If you want to call the Bengals anything, call them consistent. Here are the Bengals draft rules:

1. First Round pick is usually a solid all round person; high energy, team captain type of player.
2. After the first round, all standards are off allowing the team to draft any bad character, low motivation player.
3. However, for every “bad apple” the Bengals need to compensate with a high character player.
4. The Bengals must draft at least one player that causes everyone watching the draft to collectively say, “WHO? Wait, who was that, again?”

The rules held true to form in the 2008 draft. Keith Rivers is a solid first round pick that was team captain at USC. He falls right in line with past 1st rounders, Leon Hall, David Pollack, Chris Perry, Carson Palmer, Levi Jones, Justin Smith, Takeo Spikes, Brian Simmons, etc. Hopefully he can emerge as the leader this defense has been lacking for years. For some reason, the Bengals steer clear of character issues in the first round, but it has hurt them as they passed on Randy Moss and Warren Sapp. Perhaps this is because Mike Brown does not want to risk losing the money on a large first round investment. By drafting troubled players in later rounds, he can call it “Finding value” instead of saying, “I don’t care how big of an f--- up this guy is as long as he comes cheap.” That brings us to rule #2.
The Bengals drafted 4 players with character and effort questions, Pat Sims, Anthony Collins, Jason Shirley, and Mario Urrutia. Some have minor issues that could be resolved now that football is an all day occupation, but that is to be seen. The biggest offender, literally, is the 6-5, 340 pound Jason Shirley. He played in only 3 games this past season as he was suspended and then kicked off the team due to off field activity. He also has a court date pending for DUI and hit-and-run. Since the case will be resolved after the draft, Shirley could face discipline from the league. Pat Sims had family issues while in college, including the sudden death of his sister. He left the team for a year and struggled most of his time at Auburn. However, he showed flashes of dominance this past season when he could put it together. Anthony Collins and Mario Urrutia have smaller issues as they are raw talents who left college early for the draft. Scouts question their maturity and effort as Collins was suspended due to discipline, and Urrutia had to be benched because he could not control himself at times. Hopefully a few of these guys can put it together for the Bengals and capitalize on their talent before it is too late.
Let’s go through the players the Bengals drafted late because the player slipped due to character issues, and check the Bengals success rate:
Frostee Rucker, AJ Nicholson, Reggie McNeal, Ahmad Brooks, Odell Thurman, Chris Henry, Matthias Askew, Dennis Weathersby, Chad Johnson, TJ Houshmandzadeh, Corey Dillon, Tremain Mack. To be fair, TJ did not have a bad reputation, but his draft stock was probably hurt due to being associated with Dennis Erickson and the collection of morons he had at Oregon State. Looking at Bengals history, the hit rate looks to be 1 in 4 for troubled players. If only one of the current crop pans out, let’s hope one of the DTs can help the Bengals stop the run.
The “WHO?” pick this year is obvious as very few people were ready to hear Jerome Simpson called in the 2nd round. Time will tell if the Bengals made a smart move or not, but one skill the Bengals lack is gauging the interest of other teams. While Simpson excited the Bengals staff, did they really have to take him in the 2nd round? Were other teams waiting to jump on the chance to pick him? I doubt it, I think the Bengals could have picked Simpson in the 3rd or maybe even 4th round.
Overall here are quick reactions to all of the picks:
Round 1 LB Keith Rivers -- Consensus solid pick. Team Captain started 36 games at USC.
Round 2 WR Jerome Simpson -- Jury is out on the Bengals. Limas Sweed was taken 7 picks later by the Steelers, so we will be able to judge this pick twice a season for years to come.
Round 3 DT Pat Sims -- One year college starter. Great athlete for his size if he finds the motivation.
Round 3 WR Andre Caldwell -- Outstanding value in round 3. School record for receptions at Florida.
Round 4 OT Anthony Collins -- All American Tackle. Still considered raw after only 1 year of tackle. Will have time to develop behind Willie, Levi, Andrews and Kooistra.
Round 5 DT Jason Shirley -- Huge and athletic. Many issues and question marks. Total wild card.
Round 6 S Corey Lynch -- Great athlete and aggressive player. Should add immediate help to special teams.
Round 6 TE Matt Sherry -- Team Captain, showed speed during his workouts. Can develop behind Bengals current TEs.
Round 7 DE Angelo Craig -- If he can run, could turn into to Andre Frazier, another UC standout. Special teams ace that could add pass rush help.
Round 7 WR Mario Urritia -- Huge receiver with focus issues. Could become 3rd down and goal line threat if he can put it together.

