2006
Round 1, Pick 24 – Jonathan Joseph – South Carolina – Cornerback
Round 2, Pick 55 – Andrew Whitworth – LSU – Offensive Tackle/Guard
Round 3, Pick 91 – Frostee Rucker – USC – Defensive End
Round 4, Pick 123 – Domata Peko – Michigan State – Defensive Tackle
Round 5, Pick 157 – A.J. Nicholson – Florida State – Linebacker
Round 6, Pick 193 – Reggie McNeal – Texas A&M – Quarterback/Wide Receiver
Round 7, Pick 209 – Ethan Kilmer – Penn State – Wide Receiver/Safety
Round 7, Pick 231 – Bennie Brazell – LSU – Wide Receiver
Supplemental Pick – Ahmad Brooks – Virginia – Linebacker
Overall: Jonathan Joseph came in to bring youth to an aging secondary. He has done far more than that in his time with the Bengals. He has shown himself to be an elite corner, with the speed and awareness to match-up against the best of receivers. While he doesn’t pull in a ton of interceptions, he does a great job getting between the receiver and the ball. However he also has had injury problems during his time with the Bengals, only starting 14+ games twice in five years. In spite of this, He is a top quality corner and should demand the highest of contracts when he hits free agency. Andrew Whitworth was brought to bring depth and a certain amount of youth to an aging offensive line. He worked in at guard for his first two years before he settled in at left tackle in 2009. His athleticism and technique has made him a quality left tackle and has allowed him to keep pace with the top pass rushers in the division. Frostee Rucker came in as a controversial pick with raw pass rushing abilities, but a number of off-the-field problems. He spent the first two years developing and working near the bottom of the defensive line rotation. However in the past three seasons he has become more of a force, getting into games a bit more and providing a solid pass rush. He doesn’t accumulate a lot of sacks, but he does a good enough job when he is in. He may be just a backup, but he’s a good backup. Domata Peko was a big surprise from this draft. He wasn’t expected to be much more than a good rotational player. However he came in and impressed when he was on the field during his rookie season. He earned a starting job at defensive tackle the next year and has stayed there ever since. He has been a great run stuffer and is a handful to deal with at the line. He can consistently draw double teams and open up single blocking for the defensive ends. A.J. Nicholson never saw the field during his rookie season and was cut following an arrest related to a domestic violence charge. He has yet to be picked up anywhere else. Reggie McNeal stuck around for only his rookie season, which spent mostly making the transition from quarterback to receiver, before he was released. He has since become a CFL receiver. Ethan Kilmer seemed to transition from receiver to defensive back fairly well in his rookie year, even recording a 52 yard interception return for a touchdown while playing in sub packages. However it was not to be, as knee injuries forced him out of the league after that season. Bennie Brazell made no impact. Ahmad Brooks, who was picked in the supplemental draft, made an impression in his first two seasons playing with Cincinnati; however he remained a developmental project and was eventually released following off-the-field problems. He was eventually picked up by the 49ers and spent his first year there developing. In 2009, he played well, showing himself to be a relatively good fit for the outside linebacker spot in a 3-4. He played similarly in 2010, but could be given more opportunities in 2011. Overall, this draft was strong at the top, giving the team 3 starters and one solid backup. However the bottom was weak, giving the team nothing.
Final Grade: B+
2007
Round 1, Pick 18 – Leon Hall – Michigan – Cornerback
Round 2, Pick 49 – Kenny Irons – Auburn – Runningback
Round 4, Pick 114 – Marvin White – TCU – Safety
Round 5, Pick 151 – Jeff Rowe – Nevada – Quarterback
Round 6, Pick 187 – Matt Toeaina – Oregon – Defensive Tackle
Round 7, Pick 230 – Dan Santucci – Notre Dame – Offensive Center/Guard
Round 7, Pick 253 – Chinedum Ndukwe – Notre Dame – Safety
Overall: Leon Hall started somewhat slowly, adjusting on the fly to the different speed of the NFL. However once he made that adjustment, he became a regular starter and part of one the best tandems in the NFL. He has led (or tied for the lead) the team in interceptions each of his three years in Cincy. He can turn and run with the best of receivers and has shown to have a great awareness of the ball in the air. He should be considered a building block for any team that may sign him away from Cincinnati. However the same could not be said for Kenny Irons. Irons was supposed to bring a balanced runningback to replace the ineffective (Rudi Johnson) and injury prone (Chris Perry). However he tore his ACL in training camp and was released the following year. He never saw the field nor was he picked up by anyone else. Marvin White brought a physical presence to the strong safety position and gained notice through his hard hits. However, it became apparent after his sophomore season that he had a hard time adjusting in coverage and was released following the 2008 season. He spent a few games being a special teamer on the Cowboys and became a starter for the Lions during the 2009 season. He found himself back on the Bengals towards the end of the 2010 season He may stick, but it’s doubtful that it’ll be as a special teamer. Jeff Rowe was brought in to be a developmental backup, but he failed to develop. He bounced around the league for a bit before finding himself unemployed. Matt Toeaina was supposed to be on the practice squad, but the Bears snatched him up and kept him on the active roster. He showed well and kept himself in the mix for a starting role for the next two years before finally becoming a starter in 2010. He played well, but that doesn’t help the Bengals. Dan Santucci played a little on special teams in his rookie year, but hasn’t been seen since. Chinedum Ndukwe was a surprise at safety. He played well on special teams, there were no great expectations regarding his play on defense. He surprised coaches and fans with his hard hitting and nose for the football. He finished the 2007 season with 3 picks and 3 forced fumbles. The Bengals have tried moving other safeties ahead of him, but injuries and ineffectiveness have continued to move Ndukwe back into the starting role. He has his limitations in coverage, but for the most part has been a valuable addition. Overall this draft wasn’t too good. Hall and Ndukewe have been valuable additions and White provided some contributions before bouncing around the league, but the rest of the class did little to nothing before going to other teams or just being forced out of the NFL entirely.
