Cincinnati Bengals Draft Selections:
1st Round, 24th Overall – Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State (9.4)
2nd Round, 55th Overall – Jeremy Hill, RB, LSU (8.4)
3rd Round, 88th Overall – Will Clarke, DE, West Virginia (7.6)
4th Round, 111th Overall – Russell Bodine, OL, North Carolina (7.9)
5th Round, 164th Overall – A.J. McCarron, QB, Alabama (8.0)
6th Round, 212th Overall – Marquis Flowers, OLB, Arizona (5.9)
7th Round, 239th Overall – James Wright, ST, LSU(–)
7th Round, 252nd Overall – Lavelle Westbrooks, CB, Georgia Southern (6.8)
Overall Grade: 8.5/10
For our full NFL Draft Coverage, please click here.
Bengals Draft Review
Another Bengals draft, another haul of NFL-ready talent. Perhaps the most underrated owner/GM and coach tandem of Mike Brown and Marvin Lewis came away with at least four players who could look to make an impact in their rookie seasons. While the team typically overlooked character issues of a few players in this year’s class per usual, they also selected a few who are considered to be high character players.
Arguably the best corner in this year’s draft class, Darqueze Dennard fell to pick 24 due to concerns regarding his long speed. However, the Bengals get a player who is already an accomplished physical defender who can press and play man coverage. The Bengals already have four capable corners on the roster, meaning that Dennard will not be thrust into the fire, but will be able to ease into the league without being overmatched in his initial NFL season.
After drafting Gio Bernard in the second round of last year’s draft, the Bengals once again addressed the running back position in round two, selecting Jeremy Hill out of LSU. Hill brings a heavy power element to the Bengals backfield, which is not provided by either scat back Bernard, or steady all-around rusher BenJarvus Green-Ellis. The Bengals now have depth at the position, as well as a short-yardage and goal-line hammer to pick up valuable yardage.
A player who I thought would be taken a few rounds later, but provide more value, Will Clarke was the Bengals third round pick. A long defensive end who played on the inside as well for the Mountaineers, Clarke fits the mold of newer Bengal defensive ends who measure in at taller than 6’5, such as Carlos Dunlap (6’6) and Margus Hunt (6’8). Clarke is a high character player who can anchor the outside run, as well as kick inside on nickel packages.
One of the stars of the combine weight lifting drill, Russell Bodine made it until round four before the Bengals leapt to call his name on day three. Though he has short arms, which inflated his bench numbers, Bodine is a powerful interior linemen who fits best as a center but can play guard as well, and fits the man-blocking scheme employed by the team.
The Bengals were alleged to be searching for someone who can push Andy Dalton as the starting quarterback, without sacrificing much value at other positions, and found their man in A.J. McCarron. As the Crimson Tide signal-caller, McCarron did not play under much duress or for lack of playmakers around him, and will step into a similar situation in Cincinnati given the talent the team has amassed over the last few seasons. If Dalton does not improve his decision-making and take better care of the football, the Bengals have a reliable caretaker with McCarron who can do just enough to let those around him win a football game.
After McCarron, the Bengals went with some lesser known names in the final rounds of the draft. Marquis Flowers out of Arizona provides an athletic addition to the linebacking corps, but there are concerns about his football character and whether he can ever make a serious contribution. The Bengals also went with an almost complete unknown with James Wright out of LSU in the seventh round. Wright is best known for his stellar special teams coverage ability, but is also a big framed blocker at the wide receiver spot who can carve out a ready niche on run plays. With their final pick, the Bengals selected Lavelle Westbrooks out of Georgia Southern. Westbrooks needs some polish to his game, but he plays physical beyond his size and is a capable short area defender in coverage.
For more on sports injuries, check out our friends at Sports Injury Alert.
Thank you for reading. Please take a moment to follow me on Twitter – @LWOS_Sibo. Support LWOS by following us on Twitter –@LastWordOnSport – and “liking” our Facebook page.
Interested in writing for LWOS? We are looking for enthusiastic, talented writers to join our Football writing team. Visit our “Write for Us” page for very easy details in how you can get started today!
Football fans…check out our two partnered NFL podcasts – Thursday Night Tailgate Radio and Overtime Ireland. Both shows bring you interesting commentary, critical analysis and fantastic guests including former and current NFL players, coaches and personalities.
