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2009 NFL Draft Breakdown and Analysis
1st Round
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2nd Round
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3rd Round
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4th Round
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6th Round
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7th Round
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CFN 2009 Draft Central
& Team-by-Team Picks and Analysis
Cincinnati Bengals
The Draft Was
... big on
numbers to fill needs. The main concerns were offensive tackle,
center, and defensive end, and the Bengals went after them with
Andre Smith, Jonathan Luigs, and Michael Johnson, respectively.
Rey Maualuga was simply a best-player-available pick..
Best Value Pick:
Rey Maualuga, 2nd round, 38th pick. If he
had gone in the top 15 no one would've blinked.
Biggest Reach:
Andre Smith, 1st round, 6th pick. Let the
second guessing begin. If Smith busts, or turns out to be a
guard, and Eugene Monroe, who went two picks later, is a Pro
Bowler, this will be an epic whiff.
They Should've ...
Taken Monroe. Even with his durability
concerns, he was the safer pick. Smith's flakiness is the last
thing this franchise needs.
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6 |
6 |
1st Round
Andre
Smith, Alabama 6-5, 332 (Jr.)
Smith has
been a textbook example of how not to handle yourself before being
drafted. The character questions started after he was suspended from the
Sugar Bowl against Utah, and then came the public relations disaster of
leaving the Combine without telling anyone. And then there was the
shirtless private workout, showing off a chest normally seen in Russ
Meyer movie, which only threw gasoline on the fire for some teams. On
the field, there weren’t many better over the last few seasons. It
could’ve been argued that he deserved Heisman consideration in a Most
Valuable Player sort of way for what he did for the Alabama line last
year. Watch the Sugar Bowl again and it’ll show in dramatic fashion just
how important he was. But his character questions are too great to
ignore, and he could end up making most of his money as a guard and not
a tackle. The bust potential is too great to invest heavily, but on
talent he’s worth the risk further down the first round.
CFN Value Rank:
First Round CFN Position
Rank: 7 |
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6 |
38 |
2nd Round
Rey Maualuga, LB USC
6-2, 249
A Yeah, But player.
Yeah, he’s not fast, but he always seems to be around the ball.
Yeah, he’s a bit smaller than originally thought, but his
peerless hitting ability and toughness more than makes up for
it. Yeah, he doesn’t have the best range, instincts, or
quickness in pass coverage, but the guy is a flat-out football
player. Yeah, he had a rocky career at times at USC when it came
to off-the-field issues (many stemming from the loss of his
father), but he was the unquestioned leader of a phenomenal
defense. A big-time playmaker for the inside, and the inside
only, he’ll run through a wall to succeed and become an NFL
star. While he was a bit overrated because his highlight reel
hits overshadowed times when he was merely average, and he had a
phenomenal supporting cast around him, he should be able to step
in and start right away as long as he’s next to some athletic,
playmaking running mates.
CFN Value
Rank:
First Round
CFN Position Rank: 1 |
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6 |
70 |
3rd Round
Michael Johnson, DE Georgia Tech
6-7, 270
There’s first round,
maybe top five overall talent, but he hasn’t always played like
it. Extremely quick with freakishly long arms and great
strength, he has all the tools to become a superstar if the
light goes on. He has a passing interest in stopping the run and
disappeared for long stretches. If he’s asked to just rush the
passer, he could be the type of player who comes up with one
sack a game and does nothing else, becoming overrated because of
a gaudy sack number at the end of the year. He could be a major
heartbreaker with great production in just enough games to show
what he’s capable of … and then he’ll have everyone scratching
their heads wondering why he can’t do that all the time.
CFN Value Rank: Second Round
CFN
Position Rank:
6 |
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34 |
98 |
3rd Round
Chase Coffman, TE Missouri 6-5, 250
The ultra-productive
star of the Missouri passing game, he was a pass-catching
machine from the start of his great career. Extremely tough, he
played through an ankle injury and produced even when he was
far, far less than 100%. While he won’t block anyone at the next
level and he has major durability questions, with his hands and
his route running ability he could grow into the focal point of
an offense for stretches if he’s left in single coverage.
