I'm warming to Grey Zabel

[Essex Johnson]

This kid is impressive, dominated at Senior Bowl, great combine... can play across the line, will be the brawler we are missing at guard.  He is all over !st round draft boards positions from 10th to 25th in most draft boards, I think Bengals should consider him in their thinking at 17, if available

[jj22]

We’d be passing up on better prospects at 17 for him. But we aren’t in the best draft position with the glaring need.

[*bfine32*]

We don't need someone who can play across the line. We need a stud interior olineman.

IF we think he's the best RG/LG in the draft when we pick then take him. If we're willing to forfeit a little of that for versatility then take the IOL

[NATI BENGALS]

That's how I feel about Donovan Jackson. I've tried to avoid him to prevent the homer in me from falling in love. Shiiiit! Starting to see why NFL.com has him as the #1 ranked G.

We could very well get to choose our favorite from Zabel, Booker, or Jackson. Could also have a Campbell, Membou, or Banks fall.

The top of the OL group seems like cleaner prospects to me than a lot of the defenders. 

[Speedy Thomas]

(04-15-2025, 01:42 AM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: That's how I feel about Donovan Jackson. I've tried to avoid him to prevent the homer in me from falling in love. Shiiiit! Starting to see why NFL.com has him as the #1 ranked G.

We could very well get to choose our favorite from Zabel, Booker, or Jackson. Could also have a Campbell, Membou, or Banks fall.

The top of the OL group seems like cleaner prospects to me than a lot of the defenders. 

Agreed.  I will continue to advocate for a RG.  Job one for this franchise is to protect The Franchise.  I believe looking to draft a RG at 17 is the reason we haven't signed Scherff or Risner.  Now that may still happen after the draft -- in fact, if we don't take a guard early I can almost guarantee that it will.  But I'm tired of slapping bandaids on the OL.  Mims was a big step in the right direction.  Hope that continues.

[Whatever]

(04-15-2025, 01:42 AM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: That's how I feel about Donovan Jackson. I've tried to avoid him to prevent the homer in me from falling in love. Shiiiit! Starting to see why NFL.com has him as the #1 ranked G.

We could very well get to choose our favorite from Zabel, Booker, or Jackson. Could also have a Campbell, Membou, or Banks fall.

The top of the OL group seems like cleaner prospects to me than a lot of the defenders. 

I would disagree about the top OL prospects being cleaner than the defenders.

Campbell has short arms for both a T or G

Membou is both short and short armed for a T

Banks is short armed for a T

Booker has a 3.89 RAS

Zabel is short armed for a T or G, plus poor competition 

The only guy that really checks all the boxes from a physical standpoint for his natural position is Jackson, though you have to estimate his RAS because he refuses to run.  

[*ochocincos*]

So I may have missed this mentioned about Zabel before, but NFL.com scouting profile mentions that he actually "turned down significant NIL offers from other schools so he could play on the same team as his brother."

That is making me warm up to him some, as I was wondering why he would have stuck at NDSU his whole college career if he really was good enough to be a 1st round pick.

He is a bit on the older side though, turning 23 last month.

I was just getting PTSD from Volson coming out of NDSU and people touting how he's played across all the line too. So after seeing Volson be mediocre at best in the NFL after 3 years and around 50 starts, I've been getting worried Zabel could follow a similar path coming from FCS and not being able to adjust well enough to NFL talent.

I can see Zabel being appealing to Bengals, especially if they don't necessarily feel they NEED a 1st round pick OL to start as a rookie but rather serve as a versatile swing OL as injuries occur.

[Essex Johnson]

(04-14-2025, 11:45 PM)jj22 Wrote: We’d be passing up on better prospects at 17 for him. But we aren’t in the best draft position with the glaring need.

I would argue different i think he is a better prospect than some others

[Essex Johnson]

(04-15-2025, 12:04 AM)bfine32 Wrote: We don't need someone who can play across the line. We need a stud interior olineman.

IF we think he's the best RG/LG in the draft when we pick then take him. If we're willing to forfeit a little of that for versatility then take the IOL

I think he is also he is versatile to shift from guard to tackle that is a olus not a negative

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

Give me Donovan Jackson over the small school Zabel if we are going Guard at 17. Ideally trading back, adding Donovan Jackson and a pick tho.

But it doesn't look like many teams are going to trade up in this Draft in the first so just take the stud Guard Donovan or the stud Safety.

Too many questions about the Ends that should be available to me in the first.

