tight ends to cover. If New Engand goes linebacker, the Saints go TE. Either way, Goedert is gone by the end of the 1st round.

I think Goedert makes a lot of sense for us. Eifert is an injury risk. Goedert gives us cushion this year if he goes down. But he also gives us cushion if Eifert stays healthy, has a great season, and want's more money than we can afford in 2019. And we can most likely grab a center in round two.

I understand the argument that there are plenty of good tight ends that will be available in the second round; but I just feel like Goedert is the best. He screams Eifert clone to me--hopefully without the injuries.

[*psychdoctor*]

Goedert is my favorite TE in this draft but I think it would be a risk to miss out on one of the Centers or guards in round 1.

[Mike M (the other one)]

(04-04-2018, 05:21 PM)psychdoctor Wrote: Goedert is my favorite TE in this draft but I think it would be a risk to miss out on one of the Centers or guards in round 1.

I don't think we will miss out on a top C, because I think we could easily find a trade partner and move up in the 2nd. Goedert is also my fav TE in this class. He's a freak and just needs a little time to adjust to the NFL Speed.

Don't ignore Carolina taking a TE either. Olsen is getting older and Cam likes his blanky. Eagles would be an unlikely destination for a round 1 TE, but they did lose Trey Burton and Brent Celek, also the Eagles did just restructure Ertz's contract to make it a little easier for them to get out of after this year.

[Bengalstripes9]

(04-04-2018, 06:16 PM)Mike M (the other one) Wrote: I don't think we will miss out on a top C, because I think we could easily find a trade partner and move up in the 2nd. Goedert is also my fav TE in this class. He's a freak and just needs a little time to adjust to the NFL Speed.

Don't ignore Carolina taking a TE either. Olsen is getting older and Cam likes his blanky. Eagles would be an unlikely destination for a round 1 TE, but they did lose Trey Burton and Brent Celek, also the Eagles did just restructure Ertz's contract to make it a little easier for them to get out of after this year.

Good point. We have the picks to move up if centers start coming off the board. I have a feeling we could get very lucky staying put though.