Senior Bowl Mock

[WVUHomer]

Now that the Senior Bowl is completed, I wanted to do a mock with only those players and see how it would work out.

No simulators as none have been updated from the practices this week yet:

Rd 1. Dawand Jones RT OSU

Mammoth of an RT. Showed good skills in practice and played well throughout the season. Worries about his size being too big may have been subsided with this weeks practice.

Other options: D. Wright OT Tenn, O. Torrence OG Florida

Rd 2. Sydney Brown S Illinois

Productive safety. Roughly same size as Bell. Hope is to stash him a year then have our backfield duo ready by next year.

Other option: M. Bergeron OT Syracuse (I was high but this week lowered him for me), S. Avilia OG TCU, K. Benton NT Wisconsin (his comp going around is Reader)

Rd 3. Payne Durham TE Purdue

Blocks, plays FB, catches everything, 6'5". Better route runner than given credit for. May be limited slightly athletically but will carry the whole D if it helps team succeed. Team first player (listen to his interview at SB) and still has potential to grow as he's only been playing football since middle of his high school career. My CTB of the draft cycle right now.

Rd 4. Tyjae Spears RB Tulane

Fast, catches well, doesn't seem to go down on first contact. Ideally in a RBBC.

Other options: T. Palmer WR Nebraska, J. Bennett CB Maryland, D. Rush CB SC, T. Steen OG/OT Bama

Rd 5. Ivan Pace Jr LB UC

First things first, I'm gonna guess he's not here after his week. Second. he may due to size concerns. Thirdly, those size concerns didn't matter when he blew up Torrence for a TFL.

Other option: M. Wilson WR Stanford (injury concerns)

Rd 6. Bryce Baringer P MSU

Hang time was averaging 4.5 s. Enough said.

Rd 7. Jake Haener QB Fresno St.

Back up competition. He plays like he has a chip and could give us competent QB play if JoeyB went out for a short period.


Thoughts everyone? And yes, i know, no edge talent but I felt more compelled to make a more dominate O.

[CJD]

Your late round picks are all incredible. Back up QB with upside (in case of injury, not to replace obviously), high hang time punter, stud undersized LB, shifty RB are all positions we could use and I like all of your picks there.

For the first 3 rounds, I would be pretty happy. I like Jones but wonder if he'll be able to start day 1, which is my perhaps unfair expectation of a first round pick that isn't a developmental QB. I would be more happy with your other options. Torrence makes Volson the #1 backup guard, which would be amazing for depth and Wright I do believe is a surefire day 1 starter at RT. With that said, I have mocked Jones to us in the 2nd round over and over again, so would I be upset if we took him in the first? Absolutely not.

A safety in the 2nd doesn't do it for me though. It obviously depends on what we're doing in free agency, but I would really like it if we re-signed Bell to a 3 year deal. Bell has been in the NFL for a while, but he just turned 28 in December. I think we should keep him as our starter for at least 2 more years, so drafting a back ups afety in the 2nd round (if we do re-sign Bell) would not be an ideal use of draft capital, imo. Even if Brown is a good prospect. I'd rather take a true pass rusher there or maybe a CB if we don't re-sign Eli Apple, since Awuzie is coming off of injury and going into his contract year in a contract that he has comfortably out performed (he'll be looking for the bag in his third contract).

And then in the 3rd, I think Durham played very well this week. He showed he may have been underutilized at Purdue, as he never really took over the offense at Purdue (he was more of a "jack of all trades, master of none" at TE in college) but, generally speaking, I don't like overreacting to the Senior Bowl. Players who are big risers in these off season games are wild cards and I don't think their performance during these games is necessarily predictive of their success in the NFL. Durham was projected anywhere between the 4th round and the 6th round before the Senior Bowl, and I think that may be more of his true value. Not a terrible reach, but just enough of one that I feel there may have been a better player available. This is also contingent on what happens with Hurst. If we re-sign him to a multi year deal and if we sign Sample to a little prove it deal, we may just skip TE entirely this draft. It's never been a position we've valued highly anyway, after all.

If the draft went down this way, I'd still be thrilled because I think you absolutely nailed the later rounds and the first round pick is just a half round too early for me but I love the prospect. It's just the 2nd and 3rd rounders who, while good players, I would like to see players that could impact our team better earlier.