The Bengal that had the worst weekend is Chad Johnson as the team drafted 4 pass catchers to prepare for the upcoming season. But even worse for CJ85, the team most interested in his services, the Redskins, drafted pass catchers with their first 3 picks. Chad and Drew can say “Bye-bye” to any leverage they had leading into the draft. It will be interesting to see the media spin put to this one now that Chad does not have an easy option. Hopefully Drew bought Chad a beer and said, “Lo Siento, Ocho. Hemos perdido mucho dinero. Mi error, perro”


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Good News:
- The Bengals have a franchise QB, and assuming the team can get a full season from a combination of Willie, Levi and Stacy Andrews, quality starting tackles. That is the first step for a winning team.
- Beyond a QB and Tackles, the rest of the team is built to fit the scheme and each other to win.
- The Bengals have needs at every position, therefore they are not limited in their pick. The best player that fits into the Bengals offensive or defensive scheme can be picked.
- The only positions the Bengals do not need to draft are QB and TE, positions that happen to be weak this year. But if a solid TE falls, that is not a bad pick either.
- There is a deep pool of WRs this year if the Bengals want to add depth in later rounds.
- There is also a deep pool of RBs, and the Bengals will probably need to add depth there also as every RB currently on the roster has question marks.
- The Bengals have 10 picks to play with, look for them to move around for the players they like best.
- If the Bengals happen to land Sedrick Ellis, as most predictions say, they could trade into the end of Round 1 to also land a top LB. That would add a major surge of energy to the defense.
- Marvin Lewis has some draft success in later rounds: Jeremi Johnson(4th), Scoot Kooistra(7th), Stacy Andrews(4th), Robert Geathers(4th), Chinedum Ndukwe(7th).
- Having wide open options and 10 picks, the Bengals should be able to put together a strong draft class.

Bad News:
- The Bengals need defensive playmakers, especially in the front seven, and there will be a run on the front seven early in the draft. Too bad this isn’t a year when everyone wants to draft QBs and TEs
- By chasing DTs Rogers and Robertson, the Bengals have shown their cards. If Glenn Dorsey or Sedrick Ellis is available in the 8th spot, teams drafting behind the Bengals may trade up and take a DT knowing the Bengals intentions.
- The Bengals may need to look for a center as Ghiacuic has not proven he can keep people out of Palmer’s face.
- The Bengals highest compensatory pick is in the 3rd round. In the 3rd round under Marvin Lewis, the Bengals have taken: Kelley Washington, Caleb Miller, Landon Johnson, Chris Henry, Frostee Rucker, and Ahmad Brooks. So far not the best track record.
- The Bengals front office still has the same people as the last 17 years. So while they may get the players they want, that may not mean very much. We are still guaranteed one surprise like Sean Brewer(3rd), Artrell Hawkins(2nd), or Travis Dorsch(4th). The type of pick where the draft coverage team laughs as they shuffle through their papers looking for any notes on the guy. It usually ends with them saying, “He’s a decent athlete, could make the team, we weren’t sure if he would be drafted, and especially not in the _____round.”


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

Before we finish our countdown of Bengal failures, let us put this countdown into proper perspective. The Bengals have had 22 top 10 picks in their 40 year history, so these are the worst 10 of those 22. To get an idea of this failure, we look to division rival Pittsburgh for draft analysis. In the past 40 years, the Steelers have had a total of 7 top 10 picks. Of those 7 picks, 5 have made at least one Pro Bowl, including Hall of Famers Joe Greene, Terry Bradshaw, and Rod Woodson. Kind of makes you sick to your stomach.

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
2. Akili Smith, QB, University of Oregon, 3rd Overall Pick in 1999

