The Prelude:
Since Marvin Lewis joined the Bengals, the team’s draft strategy has been distinct. They stay true to their board almost to a fault and cling to their picks like priceless jewelry. Particularly in early rounds, Cincinnati time and time again has let their selection come to them, seemingly reluctant to swing any kind of deal to move up and grab a player they desire. The strategy was give and take in 2007. A high-character standout cornerback, Leon Hall, fell right into their laps in round one, while players rich in value at need positions like David Harris, LaMarr Woodley, and Justin Durrant were plucked off the board just before the Bengals second round selection.
Draft Day 1 Recap:
With that in mind, it was easy to see coming the pending frustration of the ’08 draft. The Bengals owned the ninth pick in a draft class touting only six to eight elite prospects. The whole world knew Cincinnati wanted and needed USC’s Sedrick Ellis. Many held out hope for a repeat of the serendipity of 2007 as mock draft after mock draft leading up to draft day predicted their long-coveted defensive tackle to slide all the way to 9 due to the needs and defensive systems of the teams picking one through eight. However, it was not to be. Unwilling to relinquish precious draft picks, the Bengals stubbornly stayed put and the Saints with the same need sitting right behind them swooped in to grab their guy. That much was fairly easy to see coming. The big question: With all of the clear-cut value gone, which direction would Cincinnati go instead? In my opinion, the best option seemed to be defensive end Derrick Harvey. He is a player with a lot of potential that would fill a sizable need and almost certainly be available. I expected some grumblings that 9 was too high for Harvey, but in the end it seemed like it would be the right pick in the long run. Apparently Jacksonville felt the same way. Coming out of nowhere, the Jaguars inexplicably swung a trade with Baltimore to move all the way up from 26 to snatch up Harvey. With little incentive for anyone to trade up, the Bengals were stuck and went ahead and selected USC linebacker Keith Rivers. In the second round, the opposite situation seemed to present itself. They had a well-documented need for an infusion of WR talent, and were selecting fifteenth in round 2 with many of the big-named receivers still on the board. The Bengals took a wide receiver, but his name wasn’t Sweed, Kelly, Jackson, or Manningham.
Day 1 Reaction:
When Cincinnati’s day one of the draft was complete they had added Rivers and a DI-AA prospect from Coastal Carolina named Jerome Simpson. For Bengals fans everywhere, including myself, the disappointment was inevitable. It’s not like New England was driving all that hard of a bargain. The Bengals had a golden opportunity to fill a void at DT left vacant since Tim Krumrie snapped his leg in Super Bowl XXIII, and it only would have cost a third round pick. They had their chance and they whiffed. Opportunity for redemption presented itself in round 2 and they seemingly whiffed again. The entire fan base cringed going into day 2, wondering what could possibly happen next.
Why the initial disappointment? I don’t think anyone will contend that Keith Rivers is a bad player, but he lacks the wow factor you would expect to garner from a top-10 prospect. Characterized by uninspiring adjectives like solid and consistent, Rivers isn’t a guy with the kind of potential that might allow him to one day be ranked among the top players at his position. Selecting a linebacker ninth overall, you hope to get a player who at worst is along the lines of a Jeremiah Trotter, but has the potential to be Ray Lewis. Instead it feels like they are getting someone who is at worst Brian Simmons with the potential to be Jeremiah Trotter. Coupling a Brian Simmons-type selection with the missed opportunity to strengthen the defensive line, arguably the team’s greatest weakness, amounts to disappointment. Draft analysts wrote about top WR prospects like Malcolm Kelly, Limas Sweed, DeSean Jackson, and James Hardy for months. Instead, the Bengals end up with a small school guy said to be more of a player with sleeper potential. Once again: disappointment.
A Second Look:
However maybe I am being naive and off-season over-optimistic syndrome is once again setting in, but after all the frustration subsided about what the team should have done and what might have been, I have started to warm up to this year’s picks. Often failing to factor into the equation when talking about potential are intangibles. It’s easy to imagine the great things that can be done with athletic ability, while overlooking character. Having a young defense that desperately needs a personality increases the value of a player like Keith Rivers. When you think about a team with a tarnished image bogged down in mediocrity the past two seasons, a fiery kid from a college program with a storied tradition starts to look pretty good. The Cincinnati defense has been widely criticized, but has more talent in place than most will give credit. Could a stabilizing leader who is comfortable being the face of the defense be the missing piece that finally launches them over the hump? Realistically, even if the linebacking corps stays healthy and the secondary matures, they are still a play maker on the defensive line short of where they need to be. Still, under the leadership of new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, between a quarter and mid-way through the season look for this unit to start surprising some people.
Was Jerome Simpson the right choice? Watching the highlight reels of Simpson’s long, lean body hurdling over DB’s, it’s hard not to sway his way. Cincinnati wasn’t the only team that elected to take less-heralded receivers ahead of those earmarked as the head of the class. It’s possible many front offices will end up with egg on their collective faces, but chances are they saw something. The Bengals could have tried to move up for the red zone TD machine, James Hardy, but there are some character concerns there. DeSean Jackson has electric play making skills, but is listed at a diminutive 5’9”, 169 lbs. Malcolm Kelly showed talent against top-notched competition at Oklahoma, but has some injury concerns, and when his 40 time at his pro day came out a few points too high he whined because school officials made him run on a different surface than he had practiced. Simpson is 6’2” with decent speed, big hands, and a 40+ inch vertical. He took the call from Marvin Lewis on draft day riding home from the flea market with his family, and looks to be a pretty good kid overall. Much like Rivers, I think Simpson might be a good fit for this team.
Day 2 of the draft brought a DT with a good shot at contributing early on in his career in Pat Sims. Andre Caldwell as their compensatory pick at the bottom of the third was great value that will go a long way towards rebuilding the receiving corps. Other notable bonuses stemming from picks in the latter rounds included adding an O-lineman with potential, competition at TE, and a special teams demon. The jury is definitely still out, but overall I would classify this year’s draft class as solid. The Bengals’ player personnel philosophy can be criticized as overly conservative. If Cincy ever were to wheel and deal like Baltimore moving down 18 picks then back up 8 picks, Mel Kiper’s hair just might fall out. Yet, you almost have to admire them for their persistence. They believe in their strategy. There have been setbacks. Serious injuries derailed the careers of high picks like David Pollack, Chris Perry, Kenny Irons, and Ahmad Brooks. Early on in the Marvin Lewis regime when faced with high value for players with questionable backgrounds, they went for value. Risks on key players like Odell Thurman and Chris Henry backfired, and they have adjusted placing more emphasis on character. They believe in their evaluation process and they have stuck with it. Maybe this is the year things change. Maybe this is the year the perception of Cincinnati's draft record turns from crippling caution to precious patience.
