May 10, 2013; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals first round draft pick tight end Tyler Eifert (85) catches a pass during the Bengals rookie minicamp at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

The Cincinnati Bengals did not address any of their primary needs with their first round pick. They didn’t select a strong safety, nor a running back, nor even an offensive lineman, any of which was largely expected by many fans and pundits alike.

Instead, the team went on offense, leaving their holes on the defensive side of the ball for a tight end out of Notre Dame.

The funny thing is that this may be why I’m more excited for the Bengals upcoming season than I have ever been.

Tyler Eifert, you can officially count me as a member of your fan club.

And Bengals fans, I think you should follow suit.

The last two years, Andy Dalton has had one guy on offense that repeatedly helped him move the chains through the air. The guy that at one point had more touchdowns than games played last season: sensational young receiver, A.J. Green.

But that’s it. The chemistry really didn’t have time to develop between Dalton and Mohamed Sanu, as the receiver went down with a foot injury after a short stint opposite Green at wide-out.

Marvin Jones was just beginning to emerge as an effective receiver as the season drew to a quick close. He even showed glimpses of his ability to make the big play down the field.

The position of tight end for the Bengals has been a strange case these last few years.

Jermaine Gresham has also shown glimpses of the high draft stock he brought to the table a few years ago. However, he has also been plagued by dropped passes, something that Dalton would certainly love to see a lot less of on 2^nd and long.

In steps Tyler Eifert, and suddenly the situation on offense gets a whole lot more intriguing.

Eifert, ironically selected with the same overall pick as was Gresham, brings with him a 6 ft-5, 250 pound frame.

He can also catch anything within a half-mile radius coming his way.

And here we see the reason why I am so excited.

Nov 10, 2012; Piscataway, NJ, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights players huddle before the game against the Army Black Knights at High Point Solutions Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

A team can have the greatest talent in the world. You can have the most efficient power hitter in your lineup. You can have the best quarterback in the league. You can have an MVP scorer, or even a world-class forward.

But Joey Votto, Peyton Manning, Carmelo Anthony, and Lionel Messi don’t do it by themselves.  Sure, they improve their team by leaps and bounds, making those around them better in their everyday play. However, without men to get on base, or the guy with six assists, a team isn’t going to succeed on the back of player.

Good chemistry in any sport is perhaps the most underrated aspect of a team.

Many of us have played sports in our lifetime. Speaking from experience, as a second baseman, your job becomes a lot easier when you know you have a shortstop that’s going to cover you on a steal attempt.

As a cornerback, I can tell you it’s quite reassuring to have faith in your coverage over the top from your safety.

And as a goalie, having solid defenders constantly makes my job far more manageable on game day.

A team’s faith in each other resides in every members’ abilities and dedication to win every time they enter the field. Or the court, for that matter.

Apr 25, 2013; New York, NY, USA; LeiLani Reid (right) high fives NFL commissioner Roger Goodell (left) after her father Eric Reid (LSU) is introduced as the number eighteen overall pick to the San Francisco 49ers during the 2013 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

The San Francisco 49ers seem to be adopting a new strategy. Lacking an official name, I’ll coin it as the “Because we can” strategy.

The way the NFL Draft is organized with teams finishing last picking first in the following off-season, the balance of power in the league is meant to be preserved. However, merely look at the San Francisco 49ers’ drafted players, and you’d have know idea they ended their season run with a Super Bowl loss.

The one thing that must have made it hard for the Niners’ draft this year is the fact that you’d be hard-pressed to find a weakness on the team. Anywhere on the team. In fact, some of their second-strings (third-strings?) could potentially start on many other squads around the NFL.

Combine that with the fact that trading down and off-season deals allowed the 49ers a total of 11 picks in this year’s draft, and the entire NFC just shared a collective gasp. That, or a whimper. Take your pick.

When asked about the large number of draft picks his team has accumulated this year, Head coach Jim Harbaugh replied quite candidly.

“It’s a positive thing. You can have the most, but can you have too many? Well, we think not.”

Apparently, as the 49ers wasted no time in loading up their defensive front with All-SEC Defensive-Ends, Corey Lemonier and Quinton Dial, and All-ACC DE, Cornelius “Tank” Carradine.

Of course, the list of draftees also includes their first round pick, Eric Reid out of LSU, as well as Marcus Lattimore out of South Carolina.

With all of the young talent that San Francisco is building up, I’ve certainly heard the word “dynasty” thrown around more than once.

Scary. Just scary.

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