I'm warming to Grey Zabel

[*ochocincos*]

(04-16-2025, 07:40 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: 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.

This draft doesn't look to have any slam dunk Guards who are really worthy of 17th overall except for maybe Kelvin Banks if the team feels he can convert to Guard easily.
Banks had a 9.54 RAS when compared to Guards.

There looks to be a glut of IOL talent on Day 2, so I would think (or hope) they wait until Rd 2 and see who makes it there.
I'd be looking to go defensive playmaker in Rd 1.

[*bengalfan74*]

(04-16-2025, 09:46 AM)ochocincos Wrote: This draft doesn't look to have any slam dunk Guards who are really worthy of 17th overall except for maybe Kelvin Banks if the team feels he can convert to Guard easily.
Banks had a 9.54 RAS when compared to Guards.

There looks to be a glut of IOL talent on Day 2, so I would think (or hope) they wait until Rd 2 and see who makes it there.
I'd be looking to go defensive playmaker in Rd 1.

Agree

Get a defensive stud in Rd 1

[*ochocincos*]

(04-16-2025, 10:32 AM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Agree

Get a defensive stud in Rd 1

Weirdly, I had a dream last night the Bengals traded away Geno Stone.
Possibly indicating they may be targeting a safety early in the draft?

[*Synric*]

Grey Zabel reminds me of Jets C Joe Tippmann.

Zabel was always the best athlete in the trenches on the field playing at NDSU in thr games I watched. Such an easy mover laterally and in space which should put him near the top of the boards for Zone heavy teams. He has good core strength/power but is closer to average than upper end which caps his ceiling in a power/gap system.

[*Synric*]

(04-16-2025, 07:40 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: 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.

Donovan Jackson is hard to place because he was a much better pass protector at Tackle than Guard but he won't be a Tackle in the NFL. 

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(04-16-2025, 07:40 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: 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.

True, but it looks like it is going to be hard to find a partner to trade back with. I think we just take the stud Defensive player in the first and look 
for Guards like Ratledge and Savaniiaea in the 2nd and 3rd rounds.

[SunsetBengal]

(04-16-2025, 12:42 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: True, but it looks like it is going to be hard to find a partner to trade back with. I think we just take the stud Defensive player in the first and look 
for Guards like Ratledge and Savaniiaea in the 2nd and 3rd rounds.

I'd be happy with either of those guys. I've picked Ratledge several times in simulations. Savaniiaea would also be valuable as an emergency Tackle.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(04-16-2025, 12:49 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I'd be happy with either of those guys. I've picked Ratledge several times in simulations. Savaniiaea would also be valuable as an emergency Tackle.

Me too. One of these guys just seems the most likely with how the Draft will most likely play out and who the Bengals have met with.

Would be a reach drafting Donovan Jackson or Grey Zabel at 17 IMO.

[SunsetBengal]

(04-16-2025, 12:52 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Me too. One of these guys just seems the most likely with how the Draft will most likely play out and who the Bengals have met with.

Would be a reach drafting Donovan Jackson or Grey Zabel at 17 IMO.

I agree with that, and also the general feeling that we should look for a defensive star at #17 and get the best Guard we can at #49.

[*ochocincos*]

(04-16-2025, 11:33 AM)Synric Wrote: Grey Zabel reminds me of Jets C Joe Tippmann.

Zabel was always the best athlete in the trenches on the field playing at NDSU in thr games I watched. Such an easy mover laterally and in space which should put him near the top of the boards for Zone heavy teams. He has good core strength/power but is closer to average than upper end which caps his ceiling in a power/gap system.

How would you compare Zabel to a board draft favorite a few years ago in James Daniels?
I ask because Zabel's skill set sounds a lot like Daniels, an athletic C who should fit well in a zone heavy scheme.

[Bengalstripes9]

(04-16-2025, 09:44 AM)ochocincos Wrote: I want to call him Greg so bad.
Have to keep correcting myself that it's Grey, not Greg.

