Thoughts on draft?

[CrashDavisSports]

So what do you guys think of the draft? Sone highly graded picks, others not as high, but they loaded up on offensive line and defensive line. Trying to build those trenches.

 

[Cincyfan78]

I think the Carmen pick was early - but I thought the Ossai pick was exceptional value - so, if you swap those two, it works out. Ossai was a 2nd round grade, and Carmen was a 3rd round grade. So, in the end, it's a wash.

I really like the DT pick. 350lbs NT for any of their base 3-4 looks, plus adding him with Reader in the 4-3 means much more 1-1 for the DE's and LB's are free to make plays.

Like both edge picks - I think the kid from Tulane will surprise.

The OT pick is a project pick, but has talent - a lot of upside if they can get it out of him.

I think going K was too soon in the 5th, but if there is one coach that you trust it's got to be Simmons, right? Besides, this kid has an absolute LEG - he can drill kicks from 60+, and seems to have the accuracy in those 30-40 yard range - I know some will complain that Gainwell was there, but it is clear they like Perrine as the backup and have repeated spoken on expanding his role. With Mixon and Perrine, where is a RB going to go? Besides, they did get Evans in the 6th.

Speaking - Evans in the 6th was a great value pick, and a guy that probably has a bit more well-rounded game to offer special teams outside of Gainwell...though, again - if they don't go K - maybe?

They pick up a C that has improved every year - and PFF graded out at 76 last year, so not bad and offers good depth if Hopkins is slowed in recovery.


All in all, I think I give the draft a B- with potential. As always, going to be 3-4 years before we really know.

 

[Cincyfan78]

FWIW - Per PFF, by trading back in the 2nd round, the Bengals were able to land 3 of the top 109 players on their big board:

Carman #49; Shelvin #96; Smith #109

That's not too shabby.

 

[DanBengalfan]

RB Chris Evans in round 6.

basically gives Burrow another option on 3rd down or 2nd and long
I don't see him as a smash between the tackles runner, which is what we kind of need, but he is a weapon anyhow.

I don't know that he dethrones Mixon, but he could be around awhile and make some plays.

 

[Cincyfan78]

Highest-graded pass-rushers in the NFL Draft

1. Azeez Ojulari, Georgia - 91.7
2. Christian Barmore, Bama - 91.5
3. Jordan Smith, UAB - 91.4
4. Wyatt Hubert, Kansas St - 90.7 https://t.co/ZA2NvBKXYB

 

[BKBroiler9000]

I’ll give it a B-

I liked the positions selected. Didn’t care for some of the players chosen.

Ja’Marr Chase and Joseph Ossai are studs. Absolutely the best players to come out of this class.

I don’t care for the Jackson Carman pick. Seems like an unnecessary risk given the dire need at that position. Especially when they had their choice of OL to start day 2. He could be a good G in the NFL....apparently Willie Anderson really likes him. But I always get nervous when the Bengals start talking about getting “their guy”...

The Sample kid from Tulane seems like a nice find. Reminds me a lot of Carl Lawson. Which was probably the point.

Tyler Shelvin is a mountain of a man. Seems like nice insurance if DJ Reader can’t make it back. Would’ve rather seen them look for a 3T given the lack of bodies at that spot. Unless they plan on bringing back Geno at some point...

The OT from East Carolina has some nice tools. Louis Riddick about jizzed himself talking about him on the ESPN broadcast. Watch him end up being better than Carman lol.

Chris Evans RB from Michigan will make the roster. He’s a good player who got in trouble, then was underutilized his last year. He will have a better pro career than college career. Likely contribute on special teams, and maybe get some 3rd down passing game looks.

The C from Georgia won’t make the team. Tested poorly and had both knees operated on..

Wyatt Hubert is a PS guy.

 

[RaZon]

I always enjoy the draft, just don;t like TV guys trying to give some grade to how the teams did. We won't know that anytime soon.

 

[BKBroiler9000]

I totally forgot to mention the kicker. The Bengals have needed one since Shayne Graham’s game went to shit.

Hopefully they learned from the Jake Elliott debacle and keep this one..

 

[cincygrad]

I don't know enough about the players to make a good judgement. Clearly Chase will be a great player - I don't doubt that.

Here's what has me worried. What if our 2nd rounder can't play guard? I suppose he'll get a shot at RT in the next couple of years, but that's not helping us this year. As for the 3rd rounder.... When has this type of player worked out for the Bengals? We've drafted a bunch of undersized, athletic type of guys and have struggled to develop them. Maybe this kid is the real deal.... But he also might just be an undersized athlete that gets pushed around by the big boys.

I liked the DT from LSU. Seems like he would have had more love had he played this year. I also really liked the kicker.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

I don't know enough about the players to make a good judgement. Clearly Chase will be a great player - I don't doubt that.

