Stripe Hype » kevin zeitler

Three Cincinnati Bengals Make NFL All-Under-25 Team

Jason — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 19:15:15 +0000

Jan 27, 2013, Honolulu, HI, USA; Cincinnati Bengals receiver A.J. Green (18) is defended by Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas (29) in the 2013 Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium. The NFC defeated the AFC 62-25. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Bengals have been killing it in the NFL Draft over the past three seasons. They’ve landed franchise-changing prospects in each of the last three drafts in Geno Atkins, A.J. Green, and Kevin Zeitler, and NFL.com believes those three players are the best at their positions for a franchise looking to build with the best young talent there is:

A.J. Green

Move over, Andre Johnson — A.J. Green is the best wideout in the AFC. In two seasons, Green has exploded for 2,407 yards and 18 scores. His supreme athleticism is ever-apparent.

Kevin Zeitler

This is one guy who had a very strong rookie season without much acclaim. You can nitpick, but he was called for just two penalties in 16 starts and can be a mauler.

Geno Atkins

Atkins was a huge factor in Cincy going from 3-5 in November to 10-6 and in the playoffs come January. Atkins led all DTs in sacks with 12.5, recording 34.5 combined hurries and knockdowns.

Want more Bengals news? Like Stripe Hype on Facebook, or grab our RSS feed.

Follow @StripeHype

Follow @UK_Fans

Stripehype Interview: Kevin Zeitler

vancemeek — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 19:15:19 +0000

The turnaround of the Cincinnati Bengals franchise can be attributed in large part to solid work in recent NFL drafts, and then the hard work and development of those players. Many of the players who have been instrumental in the success of the team over the past few years are the product of great drafting and dedication. One of the weaknesses of the 2011 playoff team was the offensive line, which struggled mightily, and needed upgraded. One of those upgrades was 2012 first round draft pick Kevin Zeitler, who immediately took the right guard position by the horns and never let go.

Stripehype.com spoke to Zeitler after the draft last year, and now he’s kind enough to be back for a follow up after a tremendous season in which he proved he was absolutely worth the 27th pick of the draft. It looks like he will be starting in Cincinnati for years to come, and after his play this year, that’s definitely a good thing.

VM: How would you rate your first NFL season, and how did it compare to your expectations coming in?

I would say my first NFL season was decent. I did some things well, but also made some stupid mistakes. It was a bit easier than I expected.

VM: At the draft, Bengals fans were enamored with David DeCastro. Do you feel any extra competition between the two of you as a result?

David is a great player, and I know he’ll have a strong season next year when his knee is fully healed. I wouldn’t say there is any extra competition with us. I do consider myself to be competing with all other guards in the league though.

Week in Review: Ranking Each Bengals Rookie by Impact

Chase Fitzgerald — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 02:21:19 +0000

Oct 14, 2012; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals guard Kevin Zeitler (68) during a game against the Cleveland Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Cleveland won 34-24. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

1. Kevin Zeitler OG

Zeitler has been absolutely having an amazing season for the Bengals. He has been a great pick for the Bengals and may be the best rookie O-lineman this season. He’s barely made mistakes and you can’t tell it’s his first year. He has done a great job protecting Andy this year and his efforts this season may be enough to send him to Hawaii. The Bengals took a lot of heat drafting him over Decastro but it looks like they made the right decision. It looks like Zeitler will hold down that guard spot for a long time and I see many pro-bowls in his future.

2. Vontaze Burfict LB

Vontaze had his share of problems in college but it seems like the Bengals have truly fixed him. The Bengals found gold this year with undrafted free agents and Burfict leads the pack. He might be the Bengals best linebacker this season and will almost definitely be the starting middle linebacker next season. He is very gifted, freakishly athletic, and has had no problems with his character this year. He has gave this defense a huge lift and has been a pleasure to watch.

3. Trevor Robinson C

Another undrafted free agent, Robinson has played a huge part in making this Bengals offensive line one of the best in the league. After Kyle Cook went down, he competed for the starting center spot with Jeff Faine and quickly won out the job. He was so good while Cook was out, that even with Cook healthy he has been splitting time with him. He has actually been playing better than Cook this season and won’t lose the center spot without a fight. His play has been huge and without him, the Bengals would have been stuck with underachieving Faine.