Cincinnati Bengals Boost Passing Game, Pass Rush in 2010 NFL Draft

I love this draft. Let others beyotch & moan, I think the Cincinnati Bengals nailed it. Here’s the final tally:

Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma
Carlos Dunlap, DE, Florida
Jordan Shipley, WR, Texas
Brandon Ghee, CB, Wake Forest
Geno Atkins, DT, Georgia
Roddrick Muckelroy, LB, Texas
Otis Hudson, OL, Eastern Illinois
Dezmon Briscoe, WR, Kansas
Reggie Stephens, OL, Iowa State

Odds & ends from around the innertubes on some of the lesser-known picks below the fold.

Dave Lapham predicts that Shipley will be the starting slot receiver this coming season.

"Lapham would know. He’s the national analyst for Big 12 games, a conference the Bengals raided five times for the nine picks, headed by Palmer’s shiniest toys, Gresham, the Oklahoma tight end, and Shipley, the Texas wide receiver.“The problem with this team last year was their failure to control the middle of the field, to control between the hashmarks,” said Lapham, who predicted Shipley would start the season as the slot receiver. “I don’t care how strong Carson’s arm is, you can’t keep throwing to the edges. The ball is in the air too long. Shipley will be like T.J. (Houshmandzadeh) in the red zone. He’ll be where he’s supposed to be, and Gresham will be another big presence over the middle. He just doesn’t catch it, he plucks the ball out of the air.”"

Geno Atkins was hoping to follow his father’s footsteps to Miami.

"Atkins measured out at 6-1 and weighed in at 293 pounds, which is 33 pounds heavier than when he played middle linebacker back in high school. He trained 45 minutes away from the UGA campus at WPI in Gwinnett and considers his strengths to be his leverage, quickness, speed, strength, toughness and “being destructive.” Atkins was a two-sport athlete in high school and college, throwing the shot put, and credited that experience with helping him with his explosiveness and ability to stay low and come off blocks.His father likes the fact that Geno’s athleticism and solid footwork have allowed scouts to talk about him as the type of player that can play defensive end or perhaps even outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense or defensive tackle in a 4-3 because that provides more options. Teams place a lot of value on that type of versatility, and Geno himself credits the level of competition he faced in the SEC with preparing him for the next level, culminating with a strong 2009 after some wondered whether he should have come out a year earlier. He finished with 36 tackles (10.5 for loss) and a team-high quarterback pressures and is scheduled to graduate in May with a degree and housing and property management."

Otis Hudson, man of mystery? Here’s a blogtalk radio interview. CBS Sports has this to say:

"Positives: Tall, athletic tackle who has the lateral movement and strength to be a good developmental prospects on the right side. Able to move FCS DEs easily with raw upper-body strength. Is mobile enough to get downfield and to the linebackers at the second level.Negatives: Small school competition didn’t prepare him for the pros. Raw talent. Needs better knee bend and leverage against NFL strong-side defensive ends. Catches rushers instead of bending at the waist, punching and dominating. Needs to toughen up a bit before being a regular contributor. Not a great weight-room guy."

Kansas’ DB coach says Briscoe is the real deal.

"The boy is a baller. He will go up and attack the football in the air, and catch everything in sight. Everyday in practice he made catches that left you with your mouth hanging open. I will put it like this: You don’t go for nearly 300 yards receiving against Oklahoma’s defense by accident."

Seventh-round Stephens drew interest from us, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and Miami.