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Draft Day Prognostication and Speculation



We are a mere 3 days from Zac Taylor’s first draft with the Cincinnati Bengals. Not since the 2003 draft when Marvin Lewis took Carson Palmer first overall have we had a new coach in the war room on draft day.  Not only do I remember that pick well but I also remember watching those first three rounds. Eric Steinbach in the second round was a great pick. The third round brought us Kelly Washington and the advent of the squirrel dance.  It was an exciting day. The Bengals appeared to be turning a corner. No longer were we reaching for Offense Tackles in the first round and then some unknown Tight End in the second or third round. Not only was that first day great but we took a flyer on Dennis Weathersby in the fourth round (no it didn’t work out but it was exciting at the time). Thursday we get our first glimpse of what this team will look like in the fall.

I’ll admit it. The NFL draft is slow, boring, annoying and yet I can’t not watch it. My mind tells me it’s just some guy standing on a stage who announces a name. Sometimes someone comes out and gets a nice new hat and jersey and then smiles for pictures. There is no logical reason why this is considered entertainment but for NFL fans across the country it is nearly a holiday.  The buildup started a year ago and by January it has been balls to the walls non-stop predictions and freakish athletes competing it what appears to be the Presidential Fitness test that I was so miserable at in 4th grade. 

So what do the Bengals do this year? Well, the people who watch football film and brush their hair for a living seem to think we will go Offensive Tackle or possibly Linebacker. It’s hard to get excited about an Offensive Tackle in a draft. They don’t give us those stats we love. There is no way to truly quantify the impact of an Offensive Lineman, but picking for fan excitement is a horrible idea. Building a dominant offensive line would set this team up for long term success. We currently have the AFCs leading rusher in Joe Mixon, and an elite WR duo in AJ and Tyler. If a true plug and play tackle is available at pick 11 and he can become a force for the next 10 years then it would be a great pick.

Linebackers are flashier and much more exciting. Look no further than Khalil Mack, Von Miller, and Cincinnati’s own Luke Kuechly to see what a great Linebacker can do for his team. Someone who can sit behind Geno and let him eat blocks and then burst into the backfield would be a huge addition for this team.  When Vontaze was healthy and on the field look how much better our defense was. I would be thrilled to have a Linebacker who can come in and run up and down the field making plays.

There is a segment of Bengals fans who want a Quarterback. I understand the feeling. Who wouldn’t love to draft the next Peyton Manning? One player can take you from middle of the road to Super Bowl Contender on a yearly basis. The issue with drafting a Quarterback is that for every Peyton Manning there is a least one Ryan Leaf. There is no sure thing when drafting a QB. We all know the limitations of Andy Dalton. He isn’t going to carry a team to a Super Bowl, but he also isn’t going to be in Vegas talking into bricks of money like it’s a cell phone. If the right player is there that can learn behind Andy for a year or two and then step in and become the franchise that too would be a great pick.

I truly don’t know what the Bengals will do this year when they are finally on the clock. We have so many holes to fill. I believe we will do what Marvin Lewis always use to say and “Let the draft come to us.” For all the faults and aggravation Marvin brought to Bengals fans, his draft strategy served us well. Perhaps it wasn’t Marvin’s strategy, but an organizational strategy?  We will find out soon enough. Duke Tobin is still in the Draft Room and of course the Brown Family reunion will be going on as well. I do not expect a wild change in philosophy now with Zac Taylor at the helm, but who knows, maybe we trade up into the top five and grab someone he loves. Either way my family is going to be bored out of their minds as I sit on pins and needles awaiting Roger Goodell to say a name in that microphone.

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