Series Thread: 2024 Bengals draft

[cincygrad]

BTW (and very off-topic) - Speaking of our delusional fans..... The fans criticizing the Bengals draft are the same subset of fans that were calling for Eli De La Cruz to be sent to the minors because he made an error in the first week of April.

 

[Cincyfan78]

BTW (and very off-topic) - Speaking of our delusional fans..... The fans criticizing the Bengals draft are the same subset of fans that were calling for Eli De La Cruz to be sent to the minors because he made an error in the first week of April.

When you win a lot - and pick lower, the chances of drafting for the current year becomes more difficult. Not every pick, even high round picks, are going to be guys that are going to play (or be needed) right away.

How you keep the train rolling is by doing what the Bengals have done. Draft for future needs and hope that they are hitting on enough of those to keep winning at a high level despite roster turnover at some point. You can't keep everyone forever - and if you have a franchise QB like Burrow and a Franchise WR like Chase - that becomes even more apparent.

Who knows if the Bengals will hit on the right guys, but their approach is 100% correct.

 

[DanBengalfan]

BTW (and very off-topic) - Speaking of our delusional fans..... The fans criticizing the Bengals draft are the same subset of fans that were calling for Eli De La Cruz to be sent to the minors because he made an error in the first week of April.

The Yankees or Dodgers would love to buy him out.

 

[Cincyfan78]

The Yankees or Dodgers would love to buy him out.

He'll likely end up there eventually...

The contract Elly is going to command is going to be absurd. Maybe not Ohtani money - since Ohtani pitches...maybe...depending...but Cruz is going to be up there...

 

[DanBengalfan]

I read his demands were 3 years for $27 million. Pittsburgh is offering him $5 million a year for 2 years.

big difference. he might be done.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

I guess we stole the Chiefs draft target in the first round, supposedly. Who knows how truthful articles on the Internet are now a days.

 

[Cincyfan78]

I guess we stole the Chiefs draft target in the first round, supposedly. Who knows how truthful articles on the Internet are now a days.

Quite honestly - I wouldn't be shocked if the Steelers had eyes on him as well.

There are more than a few who feel that Mims can develop into a high end LT with his agility and athleticism.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Quite honestly - I wouldn't be shocked if the Steelers had eyes on him as well.

There are more than a few who feel that Mims can develop into a high end LT with his agility and athleticism.

I forget who posted it, but his RAS Score was crazy high at 9.69 out of 10. That is otherworldly for a OT. Now, the question is, can he stay healthy and block Watt.

 

[Cincyfan78]

I forget who posted it, but his RAS Score was crazy high at 9.69 out of 10. That is otherworldly for a OT. Now, the question is, can he stay healthy and block Watt.

Yes - it was, I believe, 9.59. The only metric that held him from being higher was vertical was pretty bad - but probably not totally unexpected being a guy who is 6'8" and 340. Everything else tested measured in the Great/Elite category - including broad jump...so makes you wonder about the vertical being so bad...but I'll digress at the moment.

Honestly - I have no issues with his health. He had 1 injury. He did try to come back in roughly 6 weeks from that injury, which is why he pulled himself out of that Alabama game as it just wasn't quite ready. Not concerned over the hammy injury in the pre-draft process as lots of guys end up pulling muscles during this process...they are testing and doing things that they normally don't do. Including specific workouts to try and get those numbers looking better. I worry less about that and more about the tape. If one is going to argue that he doesn't have a ton of experience in snaps, then you also need to know that he doesn't have a long enough history to really be concerned about his injury history, IMO.

And at 18 - and with a future need, and potential to learn from the law-firm of Brown&Brown...his scores and tape are absolutely worth a swing there.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Yes - it was, I believe, 9.59. The only metric that held him from being higher was vertical was pretty bad - but probably not totally unexpected being a guy who is 6'8" and 340. Everything else tested measured in the Great/Elite category - including broad jump...so makes you wonder about the vertical being so bad...but I'll digress at the moment.

Honestly - I have no issues with his health. He had 1 injury. He did try to come back in roughly 6 weeks from that injury, which is why he pulled himself out of that Alabama game as it just wasn't quite ready. Not concerned over the hammy injury in the pre-draft process as lots of guys end up pulling muscles during this process...they are testing and doing things that they normally don't do. Including specific workouts to try and get those numbers looking better. I worry less about that and more about the tape. If one is going to argue that he doesn't have a ton of experience in snaps, then you also need to know that he doesn't have a long enough history to really be concerned about his injury history, IMO.

