2015 Shits & Giggles Mock Draft V2

[HairOnFire]

A post combine pulse check.

 

Note: I used Draftscouts big board for player rankings and despite the questions about Collins/Newhouse assumed both 3rd and 4th round comp picks.

 

1 - DE - Owamagbe Odighizuwa, UCLA, 6'3", 267 

 Put me in the camp that thinks addressing DE in FA will either be too expensive for the Bengals tastes or too problematic. (G.Hardy) This armchair GM would look to fill that need in the draft with an early draft pick. Bud Dupree, who I picked in an earlier mock, and Odighizuwa have the size the Bengals look for without sacrificing the speed and explosion the Bengals need opposite of Carlos Dunlap, who hasn't gotten nearly enough help for two years in a row.

 

2 - WR - Rashad Greene, FSU, 5'11, 182

 Bengals say they'll now consider WR's smaller than traditional 6' template. Greene is more slightly built than Bengal receivers of the past but he's got 1st round skill.

 

3 - OLB - Kwon Alexander, LSU, 6'1, 227

 Speed to burn. Very impressive in combine drills and a productive player on the field.  

 

3 - TE - Ben Koyack, Notre Dame, 6'5", 255

 Comp Pick Estimated value #100 - Bengals need a new TE and they say they'll lean more towards a pass catcher than a blocking type. Koyack is a poor mans Tyler Eifert who would give the Bengals many of the same things they liked about Eifert.  

 

4 - ILB - Stephone Anthony, Clemson, 6'3", 243

 Insurance for Burfict. If the Bengals feel comfortable with Burfict's health then this pick would flip to O-line.

 

4 - WR - Ty Montgomery, 6'0", 221

 Comp Pick Estimated Value #140 - Montgomery has had roller coaster draft journey but I still see value as a backup WR who could eventually earn snaps with the offense and a Day 1 contributor as a KR 

 

5 - FS/CB - Justin Cox, Miss.St., 6'1", 191

 3-year starter at FS who seems to have made a successful leap to CB.

 

6 - QB - Brandon Bridge, South Alabama, 6'1", 229

 

7 - DE - Ryan Deaire, Towson, 6'4", 254

 

  

[Jason]

I really don't see us not drafting an OT.

 

Don't see 2 WRs.

 

Don't see QB.

 

O2's health concerns me.

[alleycat]

That would be a grand slam.

 

My only nitpick would be taking Montgomery there after already getting Greene, but more because I'd rather hope to find someone to replace the never-present Tanner Hawkinson.

[HairOnFire]

I really don't see us not drafting an OT.

 

Nobody gets everything they want in a draft and my desire to add a backup swing tackle simply wasn't strong enough to pass on more pressing needs at DE or LB.

 

And as you mentioned in your own mock it's a crappy class for DE's, especially if you pass on one early.

 

IMHO passing on a DE early in this draft increases the risk the team adds a veteran DE who won't give them the speed and burst they need, yet would still demand a much higher salary.

 

 

O2's health concerns me.

 

It concerns me too, but so far I've heard nothing that would prompt me to pass on one of the better DE prospects available.   

 

Further, it's not like the 1st round OT's are without concerns of their own.

 

IMHO Andrus Peat looks like a bust waiting to happen and Ereck Flowers performance in the kick/slide drill would keep me up at night. 

 

 

 

Don't see 2 WRs.

 

Rashad Greene doesn't have Greg Little's size, but he doesn't have any of his weaknesses either. And there's the rub because too much of the Bengals WR depth was filled by players they don't trust enough to actually use when needed. Greg Little, Branndon Tate, and Dane Sanzenbacher did little more than provide depth on paper only. Little played his way out of the rotation, Tate did little more than run hundreds of decoy routes, and Sanzenbacher seemed to get hurt the first moment he was used. Greene would give Dalton a more versatile player who has experience playing all three spots (X,Y,Z) while Ty Montgomery could assume Tate's role as a KR immediately.

 

 

 

Don't see QB.

 

Yeah, I don't either, but it was a 6th round pick and simply put I like Bridge enough to draft and stash on the practice squad.

 

More specifically I like his bio, I like the way he carries himself amongst the alpha dogs, I think he's got an NFL arm that can make all of the throws, and I think he throws a very pretty football.

[HairOnFire]

That would be a grand slam.

 

I double dipped at DE, WR and LB but missed out on O-line depth due to my belief Boling will be retained and the Bengals mutual attraction with Eric Winston. I also passed on DT due to the Bengals support of Peko.

 

Would have loved to address both of those spots in the draft but couldn't pull the trigger...dictating the Bengals shop for backup help at those positions in FA.

 

 

 

My only nitpick would be taking Montgomery there after already getting Greene, but more because I'd rather hope to find someone to replace the never-present Tanner Hawkinson.

 

I admit a WR/KR prospect like Dorsett would kill two birds with one stone but I'm guessing the Bengals will draft more than one WR this year.  

[happyrid]

Pretty good. I agree with 2 WRs and think that's likely. I don't like the 2 LBs though. Seems like overkill unless you think we don't sign any LBers at all in FA.