1. Jack Thompson, QB, Washington State University, 3rd Overall Pick in 1979

In another head scratching QB draft pick, the Bengals picked Jack Thompson, the "Throwin' Samoan," with the 3rd pick in the 1979 draft. At the time, the Bengals had just finished a disastrous 1978 season in which they started 1-12 and QB Ken Anderson missed four games due to injury. Anderson had his worst season as a pro, so perhaps the Bengals thought he had lost his touch. However, Anderson was only 29 years old at the time and 1978 was his 7th season as the starter. In those 7 seasons, Anderson led the Bengals to two playoff appearances, made 2 Pro Bowls, led the NFL in passing yards twice, led the NFL in passer rating twice, and was top in passing TDs 4 times. Like Boomer Esiason with the David Klingler pick, one would think that Anderson’s resume was good enough to hold the starting job, especially following an injury plagued year. Also like Boomer, Anderson is more accomplished than Carson Palmer at the same age, should we expect the Bengals to draft a QB soon? I surely hope not. In the 4 seasons following the Thompson pick, Ken Anderson would lead the Bengals to two more playoff appearances, a Super Bowl, be named NFL MVP, All Pro, and to two more Pro Bowls. Needless to say, Thompson did not overtake Anderson as the starter.
Jack Thompson had an unbelievable career at Washington State University, and ended as the career NCAA passing yardage leader. However, as we have seen many times, NCAA passing yard stats do not equal NFL success. Gimmick offenses, league playing styles, and many other factors can lead to gaudy stats but not be a marker of future success. Most of the best QBs in NFL history did not have record breaking statistics in college, but they were able to lead their team and control the game. Thompson spent only 4 seasons with the Bengals failing to unseat Ken Anderson as the starter. And when Thompson did play, he completed just 47% of his passes for 2,072 yards, 13 TDs and 19 INTs in 32 game appearances and 5 starts. He was eventually dealt to Tampa Bay where he would start his first 13 games, throw 21 INTs, and be benched for Steve DeBerg. Thompson was out of the NFL the following year.
That is not where the story ends though, now we get into whether the Bengals are cursed, or just not smart. The Bengals already had a starting QB, so they could have picked a different position. The pick following Thompson was Hall of Fame, 1980s All Decade Team, and 6 time All-Pro defensive tackle Dan Hampton of the Chicago Bears. Also in the top 10 that year was 2 time Pro-Bowl, Super Bowl MVP running back Ottis Anderson. He would have teamed up very well with QB Ken Anderson. But the ultimate insult is the other missed picks at QB that year. Taken 5 picks after Thompson was All-Pro and Super Bowl MVP Phil Simms who would have made a nice transition after Anderson left. And now, drum roll please……………taken 79 picks after the legendary Jack Thompson was……….Joe Montana. Montana is only widely regarded as the best QB ever, won 4 Super Bowls, 3 time Super Bowl MVP, 2 time NFL MVP, Hall of Fame, has a playoff record of 16-7, career playoff passer rating of 96.2, and overall just dominated the Bengals. Of course, he did all of this playing for Hall of Fame Head Coach Bill Walsh. Bill Walsh was Ken Anderson’s QB coach with the Bengals, and when he was passed over for the Bengals head coaching job, he left and eventually landed with the 49ers. STUPID BENGALS!!!! STUPID!!!!


Well, that's it. Check back for 2008 Draft analysis


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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

2. Akili Smith, QB, University of Oregon, 3rd Overall Pick in 1999


Akili Smith. Where do we begin with all that was wrong with the Akili Smith pick? Let’s just make a list from the beginning:
- Akili Smith was a Junior College transfer that only spent 2 seasons in Oregon
- Akili Smith was not the starter going into his senior year at Oregon; the starter was injured in preseason giving Akili his chance.
- The offensive coordinator at the University of Oregon at that time was Jeff Tedford. Tedford is known for developing QBs and a quick one-read offense.
- QBs that have excelled under Tedford:
-Trent Dilfer, 3300 yards, 28 TDs, 4 Ints, left college early, 6th overall pick
- Billy Volek, 2700 yards, 30 TDs, 3 Ints, holds NCAA record for lowest INT%
- Akili Smith, 3700, 32 TDs, 8 Ints, 1st round draft pick
- AJ Feeley, half season, 2000 yards, 14 TDs, injured and then replaced by Joey Harrington
- Joey Harrington, 2900 yards, 27 TDs, 6 Ints, 1st round draft pick
- Kyle Boller, 2900 yards, 28 TDs, 10 Ints, 1st round draft pick
- Aaron Rodgers, 2900 yards, 24 TDs, 8 Ints, 1st round draft pick
- Quite a collection of highly efficient college QBs that cannot sustain starting roles in the NFL.

