Pick 18, what should Bengals do?

[|BlackJesus|]

Two recent mocks going Murphy 

 

 

[sparky151]

4 hours ago, dex said:

Latham fits the Bengals current style of OT. WE all know that Burrow doesn't like inside pressure. The idea is to push the EDGE rusher out wide and make him come all the way around. That gives Burrow time to step up into the pocket. Latham is so massive and strong, plus has idea arm length. You can get around Latham eventually but it takes several seconds. Meanwhile...Burrow has already stepped up and put the ball in the air.

 

Yes, that was the "lose slow" tactic that had Lael Collins taking an unusually wide split. But Latham isn't quick enough to engage and push the rusher outside when facing a top rusher. See the Texas and Michigan games. Vs Texas the freshman LT had a nightmare so Latham got overlooked for criticism but he wasn't good. Vs Michigan, they got inside and around him several times, including on the critical 4th down in OT. 

[texbengal]

7 hours ago, sparky151 said:

 

The problem is they are watching Latham's tape. And he does have good tape for the most part, though Texas and Michigan got the better of him. But Alabama is a flop factory when it comes to NFL linemen. They get elite recruits like Latham, put them through an NFL caliber strength program, and give them top coaching. So they usually have a good O-line with some highly ranked prospects. Then those guys get overdrafted and are disappointments at the NFL level. Think of guys like Chance Warmack (top 10 pick as a guard), Evan Neal (top 10 pick), Alex Leatherwood (mid first rounder who didn't make it to year 3). Even Jedrick Wills and Jonah Williams were taken in the first half of round 1 and not lived up to expectations. 

 

If Latham were coming from Michigan State or UCLA or North Carolina with the same tape, he'd be a better prospect because he'd have more room for improvement. Alabama is the new Nebraska, don't get suckered. 

There have been some misses at Alabama for sure. Not just at OL… the “topped out” argument has been used with Alabama players, regardless of position, for awhile. Some of it is valid, some not. UGA has had some recently  1st round OL guys who haven’t panned out too… Wynn is just OK, Wilson washed out, Andrew Thomas has been up and down (although was on the rise before he got hurt), and Broderick Thomas is a work in progress. 
 

Latham isn’t a pristine prospect, he’s had some bad tape… as you noted, he struggled some vs. Michigan, in particular. But his body of work in the SEC and what it appears the Bengals are looking for at T seems to be a good fit. I doubt he’d be a home run, but I think he’d be a good, solid starter who, if need be, could also play G. I just like his game, but again, not sure he’ll even be there. 

[texbengal]

Saw this on YT. Hot off the presses…

 

 

 

[sparky151]

Is he calling the 2024 class the best in recent memory? If so, he sounds "business drunk".  Most years the first round is dominated by early entry players. This year there were only 58 early entries, less than half as many as in recent years. So the draft pool is thin, down more than 60 top prospects. That's why a piece I saw in The Athletic this morning quoted some NFL guy as saying this draft was only 150 players deep by regular standards. Though all 257 picks will be used, the last hundred or so are players who may well have gone undrafted in an average year. 

[HavePityPlease]

12 hours ago, sparky151 said:

Is he calling the 2024 class the best in recent memory? If so, he sounds "business drunk".  Most years the first round is dominated by early entry players. This year there were only 58 early entries, less than half as many as in recent years. So the draft pool is thin, down more than 60 top prospects. That's why a piece I saw in The Athletic this morning quoted some NFL guy as saying this draft was only 150 players deep by regular standards. Though all 257 picks will be used, the last hundred or so are players who may well have gone undrafted in an average year. 

This isn't necessarily the case, remember that we're now into the "covid kids", the ones who likely stayed another year to recover the one they lost.  It might just be that there's so many of those it wasn't expedient to come out early this year unless you are *really* confident.

[sparky151]

3 hours ago, HavePityPlease said:

This isn't necessarily the case, remember that we're now into the "covid kids", the ones who likely stayed another year to recover the one they lost.  It might just be that there's so many of those it wasn't expedient to come out early this year unless you are *really* confident.

 

Even accepting that argument, it still doesn't make this year's group the best in recent memory. 