Here's what has me worried. What if our 2nd rounder can't play guard? I suppose he'll get a shot at RT in the next couple of years, but that's not helping us this year. As for the 3rd rounder.... When has this type of player worked out for the Bengals? We've drafted a bunch of undersized, athletic type of guys and have struggled to develop them. Maybe this kid is the real deal.... But he also might just be an undersized athlete that gets pushed around by the big boys.

I liked the DT from LSU. Seems like he would have had more love had he played this year. I also really liked the kicker.

Ossai is said to be moving to linebacker, or at least the hybrid position like Lawson had played. So he is no longer undersized, he is huge.

 

[DanBengalfan]

It's hard to fill immediate starting rolls with anyone drafted after round 1.

I believe we did better than usual. there should be some productive players in this draft, provided they don't do something stupid like crash their car, jump out of a moving pick up truck, get thrown out of bars at the banks, get arrested, and spit on nurses.

I'm not jaded at all.

 

[Cincyfan78]

I'm a PFF guy as I like their in depth valuations. I know Carman is a bit of a ?? But I dont think the plan is for him to play OT at this level. I think longterm that will be the guy from East Carolina. If Carman ends up winning the starting OG....that pick works out. Or, just flip Ossai and Carman in your mind...lol

Chase: 6
Carman: 48
Ossai: 60
Sample: 88
Evans: 106
Shelvin: 116

The Bengals landed 6 players from the Top-150 on the final @pff big board. That’s a successful draft.

 

[Cincyfan78]

I also really like the Sample and Shelvin picks. Shelvin is a likely 2nd or 3rd round guy if he had played.

 

[cincygrad]

So I watched some highlights of Ossai this morning. Now, I'm wondering what the hell I'm missing. Dude looks like a monster out there on the field at times. Does he also have a lot of bad film that made him drop to the third round? I mean, he looks like the type of guy that might already be a dynamic playmaker and he looks like he might get bigger.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

So I watched some highlights of Ossai this morning. Now, I'm wondering what the hell I'm missing. Dude looks like a monster out there on the field at times. Does he also have a lot of bad film that made him drop to the third round? I mean, he looks like the type of guy that might already be a dynamic playmaker and he looks like he might get bigger.

Yeah, he looks like 100% motor, lots of violence. Love the pick so far. I saw him beat Teven Jenkins on a couple plays, and I saw Teven Jenkins just wipe his out as he blocked him into the Texas sideline and knock over 3 people as he blocked him into the bench. Teven looked like he had had enough of Ossai beating his ass all day.

 

[Cincyfan78]

So I watched some highlights of Ossai this morning. Now, I'm wondering what the hell I'm missing. Dude looks like a monster out there on the field at times. Does he also have a lot of bad film that made him drop to the third round? I mean, he looks like the type of guy that might already be a dynamic playmaker and he looks like he might get bigger.

The Knocks on him from PFF are the he doesn't shed blocks as well as he should for a guy his size. Hopefully that is something that can be cleaned up with coaching. The other knock is that he's more reactive than instinctive. For guys in that 1st/2nd round you typically like to find guys that are a bit more instinctive to where the ball is, and where it is going.

Honestly, I thought he would go in the 2nd round, and some mocks even had him going late 1st. I know there are some questions about Carman at the 46th pick, but if you flip/flop Ossai and Carman - you basically get them where many draft projections had them.

Though, PFF had Carman rated higher than Ossai - and again - I think for a guy who protected the blind-side of Lawrence for a few years - and did it relatively well - he's got a solid base to slide over to guard. Where he got dinged some was his ability to be beaten by better pure pass rushers, but at OG that is almost relegated to a non-factor - and his size and strength becomes an even bigger positive.

For many draft projections - I think they thought the Bengals would go OT early, but they have said all off-season, they are very happy with Williams at LT and Reiff manning RT for this year. I still look to see if they re-sign Reiff for a longer contract (maybe 2-3 years more) and allow them a bit more flexibility and time with their younger guys and to continue to add depth there as well through a few more drafts.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Carmen also has very good agility measurements for a guy his size. That can come in handy with guard pulling and stunts on the interior. He is also a big strong dude.

I am very happy with the competition they poured into the two trenches, and still was able to add a massive playmaker in Chase. They didn't ignore the lines. They built into it. May not have been the guys we wanted necessarily and I will be honest, I was a little disappointed we traded down at first and lost out on Teven Jenkins, but after seeing how the draft unfolded and the guys they picked up, I am pleasantly pleased with the draft and give them an A- personally.

 

[Cincyfan78]

PFF -

 

[DanBengalfan]

Any addition at all was most likely an improvement.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

Any addition at all was most likely an improvement.

This much is true. We will see how it all works out. But right now, I really like the youthful depth for competition on the trenches. Got the superstar, but built the trenches.