Final Grade: C-
2008
Round 1, Pick 9 – Keith Rivers – USC – Linebacker
Round 2, Pick 46 – Jerome Simpson – Coastal Carolina – Wide Receiver
Round 3, Pick 77 – Pat Sims – Auburn – Defensive Tackle
Round 3, Pick 97 – Andre Caldwell – Florida – Wide Receiver
Round 4, Pick 112 – Anthony Collins – Kansas State – Offensive Tackle/Guard
Round 5, Pick 145 – Jason Shirley – Fresno State – Defensive Tackle/Offensive Guard
Round 6, Pick 177 – Corey Lynch – Appalachian State – Safety
Round 6, Pick 207 – Matt Sherry – Villanova – Tight End
Round 7, Pick 244 – Angelo Craig – Cincinnati – Defensive End
Round 7, Pick 246 – Mario Urrutia – Louisville – Wide Receiver
Overall: Keith Rivers was brought in to bring a dynamic playmaking force to the linebacking corp., which is basically what he has done over the course of his career. Aside from breaking his jaw in his rookie year, he has been able to consistently stay healthy and productive. He gets some flak because he doesn’t make a ton of sacks or interceptions, but he sticks to his responsibilities and is a solid tackler. He should be a starter for a long time to come. Jerome Simpson has had a checkered tenure in the NFL and even after an impressive end of the season this year, there are still questions about how effective he can be. After two years of just being on the team and trying to develop, he started to produce like a regular receiver, but only in the last three games of this past season. Momentum is on his side and he may have developed into a fine backup, but he needs to show that he can be that kind of receiver consistently. Pat Sims showed himself to be a solid defensive tackle in his rookie season and has maintained that level of play throughout his first three years. He consistently can penetrate into the backfield and be disruptive, even though he doesn’t rack up a lot of sacks. Andre Caldwell developed more quickly than Simpson (in-spite of injury problems early in his career), using his more fluid route running and good long speed to find a role as an injury replacement starter late in his rookie season. He also contributed as a kick returner. Anthony Collins came in as a talented tackle, but with a lot of questions surrounding his work ethic. He answered a number of those questions during his rookie season when he filled in for an injured Levi Jones, and played very well. He has good pass protection skills and is nasty at the point of attack. He hasn’t been consistent enough to earn a full time starting job, but he has been good enough to work as a flex starter. Jason Shirley has had an odd tenure in the NFL. After spending his first two year trying to develop at defensive tackle, the team decided to switch him to offensive guard. However an Achilles’ injury caused him to miss the entire 2010 season. He is not likely to make an impact in the future. Corey Lynch played the first half of his rookie season, mostly as a special teamer and sub-package safety, before ending the season on injured reserve due to a knee injury. He was then released and picked up by the Buccaneers. He has played better for them. Matt Sherry was injury prone and could never prove that he deserved a roster spot. He has since been released. Angelo Crag and Mario Urrutia didn’t make the team out of training camp and has since bounced around the league on practice squads and in training camps. Overall this draft had its ups and downs. Rivers and Sims have turned into solid contributors on the defense and Collins could start if he could be more consistent. If Caldwell and Simpson could become more consistent in their production, this draft could be very good.
