Game Thread: Draft day!

[ckhokie]

Cincinnati Bengals
Draft picks: Ohio State C/OG Billy Price (No. 21 overall), Wake Forest S Jessie Bates(No. 54 overall), Ohio State DE Sam Hubbard (No. 77 overall), Texas LB Malik Jefferson(No. 78 overall).
Day 1 grade: B
Day 2 grade: A
Overall grade: B+
The skinny: Picking up Cordy Glenn from the Bills for a move down of 10 spots in the first round will help their offensive line, so that needs to be considered here. Selecting Price, a center/guard, continues the Bengals' effort to get stronger up front, though I think there could have been more of a difference-maker selected here. The Bengals could have waited and landed a very good interior offensive lineman in the second or third round. The Bengals picked up an extra third-round pick by moving down a few spots in Round 2. Their back-to-back third-rounders -- Hubbard and Jefferson -- beef up their front seven. The games of both guys weren't loved by scouts, but in the third round, these picks make sense. Jefferson could be a particularly good value if everything comes together as he matures

2018 NFL Draft: Quick-snap grades for every team through Day 2

Who is actually going to play? Hoping Price, Bates may get a little time? Hubbard won't. Jefferson won't. The RB we just picked up in the 4th isn't going to start over Mixon. Another draft where we're not getting guys on the field.

 

[BKBroiler9000]

We love collecting RBs to run behind a shitty line with no push. These guys are something else.

 

[jbuck]

I'd say we won the draft again

 

[ckhokie]

Guessing we pick Shaq Griffin next. Just like the Bengals to grasp at some goodwill that won't pay off while blowing a pick on a career ceiling ST player.

 

[Be Weary of Query]

Luke Falk. Still there. Let’s make it so...

 

[ckhokie]

I hate Andrew Brown. Dude is lazy and stupid. Was a 5* out of hs and being so lazy and stupid, never really got any better.

 

[cincygrad]

I hate Andrew Brown. Dude is lazy and stupid. Was a 5* out of hs and being so lazy and stupid, never really got any better.

Apparently the Bengals have been watching high school tape this year.... Brown has the same profile as the kid they took from Texas. Both came out of high school as the next best thing and neither did dick in college.

 

[cincygrad]

We're really addressing our issues on the O-line.

 

[BKBroiler9000]

Fucking dopes. I see maybe one contributor in this whole class.

 

[cincygrad]

The Price pick makes sense. The safety will be a special teamer. The DE from Ohio State is a situational rusher on a team that probably needs more than a situational rusher once Dunlap walks next offseason. The kid from Texas and the kid from UVa are guys that were massive disappointments in college. The running back was a wasted pick. Overall, I think they get a C.

 

[ckhokie]

Lolololol

Just burning a pick on a shit QB. Love we're in a spot where we may as well not even take the pick.

 

[ckhokie]

Apparently the Bengals have been watching high school tape this year.... Brown has the same profile as the kid they took from Texas. Both came out of high school as the next best thing and neither did dick in college.

Cheaper than actual scouting. Watch some tape on Hudl, draft a few Buckeyes, pick a guy who's had a recent surgery, and late QB who will never play.

Wash, rinse, repeat.

 

[BKBroiler9000]

Lolololol

Just burning a pick on a shit QB. Love we're in a spot where we may as well not even take the pick.

This is Mike Brown’s favorite part of football season. An offeason’s worth of work culminating in this moment. Late round comp picks baby!

I’m sure Hobs will have a piece prepared on how Woodside was the gem of the draft.

 

[DanBengalfan]

The Bengals HAVE to draft some players that won't even make the team, because they are OVER the SPENDING CAP! HOBS SAID SO!

 

[kramer1]

Did we win the draft?

 

[DanBengalfan]

All we do is win win win

 

[DanBengalfan]

I looked at the highlights for the RB we picked up. in every nice run he had, no one touched him, basically he runs well when his blocking is exceptional. That will never happen here, so he'll be gone by the end of the year.

 

[Be Weary of Query]

Mel Kiper, ESPN: B

Overall, this Cincinnati class lacks star power, but it's solid.

I could argue that I ranked another center higher than Billy Price where the Bengals took him at No. 21, but what I can't argue is that they had to get a starting center in this draft. And my evaluations of Price and Iowa's James Daniels were close, so this isn't a reach.