[WVUHomer]

(02-06-2023, 03:00 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: Your late round picks are all incredible. Back up QB with upside (in case of injury, not to replace obviously), high hang time punter, stud undersized LB, shifty RB are all positions we could use and I like all of your picks there.

For the first 3 rounds, I would be pretty happy. I like Jones but wonder if he'll be able to start day 1, which is my perhaps unfair expectation of a first round pick that isn't a developmental QB. I would be more happy with your other options. Torrence makes Volson the #1 backup guard, which would be amazing for depth and Wright I do believe is a surefire day 1 starter at RT. With that said, I have mocked Jones to us in the 2nd round over and over again, so would I be upset if we took him in the first? Absolutely not.

A safety in the 2nd doesn't do it for me though. It obviously depends on what we're doing in free agency, but I would really like it if we re-signed Bell to a 3 year deal. Bell has been in the NFL for a while, but he just turned 28 in December. I think we should keep him as our starter for at least 2 more years, so drafting a back ups afety in the 2nd round (if we do re-sign Bell) would not be an ideal use of draft capital, imo. Even if Brown is a good prospect. I'd rather take a true pass rusher there or maybe a CB if we don't re-sign Eli Apple, since Awuzie is coming off of injury and going into his contract year in a contract that he has comfortably out performed (he'll be looking for the bag in his third contract).

And then in the 3rd, I think Durham played very well this week. He showed he may have been underutilized at Purdue, as he never really took over the offense at Purdue (he was more of a "jack of all trades, master of none" at TE in college) but, generally speaking, I don't like overreacting to the Senior Bowl. Players who are big risers in these off season games are wild cards and I don't think their performance during these games is necessarily predictive of their success in the NFL. Durham was projected anywhere between the 4th round and the 6th round before the Senior Bowl, and I think that may be more of his true value. Not a terrible reach, but just enough of one that I feel there may have been a better player available. This is also contingent on what happens with Hurst. If we re-sign him to a multi year deal and if we sign Sample to a little prove it deal, we may just skip TE entirely this draft. It's never been a position we've valued highly anyway, after all.

If the draft went down this way, I'd still be thrilled because I think you absolutely nailed the later rounds and the first round pick is just a half round too early for me but I love the prospect. It's just the 2nd and 3rd rounders who, while good players, I would like to see players that could impact our team better earlier.

After reconsideration yesterday, I'm leaning towards replacing Brown with Benton. Better depth behind Reader sounds strong for me. Not sure any CB from the SB would be of value in 2. Stephenson maybe?

I think Jones answered a lot of questions he had in the past week so I think he will get the 1st round buzz now. I wouldn't be upset with Wright though and think he may have moved up to right before our pick.

Durham, if a projected 4th rounder, wouldn't be a huge reach in 3 considering how late ours is. EDIT, i just looked up the stats to compared to Mayer. 11 less catches for 200 less yards and 1 less TD this year. pretty comparable to the "top" TE. I'd say though Durham is a better blocker from my minimal research.

I will be curious how different the late round picks go but that was projections based on average on simulators so they may be much higher than I have them slotted.

[SunsetBengal]

(02-06-2023, 08:33 AM)WVUHomer Wrote: After reconsideration yesterday, I'm leaning towards replacing Brown with Benton. Better depth behind Reader sounds strong for me. Not sure any CB from the SB would be of value in 2. Stephenson maybe?

I think Jones answered a lot of questions he had in the past week so I think he will get the 1st round buzz now. I wouldn't be upset with Wright though and think he may have moved up to right before our pick.

Durham, if a projected 4th rounder, wouldn't be a huge reach in 3 considering how late ours is. EDIT, i just looked up the stats to compared to Mayer. 11 less catches for 200 less yards and 1 less TD this year. pretty comparable to the "top" TE. I'd say though Durham is a better blocker from my minimal research.

I will be curious how different the late round picks go but that was projections based on average on simulators so they may be much higher than I have them slotted.

Keep in mind that Jones only showed up and practiced the 1st day of Sr. Bowl practices, that was by design.  His people knew that everyone would fall in love with the two attributes that he has that cannot be coached or developed, length and size.  That first practice was able to showcase his strongsuits, without having to expose any of his areas of weakness/needing developement.

He's a huge, stong player, but I'm not so sure that he's plug and play ready on day 1.  A team taking Jones that high in the draft should also have a contingency plan, in case they need to sit him for a stretch.