And at 18 - and with a future need, and potential to learn from the law-firm of Brown&Brown...his scores and tape are absolutely worth a swing there.

My buddy is giving me complete crap because he is a Browns fan. He says you draft 1st round picks to be starters from day one with exception to QB. You don't draft them to sit, and then you take a guy with 8 game experience, an injury and supposed experts giving us low grades initially after the first round after day one. Basically making fun of the Bengals. Now granted, he is my friend, so I am sure he is giving me a little more grief than he really thinks the pick was. He knows experts know less than they think they do and you can only really evaluate after 3 years how that pick is turning out.

 

[Cincyfan78]

My buddy is giving me complete crap because he is a Browns fan. He says you draft 1st round picks to be starters from day one with exception to QB. You don't draft them to sit, and then you take a guy with 8 game experience, an injury and supposed experts giving us low grades initially after the first round after day one. Basically making fun of the Bengals. Now granted, he is my friend, so I am sure he is giving me a little more grief than he really thinks the pick was. He knows experts know less than they think they do and you can only really evaluate after 3 years how that pick is turning out.

Let's just point out that the Bengals draft path since 2020 has led to multiple playoff spots - 5 playoff wins and a SB appearance. Let's also point out that same team nearly made the playoffs without Burrow - and likely make the playoffs if they sit Burrow for the first 2-3 weeks while he was still clearly not 100%. So, while Burrow is a HUGE part of that run - the team around him is a major factor as well.

The Browns, meanwhile, continue to be the Browns...

One of my roommates from College is from Cleveland, and still lives there...we have good discussions on the draft and other sports along with the NFL (reds/Indians, etc...). He's a big fan of Cincinnati outside of the Browns...he's said more than once - "lately, I wish the Browns could be more like the Bengals"...he absolutely trashed the Watson trade...hated it. Actually gave up his season tickets because of it (more on moral grounds than expected playing grounds)...but he's about as objective as a fan can be with ones own team, as well as others.

 

[cincygrad]

My buddy is giving me complete crap because he is a Browns fan. He says you draft 1st round picks to be starters from day one with exception to QB. You don't draft them to sit, and then you take a guy with 8 game experience, an injury and supposed experts giving us low grades initially after the first round after day one. Basically making fun of the Bengals. Now granted, he is my friend, so I am sure he is giving me a little more grief than he really thinks the pick was. He knows experts know less than they think they do and you can only really evaluate after 3 years how that pick is turning out.

The Browns haven't had a first round pick in the last three drafts because they gave 250 million dollars and a shit ton of draft capital so that they could have a sex offender without accuracy play QB. So, yes, lets listen to them.

But, even if we are taking this point seriously.... The years we have picked in the top 10, where the Browns mostly find themselves since their rebirth, we've taken reliable starters (Green, Burrow, Chase).

 

[Cincyfan78]

Drafts and players selected that are impact starters or primary Backups:

2020 draft:
- Burrow
- Higgins
- Logan Wilson

2021 draft:
- Chase
- Ossai
- Sample
- McPherson

2022 draft:
- Hill (I'm still putting him here - he played a ton at DB his first year, and started at S his second. Back to DB this year, where I think he'll do well.
- Cam Taylor Britt
- Volson
- Tycen Anderson ( was doing very well last year in a primary backup and ST role until his ACL).

2023 draft:
- Turner
- Battle
- Jones
- Brown
- Yoshi
- DJ Ivey (another kid showing promise until the ACL got him).


On average the Bengals are landing 3-4 starters/primary backups per draft...which is pretty good. Some guys still have some time to get into this rotation (Murphy, Carter, Robbins if he doesn't suck again this year, etc...).

All in all - I think the Bengals drafting since 2020 has been better than most, certainly not bad by any stretch.

 

[Cincyfan78]

Even the year before that run: 2019:

Jonah Williams (who always would have been better at RT, IMO).
Drew Sample (the other Sample is the DE and probably can be removed but I can't edit now).
Pratt

2 for sure starters, and a guy who was just the best blocking TE in the NFL last year.

You have to go back to 2018 to get a draft where only 2 guys would break the top 2 in the rotation:

Hubbard and Bates. Price was a bust in round 1. No other real names of note.