[texbengal]

With Duke Tobin out with his Dad's recent passing, Mike Potts held the pre-draft press conference earlier today. He handled himself really well, I thought. 

 

Interesting to me that he mentioned on the analytics side that Elizabeth Blackburn has also created some reports that they use in scouting/draft prep. I know there's that Sam Francis guy and some others on the staff who do that analytics work full-time, but the fact that she's doing that, in addition to her other work - really impressive. I know she's really bright, and in addition to working on fan engagement, she's very hands-on regarding a lot of team things. But I didn't know she was involved at that level re:  the on-field football operations piece too. But her Mom has been, between contracts and being on an NFL committee or two, so I shouldn't have been surprised. 

 

Anyway, it's posted on Bengals.com. 

[|High School Harry|]

13 minutes ago, texbengal said:

With Duke Tobin out with his Dad's recent passing, Mike Potts held the pre-draft press conference earlier today. He handled himself really well, I thought. 

 

Interesting to me that he mentioned on the analytics side that Elizabeth Blackburn has also created some reports that they use in scouting/draft prep. I know there's that Sam Francis guy and some others on the staff who do that analytics work full-time, but the fact that she's doing that, in addition to her other work - really impressive. I know she's really bright, and in addition to working on fan engagement, she's very hands-on regarding a lot of team things. But I didn't know she was involved at that level re:  the on-field football operations piece too. But her Mom has been, between contracts and being on an NFL committee or two, so I shouldn't have been surprised. 

 

Anyway, it's posted on Bengals.com. 

She should give up the "fan engagement" crap 

[|BlackJesus|]

17 minutes ago, texbengal said:

I know she's really bright

 

- Considered an expert on the salary cap (see how Bengals always have cap space). 

- First woman in the NFL to ever be chief negotiator on contracts. 

- Went to Dartmouth (Ivy League) then got Law degree. 

- The Bengals are in good hands when Katie takes over all operations. She's the anti Jerry Jones. 

[I_C_Deadpeople]

Walter Football reporting that the Bills are making calls to move up into the middle of round 1 to target a WR (like Brian Thomas).

 

Anyone have an apettite for that?

[texbengal]

41 minutes ago, BlackJesus said:

 

- Considered an expert on the salary cap (see how Bengals always have cap space). 

- First woman in the NFL to ever be chief negotiator on contracts. 

- Went to Dartmouth (Ivy League) then got Law degree. 

- The Bengals are in good hands when Katie takes over all operations. She's the anti Jerry Jones. 

 

Maybe anti-Jerry from a "staying in your lane" standpoint, but there's no doubt Jerry is a very astute businessman. He's made tons of of $, not only in football, but in real estate investments, oil and gas, other franchises (e.g pizza)... And he's made the other NFL owners a lot of money, too, especially early on with re-vamped licensing agreements, etc..  

[|BlackJesus|]

34 minutes ago, I_C_Deadpeople said:

Anyone have an appettite for that?

 

It would depend who is available when the Bengals are on the clock. 

 

If Bowers, Mims, Fautanu, Murphy, and Newton are all gone ... I could see sliding back and taking Barton as an option.

[claptonrocks]

5 minutes ago, BlackJesus said:

 

It would depend who is available when the Bengals are on the clock. 

 

If Bowers, Mims, Fautanu, Murphy, and Newton are all gone ... I could see sliding back and taking Barton as an option.

Barton is rated as a plug and play guard...a good one..

Id be disappointed if he was our 1st pick though..

.

 

 

[claptonrocks]

38 minutes ago, I_C_Deadpeople said:

Walter Football reporting that the Bills are making calls to move up into the middle of round 1 to target a WR (like Brian Thomas).

 

Anyone have an apettite for that?

Nope...

To move up we'd lose.#18 and possibly

our first 3rd rounder if not more..

Hell no..

 

[|BlackJesus|]

52 minutes ago, claptonrocks said:

Barton is rated as a plug and play guard...a good one..

Id be disappointed if he was our 1st pick though..

 

I would be ok with Barton actually (especially if Mims is gone), as he could play all 3 inside spots (C/G) if there was an injury, so basically insurance on 3 OL positions. 