 

Can't really complain about 6th and 7th rounders, but those guys aren't going to make the roster. No room for 2 DE draft picks or a QB draft pick. 

 

Also, I think you have to assume we address something in free agency. Based upon your draft picks, it would appear that you think we miss out on completely LB, DE and TE which are probably the top 3 positions most likely to be addressed in FA.

[HairOnFire]

Also, I think you have to assume we address something in free agency. Based upon your draft picks, it would appear that you think we miss out on completely LB, DE and TE which are probably the top 3 positions most likely to be addressed in FA.

 

Yeah, I plead guilty to the charge of completely ignoring the impact FA could have prior to the draft.

 

I figured there was already too much guesswork to account for and preferred to add as much talent as possible by way of the draft only.

 

As a result FA is mentioned soley as a way of addressing post-draft the positions that were ignored in the mock, including help at DT and a backup OT.  

 

I admit it's unrealistic to think the Bengals would limit themselves in such a manner, as they do have a history of using FA as a means of freeing up their options in the draft.

 

But in my defense...(cough)... ignoring the impact FA could have is probably more realistic than assuming the Bengals checked off all the items from their offseason shopping list prior to the draft.  

 

Further, if the Bengals actual draft closely resembled the mock they'd emerge from the draft with a very managable post-draft FA shopping list targeting backup OL help, a blocking TE, and a veteran LB or DL.

[happyrid]

 

Yeah, I plead guilty to the charge of completely ignoring the impact FA could have prior to the draft.

 

I figured there was already too much guesswork to account for and preferred to add as much talent as possible by way of the draft only.

 

As a result FA is mentioned soley as a way of addressing post-draft the positions that were ignored in the mock, including help at DT and a backup OT.  

 

I admit it's unrealistic to think the Bengals would limit themselves in such a manner, as they do have a history of using FA as a means of freeing up their options in the draft.

 

But in my defense...(cough)... ignoring the impact FA could have is probably more realistic than assuming the Bengals checked off all the items from their offseason shopping list prior to the draft.  

 

Further, if the Bengals actual draft closely resembled the mock they'd emerge from the draft with a very managable post-draft FA shopping list targeting backup OL help, a blocking TE, and a veteran LB or DL.

 

Ha, yeah. It's an inherent defect of trying to do a mock draft before free agency. You either make assumptions about who your team will sign or you predict drafting to needs that many of which likely won't end up still being needs come April.

 

The problem with waiting to address needs in FA until after the draft is that the post-draft FA pool is usually pretty terrible. I actually really liked the lockout year (2011) when they had the draft before free agency. Allowed you to more easily go BPA in the draft and then fill your needs in FA. 

 

Anyway, I really think the Bengals have enough money to either A. make 1 big signing ($7M+ per year) and a few smaller signings ($2-3M per year) or B. make quite a few small to medium signings ($2-$5M per year). I think those are the 2 realistic options in FA and I'd be pretty shocked if they don't follow one of those two plans; 

[HairOnFire]

Anyway, I really think the Bengals have enough money to either A. make 1 big signing ($7M+ per year) and a few smaller signings ($2-3M per year) or B. make quite a few small to medium signings ($2-$5M per year). I think those are the 2 realistic options in FA and I'd be pretty shocked if they don't follow one of those two plans; 

 

I think the Plan B model is more likely unless the Bengals really do make a run at Greg Hardy.

 

And I confess without hesitation I have so many mixed feelings about Hardy that if I were in charge I couldn't pull the trigger....yet I'll probably do a fist pump if he becomes a Bengal.

 

It's fucked up.

 

In fact, in post after post I've deleted nearly everything I've written about Hardy, mostly because I start arguing with myself before I can complete the thought.  

[alleycat]

My rant the last three years, especially after getting substantiation from the havoc Burfict has wreaked, is that what we need on this team more than anything is swagger, attitude and a little meanness.  

 

Irrespective of the did he or didn't he do it questions surrounding Hardy, by all accounts he's an absolute animal on the field.  Old school, like Burfict (who reminds me so much of those great old NFL Films of dirty (but amazing) MF's in the 70s).

 

I want more of that here, and Hardy seems like a sure-fire infusion right where and when we need it.

[alleycat]

And yeah, I'd be willing to take the risk if it were my call, knowing full well that it could blow up in my face.  

 

(but I do think, given the recent past, one of the things that will be apples to apples in his competing offer will be a contract that protects the team in case of off-field transgressions).

[happyrid]

 

I think the Plan B model is more likely unless the Bengals really do make a run at Greg Hardy.

 

And I confess without hesitation I have so many mixed feelings about Hardy that if I were in charge I couldn't pull the trigger....yet I'll probably do a fist pump if he becomes a Bengal.

 

It's fucked up.

 

In fact, in post after post I've deleted nearly everything I've written about Hardy, mostly because I start arguing with myself before I can complete the thought.  

 

Ha, I totally know what you're saying about Hardy. 

 

If we sign him, I will definitely talk myself into it and be excited about it. He's a damn good player. 

 

If we don't, I won't be mad or anything, assuming that they know more about his off field issues than the general public.