What Are Your Priorities In This Draft?!

[BFritz21]

We only have six picks, and obviously only picks in the early rounds, usually the first three, become contributors, especially early contributors.

What are your top priorities to get difference makers in the first three?

We obviously need the most help in the secondary, interior offensive line, interior defensive line, d end, and secondary, so where are your top priorities in this draft?

I keep going back and forth because I want Nolen in the first round or even end or safety, but then I keep remembering that we need to finally give Burrow protection, so I go back to IOL.

I've wanted to go Nolen because, on top of getting pass rush from the tackle position, he'll free up our ends from being doubled and improve the pass rush in that sense, but do we ignore that and just try to outscore teams?

Do we trust Peters to improve the IOL without two high picks?

Do we draft a linebacker? That's always the forgotten position for me because I still think of backers as predominantly run stoppers (which is still a big part of it) but it has become such a passing league (I know backers still play a part in pass rush and pass coverage). I just never have them as a top priority.

Will we be active in free agency to improve the areas of need that we can't fill in the draft? I know there will be players cut, but are there any players now that you want or probable cuts that you want?

What are your areas of concern that you want to see addressed in the draft? What areas do you want to see addressed in free agency after the draft?

Am I putting too much emphasis on the need for guards?

[*ochocincos*]

If I got to make any choice:
- pass rush
- pass protection for IOL
- Coverage/ball hawk safety
- TE and/or RB

[*Synric*]

Impact DL
Guard
Pass Rush

[BFritz21]

(04-15-2025, 07:24 PM)Synric Wrote: Impact DL
Guard
Pass Rush

Those are pretty much mine too.

If we can't get a pass rush, then our secondary will get eaten alive no matter what.

The reason why I want Nolen is because he'd stop the run and get a pass rush from the interior DL, but then I'm thinking do we miss on a guard by taking Nolen in the first?

[*Synric*]

(04-15-2025, 07:39 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: Those are pretty much mine too.

If we can't get a pass rush, then our secondary will get eaten alive no matter what.

The reason why I want Nolen is because he'd stop the run and get a pass rush from the interior DL, but then I'm thinking do we miss on a guard by taking Nolen in the first?

In 2020 Jessie Bates was Second Team All-Pro and Shawn Williams I believe had the best year of his career. The Defense as a whole was record setting bad because they had the worst DL in the NFL. 

[BrownAssClown]

Edge, DL, safety and'/or OG early, LB, RB or TE later. We're down a TE with the All injury. Is Grandy able to step up? Our RB room is weak after Brown and Perine. This is a deep running back class. The big three needs IMO are Safety, OG and Edge. Murphy has been disappointing, Stone and Bell also. We have more needs than picks, a trade back to pick up additional picks would be ideal.

[BFritz21]

(04-15-2025, 09:16 PM)BrownAssClown Wrote: Edge, DL, safety and'/or OG early, LB, RB or TE later. We're down a TE with the All injury. Is Grandy able to step up? Our RB room is weak after Brown and Perine. This is a deep running back class. The big three needs IMO are Safety, OG and Edge. Murphy has been disappointing, Stone and Bell also. We have more needs than picks, a trade back to pick up additional picks would be ideal.

I'm hoping we find a way to trade for Michael Mayer so we don't have to waste a pick on a TE and I think Burrow would absolutely love him and make him an All-Star. 

This site says that the Raiders could potentially trade him to the Chiefs to be Kelce's replacement, but I don't think that they'd trade him to a team in the division.

I think we could get him for a late round pick and I'm sure he'd prefer to come here, so maybe the Raiders would respect that.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

We need pass rush on Defense and a good interior OL on Offense. Pass rushing DL and protection for our Franchise.

But we shouldn't pass on a stud to reach for a character concern is my one point. Cannot paint ourselves into a corner.

You can find good Ends and 3-techs in THIS Draft after the 1st round, it is deep with these players. I would go BPA at 17 and if there
aren't any special dudes go Donovan Jackson the stud Guard. Donovan and Malaki Starks the Safety out of Georgia seem to fit more
and more to me as we lead up to the Draft.

