Cincinnati Bengals
2011
NFL Draft Analysis
1st Round (1-5) |
1st Round (6-10) |
1st Round (11-15) |
1st Round (16-20)
1st Round (21-25) |
1st Round (26-32) |
2nd Round |
3rd
Round
4th
Round
| 5th
Round
|
6th
Round
|
7th
Round
|
Top Free Agents
2011 NFL Draft Team Analysis - AFC
EAST
Buffalo |
Miami
| New England
|
NY
Jets
WEST
Denver |
Kansas City | Oakland |
San Diego
NORTH
Baltimore |
Cincinnati
Cleveland |
Pittsburgh
SOUTH
Houston
| Indy |
Jacksonville |
Tennessee
2011 NFL Draft Team Analysis -
NFC
EAST
Dallas |
NY
Giants
| Philadelphia
|
Washington
WEST
Arizona |
San Francisco |
Seattle |
St. Louis
NORTH
Chicago |
Detroit
| Green Bay |
Minnesota
SOUTH
Atlanta
| Carolina |
New Orleans |
Tampa Bay
-
2010
Cincinnati Draft Breakdown
First Round
WR A.J. Green, Georgia 6-4, 211 (Jr.)
Overall Pick No. 4 CFN Overall Ranking: 2
Carson Palmer, do you want to play with your new toy? Green was
being talked about by Carolina as a No. 1 overall pick with
great size, tremendous hands, and good character, even with the
jersey-selling incident. With Ochocinco off playing soccer, and
all but done, and with the need for a No. 1 receiver to revolve
the offense around, the Bengals have a true top target to make a
big difference immediately. It might only be the fourth pick in
the draft, but Green is a great value here.
CFN Analysis: With all the tools, he’s the ideal
receiver prospect and is a legitimate No. 1, go-to target who
should be a franchise-shaper. He was the only thing the Georgia
offense had going for it at times (after he came off suspension)
and he still produced at the highest of SEC levels. He has the
size, the speed, the athleticism, the hands, and the willingness
to go across the middle. The one big knock is his lack of bulk;
he’s not going to be an Andre Johnson or Larry Fitzgerald when
it comes to his size. Yes, he’s a great athlete, but he came up
with an underwhelming Combine compared to Julio Jones, has
smallish hands, and it’s not like a post-grad degree at M.I.T.
is an option, but he’s a hard worker, is missing the diva trait,
and he does everything you want on the field and he’ll instantly
be the featured star of a passing game from the moment he steps
on the field.
CFN Projection: First Round
Second Round
QB Andy Dalton, TCU
6-2, 215
Overall Pick No. 35 CFN Overall Ranking: 86
Cincinnati’s dream comes true after Buffalo passed on a
quarterback. Welcome to the end of the Carson Palmer era as
Dalton comes in to combine with A.J. Green to form the passing
tandem for the next decade. At least that’s the hope. While
Dalton isn’t a special prospect and he’s not a sure thing, he’s
a high-character guy who was drafted on the cheap compared to
where Minnesota paid for Christian Ponder and Tennessee picked
Jake Locker. The problem is that he’s not going to be ready to
roll right away, and the Bengals might need him to be the
starter from Day One.
CFN Analysis:
He’s not all that big and he doesn’t have a live arm, but he’s a
dream of an NFL backup. He’ll always be prepared, he’ll always
be ready, and no one will outwork him. A baller, he’ll do
whatever is needed to make a play and to keep the offense
moving, and he rarely makes a misread of a big mistake. Pressure
means nothing to him; throw a pass rusher under his chin and
he’ll still deliver the ball. Forget about any big throws deep
and he has to be in West Coast attack, but he’ll be a nice late
round prospect who’ll hang around the league for a decade.
CFN Projection: Fifth Round
Third Round
OLB Dontay Moch, Nevada 6-1, 235
Overall Pick No. 6 CFN Overall Ranking: 46
A very fun, very athletic pick who’ll bring blazing speed to the outside. He might not have a set spot for the Bengal defense, but he’ll be thrown on the field and turned loose to get into the backfield. He’s a bit small and he’s not going to be a thumper, but there will be times when he’s unblockable.
CFN Analysis: He might not be all that big and he can’t be a defensive end, but he’s a peerless athlete. Von Miller might have a good burst and Bruce Carter, when healthy, might be as fluid as they come, but no one in this draft moves like Moch, who blew up a 42-inch vertical leap and ripped off a 4.46 at the Combine; he uses the wheels well as a tremendous closer on the quarterback. He’s a willing run stopper who’ll try to hold up against the run, but his money will be made as a playmaker into the backfield. Now he needs to be more creative and has to figure out how to hone his craft after spending his career destroying WAC opponents by simply being faster and more athletic. Get a good block on him and he’ll stay hit, but he’ll spend most of his time flying around blockers.
CFN Projection: Third Round
Fourth Round
OG Clint Boling, Georgia (OT) 6-5, 308
Overall Pick No. 101 CFN Overall Ranking: 59
CFN Analysis:
While he’s not a massive blocker and he’s not going to get much bigger, he’s a nice, tough run blocker who always works and has the skills to work inside or out. He moves well, can get on the move and make things happen down the field, and he’s functional enough to battle in a phone booth against the weaker defensive tackles. He’s not going to beat anyone up and he’s not going to handle NFL speed rushers if he moves to tackle, but he’s a good, sound player who’ll have added value because of his versatility.
CFN Projection: Second Round
Fifth Round
SS Robert Sands, West Virginia 6-4, 217 (Jr
Overall Pick No. 134 CFN Overall Ranking: 66
CFN Analysis: One of the most interesting prospects in the draft, he’s huge, long, and very cut. There’s almost no fat on him and he’s able to use his frame and look as an intimidating force. A major-league hitter, arguably the best among the 2011 defensive backs, he blows up anyone with the ball, but that’s not always a plus. He tries for the highlight reel hit way too often and has the attitude that makes him want to be showy when making the routine play would do. Not strong enough, he has to hit the weight room hard to hold up better against the run. Still raw, he needs time and coaching, but the upside it limitless.
CFN Projection: Fourth Round
Sixth Round
WR Ryan Whalen, Stanford 6-1, 202
Overall Pick No. 167 CFN Overall Ranking: 245
CFN Analysis:
There’s absolutely nothing about his game that makes him an NFL player, but he catches everything and is great at doing whatever is needed to get his nose dirty. He’s smart, he blocks, and he’ll run any route asked of him. There’s little to no NFL speed and he doesn’t make anything big happen when the ball is in his hands. He could be someone’s slot receiver, but he’ll be an easy cut if he ever drops a ball.
CFN Projection: Free Agent
Seventh Round
CB Corey Lindsey, Southern
Illinois 5-10, 181
Overall Pick No. 207 CFN Overall Ranking: Unranked
CFN Analysis:
A high-motor kick returner and corner who cuts well and is quicker than fast. He's a tough run defender who could be tried out as an undersized free safety if needed, but his money will be made on the outside and as a special teamer. He doesn't have top-end speed, but he's a battler who'll push hard for a roster spot.
CFN Projection: Sixth Round
Seventh Round
RB Jay Finley, Baylor
5-11, 198
Overall Pick No. 246 CFN Overall Ranking: Unranked
CFN Analysis: A fast home run hitter, if he gets the ball in space
he's gone. A tremendous athlete who moves well, cuts on a dime, and is
able to make things happen on his own, he's a creative runner who could
be used as a receiver. There's no power whatsoever and durability is a
concern, but he could shine in the right system as long as he's nothing
more than a part of a rotation.
CFN Projection: Free Agent