Final Grade: C
2009
Round 1, Pick 6 – Andre Smith – Alabama – Offensive Tackle
Round 2, Pick 38 – Rey Maualuga – USC – Linebacker
Round 3, Pick 70 – Michael Johnson – Georgia Tech – Defensive End
Round 3, Pick 98 – Chase Coffman – Missouri – Tight End
Round 4, Pick 106 – Jonathan Luigs – Arkansas – Offensive Center/Guard
Round 5, Pick 142 – Kevin Huber – Cincinnati – Punter
Round 6, Pick 179 – Morgan Trent – Michigan – Cornerback
Round 6, Pick 209 – Bernard Scott – Abilene Christian – Runningback
Round 7, Pick 215 – Fui Vakapuna – BYU – Fullback/Runningback
Round 7, Pick 249 – Clinton McDonald – Memphis – Defensive Tackle
Round 7, Pick 252 – Freddie Brown – Utah – Wide Receiver
Overall: Andre Smith was brought in to bring a physical presence to the offensive line. However, there were a lot of questions surrounding his work ethic and ability to control his weight following his disastrous pre-draft workouts. Those issues have sprung up numerous times during his career as he has yet to develop into anything more than a part-time starter and injury prone backup. He needs to take a serious step forward if he is going to make any sort of long-term contribution. Rey Maualuga, on the other hand, slipped out of the first round because of questions about his ability to play the game under control. He proved his critics wrong by coming in and starting at strong side linebacker almost from the word go in his rookie season. He is still criticized at times for his lack of big plays, but I don’t buy it. He’s been solid in his role and should be there for a long time. Michael Johnson was brought in to help boost the pass rush, but was viewed as a very raw prospect with excellent tools. He has yet to secure a starting job, nor has he really broken out, but he has shown to be a capable pass rusher and contributor. He was moved from defensive end to outside linebacker to try and take advantage of his impressive height in pass coverage. He doesn’t look like he’ll ever reach his potential at that position, but he definitely has helped the defense with his pass rush and his ability to knock down passes from the line. Chase Coffman came in raw and has taken a while to adjust to the NFL style of play. He does have great hands and pretty good athleticism for the position and could make an impact as a second tight end. Jonathna Luigs was supposed to compete for playing time at the center position, but he only saw marginal time in his rookie season and was waived before the 2010 season started. Kevin Huber has been a solid pick as a punter, doing a great job of directional punting and minimizing the number of touchbacks. Morgan Trent slid into the role of the nickel back relatively early in rookie season and did a solid job in that role. However, the additions of “Pacman” Jones and Brandon Ghee slid him out of that role and a knee injury limited his ability to make contributions this past season. Bernard Scott has become a great part-time contributor to the Bengals offense. He has brought a good bit of speed and big play ability to compliment the power running of Cedric Benson. But whatever his contributions have been on offense, those are dwarfed by his effect on the kick return game. His speed has allowed the Bengals to consistently start drives in well away from their own end zone. He is also a threat to score every time he receives a kick. Fui Vakapuna, Clinton McDonald and Freddie Brown all spent their rookie seasons on the practice squad. Vakapuna the missed the majority of this past season due to a shoulder injury and may struggle to find a spot on the team this year. McDonald was signed to the main roster partway through the year and may stick this year, but his contributions will be minimal given the depth the Bengals have developed at the defensive line. Brown was released and has bounced around the league on practice squads and training camp rosters. Ultimately, this draft is still developing and several picks need to take a step forward if this draft is going to be considered a success. Smith is the most notable of those, needing to stay healthy for an entire season in order to avoid the bust label. While Coffman and Johnson don’t need to be starters in order to reach their potential, but seeing either take a step forward would help. Maualuga, Huber, Trent and Scott have been contributors from this class, with Maualuga having the potential to be a big time starter for a long time going forward.