- Akili tore through a weak Pac-10 in 1998, but posted his worst games against top Pac 10 teams UCLA and Arizona.
- Led Oregon to 8-4 record and Hula Bowl loss.
- Akili’s agent Leigh Steinberg knew how to capitalize on Akili’s physical tools and groomed him for the NFL combine.
- With Steinberg’s help, Akili put together an amazing passing display (in tshirts and without a defense) using his top level arm strength. Similar to Kyle Boller’s combine show.
- Further proving Akili’s prep for the combine, his score on the Wonderlic went from a 13 on his first attempt to a 37 on his second.
- Steinberg also used his connections in the media to have national stories written and on tv about Akili. During his college season, many were not considering Smith as a top QB.
- Akili had played some minor league baseball and entered college late; he was 24 at the time of the draft.
- In an attempt to land Ricky Williams, the Saints offered the Bengals their entire slate of 1999 draft picks, as well as, their 1st and 3rd round picks the following year for the #3 spot. The Bengals passed.
- Washington took that trade after the Bengals picked. By trading back up, the picks were used to select Champ Bailey (All-Pro), Chris Samuels (All-Pro), Desmond Clark (Receiving TE), and others.
- Not many teams were interested in Akili Smith. The Bengals probably could have taken the trade and still drafted Akili with a later pick.
- Trying to get max dollars, Steinberg held Smith out for 4 weeks of football, missing his first training camp. Training camp is when most of the schemes are installed.
- After the Bengals started the 1999 season 0-4, Smith was thrown in as the starter. He would win his first start at Cleveland, but average only 115 passing yards in 7 games.
- In 2000, Akili played in 12 games and threw for 1253 yards, 3 TDs, and 6 Ints.
- In 2001, Akili lost the starting job to Jon Kitna, but he would get to start the Jets game late in the year. He opened the game by leading the team on a scoring drive. On the second drive, he tore his hamstring on a 5 yard scramble.
- Cut 2 months after the Bengals drafted Carson Palmer.
- Was signed and cut by two teams following the Bengals, failing to find another NFL job.
- Total NFL career, 2212 yards passing, 5 TDs, 13 Ints.
- Last season, Akili tried his luck in Canada with the Calgary Stampeders.
- He began the season as a backup, but was able to play when the starter went down. In his first appearance, he finished 6/10 for 63 yards, 0 TDs and 3 Ints.
- After a few more unimpressive weeks, Smith was cut by the Stampeders, ending his career in what would have been his 9th NFL season.

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


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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.


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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

With the 6th pick in the 1992 draft, the Bengals surprised everyone by drafting David Klingler out of Houston. Why was it a surprise? Because in the 4 seasons prior to the 1992 draft, the Bengals made the playoffs 2 times, appeared in the Super Bowl, and quarterback Boomer Esiason had 2 All-Pro seasons and an NFL MVP award. That is ALL-PRO, the best QB in the league, not just the Pro-Bowl. At the time of the pick, Esiason was 30 years old. Current franchise QB Carson Palmer has only one playoff appearance and 2 Pro-Bowls. Given Mike Brown’s track record, if the Bengals have a top ten pick next season, we can expect him to draft a QB to replace Palmer. Sound crazy? Maybe not when you consider the braintrust that made the Klingler decision were Brown and his first coaching hire, Dave Shula. Boomer started the first 12 games of Klingler’s rookie year before ending his stint with the Bengals. Boomer then moved on to the New York Jets where he started 3 seasons and made another Pro-Bowl. After that was one season in Arizona where he threw for 522 yards in a game before returning to the Bengals and leading the team to a 5-2 record in their last 7 games replacing Jeff Blake. Esiason threw for 12,250 yards after being replaced by Klinger, Klingler would start 20 games for the Bengals after his rookie year.
In college, Klingler played in the pass only run-and-shoot offense that produced ridiculous numbers for the University of Houston. The fad of the late 80s and early 90s produced outlandish numbers for a short period of time before defenses began to figure out how to stop it. In Klingler’s junior season, he replaced departing Heisman Trophy winner Andre Ware in the pass crazy offense. Known for running up scores on inferior opponents, Klingler threw for 11 TDs in one game in an 84-21 win over powerhouse Eastern Washington. Houston finished 10-1 in Klingler’s junior year and Klingler would post the absurd numbers of:
GP--COM--ATT----PCT---YDS---TD--INT
11----374----643---58.2---5140---54----20
That is almost 60 passing attempts per game!!! One could maybe see why the Bengals valued Klingler based on these numbers, even though produced in a gimmick offense. However, that is not where the story ends, Klingler still had his senior season to play.
With Jack Pardee, one of the most successful run-and-shoot coaches, hired away by the Houston Oilers and now gone from the University of Houston for a second season, the scheme began to fail. College coaches realized that blitzing every down would limit the options in the run-and-shoot and greatly diminish its success. In his senior season, Klingler led Houston to a 4-7 record, but still was able to blow out inferior Louisiana Tech 73-3. His senior season stats were:
GP--COM--ATT----PCT---YDS---TD--INT
10----278----498---55.8---3388---29---17
Pretty good season, but not when you consider they were produced in a pass gimmick offense. Still, Mike Brown and Dave Shula felt the need to force out franchise QB Boomer Esiason for Klingler. Klingler could not even start 2 full seasons for the Bengals before being replaced by 1992 6th round draft pick Jeff Blake. After backing up Blake for a season, Klingler would spend 2 years as a backup in Oakland before being cut to end his career. Klingler’s NFL career amounted to 3,994 total passing yard, 16 TDs and 22 INTs. Colt Brennan with the 9th pick? Anyone?