[texbengal]

1 minute ago, BlackJesus said:

 

I would be ok with Barton actually (especially if Mims is gone), as he could play all 3 inside spots (C/G) if there was an injury, so basically insurance on 3 OL positions. 

 

He was a T in college, so really, he likely could play any position on the line if needed... but from what I've read, he is definitely projected as a C-G in the NFL. 

[|BlackJesus|]

2 minutes ago, texbengal said:

 

He was a T in college, so really, he likely could play any position on the line if needed... but from what I've read, he is definitely projected as a C-G in the NFL. 

 

Pollack on Graham Barton

 

[|BlackJesus|]

Bucky's latest mock ... Bengals pass on Mims (and he goes to Squeelers) 😨 to take a WR ...

 

https://www.nfl.com/news/bucky-brooks-2024-nfl-mock-draft-4-0-dt-byron-murphy-ii-is-first-defender-taken-bengals-select-wr

[JC]

 

[|BlackJesus|]

2 minutes ago, JC said:

 

 

If the Bengals go CB it better be White Lightning Cooper DeJean! 

 

I would also be ok with Rakestraw if they traded down in Rd 1.

 

But if the Bengals take Wiggins or Arnold I will have to talk myself into the pick like I did Murphy last year (he was not on my wish list). 

[dex]

12 minutes ago, BlackJesus said:

Bucky's latest mock ... Bengals pass on Mims (and he goes to Squeelers) 😨 to take a WR ...

 

https://www.nfl.com/news/bucky-brooks-2024-nfl-mock-draft-4-0-dt-byron-murphy-ii-is-first-defender-taken-bengals-select-wr

 

13 minutes ago, BlackJesus said:

Bucky's latest mock ... Bengals pass on Mims (and he goes to Squeelers) 😨 to take a WR ...

 

https://www.nfl.com/news/bucky-brooks-2024-nfl-mock-draft-4-0-dt-byron-murphy-ii-is-first-defender-taken-bengals-select-wr

The draft boards for most teams have already been set. There are some credible rumors that WR Brian Thomas is the player Pittsburgh is targeting at pick 20. Thomas is likely the WR the Bills are trying to move up into the teens to take themselves. Getting in front of Pittsburgh is probably what it will take.

[sparky151]

2 hours ago, I_C_Deadpeople said:

Walter Football reporting that the Bills are making calls to move up into the middle of round 1 to target a WR (like Brian Thomas).

 

Anyone have an apettite for that?

 

If you mean trading back with the Bills, not much.  Thomas should be a consideration for us. He'd be a good replacement for Tee. We could even then consider trading Tee to a team that will pay him and has a late first or early 2nd round pick. 

 

1 hour ago, claptonrocks said:

Barton is rated as a plug and play guard...a good one..

Id be disappointed if he was our 1st pick though..

.

 

 

 

Me too. If we're taking a center to succeed Karras, Jackson Powers-Johnson would be the way to go. He could play LG this season.

 

8 minutes ago, BlackJesus said:

 

If the Bengals go CB it better be White Lightning Cooper DeJean! 

 

I would also be ok with Rakestraw if they traded down in Rd 1.

 

But if the Bengals take Wiggins or Arnold I will have to talk myself into the pick like I did Murphy last year (he was not on my wish list). 

 

DeJean's best position is probably FS and we're set there. I'd be happy with Quinyon Mitchell in round 1 as he'd be a top CB prospect in any draft, not just this year's thin group of CBs. No thanks on Wiggins, he's about the same size and speed as Turner but less physical. Arnold would be ok but it's not clear he's fast enough. He went to college as a 5 star safety then became a CB.

 

 

[Cricket]

15 minutes ago, JC said:

 

Vegas obviously saw my guess in Jason’s contest.  🥷

 

 

[BBR]

3 minutes ago, Cricket said:

Vegas obviously saw my guess in Jason’s contest.  🥷

 

 

 

I looked several weeks ago and it's the most drafted position by the Bengals in the 1st round over the last 20 years.  CB is always a good bet for a Bengals 1st RD pick.