CFN Value Rank: Third Round
CFN Position Rank:
5 |
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6 |
106 |
4th Round
Jonathan Luigs, C Arkansas 6-4, 300
There’s a hard
ceiling on what he can become and how good he can be, but that
doesn’t mean he can’t at least be a solid starter. Extremely
smart, he’s a great quarterback for a line with more than enough
quickness to be a longtime starter in a zone blocking scheme.
But if you want him to power over anyone, forget about it. He’s
not going to push around many NFL defensive tackles, but he
should be able to stay with the quicker ones.
CFN
Value Rank: Fifth Round
CFN Position Rank:
6 |
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6 |
142 |
5th
Round
Kevin Huber,
P Cincinnati 6-1, 220
A very strong, very
consistent kicker with a great work ethic and a cannon for a
leg, Huber is a safe starter for the next several years.
Extremely accurate, he won’t put many kicks into the end zone
and he gets good hang time. Now he has to learn to get the ball
off quicker as he was way too slow in off-season workouts.
CFN Value
Rank:
Sixth Round
CFN Position Rank: 1 |
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6 |
179 |
6th Round
Morgan Trent, CB Michigan 6-1, 190
After starting out his career at receiver, Trent turned into a
decent cog for the Wolverine secondary with a good mix of speed,
size, and strength. Considering he was a Michigan high school
track superstar, and considering he plays fast on the field, he
ran a surprisingly slow 4.52 at the Combine. He made up for it
with 23 reps on the bench and a 38” vertical. While he has good
skills, he’s not the best football player and didn’t play up to
his talent in college.
CFN Value Rank:
Fifth Round
CFN
Position Rank: 25 |
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36 |
209 |
6th Round
Bernard Scott, RB Abilene Christian 5-10 200
Extremely fast, Scott has great straight-line
speed, excellent quickness, and toughness for his size. He's
also a good receiver who could carve out a role as a third down
specialist if nothing else works out. Even with all his skills,
he doesn't have a lot of pop and this is what he'll be. He'll be
25 when the season starts and doesn't have much upside.
CFN Value Rank: Seventh Round
CFN
Position Rank: 26 |
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6 |
215 |
7th Round
Fui Vakapuna, RB 5-11, 245 BYU
A big, productive back who isn't all that
fast, he could be used as a pounder, a fullback, or a
change-of-pace runner. Forget about any sort of a big run, but
he's incredible strong and almost unstoppable around the goal
line. He was a cult hero at BYU because of his tough, bruising
style, and he could be the type of hard-charger who'll be hard
to get rid of.
CFN Value Rank: Free Agent
CFN
Position Rank:
NR |
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40 |
249 |
7th Round
Clinton McDonald, DT Memphis
6-1, 285
Way undersized but
extremely quick and athletic, he could grow into a tremendous
pass rusher who sees time in certain situations. He’ll blow past
interior blockers, but he’ll be blasted by the bigger and
stronger ones. He’s not going to be an every down player because
he his lack of raw strength, but the former linebacker is
extremely tough and is the type of player you want in a locker
room. However, he won’t stick around if he’s not getting into
the backfield on a regular basis.
CFN Value Rank:
Sixth
Round
CFN Position Rank: 13 |
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43 |
252 |
7th Round
Freddie
Brown, WR Utah 6-4, 215
A steady target all
year long for the
Utes, Brown exploded late in the season highlighted by a
12-catch, 125-yard day in the Sugar Bowl win over Alabama. Very
big with good toughness and the hands to be dependable, he's a
midrange reciever who won't stretch the field but will make
every play that comes his way.
CFN Value Rank:
Free Agent
CFN
Position Rank:
NR |
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2008
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.
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# |
Pick |
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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 Value Rank: First Round
CFN Position Rank: 1 |
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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 Value Rank: Mid-Third to Fourth Round
CFN Position Rank: 15 |
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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 Value Rank: Late Second Round CFN
Position Rank: 4 |
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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 Value Rank: Second Round CFN
Position Rank: 6 |
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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 Value Rank: Late Second Round to Early
Third Round CFN Position Rank:
7 |
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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 Value Rank:
Free Agent
CFN
Position Rank:
NR |
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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 Value Rank: Sixth Round to Seventh Round
CFN
Position Rank:
27 |
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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 Value Rank: Free Agent
CFN
Position Rank:
NR |
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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 Value Rank: Free Agent
CFN
Position Rank:
35 |
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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 Value Rank: Fifth Round to Sixth Round
CFN
Position Rank:
22 |
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