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


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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

John Copeland was a 6-3, 285 pound defensive end coming off a senior season in which he was named an All-American. He was joined on the All-America team by fellow Alabama defensive end Eric Curry, who would be drafted one spot after Copeland. Joining Copeland and Curry on the 1992 Alabama football team were fellow NFL players, Antonio Langham, David Palmer, Sherman Williams, and George Teague. Needless to say, the Crimson Tide defense dominated on their way to winning the 1992 national title. Many times in the draft there are multiple college players from the same team viewed as top level draft picks, but one of the players does not pan out. In college, the lesser player shines out in the open as opposing teams focus on the more talented teamate. Playing next to a star gives the player more freedom and gives a bigger spotlight to their success. Reinard Wilson with Peter boulware, Ryan Sims with Julius Peppers, Greg Spires with Andre Wadsworth, are a few quick examples. In this case, the appearance of 6 NFL players on one defense allowed the defensive line to shine, while none would go on to stand out in the NFL.
John Copeland went on to play 9 seasons with the Bengals and log a total of 24 sacks. That puts him one spot behind 4 year Bengal Dan Wilkinson, and 19.5 sacks behind 7 year Bengal Justin Smith. 24 sacks has a dubious dinstinction in the Bengals record books as that is the resting place for 2 draft busts, Copeland and Reinard Wilson mentioned above. Copeland had 3 sacks or less for 7 of his 9 seasons as a Bengal.
More costly for the Bengals always are the missed opportunities. Drafted three spots behind Copeland was perenial All-Pro and future Hall of Fame offensive tackle Willie Roaf. Also, drafted in the second round after the Bengals passed on him for the second time was Michael Strahan, who has 141.5 sacks in a still active career. In the second round, the Bengals selected Tony McGee, again missing the star player by 3 spots. Every team has their hits and misses in the draft, but the 90s were a long string of misses for the hapless Bengals personnel staff.

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


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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

P-Dub may have been a bust, but he is responsible for one of the best days of my life. I am referring to November 16th, 2003, the day the 4-5 Bengals met the 9-0 Kansas City Chiefs. The news going into the game was Chad Johnson’s guarantee of victory, and how that might motivate the Chiefs. However, once the game got going, Peter Warrick provided the difference. That day P-Dub had 6 catches for 114 yards and 4 punt returns for 84 yards. The two monumental plays he delivered that day came 6 minutes apart in the fourth quarter. First, with the Bengals leading 10-6, Warrick took a punt 68 yards for a TD to put the Bengals up 17-6. The Chiefs responded easily with a 92 yard drive to make the score 17-12. Sensing another Bengals 4th quarter collapse, the crowd became restless as the Bengals received the kickoff from the Chiefs. However, on the first play from scrimmage, Jon Kitna uncorked the 3rd longest pass of his career to P-Dub who promptly spun out of a tackle and raced for the 78 yard TD. The Bengals led 24-12 with 6 minutes left and the Jungle roared. They were able to hold on for a 24-19 victory and the streets turned into the first day of spring break all over again. Easily one of the best days of my life, and if you are reading this crappy Bengals blog in the middle of the offseason, you probably remember what I am talking about.
In all, Peter Warrick played 4 full seasons with the Bengals with 2003 being his best season, 79 catches, 819 yards, and 7 TDs. In 2004, Warrick played in one game and was cut following the season. He played a minor role with the Seahawks in 2005 and recently signed to play for Team Florida in the All American Football League, a long fall for a top pick receiver.
In college, Warrick was a 2 time All-American, but he was on a star studded team that blew through the weaker ACC competition. His final game was against the weak defense of Virginia Tech in the National Championship game, Tech being led by Michael Vick. Warrick put on a show with 160 yards receiving and 3 touchdowns, including a 59-yard punt return to gain MVP honors. Like Reggie Bush, Warrick dominated college competition with speed and athleticism, but in the NFL, all 11 players on every defense are better than the college competition. In the NFL, Warrick did not have the speed to dominate, and did not have the other tools to make him a dominant player. As is the case with most draft busts, many players drafted around him turn out to be stars. Instead of embarrassing the Bengals that way, let's just take a look at the entire 2000 Bengal draft class:
1 Peter Warrick WR Florida State
2 Mark Roman CB Louisiana State
3 Ron Dugans WR Florida State
4 Curtis Keaton RB James Madison
5 Robert Bean CB Mississippi State
6 Neil Rackers K Illinois
7 Brad St. Louis TE Missouri State
When the Kicker drafted in the 6th round is your best pick, that is a terrible draft. And to top it off, Rackers did not even find his rhythm until he left the Bengals. At least Brad St. Louis is still a Bengal. Name one NFL team in the last 20 years that actually drafted a long snapper.......Didn't think so.

