Round 1 Reaction, Round 2 preview

Pick 9 Reaction:

I’m okay with John Ross at 9.  He is a unique talent.  His speed will add an extra element to their offense.  He is a better receiver than most “fast guys”.  He’s not only a deep threat , but with his short area quickness he is dangerous in the red zone as well.  If the Bengals can keep Ross, Green, and Eifert healthy their red zone offense should be lethal. 

Here’s what I don’t like: 

I have a hard enough time watching slender players who are great.  Every time A.J. Green gets tackled I hold my breathe he isn’t going to get up broken in half.  Now I have to watch a 180 lb. guy with an illustrious injury history?  I might not survive the season. 

To me, taking a WR early closes off some of the their options later in the draft.  Some great WR’s are going to last into day 3 of the draft.  I’m not saying they won’t take another one, but they’ve lost some flexibility.  No one else runs a 4.21 40, but they could have gotten 80 or 90% of Ross 60 picks later. 

They passed on some REALLY good players to take Ross.  He will be a great complimentary player.  Marhson Lattimore, Malik Hooker, O.J. Howard, Haason Reddick: these are all guys with all-pro potential that have ceilings as the best players at their positions in the league.  I’m not sure if Ross has a shot to that level.  I’m not devastated, but man one of those guys would have been nice. 

Here’s a look at a Bengals-centric big board for round 2:

Jordan Willis, DE, Kansas State   

If they want to add edge talent, he has starter potential. 

Forrest Lamp, G, Western Kentucky

Could address one of their biggest needs. 

Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State 

Electric talent.

Zach Cunningham, LB, Vanderbilt 

They need to find an LB at some point

Dan Feeney, OL, Indiana

Again, interior OL within the next two rounds is a big need.

Dorian Johnson, OL, Pittsburgh

Ditto

Joe Mixon

He got in a verbal altercation a few years ago and he punched somebody.  I’m not condoning it, but haven’t the Bengals taken worse?  He is a risk, but man he’s really good.

Budda Baker, S, Washington

Small safety, but a playmaker that can play slot corner too.

Pat Elflein, C, Ohio State

Interior o-line again.

Obi Melifonwu, S, Connecticut

Ultra athletic

Tyus Bowser, OLB, Houston

Pour man’s Haason Reddick? 

Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama 

Will he take kindly being moved to guard? 

Chidobe Awuzie, CB, Colorado 

Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida 

Kevin King, CB, Washington

Not sure who the best corner left is. 

Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State 

Big talent, needs motivated.

DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame 

Would they do this?  Probably not.

Note:

I’ve stripped the WR’s from the list:

Curtis Samuel, RB, Ohio State 

Chris Godwin, WR, Penn State

JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, USC