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In the professional wrestling world, “marking out” is when a fan gets overly involved, or wrapped up in the event, suspending disbelief, and common sense, and enjoys the moment.
That said, what past Bengals draft picks, moves, etc... did you “mark out” for?
I admit to marking out when the Bengals acquired Pollack to fix the o-line. I was thinking if Joe Mixon loves the move, the Bengals running game should explode.
I was a big fan of drafting Jackson Carman, thinking if he's got Big Willie's stamp of approval, the kid is going to be a 10 year franchise RT.
What were some of the moves, picks that you were in love with in the moment, but later came crashing down to Earth?
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"Big Daddy" Dan Wilkerson, nobody could close to blocking him in college. Not sure wtf happened to him when he went pro...
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The 2 that stand out to me were John Ross and Jackson Carman. I liked both picks at the time and both namely Ross were terrible picks.
But some good ones I marked out for were, Jessie Bates III and Logan Wilson, also wanted Germaine Pratt and thought he was the 2nd best LB in
his draft after Devin White. Pratt needs to get back to playing like Playoff P again though, last year was a disappointment for both our LB's.
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I loved the Akili Smith pick because he seemed excited to join the Bengals. I was convinced his athleticism made him a can't miss pick.
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David Klingler.
Forgive me. I was young.
Like a teenage girl driving a Ferrari.
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(04-21-2024, 12:10 PM)sandwedge Wrote: "Big Daddy" Dan Wilkerson, nobody could close to blocking him in college. Not sure wtf happened to him when he went pro...
I think people mis-remember Bid Daddy. He actually played very well for the Bengals, 25+ sacks in four years and leading a fantastic run defense, but things went sour when the team tagged him. Even with all the bad press, the Bengals were able to get a first and third rounder from Washington for him.
Or maybe I am not recalling things properly?
With you on loving the pick, but not the way he left the Bengals!
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(04-21-2024, 01:00 PM)Destro Wrote: David Klingler.
Forgive me. I was young.
Same logic with Ki-Jana here. Thought he was leading us out of the dark ages. Even drafted him as a teenager in my first fantasy league.
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(04-21-2024, 01:00 PM)Destro Wrote: David Klingler.
Forgive me. I was young.
Likewise and I remember being excited about the pick. I suppose I'll always get pumped when a new QB is drafted if there is a need at the position.
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(04-21-2024, 01:18 PM)phil413 Wrote: Same logic with Ki-Jana here. Thought he was leading us out of the dark ages. Even drafted him as a teenager in my first fantasy league.
Perhaps if his knee didn't get busted he could have had a special Bengals career.
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Great topic. I think we all have an endless list of these. We just conveniently forget them to protect our reputations lol
For me, the first who comes to mind is a bit interesting. Well, there are actually two now that I think of it: Keith Rivers and Rey Maualuga. I was so hyped for these guys. I thought they’d not only give us a LB corps to rival the best in the league and finally give Marv the playmakers he needed to reincarnate his SB-winning Ravens defense, but also the fact they were Trojans who’d bring out the best in Carson.
To be fair, Rey-Rey was thoroughly… decent. He finished 11th in the entire draft in Career DrAV (according to PFR). Look at it like that and he was a fantastic second-round pick! For that matter Rivers came out of the gates on fire until he got rocked by Hines. He somehow finished 2nd in Def. ROY voting despite playing in only seven games (!). But it’s just that they both fell short of my wild expectations for them, which has more to do with me than them. And I’m sure that’ll happen again…
But I won’t apologize for it. Every pick or non-pick is super-consequential in April: you're either getting Tom Brady or Cedric Ogbuehi and anything in between is chronically hard to see. But that’s why I love the draft and always will. :p
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The trade for Taylor Mays.
6'3, 230lbs, ran a 4.43 (really a ~4.30) with a 41" vert and 10'5" broad? Just a freak.
Somewhere in the back of my head I still think he could have worked out if they had just immediately moved him full-time to LB, but the Bengals were still enamored with the extra heavy slower LBs over speed. I think he was just born about 6 years too early. Much like how Burfict was born about 10 years too late.
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(04-21-2024, 02:47 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: The trade for Taylor Mays.
6'3, 230lbs, ran a 4.43 (really a ~4.30) with a 41" vert and 10'5" broad? Just a freak.
Somewhere in the back of my head I still think he could have worked out if they had just immediately moved him full-time to LB, but the Bengals were still enamored with the extra heavy slower LBs over speed. I think he was just born about 6 years too early. Much like how Burfict was born about 10 years too late.
Yeah, I was excited for Mays myself. Like you said, just born at the wrong time, same with Burfict who was the opposite for me before we got
him. Didn't want to draft Taze with his problems, but was for him as an UDFA to give him a chance, he became one of my favorite Bengals even
if he was dirty, loved the way be got into the stealer's heads... 
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Rey Maualuga for sure. He was a monster ant USC and I remember being excited when they got him in the 2nd round.
Guess the lack of speed did matter with him - he ended up being pretty good just not nearly as dominant as he was in college.
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Andrew Billings was another, a few of us had him in multiple mocks for me higher than the 4th. Seemed like a perfect fit, to free up Geno even more. In reality I was too harsh on Peko and thought too much or Billings and the measurables. Not a bad player, but not worthy being geeked out over
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(04-21-2024, 04:02 PM)phil413 Wrote: Andrew Billings was another, a few of us had him in multiple mocks for me higher than the 4th. Seemed like a perfect fit, to free up Geno even more. In reality I was too harsh on Peko and thought too much or Billings and the measurables. Not a bad player, but not worthy being geeked out over
BILLINGS!!! 
He is a damn good player now though, took him longer than I thought, was really high on this guy as most know.
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(04-21-2024, 04:02 PM)phil413 Wrote: Andrew Billings was another, a few of us had him in multiple mocks for me higher than the 4th. Seemed like a perfect fit, to free up Geno even more. In reality I was too harsh on Peko and thought too much or Billings and the measurables. Not a bad player, but not worthy being geeked out over
(04-21-2024, 04:33 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: BILLINGS!!!
He is a damn good player now though, took him longer than I thought, was really high on this guy as most know.
BILLINGS!
Definitely Billings for me. Thought he had the size to stuff the run and the skills and speed to still get after the passer on passing downs.
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(04-21-2024, 03:53 PM)Clark W Griswold Wrote: Rey Maualuga for sure. He was a monster ant USC and I remember being excited when they got him in the 2nd round.
Guess the lack of speed did matter with him - he ended up being pretty good just not nearly as dominant as he was in college.
Think with him the lack of speed hurt but his biggest problems holding him back from his potential were the lack of conditioning and excess of drinking (the latter of which continued to be a problem for him after the NFL).
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I thought Matt Jones was going to be an unstoppable weapon with Palmer when we landed the former first round pick as a free agent.
I thought Dontay Moch was going to be a pass rushing terror.
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(04-21-2024, 05:16 PM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: I thought Matt Jones was going to be an unstoppable weapon with Palmer when we landed the former first round pick as a free agent.
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