 

[DanBengalfan]

Drafts and players selected that are impact starters or primary Backups:

2020 draft:
- Burrow
- Higgins
- Logan Wilson

2021 draft:
- Chase
- Ossai
- Sample
- McPherson

2022 draft:
- Hill (I'm still putting him here - he played a ton at DB his first year, and started at S his second. Back to DB this year, where I think he'll do well.
- Cam Taylor Britt
- Volson
- Tycen Anderson ( was doing very well last year in a primary backup and ST role until his ACL).

2023 draft:
- Turner
- Battle
- Jones
- Brown
- Yoshi
- DJ Ivey (another kid showing promise until the ACL got him).


On average the Bengals are landing 3-4 starters/primary backups per draft...which is pretty good. Some guys still have some time to get into this rotation (Murphy, Carter, Robbins if he doesn't suck again this year, etc...).

All in all - I think the Bengals drafting since 2020 has been better than most, certainly not bad by any stretch.

amazing what we can do with a little scouting and coaching.

 

[Cincyfan78]

amazing what we can do with a little scouting and coaching.

I mean - there is some luck involved as well...

But the key is to not over-reach for guys to be "impact" guys right away when you are drafting where they've been drafting the past few years.

Easy to find guys with pick 1 -4- 6, etc...but when you are down in the 20's, unless a need falls to you - you are likely looking for best fit and development a bit.

 

[DanBengalfan]

rookies starting week 1 games was the Bengals way of building for way too long.

 

[Cincyfan78]

rookies starting week 1 games was the Bengals way of building for way too long.

When you are picking high for so many years - you have a ton of holes to fill that those guys in the 1-10 range should be expected to have a pretty immediate impact.

Once you start sliding down the draft - it becomes a bit of a balance between finding guys who may fit a need, vs looking a bit into the future. Of course, a bit of luck plays into it as well.

Take this year, for example. The 1 big need for this season was another DT. Murphy falls, he's likely starting day 1 next to Rankins. He goes 2 picks before the Bengals can get him and they go with Mims. Could they have gone with Newton? Yeah. I think Newton would have been a solid pick, but then who do they end up with at OT, would they be as athletic and would they be as high a ceiling, let alone be ready to play?

However, they go Mims, and then nailed Jenkins with the 2nd pick.

That's why the Draft can be so wonky - it's not just about the pick at the time, but the bigger picture of other picks and how they end up formulating together. Newton plus the next OT taken, Patrick Pau,l isn't as good as Mims/Jenkins...So, while the Bengals could have gotten Newton - and I think been very happy with that pick and gotten a close to day 1 starter - they opted for a better future fit and long-term answer at OT (and if Mims does pan out like I think - he could be a LT and allow O.Brown to play a few more years in the league at RT) and still nailed a potential starter at DT...

 

[DanBengalfan]

When you are picking high for so many years - you have a ton of holes to fill that those guys in the 1-10 range should be expected to have a pretty immediate impact.

Once you start sliding down the draft - it becomes a bit of a balance between finding guys who may fit a need, vs looking a bit into the future. Of course, a bit of luck plays into it as well.

Take this year, for example. The 1 big need for this season was another DT. Murphy falls, he's likely starting day 1 next to Rankins. He goes 2 picks before the Bengals can get him and they go with Mims. Could they have gone with Newton? Yeah. I think Newton would have been a solid pick, but then who do they end up with at OT, would they be as athletic and would they be as high a ceiling, let alone be ready to play?

However, they go Mims, and then nailed Jenkins with the 2nd pick.

That's why the Draft can be so wonky - it's not just about the pick at the time, but the bigger picture of other picks and how they end up formulating together. Newton plus the next OT taken, Patrick Pau,l isn't as good as Mims/Jenkins...So, while the Bengals could have gotten Newton - and I think been very happy with that pick and gotten a close to day 1 starter - they opted for a better future fit and long-term answer at OT (and if Mims does pan out like I think - he could be a LT and allow O.Brown to play a few more years in the league at RT) and still nailed a potential starter at DT...

if Mims stays healthy he will be known as the steal of the draft. Where's Jonah playing these days?

 

[Cincyfan78]

if Mims stays healthy he will be known as the steal of the draft. Where's Jonah playing these days?

Him and/or Burton...if he straightens out - he's a 1st round WR...

I think he's in Arizona: Jonah Williams signed a two year, $30 million contract with the Cardinals. $21.5 million is guaranteed of which $19 million is fully guaranteed at signing.