Arkansas Bengal Posted April 6, 2015 Report Share Posted April 6, 2015 Bengals Intrigue As The Tight Ends Turn Marc HardinBengalsInsider.com Among the college tight ends going under the Bengals' microscope during pro day visits was Iowa State's E.J. Bibbs, a top-10 prospect on USA Today's list of the top 20 tight ends eligible for the 2015 draft. He's projected by some to be a fourth-round pick. The Bengals have a need for a tight end. To that end, they are going to great lengths trying to find the right one. They visited with former Arizona Cardinals unrestricted free agent Rob Housler on Thursday. Housler is not the only veteran tight end that they have interest in, a list that includes former Bengal Jermaine Gresham, an unrestricted free agent coming off surgery to repair a herniated disc in his back. Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin, no doubt fully aware of starting Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert's recent injury history, was in Arizona two weeks ago at the NFL Veterans Combine in Tempe looking at all the players there, presumably with an eye on tight ends. The Bengals have been taking a look at players at the position at the various college pro day camps, including one at Iowa State, where tight end E.J. Bibbs has emerged as a top-10 prospect on USA Today's list of the top 20 tight ends eligible for the 2015 draft. He's rated No. 9. Though undersized at just a shade under 6 feet 2 (he's actually 6 feet 1-7/8 after being widely listed as 6-3) and weighing 254 pounds, Bibbs is talented enough to have caused representatives from 18 NFL teams to book flights to Iowa for Iowa State's March 24 pro day. Included among them was Bengals tight ends coach Jay Hayes, who played 12 years at the position in the league. Hayes' attendance was confirmed by NFL Media senior analyst Gil Brandt. Brandt wrote that "representatives from 18 NFL teams, including the tight end coach from the Cincinnati Bengals" were on hand for Iowa State's pro day. Brandt added that eight Iowa State players worked out, as well as some others from schools in the area. Among them, Brandt listed Bibbs, Iowa State center Tom Sarniok and Morningside College running back Brandon Wegher as participants. Wegher began his college career at Iowa State. Bibbs played in the Senior Bowl and was at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis after catching 45 passes for 382 yards and eight touchdowns in 2014 for Iowa State. He was the Cyclones' second-leading receiver his first season in 2013 with 462 yards. He didn't have a single drop in field work at the scouting combine. He didn't run at the combine due to a bruised left knee bone, creating further interest at the Iowa State pro day. Brandt noted that Bibbs ran the 40-yard dash in 4.86 and 4.90 seconds, and had a 31 1/2-inch vertical leap and a broad jump of 9 feet 2 inches. Brandt said Bibbs completed the short shuttle in 4.52 seconds and the three-cone drill in 7.22 seconds. Bibbs performed 22 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press, two more than at the combine. That's an average workout for a player on which scouting reports are decidedly split. However, Bibbs has shown that he can catch the football, and this year's tight end class is shaping up to be potentially the draft's weakest position. There are a few intriguing options, and Bibbs counts as one. A highly-recruited JUCO player, Bibbs is projected as a fourth-round pick on CBS Sports' current draft board. CBS Sports' Dane Brugler believes that Bibbs is Iowa State's best NFL prospect, saying "he was used as more of an inline blocker, but still proved capable in the passing game with good body control and hand-eye coordination to snare off-target throws." Brugler wrote that Bibbs has a solid frame with room to get stronger, but his upper body strength is average at-best and he needs to improve his hand placement to do more than simply get in the way of defenders. Brugler added that Bibbs shows some laziness in his routes and needs to do more to create separation, but lowers his pads well as a ball-carrier with the ability to stay balanced through contact. Brandt thought that Bibbs, the 2014 Pete Taylor Award winner as Cyclones team MVP, was "heavy-legged and probably will be an undrafted free agent." In fact, everybody else at the Iowa State pro day figures to be undrafted, which shows the lengths some NFL teams are going to in order to make sure they keep their draft board up to date. Bibbs is optimistic, tweeting on Wednesday that there are "29 days until 2015 NFL draft." He might have good reason to look forward to the big day. At least two reports have surfaced saying that Hayes spent close to 30 minutes with Bibbs while working the white board and interviewing the tight end after the Iowa State workout. TFY Draft Insider's Tony Pauline wrote Bibbs ran "crisp routes, and everyone in attendance agreed he caught the ball very well." The USA Today Sports