After the first round, the Bengals did a good job not reaching and taking the best players available. Jessie Bates III (pick 54) is a good player with upside. I have compared Sam Hubbard (77) to Rob Ninkovich as a Swiss Army knife-type player with versatility.

Andy Benoit, MMQB: A-

The Bengals restocked defensive depth in the middle rounds, drafting safety Jessie Bates, end Sam Hubbard and linebacker Malik Jefferson. That replenished depth is extra critical this year because every noted front-seven contributor’s contract, save for Vontaze Burfict’s, Jordan Willis’s and Carl Lawson’s, expires after 2018. Bates will replace Shawn Williams, who is better suited as a movable safety in sub-packages, but that transition may take a year to unfold, given that new defensive coordinator Teryl Austin’s two-deep scheme places a lot of mental burden on safeties.

Nate Davis, USA Today: B

There may not be a Pro Bowler among C Billy Price, S Jessie Bates, DE Sam Hubbard, LB Malik Jefferson or RB Mark Walton. Yet all could quickly contribute for a franchise that generally doesn't get enough recognition for drafting effectively.

Vinny Iyer, Sporting News: B-

The Bengals got a good value for a huge need in Price. Hubbard and Jefferson, although not transcendent players, can be key contributors. Cincinnati got good volume and variety, including two intriguing late-rounders in Woodside and Tate. The class is average overall, but it makes up for last year's mess.

Chris Cannizaro, N.Y. Post: B

The Bengals’ top priority was to improve their offensive line, so they landed Ohio State center Billy Price in the first round. Though Price started all 55 games in college, he’s coming off a pectoral tear and is in rehab, which may have dropped his stock. After Price, the Bengals added to their defense with Wake Forest S Jessie Bates III and Ohio State DE Sam Hubbard in the second and third rounds, respectively.

Chad Reuter, NFL.com: B+

The skinny: Picking up Cordy Glenn from the Bills for a move down of 10 spots in the first round will help their offensive line, so that needs to be considered here. Selecting Price, a center/guard, continues the Bengals' effort to get stronger up front, though I think there could have been more of a difference-maker selected here. The Bengals could have waited and landed a very good interior offensive lineman in the second or third round. The Bengals picked up an extra third-round pick by moving down a few spots in Round 2. Their back-to-back third-rounders -- Hubbard and Jefferson -- beef up their front seven. The games of both guys weren't loved by scouts, but in the third round, these picks make sense. Jefferson could be a particularly good value if everything comes together as he matures. Walton is a well-rounded offensive weapon, presenting good value in the fourth round. I've been a fan of Harris since the fall. I suspect he'll be a very good reserve corner in time. Brown met a need to improve the depth on the defensive line, and could be a steal if he consistently applies his quickness and strength. Woodside, Taylor, and Tate were all excellent picks late in the draft, though I thought they might pick a tight end since Tyler Eifert has had injury issues.

Pro Football Focus: Average

 

[CrashDavisSports]

You can't fix everything in one draft, and with so many guys becoming free agents next year, you have to fill other positions as well. We fixed the LT position as long as Glenn can stay healthy. I believe we fixed C, which those two areas were by far our biggest weaknesses on the Oline. RT stinks, but who knows if Fisher will over come his heart issue, if Hart will be any help and maybe there might be a pre-June 1st cut that really interest the Bengals at RT. However, I doubt it with Hobson insisting we blew so much wad this year in FA that we may never recover from it..lol.

I am disappointed we didn't get Hernandez, but it was not realistic to think he would drop to 46. Surprised as hell he dropped to 34. I was just getting my hopes up more than anything.

I would have rather of seen us take Jefferson and Orlando Brown with our 3rd round picks. However, I think we were going to take Mason Rudolph with our first 3rd round pick before Pittsburgh moved up and grabbed him ahead of us. I truly believe we were poised to take Rudolph and Jefferson, and the front office had to adjust immediately afterwards and while they may have had Hubbard slotted around that area, I think that is their only TRUE mistake in the draft other than letting Pittsburgh steal Rudolph from them.

Jefferson and Orlando Brown would have been better picks. So right there in the 3rd round is where we screwed up our draft in my opinion, but not terrible. We let Pittsburgh get Rudolph and then we passed on Brown allowing him to go to the Ravens.

 

[ckhokie]

Rudolph would have been too smart of a pick there for the Bengals. Wouldn’t have happened.