Cincinnati Bengals - AFC North, 2008 Draft Selections & Prospects
Cincinnati Bengals
The Draft Was
... Receivers. Think the Bengals are worried about losing
all their targets? They went with three receivers getting great
value with Andre Caldwell in the third round and Mario Urrutia
in the seventh. The help for the defensive line might not have
been enough. Angelo Craig is hardly a sure-thing end and tackles
Pat Sims and Jason Shirley aren't certain to start. Best Value Pick: Andre Caldwell, WR Florida. 3rd Round.
Not considered among the top receiver prospects, he got lost in
the shuffle. That could turn out to be the biggest break the
Bengals could get. Bubba is a productive playmaker who could
emerge as a perfect No. 2 from day one. Biggest Reach: Jason Shirley, DT Fresno State. 5th Round.
Considering the Bengals haven't exactly excelled at taking risky
players and making them shine, Shirley could be a project. It's
all there for him to be special, but he'll need a kick in the
pants. They Should've ... Gone after an end. It's hard to argue
with too many of the picks, but taking Pat Sims over the
versatile Shawn Crable, who went one pick later, could lead to
some major second-guessing.
#
Pick
9
9
1st Round
Keith Rivers, OLB USC
Is he really good, or does he stand out because this is such a
miserable year for linebackers? It's a little of both. He has
the body, the quickness, and the pop to be an impact playmaker
on the outside and he plays faster than he actually is. Tough
enough to play on the inside and quick enough to wreak havoc on
the outside, he could end up being a better pro than a college
player if he's turned loose more often into the backfield. He's
not going to be a top-shelf run stuffer and he's not a
sure-thing Pro Bowl star, but he'll start for a long time. CFN Projection: First Round
CFN Position Rank: 1
15
46
2nd Round
Jerome Simpson, WR Coastal Carolina
With great hands, good enough size, and O.K. speed, he looks the
part of a regular starting NFL receiver. A little too thin and
not a polished or disciplined route runner, he's hardly a
sure-thing and he'll need a lot of coaching and work. However,
there's upside. He'll work to be better and he'll make plays
with the ball in his hands, but he's not going to be a deep
threat and he's not going to carry anyone's passing game. He'll
be a sure-handed third down target who could quickly become a
quarterback's best friend. CFN Projection: Mid-Third to Fourth RoundCFN Position Rank: 15
14
77
3rd Round
Pat Sims, DT Auburn
It'll take some work and a little bit of time, but there's
tremendous upside if he can get used to being beaten on and if
he actually decides he wants to be a star. With all the skills
and excellent 6-2, 310-pound size, he has the look of a starting
NFL defensive tackle, but he only started for one season at
Auburn and he needs to prove he can be a bit of a warrior. He
needs to get stronger both mentally and physically, and if
someone lights a fire under him, he could be special. CFN Projection: Late Second Round CFN
Position Rank: 4
34
97
3rd Round
Andre Caldwell, WR Florida
One of the toughest calls among the receivers, Bubba has good
size, phenomenal speed, and was a dynamic playmaker at times
throughout his record-setting Florida career. How much are
scouts scared off by the broken leg suffered a few years ago? He
might not have the elite skills to blossom into a star of any
sort, but he's tough, isn't going to worry about taking a hit,
and he can flat-out move either on deep balls or on short routes
to rack up big yards after the catch. CFN Projection: Second Round CFN
Position Rank: 6
13
112
4th Round
Anthony Collins, OT Kansas
While he's not strongest lineman and he still needs a ton of
work, he has excellent upside for anyone with the patience to
sit on him for a year or three. While he had a great junior
season as the lead blocker for the upstart Jayhawks, and was a
finalist for the Outland Trophy, he should've stuck around
another year to hit the weights and to keep working on his
technique and overall maturity. At 6-5 and 310 pounds with
tremendous athleticism, he might be worth the risk ... and the
wait. CFN Projection: Late Second Round to Early
Third Round CFN Position Rank: 7
10
145
5th Round
Jason
Shirley, DT Fresno State A massive space-eater at 6-6 and close to 340 pounds, he'll
clog things up on the inside. He's a surprising athlete for a
player of his bulk and isn't bad at getting into the backfield.
However, he has no fire whatsoever. He should've been much, much
better than he was, but the light was never turned on and was a
career underachiever. CFN Projection: Free Agent CFN
Position Rank: NR
11
177
6th Round Corey Lynch, FS Appalachian State
A star high school running back, Lynch turned into a big-time
producer for the beat D-IAA/FCS program around. He's a terrific
leader who hits well, does whatever is needed, and knows where
everyone is supposed to be. He's not a superior athlete and he's
not the best form tackler, but he's a playmaker with a tough-guy
mentality to become a special teams superstar. CFN Projection: Sixth Round to Seventh Round
CFN
Position Rank: 27
41
207
6th Round Matt Sherry, TE Villanova While he's not fast and not big, he's athletic and isn't
afraid to throw his body around as a blocker. A good leader and
a productive receiver, he's a high-character guy with major
limitations. It's not like he was anything special at the lower
level. CFN Projection: Free Agent
CFN
Position Rank: NR
37
244
7th Round
Angelo Craig, DE/LB Cincinnati
A rangy 6-4 and 252 pounds, he's doesn't quite fit the NFL
defensive end mold. While he might be tried out at linebacker,
he times way too slow after bulking up to get big enough to
handle the work on the line. He went from a 4.6 speed rusher to
a plodding 5.1. He's a good athlete and he could blossom into a
role if a training staff figures out exactly what to do with
him. CFN Projection: Free Agent CFN
Position Rank: 35
39
246
7th Round
Mario Urrutia, WR Louisville
A disappointment considering what he could've been, the 6-5,
229-pounder cranked out 21.5 yards per catch and seven scores as
a freshman and had Brian Brohm throwing to him. He was fine as a
sophomore, but couldn't endear himself to the new coaching staff
as a junior. He needed to stay for another year to boost his
stock. CFN Projection: Fifth Round to Sixth Round CFN
Position Rank: 22