NFL Draft Guide says that Bibbs has "rare athletic ability for a player his size, and can plant his foot and explode out of a break. Dangerous after the catch with a strong combination of speed, power and agility. Very strong hands, capable of plucking the ball out of the air, but doesn't get in and out of his breaks as well as his athleticism indicates he can." http://cin.scout.com/story/1534411-bengals-intrigue-as-the-tight-ends-turn?s=117 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|BlackJesus| Posted April 8, 2015 Report Share Posted April 8, 2015 TE Clive Walford 6’4, 260 lbs, Miami (2/3) Jesse James 6’7, 260 lbs, Penn State (3/4) Nick Boyle 6’5, 270 lbs, Delaware (4/5) E.J. Bibbs 6’2, 260 lbs, Iowa State (4/5) ^ From my wish list ... :pimp: Good scouting Hayes. [media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eya-AoUGv5Y[/media] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uniwildcat38 Posted April 8, 2015 Report Share Posted April 8, 2015 ^ From my wish list ... :pimp: Good scouting Hayes. [media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eya-AoUGv5Y[/media] 0:47 is Gresham-like, right up to the point where he doesn't fumble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stan Posted April 8, 2015 Report Share Posted April 8, 2015 It sucks that Eifert just cant stay healthy.If he could,they would just draft one in the middle rnds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted April 8, 2015 Report Share Posted April 8, 2015 It sucks that Eifert just cant stay healthy.If he could,they would just draft one in the middle rnds. We likely will anyway. But sign a TE so we don't HAVE to draft one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|SF2| Posted April 8, 2015 Report Share Posted April 8, 2015 It sucks that Eifert just cant stay healthy.If he could,they would just draft one in the middle rnds. We have no idea if Eifert can stay healthy. He fucked his shoulder landing awkwardly and needed surgery. That isn't the same as tearing up your Achilles simply running or the type of injury Gronk had. Guy is still young and may be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparky151 Posted April 8, 2015 Report Share Posted April 8, 2015 I'm not worried about Eifert carrying over his injury from last year. He seems healthy now. It would be a question of whether or not he's fragile and injury prone. It's too soon to say that after 1 injury. Some of that probably comes from the team saying at the time of the injury he'd return in 2014 then that not happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|kennethmw| Posted April 8, 2015 Report Share Posted April 8, 2015 I'm not worried about Eifert carrying over his injury from last year. He seems healthy now. It would be a question of whether or not he's fragile and injury prone. It's too soon to say that after 1 injury. Some of that probably comes from the team saying at the time of the injury he'd return in 2014 then that not happening. Agreed. The biggest part of the "Injury Prone" meme, was the placement on the ir return list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randle P McMurphy Posted April 8, 2015 Report Share Posted April 8, 2015 I'm liking the kid from Penn St., Jesse James in the 3rd. Solid blocker and decent hands. Catches the ball in traffic well and at 6' 7" another "red zone" target. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|BlackJesus| Posted April 9, 2015 Report Share Posted April 9, 2015 At this point I could see the Bengals drafting 2 TE's in the first 5 rounds. I think there is a hole at TE2 & TE3 on the Depth chart. I think a combo of Jesse James in the 3rd and Bibbs in the 4th (with both compensatory picks) would be nice picks ups, and turn that position from a team weakness into a strength. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted April 9, 2015 Report Share Posted April 9, 2015 At this point I could see the Bengals drafting 2 TE's in the first 5 rounds. I think there is a hole at TE2 & TE3 on the Depth chart. I think a combo of Jesse James in the 3rd and Bibbs in the 4th (with both compensatory picks) would be nice picks ups, and turn that position from a team weakness into a strength. As often, and how, we use a 3rd TE, I could see just going with 2. Hewitt or one of the OL would be the "3rd TE" and if someone got hurt we would sign a free agent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatternMaster Posted April 9, 2015 Report Share Posted April 9, 2015 I like Nick Boyle from Delaware for a blocking TE, he's a big guy that can catch the ball. I hope they bring Gresham back even if they draft a TE early in day 3 of the draft, nothing like competition to bring the best out of guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnickyCat Posted April 9, 2015 Report Share Posted April 9, 2015 Gresham #JUSTSAYNO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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