Our continuation of the series looking at the Bengals 10 worst draft picks when drafting from a top 10 position:

10. Greg Cook, QB, University of Cincinnati, 5th Overall Pick in 1969
9. Justin Smith, DE, University of Missouri, 4th Overall Pick in 2001
8. Dan Wilkinson, DT, The Ohio State University, 1st Overall Pick 1994
7. Ricky Hunley, LB, University of Arizona, 7th Overall Pick in 1984
6. Peter Warrick, WR, Florida State University, 4th Overall Pick in 2000
5. John Copeland, DE, University of Alabama, 5th Overall Pick in 1993
4. David Klingler, QB, University of Houston, 6th Overall Pick in 1992

3. Ki-Jana Carter, RB, Penn State University, 1st Overall Pick in 1995

A year after drafting Big Daddy Wilkinson, Mike Brown made perhaps his boldest move as owner of the Bengals, next to firing Sam Wyche and hiring Marvin Lewis. Leading up to the 1995 draft, Brown traded with the expansion Carolina Panthers to acquire the number 1 pick in the draft (Traded for the 5th and 36th picks). Brown used the pick on Ki-Jana Carter, the top player on many teams’ lists. However, there was not agreement on the top pick as other players were seen to be deserving of the top spot, Tony Bolselli, Steve McNair, and Kerry Collins to name a few. Had the Bengals not traded up, they could have had Warren Sapp at #5 and Curtis Martin at #36. The draft is always easy to pick in hindsight though, and many mistakes are made every year, just as every team passed on Curtis Martin at least once in 1995.
Ki-Jana Carter tore his ACL on his 3rd preseason carry in 1995, forever leaving his status as a bust up for debate. Was he a bad pick, or are the Bengals just unlucky as with Greg Cook and others? Ki-Jana played for one of the most talented college teams in the last 25 years at Penn State. Just on the offensive side of the ball, players that Ki-Jana played with at Penn State, QB Kerry Collins(Maxwell Award winner and top 5 draft pick), WR Bobby Engram(Belitnikoff Award winner), OG Jeff Hartings(Future All Pro), OG Marco Rivera(Future All Pro), OT Andre Johnson(1st round draft pick), FB Brian Milne(5 year NFL fullback), TE Kyle Brady(Top 10 draft pick, 13 year pro). When future NFL All Pro linemen are blocking one-year college starters, there will be major running room for any running back. Ki-Jana was a track star in high school and college, once he hit the open field it was over, but he was not known for power or breaking tackles. Ki-Jana had the holes at Penn State and the speed to make college level tacklers look silly on his way to the outrageous average of 7.8 yards per carry. He finished his final college season with 1,539 yards and 23 TDs.
Once Carter injured his knee before his NFL career actually began, his break away speed disappeared. Without breakaway speed, without being known to break tackles, and with an atrocious Bengals line in front of him, Carter struggled. Ki-Jana’s college offense might have been better than the pro offense he had with the Bengals, QB Jeff Blake, WR Carl Pickens, OG Scott Brumfield, OG Todd Kalis, OT Kevin Sargent, FB Jeff Cothran, and TE Tony McGee. Compare the Bengals to the Penn State players above, and most NFL GMs would choose Penn State. Without much help, Carter constantly took hits his body could not withstand and spent 44 of his 80 games in Cincinnati on injured reserve. After 4 seasons and 747 total yards rushing as a Bengal, Ki-Jana was cut by the team. Carter went on to play 3 more seasons in the NFL and add 400 yards to his rushing total. In all, Ki-Jana was in the NFL for 10 seasons, only seeing action in 7 of those years. His career total of 1,144 yards would not achieve a Pro-Bowl berth if completed in a single season, let alone 10 seasons.


Check in periodically as we count down to the worst Bengals draft pick in history leading up to the 2008 NFL draft.