In other words.. that’s a pass?

I’m not against a guard in round 1.
if they draft a solid guard that exceeds expectations, sign me up. I just hope they pick the right guard if they do.

Id love to get a good guard on a rookie contract for 5 years.

I’d be good with a dlineman or safety, too.
Any defensive playmaker would be nice.

Above all else it has to be the best player available.
If they reach on a position group they’re going to have a lowsy draft

[Essex Johnson]

(04-16-2025, 10:14 PM)Bengalstripes9 Wrote: In other words.. that’s a pass?

I’m not against a guard in round 1.
if they draft a solid guard that exceeds expectations, sign me up. I just hope they pick the right guard if they do.

Id love to get a good guard on a rookie contract for 5 years.

I’d be good with a dlineman or safety, too.
Any defensive playmaker would be nice.

Above all else it has to be the best player available.
If they reach on a position group they’re going to have a lowsy draft

Well as i stated before, he is moving up the boards and some have him in top 15 but most have him in the 20s, i doubt Bengals will draft him but i will be interested to see if im right down the road on his career.

[*Synric*]

(04-16-2025, 01:22 PM)ochocincos Wrote: How would you compare Zabel to a board draft favorite a few years ago in James Daniels?
I ask because Zabel's skill set sounds a lot like Daniels, an athletic C who should git well in a zone heavy scheme.

Grey Zabel is more NFL ready than James Daniels was out of Iowa. Daniels was a zone only guy but has really filled out his frame and has become and excellent point of attack guard in thr NFL which I didn't expect.


I have the comp more as Joe Tippmann because he is a taller Center with average at best length smooth mover with light feet. 

[Stewy]

Having just posted my last pre-draft mock, which consisted of multiple iterations to get one I liked, I can say with confidence that getting Grey in the 2nd round isn't going to happen.  He was always gone by our 2nd round pick.

With that said, considering the wealth of DL and IOL talent in this draft, I'd really like to see us trade back in the 1st or even completely trade out of the first if we can get the right package.  The 2nd and 3rd round talent in this draft is really really good.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(04-18-2025, 01:12 PM)Stewy Wrote: Having just posted my last pre-draft mock, which consisted of multiple iterations to get one I liked, I can say with confidence that getting Grey in the 2nd round isn't going to happen.  He was always gone by our 2nd round pick.

With that said, considering the wealth of DL and IOL talent in this draft, I'd really like to see us trade back in the 1st or even completely trade out of the first if we can get the right package.  The 2nd and 3rd round talent in this draft is really really good.

Trading back is ideal but getting a trade partner is key and I don't know if anyone would want to trade up unless a dude like Jeanty or Warren
somehow fall to us and someone wants to trade up for the next great player. Even then I would be tempted to just take Jeanty or Warren myself.

[Stewy]

(04-18-2025, 01:25 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Trading back is ideal but getting a trade partner is key and I don't know if anyone would want to trade up unless a dude like Jeanty or Warren
somehow fall to us and someone wants to trade up for the next great player. Even then I would be tempted to just take Jeanty or Warren myself.

Oh I agree, but what I was seeing, and of course this is just the algorithm, is very often a top 10 pick was sitting there when we pick at 17.  Sometimes it was the AZ wideout, sometime the Pen State TE, sometimes one of the top pure tackles and often one of the top EDGE players.  Plus the potential for someone to trade back into RND 1 for Jaxson Dart.  It is a position that should be highly sought after for trades for players that would be "nice to haves" for the Bengals, but critical to others.

Anyway.....less than a week away.

[NUGDUKWE]

(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. 

This is where I'm at. If we aren't trading back in Rd 1 then take your pick of the top OL available. It's a position of need that on paper will get the most playing time. I also feel it frees up the rest of our draft to trade back if the situation arises. If we go defense 1 I fear we will be at the back end of a run on oline and either be reaching or waiting to draft oline until later. I just don't want to gamble protecting Burrow.