The Chickster backs the conventional wisdom that the Bengals first pick will be a left tackle. He thinks they’ll try for a pass-rusher in the second and delay addressing center until the third. Not a bad plan, but whether it comes together on draft day — especially the part about LT in the first — is questionable. Pat Kirwan writes that tackles not named Eugene Monroe or Jason Smith are falling while pass-rushers are creeping upward.
There’s no question that offensive line coaches feel very comfortable with Eugene Monroe and Jason Smith at the top of the draft. Both prospects have created a sense of comfort for the coaches, convincing them that they have the talent, temperament and character to play early and play well. You would be surprised how many coaches aren’t that interested in high first-round picks. These guys have to play early, and too many of them just aren’t ready. Monroe and Smith have overcome that issue, but Andre Smith, Michael Oher and Eben Britton still have questions.
Another trend is that there appears to be positive momentum among the group of pass rushers in the first round. In the last month, I keep hearing how much interest NFL people have with Everette Brown, Brian Orakpo, Aaron Maybin and even Michael Johnson. I think it’s fair to say that all four have moved up a few spots.
Former Bengal DT John Thornton has both top tackles going 1-2 in his ongoing mock draft. After that, he sends Aaron Curry to the Chiefs, Chris Wells to Seattle and Michael Crabtree to the Browns. And so the Bengals are on the clock with the coveted tackles gone and the best pass-rushers still on the board in Orakpo and Brown. Barring a trade down, I’d have to think that Chick’s scenario reverses itself, with Cincinnati going defense in the first and then targeting o-line in the second round. And that’s looking more and more like the way things will play out in April.
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