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


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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

Ricky Hunley….You mean Coach Rick Hunley? Yes, recently fired Bengals Coach Rick Hunley was the 7th overall pick in the 1984 draft. He had an exceptional career at Arizona being named a two-time consensus All-American in 1982 and 1983. In 1983, Hunley was also named the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year, and was eventually inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1997. But he never signed with the Bengals. Hunley’s agent and Paul Brown locked horns when Hunley’s agent in 1984 reportedly sought, “as much as $500,000 a year in a package that would include an expensive car, insurance policies and real estate as well as cash. The proposal also reportedly included a demand for a specific type of tile to be used for a hot tub in Hunley's house.” When contract negotiations stalled into September of his rookie season, the team traded his rights to Denver for a first, a third, and a fifth round draft choice.
Hunley went on to have a nondescript 7 seasons in the NFL. He started two of his four seasons in Denver and was lucky enough to be with the team and start Super Bowls XXI and XXII. Following Super Bowl XXII, Hunley was traded to the Cardinals for a backup center. He spent one season with the Cardinals after which he was cut during another contract holdout leading up to the following season. He then spent 2 seasons with the Raiders and that was that. Had Hunley stayed with the Bengals, he probably would have been considered a major bust. With the three draft picks acquired for Hunley, the Bengals saved face, even though the Broncos were good and the picks received by the Bengals were the 25th in the round. It’s better to have 3 low priced role players instead of one high priced role player.
In 2002, Hunley returned to the Bengals with Marvin Lewis and spent 5 seasons as the team's LB coach. Shortly after the 2007 season, Hunley was fired by Marvin Lewis and Mike Brown.
After 23 years, Ricky Hunley, proving it is never too late to be a Bengals first round draft bust.

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


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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

Following a 3-13 Dave Shula led season in 1993, the Bengals were positioned in the #1 draft spot as one of the most sought after college players in years sat ready to be picked. “Big Daddy” Dan Wilkinson left college for the NFL after being named an All-American for his Sophomore season at Ohio State. Having redshirted, Wilkinson was a 21-year-old defensive tackle who played only two seasons of college football. With his size and athletic ability, he dominated at the college level, and wowed everyone at the NFL Combine. He measured up at 6'3⅝" and 313 pounds, could bench-press 500 pounds, and could also jump 30 inches off the ground. To top off the day, Big Daddy ran the 40 yard dash in 4.79 seconds. Everyone in the draft wanted Wilkinson, and the only dilemma the Bengals had was whether to take Wilkinson, or to cash in and trade out of the top spot. Before the draft, Big Daddy dropped this ominous quote that would predict the next 14 years, "If Cincinnati shows they want to get the top-notch players and move to the next level, O.K. If they continue to be cheap and go after secondhand players, then I don't want to be part of that organization." The second pick that year following Big Daddy was future Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk.
Many people consider Big Daddy to be a bust, but perhaps he just did not live up to the mountain of hype that followed him into the league. Let’s compare Big Daddy to the recent missed opportunity of Shaun Rogers. Shaun Rogers just completed his 7th season in the NFL, he is 29 years old, played in 98 games, has 29 sacks and 256 tackles. After his seventh season in the NFL, 4 with the Bengals and 3 with the Redskins, Big Daddy was 28 years old, played in 109 games, had 44sacks and 205 tackles. The criticism of Wilkinson was that he was lazy and could dominate if he wanted to put in the effort, the same statements surround Rogers. Ironically, Big Daddy and Rogers played together with the Lions from 2003 to 2005. During that time, Wilkinson drew more double teams while Rogers made his only pro bowl appearances. Basically, another reason to be happy the Browns are spending $42million on Rogers.
In 1995 his second season with the Bengals, Big Daddy led NFL interior linemen with 8 sacks. The next season, he led the team with 6.5 sacks, sad for the team but true. He played only 4 seasons with the Bengals, yet Big Daddy is 8th on the Bengals career sack list with 25, pathetic. To put that number in perspective, 25 sacks would make Big Daddy 7th on the Ravens career sack list, a franchise with 12 seasons of history.
After his fourth season with the Bengals, Big Daddy was done with his rookie contract. When the Bengals placed the franchise tag on him, Wilkinson was not happy in any way and lashed out at the city and franchise. At that point the Redskins signed Big Daddy and gave the Bengals first and third round picks. The Bengals used those picks to draft Brian Simmons and Mike Goff, both had solid Bengal and NFL careers. In the end, Big Daddy played 13 NFL seasons for 4 teams registering 54.5 sacks and 301 tackles. 54.5 sacks would lead the Bengals all time list by 8 sacks. A defensive tackle leading in sacks is not common and shows the sorry state of defensive line play in the history of the Bengals franchise.

