Draft Madness

Well the 2006 NFL Draft is complete, and the Cincinnati Bengals had what I would consider to be their worst draft since the hiring of Marvin Lewis. They did not draft anyone who will have an immediate impact on the team, and as I watched the Ravens, Browns, and Steelers make great decisions, I realized that the '06 North title defense just got a lot more difficult for Cincinnati. Here's a look at Cincy's picks along with other draft day thoughts:

Round 1: Johnathan Joseph; CB; South Carolina: Grade: B: This was a good, not great, pick. The Bengals would have been wise to move up and get Manny Lawson who fell to 22, but Joseph is a solid player who could have an impact in nickel and dime packages. Joesph has tremendous speed, a 4.31 40, and good size(5'11" 192) for the cornerback spot. He is inexperienced however, considering that he has played only one full NCAA season. This is more of a pick for 2007 due to the fact that Tory James will be 33 in May. Joseph has the athletic ability to be a starter in the NFL, but he will need to hone and improve his raw skills.
My Pick: Mercedes Lewis; TE; UCLA: I would have went with a pressing need with this pick, and Mercedes Lewis was the second best TE in the draft. Lewis is a huge target at 6'6" 262, and he would be the perfect weapon in the red zone. He has shown the ability to go up and get balls thrown up to him, and he would be an immediate starter in '06. He is not the best blocking TE, but that can be developed, and his receiving ability would put added pressure on players like Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed whom the Bengals have to deal with four times a year.
Other Possibilities: Jimmy Williams CB/S VT; Winston Justice OT USC;

Round 2: Andrew Whitworth; OT; LSU: Grade: B-: This was an odd pick, and it essentialy signaled the fact that Willie Anderson should be gone after this season. Anderson has complained recently about not getting his, and he has hinted that he will explore free agency after his contract expires. Whitworth is large at 6'7" 327, but he has not shown the type of ability that would make him a reliable everyday starter at the next level. It was a reach for the Bengals, and it was more troubling considering the fact that Leonard Pope of Georgia was still available. O-Line coach Paul Alexander has shown great judgment in drafting lineman, Anderson, Jones, Steinbach, and that is the only reason I don't grade this pick lower. Time will tell if Whitworth turns out to be the right tackle of the future.
My Pick: Darryl Tapp; DE; Virginia Tech: Tapp is a football player who gets the job done. He has a knack for rushing the passer even though he is somewhat undersized (6'1" 251). He is not extremely fast, but he knows how to beat opposing tackles evidenced by his senior bowl experience when he beat D'Brickashaw Ferguson, the best offensive tackle in the draft. Tapp can move around and play different spots, but he is best used as a pass rusher which is another area that the Bengals desperately need help in.
Other Possibilities: Leonard Pope TE UGA; Richard Marshall CB Fresno St.; Tony Scheffler TE W. Mich.

Round 3: Frostee Rucker; DE; USC: Grade: D: I absolutely hated this pick. Rucker was selected to improve the pass rush, but he shows little explosiveness off the ball, and he was unable to be a dominant pass rusher in college. It was also a reach for Cincinnati in that most teams had Rucker listed as a 5th rounder. Throw his character issues from the past into it, and it is certainly one of Marvin's worst selections since arriving. The Bengals had a shot at Rucker's teammate at USC, TE Dominique Byrd, but they chose Rucker, a man who will be unable to make an impact on this team in '06.
My Pick: Ko Simpson;S; South Carolina: Simpson would give the Bengals the help in the secondary that they were looking for, and he would also provide some flexibility given Madieu Williams' injury problems. Simpson has good size at 6'1" 208, and he combines that with a 4.48 40 speed that makes him able to help out in both run and pass support which is rare in the NFL. Simpson wound up sliding from a possible last 1st rounder to the early 4th round, and the Bengals would have gotten great value from him in the 3rd.
Other Possibilities: Darnell Bing S USC, Dominique Byrd TE USC, Gabe Watson DT Mich.,
Round 4: Domata Peko;DT; MSU: Grade: C: This is another head scratcher because Peko was projected as low as a 7th rounder by some gurus. He adds some beef to the D-Line, but it brings into question the futures of Matthias Askew and Shaun Smith. It will be equally frustrating if he is unable to come in and compete right away because besides Sam Adams, there is not much on the D-Line to write home about. Petko seems to have the ability to play at the NFL level, but time will tell whether he in an impact guy or another project of Marvin that fails to pan out.
My Pick: Jonathan Scott; OT; Texas: This might be where I would reach a little, but Scott would give me the depth that the O-Line needs, and I would not be wasting a top round pick looking for it. That being said, Scott has a nice frame at 6'6" 314, and he has done a nice job in protecting Vince Young down in Austin. Scott's weaknesses are his techinque and finishing drive, but those can be taught at the next level. His extremely quick feet cannot be taught, and they will help him greatly as he attempts to take on the likes on Joey Porter, Willie McGinest, and Terrell Suggs. Also, for what its worth, NFL.com has Scott rated higher than Whitworth, Cincy's second round pick.
Other Possibilities: Elvis Dumervil DE Louisville, Orien Harris DT Miami FL., Greg Blue FS UGA,
Round 5: AJ Nicholson; ILB; FSU; Grade: A: This might be the Bengals best pick in the draft because they were able to snag second round ability in the fifth round. There are all kinds of red flags surrounding Nicholson who has had run ins related to alcohol and sexual assault in his past, but he is too good a player to pass up this late in the draft. Nicholson possesses great size for a LB at 6'1" 253, but he does not have the sideline to sideline coverage of someone like Odell Thurman. He would be a great ILB in a 3-4 system which is something that the Bengals are reportedly entertaining for next season. Look for Nicholson to back up Thurman immediately and get some snaps on possible short yardage and 3-4 situations.
My Pick: Nicholson.
Other Possibilities: Charles Davis TE Purdue, Jesse Mahelona DT Tennessee, Jon Lewis DT VT,
Round 6: Reggie McNeal; QB/WR; TEX A&M; Grade: A-: Another great value pick of a guy who has unbelievable athletic ability. McNeal played QB at A&M but has said he would be willing to move in order to fit in on a given team. He ran the 40 in 4.36 which means he has all the tools to become the Bengals' version of "slash." His addition could lead to the demise of one of the Bengals' receivers or quarterbacks because I expect Cincy to keep a guy this talented around.
My Pick: McNeal.

That is as far as I will go in evaluating this year's draft since I know little to nothing about the seventh round picks the Bengals made. The draft did not seem to address any of the most pressing issues with this team, and it is worrisome that Marvin Lewis reaches for players who would have been around later (Whitworth, Rucker). With the other teams in the AFC North making moves this off season, it will be interesting to see if the Bengals added enough to keep pace with the rest of the division.