[Whatever]

My draft priority would be to actually draft good players. The second you pigeonhole yourself by saying "I want to draft an X by Round Y", your draft starts to suffer.

The draft is chess, not checkers.

[*bengalfan74*]

The three most important things in Real Estate are - location, location or sorry.

The three most important things for this team IMHO are defense, defense, and defense plus a starting Guard. We need help at every level on D. It wouldn't bother me at all if four of our picks, or even five are defense.

I strongly feel 2 of our first 3 should be defense. What positions that involves just depends on how the raft falls? How many QB's go before we pick? I feel we should have a decent defensive option at 17 and we need playmakers.

[*Synric*]

(04-16-2025, 09:47 AM)Whatever Wrote: My draft priority would be to actually draft good players.  The second you pigeonhole yourself by saying "I want to draft an X by Round Y", your draft starts to suffer.  

The draft is chess, not checkers.

Problem is the Bengals have pretty much pigeonholed themselves.

 No matter what Guard will be taken in the top 100 even if they are reaching for a guy at #81 similar to the NT/McKinnley Jackson situation in 2024. Impact DL is the next one pigeonholed because they have let the DL they built slowly decay. Also because of roster construction (paying qb & wrs) the Bengals need to drop top draft capital in high cost positions like Edge & DT.

[Whatever]

(04-16-2025, 11:26 AM)Synric Wrote: Problem is the Bengals have pretty much pigeonholed themselves.

 No matter what Guard will be taken in the top 100 even if they are reaching for a guy at #81 similar to the NT/McKinnley Jackson situation in 2024. Impact DL is the next one pigeonholed because they have let the DL they built slowly decay. Also because of roster construction (paying qb & wrs) the Bengals need to drop top draft capital in high cost positions like Edge & DT.

They've only met with two G's, though.  They've spoken to several T's, many of whom might be able to switch to G, but only two G's.

Their thinking may very well be that they've upgraded the OL already.  You don't fire your OL coach and bring in a replacement and expect that it will be a zero sum move.  And while Patrick may be a journeyman, honestly, it would be hard for him to be any worse than Cappa last year.  And with the focus being more on OT, you have to wonder if they see Ford as one of the starting G's and they're looking for depth/Brown's heir apparent.  

DL is a bit of a moot point, because the best player in any given round has a high probability of being a DT or Edge in this class.

[Essex Johnson]

More and more i would still say Def. End.  we just don't know with Trey but we do know we need more depth and production from DE.  After that would be guard position, then LB/Safety, DT/Corner, last priority to me this draft is  TE/RB

[*ochocincos*]

(04-15-2025, 07:24 PM)Synric Wrote: Impact DL
Guard
Pass Rush

How are impact DL and pass rush different?

[*ochocincos*]

(04-16-2025, 11:26 AM)Synric Wrote: Problem is the Bengals have pretty much pigeonholed themselves.

 No matter what Guard will be taken in the top 100 even if they are reaching for a guy at #81 similar to the NT/McKinnley Jackson situation in 2024. Impact DL is the next one pigeonholed because they have let the DL they built slowly decay. Also because of roster construction (paying qb & wrs) the Bengals need to drop top draft capital in high cost positions like Edge & DT.

Was Jackson THAT much of a reach?

I went back to look at the consensus big board and other prospect rankings from last year.
He was listed as 150, but his peak was 71.
IF he really would have made it to 149, he could have been selected in the 5th round, but I know many sites had him considered most often as a 4th rounder.
It's possible Bengals had him as a 4th rounder but figured hey, we got this comp pick, let's just get our guy half a round early than risk him not making it to 115. 
Or possibly they actually had him in or close to Top 100. Wouldn't be the most surprising thing if his peak projection at one point was 71, which would have been mid-3rd rounder.

I'm not seeing Jackson to be a reach of the caliber of say Drew Sample, who most had pegged as 5th rounder but got taken in Rd 2.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(04-16-2025, 12:48 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Was Jackson THAT much of a reach?