[SunsetBengal]

(04-15-2025, 12:24 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: I think he is also he is versatile to shift from guard to tackle that is a olus not a negative

Pat Kirwin feels like he's a plug and play at any of the interior 3 spots. The lack of arm length gives pause to using him at Tackle in the NFL.

[FormerlyBengalRugby]

(04-15-2025, 12:30 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Give me Donovan Jackson over the small school Zabel if we are going Guard at 17. Ideally trading back, adding Donovan Jackson and a pick tho.

But it doesn't look like many teams are going to trade up in this Draft in the first so just take the stud Guard Donovan or the stud Safety.

Too many questions about the Ends that should be available to me in the first.

+1

Well put.

[*bfine32*]

(04-15-2025, 12:24 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: I think he is also he is versatile to shift from guard to tackle that is a olus not a negative

I didn't say it wasn't a plus. I did say I hope "versatility" would not prevent us from taking a better IOL. 

[Essex Johnson]

(04-15-2025, 05:25 PM)bfine32 Wrote: I didn't say it wasn't a plus. I did say I hope "versatility" would not prevent us from taking a better IOL. 

but i also stated i think he is better.. just my opinion but some draft sites putting him in the top 15.

[Essex Johnson]

(04-15-2025, 03:09 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Pat Kirwin feels like he's a plug and play at any of the interior 3 spots. The lack of arm length gives pause to using him at Tackle in the NFL.

most NFL teams are see him as a guard but can slide to tackle when needed

[Essex Johnson]

(04-15-2025, 12:30 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Give me Donovan Jackson over the small school Zabel if we are going Guard at 17. Ideally trading back, adding Donovan Jackson and a pick tho.

But it doesn't look like many teams are going to trade up in this Draft in the first so just take the stud Guard Donovan or the stud Safety.

Too many questions about the Ends that should be available to me in the first.

Im not going to just pass over a player from a smaller college that has performed well if so that would be like passing over  players like greats Rice and Payton etc.. Finally the senior bowl had some players at Dline and LBs that are going to be drafted and if you watch tape from practice and senior bowl, Zabel held his own and neutralized some of those players

[SunsetBengal]

(04-15-2025, 07:24 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: Im not going to just pass over a player from a smaller college that has performed well if so that would be like passing over  players like greats Rice and Payton etc.. Finally the senior bowl had some players at Dline and LBs that are going to be drafted and if you watch tape from practice and senior bowl, Zabel held his own and neutralized some of those players

I remember watching Synric's videos of the Senior Bowl practices. Zabel is a tough SOB and fights to the whistle, the way we were brought up to play in the day. Just the type of guy that the Bengals need to set the tone in the AFCN.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(04-15-2025, 07:24 PM)Essex Johnson Wrote: Im not going to just pass over a player from a smaller college that has performed well if so that would be like passing over  players like greats Rice and Payton etc.. Finally the senior bowl had some players at Dline and LBs that are going to be drafted and if you watch tape from practice and senior bowl, Zabel held his own and neutralized some of those players

I need to watch some vids of Zabel honestly, but being from a small school and being a trench man is a lot different than being a WR or a RB
like the all time greats that Jerry and Walter were. Donovan Jackson dominated against the highest competition in college in the big games, 
unlike Zabel. Volson looked great at North Dakota State too...

(04-15-2025, 08:07 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I remember watching Synric's videos of the Senior Bowl practices. Zabel is a tough SOB and fights to the whistle, the way we were brought up to play in the day. Just the type of guy that the Bengals need to set the tone in the AFCN.

Sounds good, will check the guy out if I can. I just don't have much faith in a small school guy coming right in and playing as well as Donovan
Jackson right off the bat. Just me even if he impressed in Senior Bowl practices.

[SunsetBengal]

(04-15-2025, 11:21 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: I need to watch some vids of Zabel honestly, but being from a small school and being a trench man is a lot different than being a WR or a RB
like the all time greats that Jerry and Walter were. Donovan Jackson dominated against the highest competition in college in the big games, 
unlike Zabel. Volson looked great at North Dakota State too...


Sounds good, will check the guy out if I can. I just don't have much faith in a small school guy coming right in and playing as well as Donovan
Jackson right off the bat. Just me even if he impressed in Senior Bowl practices.

I would love to see Donovan Jackson become a Bengal. However, I feel that #17 is too early to take him and by #49 he'll be gone. Depending on how the draft plays out and who's on the board at #17, this might be a great year for the Bengals to trade back a few spots and pick up another pick inside the top 100.

[*ochocincos*]

I want to call him Greg so bad.
Have to keep correcting myself that it's Grey, not Greg.