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


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By now, you’ve probably read it. The Bengals have cut Chris Henry after he allegedly punched someone. A few thoughts about that:

1. I’m surprised that the Bengals cut him so quickly. When I first read that he had a warrant out for his arrest, I was thinking that I’d write a post about how we shouldn’t rush to judgment. I was going to say that someone in Henry’s position probably gets a lot of people coming up to him trying to start (stuff). I was going to make a Charles Barkeley comparison. I was going to remind everyone of the woman who lied about what did or didn’t happen with Henry in a hotel room 2 years ago. I was going to recommend that we wait until this works itself through the system.

I won’t bother now.

(I just found out that he pleaded not guilty. A little patience on the team's part wouldn't have been out of the question. Obviously, they were sick of the drama.)

2. This comes on top of the comments that Marvin Lewis and Chad Johnson are swapping through the media. Guys, can’t you just make a little facetime for each other?

Johnson, on ESPN, and Lewis, through Enquirer at the NFL’s annual meeting. Here’s the remix of their quotes:

Lewis: “It's unfortunate that Chad has put himself in that situation because a lot of people who really had affection for him now see him in a different light."

Johnson: "Affection? That's the problem right there. The player is not gonna change. Chad has to do what's right for Chad... That's why (Lewis) made the comment. He thinks I'm worried about people liking me. Those days are over. I'm not worried about them anymore, because I have to do what's right for me."

Lewis: "Hopefully some of the things he said, he's going to have to face one way or another. If he shows and does things, and does (them) the right way, I'm willing to take the bullets for him again and allow him to come back the right way."

Johnson: “Don't take any bullets for me. Don't take one bullet. Do I get in trouble? Do I do anything wrong off the field? Do I? What bullets? I'm not a player that comes with bullets. I'm no threat. I'm not a problem. OK, I celebrate. Whoop-de-do. You know what you get when I touch the field every Sunday."

Lewis: "We are prepared to move on."

Johnson: "My plans are to show up and embarrass everybody that tries to cover me. If they're satisfied with what we have, and think that's gonna get us where we need to go, then so be it."

3. What’s interesting to me is that some of these comments take on such a different meaning when held up next to the Henry arrest and release. Specifically, Johnson’s bullets remark and his statement about the team being “satisfied with what we have.”

This is like the perfect storm of crap for the wide receiver position. I felt more comfortable with Johnson’s situation knowing that Henry was around. I didn’t want the team to bend to his demands (and I’m pretty disappointed that he’s making these demands). But Henry was good protection in case he sat out. Now that’s gone.

4. It’s gotten me to thinking about what would happen if the team went forward without both Johnson and Henry. T.J.’s good. Chatman and Holt and whoever else don’t inspire confidence. But Carson Palmer’s supposed to be a great QB. Shouldn’t (couldn’t) he still do a great job with less than stellar WR cast?

5. Before I write Johnson off, though, he does say two things that are encouraging. One, obviously, is that he plans to show up. Two, and perhaps more telling, is that he refers to the team as “we,” as in “satisfied with what we have.” Obviously he hasn’t moved on yet.

6. If anyone can pull a 180 and come back to the team and be all hugs and kisses, it’s Ocho Cinco. If anyone will get lucky and get another chance with another team, then get arrested again, it's Henry.