I went back to look at the consensus big board and other prospect rankings from last year.
He was listed as 150, but his peak was 71.
IF he really would have made it to 149, he could have been selected in the 5th round, but I know many sites had him considered most often as a 4th rounder.
It's possible Bengals had him as a 4th rounder but figured hey, we got this comp pick, let's just get our guy half a round early than risk him not making it to 115. 
Or possibly they actually had him in or close to Top 100. Wouldn't be the most surprising thing if his peak projection at one point was 71, which would have been mid-3rd rounder.

I'm not seeing Jackson to be a reach of the caliber of say Drew Sample, who most had pegged as 5th rounder but got taken in Rd 2.

Yeah, before the Draft all kinds of Mocks had McKinnley Jackson going in the late 3rd and 4th round.

Kris Jenkins was the surprise to me in the Draft. I like the guy and think he will improve the most this year, but he was a crazy player going 
from LB to DT in a few years.

[Whatever]

(04-16-2025, 12:48 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Was Jackson THAT much of a reach?

I went back to look at the consensus big board and other prospect rankings from last year.
He was listed as 150, but his peak was 71.
IF he really would have made it to 149, he could have been selected in the 5th round, but I know many sites had him considered most often as a 4th rounder.
It's possible Bengals had him as a 4th rounder but figured hey, we got this comp pick, let's just get our guy half a round early than risk him not making it to 115. 
Or possibly they actually had him in or close to Top 100. Wouldn't be the most surprising thing if his peak projection at one point was 71, which would have been mid-3rd rounder.

I'm not seeing Jackson to be a reach of the caliber of say Drew Sample, who most had pegged as 5th rounder but got taken in Rd 2.

A 3.08 RAS after testing tends to negatively affect your draft stock.  

[BrownAssClown]

(04-15-2025, 10:16 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: I'm hoping we find a way to trade for Michael Mayer so we don't have to waste a pick on a TE and I think Burrow would absolutely love him and make him an All-Star. 

This site says that the Raiders could potentially trade him to the Chiefs to be Kelce's replacement, but I don't think that they'd trade him to a team in the division.

I think we could get him for a late round pick and I'm sure he'd prefer to come here, so maybe the Raiders would respect that.

I know you have liked Mayer since he came out of Notre Dame and that got me thinking. You know the needs we have on offense and defense. If Warren or Loveland are still on the board when we pick at 17, do you take one? 2 tight end sets would be interesting. I think I still go DL,DE,S or G with that pick but one of those TE's are tempting. Wonder what Taylor and the Bengals do in that situation?

[*ochocincos*]

(04-16-2025, 01:36 PM)Whatever Wrote: A 3.08 RAS after testing tends to negatively affect your draft stock.  

But most 2-down NTs typically have lower RAS.
DJ Reader, for example, had a 2.98 RAS.

Would people think Reader should have been a 5th rounder looking back?

While TJ Slaton, the new Bengals NT, had a 7.96 cumulative RAS, his agility drills were not good (2.34 RAS for shuttle, 3.20 RAS for 3-cone).
Slaton also went in 5th round.

It's possible Bengals looked up typical athleticism for NTs and figured it's not as big of a deal, and they liked his tape, and as such could have had him projected closer to Top 100.

I guess the point I'm making is Bengals wanted who they believed would be a good NT, they had a 3rd comp pick as "extra" to use, and didn't want to risk waiting until 115 (or 149) to get a NT. We won't really know where they had Jackson slotted, but if it really was a 4th rounder, I don't see it being crazy terrible if they took him half a round early.
Most NTs get undervalued anyway on draft day, and they fall to 5th round. Maybe Jackson would have done the same, but I wouldn't have risked waiting to 149 to get him. I would have pulled the trigger at 115 if he was still there.

[Stewy]

Quote:What Are Your Priorities In This Draft?!

To have plenty of beer and pizza on hand for when it starts, so I won't miss anything.

But why in the world would you want to know that?