Cincinnati Bengals - AFC North

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

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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 Round    CFN Position Rank: 15

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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