[TecmoBengals]

(02-05-2023, 12:25 PM)WVUHomer Wrote: Rd 4. Tyjae Spears RB Tulane

Fast, catches well, doesn't seem to go down on first contact. Ideally in a RBBC.





Rd 7. Jake Haener QB Fresno St.

Back up competition. He plays like he has a chip and could give us competent QB play if JoeyB went out for a short period.

I only know what the almighty internet tells me but I like these two picks a lot. I think it is time to replace Mixon and Spears is getting hype. I also agree, let's improve the backup QB spot in case we lose Burrow for a few games. 

[WVUHomer]

(02-06-2023, 09:49 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Keep in mind that Jones only showed up and practiced the 1st day of Sr. Bowl practices, that was by design.  His people knew that everyone would fall in love with the two attributes that he has that cannot be coached or developed, length and size.  That first practice was able to showcase his strongsuits, without having to expose any of his areas of weakness/needing developement.

He's a huge, stong player, but I'm not so sure that he's plug and play ready on day 1.  A team taking Jones that high in the draft should also have a contingency plan, in case they need to sit him for a stretch.

You very well could be right. I thought I read he went into concussion protocol at the end of day 1 though I cannot verify that.

I'm all for Wright but I worry he may not be available.

[SunsetBengal]

(02-06-2023, 11:06 AM)WVUHomer Wrote: You very well could be right. I thought I read he went into concussion protocol at the end of day 1 though I cannot verify that.

I'm all for Wright but I worry he may not be available.

I hadn't heard anything of the sort.  I did hear the NFLN guys talking about him during the game, mentioning that showing up for only 1 day is an old Senior Bowl tactic.

[WVUHomer]

(02-06-2023, 11:12 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I hadn't heard anything of the sort.  I did hear the NFLN guys talking about him during the game, mentioning that showing up for only 1 day is an old Senior Bowl tactic.

Jones thanked Nagy and training staff for the care they took of him so idk.

[*Synric*]

Alot of Senior Bowl guys up there lol. Ive been watching some Sydney Brown I would love to see him in stripes but seeing Benton down there as the "other choice" is the direction I'd go. I can get behind Durham in the late 3rd but I have Spears over Durham on my board so I would flip those picks.

[*ochocincos*]

My concern with Dawand Jones is he's too heavy to move much at all, strictly a gap power guy.
I know the Bengals scheme has adjusted over the past year, but I'm not sure he's still a great fit unless he can move well enough laterally.

[WVUHomer]

(02-06-2023, 02:41 PM)Synric Wrote: Alot of Senior Bowl guys up there lol. Ive been watching some Sydney Brown I would love to see him in stripes but seeing Benton down there as the "other choice" is the direction I'd go. I can get behind Durham in the late 3rd but I have Spears over Durham on my board so I would flip those picks.

Lol hence a Senior Bowl mock. I wanted to spin off an idea of Bfine. He has "dreaded" so I thought I'd attempt a SB.

Yea. Im second guessing my 2nd round after seeing Goodberry show were we ranked in DL spending. Getting some cheap contracts there are going to be important in the near future.

[WVUHomer]

(02-06-2023, 03:51 PM)ochocincos Wrote: My concern with Dawand Jones is he's too heavy to move much at all, strictly a gap power guy.
I know the Bengals scheme has adjusted over the past year, but I'm not sure he's still a great fit unless he can move well enough laterally.

Jones/Wright are 1a. and 1b. to me. I feel like they can be interchangeable per persons opinion. I'm going on upside for his size considering the move to gap scheme lately.

[*ochocincos*]

(02-06-2023, 05:05 PM)WVUHomer Wrote: Jones/Wright are 1a. and 1b. to me. I feel like they can be interchangeable per persons opinion. I'm going on upside for his size considering the move to gap scheme lately.

Both are good fits in gap schemes, but I feel Wright might be a bit better when it comes to fit with the Bengals.
I know Pollack likes power guys though, so either one fits that bill.

[WVUHomer]

(02-06-2023, 07:22 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Both are good fits in gap schemes, but I feel Wright might be a bit better when it comes to fit with the Bengals.
I know Pollack likes power guys though, so either one fits that bill.

I may reconsider and go with Wright, especially considering he shut down Anderson. I still worry he may go before us.