Final Grade: C
2010
Round 1, Pick 21 – Jermaine Gresham – Oklahoma – Tight End
Round 2, Pick 54 – Carlos Dunlap – Florida – Defensive End
Round 3, Pick 84 – Jordan Shipley – Texas – Wide Receiver
Round 3, Pick 96 – Brandon Ghee – Wake Forest – Cornerback
Round 4, Pick 120 – Geno Atkins – Georgia – Defensive Tackle
Round 4, Pick 131 – Roddrick Muckelroy – Texas – Linebacker
Round 5, Pick 152 – Otis Hudson – Eastern Illinois – Offensive Tackle/Guard
Round 6, Pick 191 – Dezmon Briscoe – Kansas – Wide Receiver
Round 7, Pick 228 – Reginald Stephens – Iowa State – Offensive Tackle/Guard
Overall: Jermaine Gresham was a bit of gamble in the first round. While he showed all of the athletic prowess necessary to be a Dallas Clark like weapon in the passing game, the knee injury he suffered in college raised questions about whether or not he would retain that athleticism. Well, he not only showed that he still had the athleticism he showed in college, he also developed very quickly as a blocker. He should be in place for years to come as a dynamic playmaker at the tight end position. Carlos Dunlap caught a lot of heat because of the less than spectacular recent history of Florida defensive ends and because of his checkered off-the-field reputation. After sitting out the first five games and not making much of an impact for the first 8 games, Dunlap exploded on to the scene in the second half of the season, recording 9.5 sacks in half a season of play. He has the athleticism and quick first step to be a dominant pass rusher and a focal point for the defense going forward. Jordan Shipley provided a great slot receiver whose quickness, precise route running and soft hands provided an excellent third down receiving option. He reminds me a lot of Wes Welker and will only benefit from the addition of A.J. Green. Brandon Ghee showed plenty of athleticism during the course of training camp and early in the season, but a groin injury ended his season early. He may be counted on in the near future as a starter depending on whether or not Jonathna Joseph or Leon Hall leaves in free agency. Geno Atkins proved to be a steal in the fourth round, providing a great pass rush from the interior of the Bengals defensive line. There are questions about whether or not he will be able to hold up to the rigor of being an every down player, but he should at least be a solid part of their defensive tackle rotation. Roddrick Muckelroy played mostly on special teams in his first season, but showed that he has the kind of athleticism to be a starter. He may get that option n the near future if the team decides to part ways with Dhani Jones. Otis Hudson spent the season on the practice squad. Dezmon Briscoe was supposed to be there, but the Buccaneers snatched him up before the Bengals could sign him to practice squad. Reginald Stephens was on the active squad all season, but never played. On the whole this was an excellent draft for the Bengals. They added two dynamic pass catchers, two solid pass rushers and potentially a top quality nickel back and starting middle linebacker. All around good draft.
Final Grade: A-
2011
Rd. 1, Pick 4 – A.J. Green – Georgia – Wide Receiver
Rd. 2, Pick 35 – Andy Dalton – TCU – Quarterback
Rd. 3, Pick 66 – Dontay Moch – Nevada – Defensive End/Outside Linebacker
Rd. 4, Pick 101 – Clint Boling – Georgia – Offensive Guard
Rd. 5, Pick 134 – Robert Sands – West Virginia – Safety
Rd. 6, Pick 167 – Ryan Whalen – Stanford – Wide Receiver
Rd. 7, Pick 207 – Korey Lindsey – Southern Illinois – Cornerback
Rd. 7, Pick 246 – Jay Finlay – Baylor – Runningback
Overall: A.J. Green has a lot of talent and has shown the ability to be special at the college level. He has length, speed and strength to be a major playmaker in the vein of Andre Johnson. However, that is heavily dependent on the quality of the quarterback play. Whether or not Carson Palmer returns to the team, Andy Dalton is likely the future of this team at quarterback. I like the experience and leadership he brings to the table, but he may take a while to adjust to the professional game and his physical tools are not the best. If given the time, which is hard to do in this day and age, he could be a very good replacement for Palmer. The selection of Dontay Moch was not something I totally understand. Moch has great athleticism and could become a great pass rusher with some refinement, but he is a much better fit for the 3-4 outside linebacker spot. However we have seen that kind of transition work with a guy like Brian Orakpo in the past, so it’s not out of the question that it could work and having another player who can bring a more consistent pass rush to this very inconsistent defense can’t be a bad thing. I like the addition of Clint Boling. While he still has some technical flaws in his game, he is versatile enough to play a variety of positions along the offensive line and has shown good intangibles. Ideally he should slide into one of the guard spots after a year or two of technique work. Robert Sands adds depth to the defensive backfield and can work himself in as a special teams ace early. Neither safety position is set for the long-term, so he could also work his way into a starting role with time. Ryan Whalen brings good hands and savvy route-running to the position, but lacks the talent to consistently break from coverage. He may also be stuck behind a deep receiving bench, battle Jerome Simpson, Andre Caldwell and Jordan Shipley for a third receiver’s job. Korey Lindsey has good tools, and may find himself pressed into a role in sub-packages very early on if Jonathan Joseph leaves in free agency. However the transition from Southern Illinois to the NFL could overwhelm him early on. Jay Finley will compete with Bernard Scott and Brian Leonard for a third-down role, though he may not be as good as either of those players. Overall this draft brought some good pieces to a team that has plenty of good players. The question will be whether or not these pieces can mesh with the other pieces soon enough to have an effect.
Final Grade: B
6-Year Overall: B
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