Anyway, so long, Chris Henry. You leave in your wake unfulfilled promise and plenty of questions at the WR position. Oh, and don’t forget the regrettable decision by Mr. Showbiz to buy a #15 jersey (photo at the top of this post). At least he didn’t get Henry's name on it. For Showbiz’s sake, I hope the next #15 for the Bengals also keeps it real.


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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

Justin Smith has been underappreciated by Bengals fans based on his draft position. But lucky for him, his draft position has caused him to be greatly over-appreciated when it comes to his paychecks. Smith was drafted 4th overall in 2001 after notching 11 sacks as a junior at Missouri. That year, Missouri went 3-8, and Justin Smith had 4 of his sacks against the always stellar offensive line of Baylor University in a 25 point Missouri win. He was selected as an All-American which is understandable given that he was bigger, stronger and faster than the linemen in the Big 12 that season. He deserved recognition as he is an NFL level talent, but he was by no means worthy of a top 4 pick by the Bengals. Defensive end is a premium position, and a defensive end has been selected within the top 5 picks in 9 of the last 13 drafts. Justin Smith just happened to come out in a crappy year for DEs with Andre Carter(7th) and Jamal Reynolds(10th) the other big names. At least he is better than those 2 nobodies. Suppose Justin stayed at Missouri for his senior year, he would have entered the draft against Julius Peppers(1st), Dwight Freeney(11th), Bryan Thomas(22nd), and Charles Grant(25th), all except Thomas are better than Smith. In that case, being compared to Peppers and Freeney probably would have dropped Smith out of the first round and cost him millions of dollars. To make matters worse, the two picks after Smith were LaDainian Tomlinson(NFL MVP, 6 Times All-Pro) and Richard Seymour(5 Times All-Pro). After a lengthy holdout, Smith finally signed for his big time first pick money, kick-started his "motor," and proceeded to make tackles all over the field except the backfield.
Had Smith been a 3rd round pick, many fans would have praised his durability and ever so talked about “motor.” Instead, being the high priced draft pick caused fans to notice his relentless non-pressuring of the QB which is the measuring stick of a top DE. Now, every time pundits talk about the “motor” of a first round draft pick, fans all across Bengal-land cringe and picture Smith’s Anheuser-Busch tattoo. Instead of throwing more money at a previous mistake, the Bengals let the 49ers take their place and pay Smith $45million for the next 6 years. Maybe the 49ers can see something the Bengals missed, but that is a lot of money for someone that cannot beat an NFL tackle one-on-one and over-pursues every time given the opportunity. DEs that can make tackles when the ball is run their way are easy to find, and while it is nice to have a DE chase every play with his “motor,” that is not why teams pay $45million. If Justin Smith plays out his entire contract in San Francisco, he will have made $72,300,000 over a 13 year NFL career…Unbelievable, Dennis Kozlowski thinks Justin Smith is ridiculously overpaid.
Smith leaving also opens up the door for a new Bengal DUI Blood Alcohol Content record holder. Smith’s blow of .152 in his 2004 DUI arrest was the team high, but somehow he was left out of the discussions of the jailbird Bengals. The arrest happened barely a year before Chris Henry started his body of work, yet Smith came out unscathed. Again, did anyone notice his Anheuser-Busch tattoo? At least Smith led the team in something.

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


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The full draft order has been released, and the Bengals will have 10 picks. Here are the rounds and numbers for the selections:
Round 1, Pick 9 (9)
Round 2, Pick 15 (46)
Round 3, Pick 14 (77)
Round 3, Pick 34 (97)
Round 4, Pick 13 (112)
Round 5, Pick 10 (145)
Round 6, Pick 11 (177)
Round 6, Pick 41 (207)
Round 7, Pick 37 (244)
Round 7, Pick 39 (246)

Due to trades, here is the complete Cleveland Browns draft:
Round 4, Pick 23 (122)
Round 5, Pick 20 (155)
Round 6, Pick 24 (190)
Round 7, Pick 24 (231)

This year could be a real boost for the Bengals by having 5 picks before the Clowns even hit the board. Great moves Cleveland!!! Here's hoping your studly QB and cudly DT are worth it.


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According to cincinnati.com/bengals Chad Johnson has been traded to the Tennessee Titans for Albert Haynesworth and a 4th round draft pick. This move will shore up the Bengals Defensive line as well as end the feud between Johnson and Cincinnati.

Haynesworth has proven to be a successful counterpart with an earlier Bengals acquisition Antwon Odom (DE).

While it is sad to see Johnson leave, it is good to know team moral and the defense should both improve.

*** This was our lame attempt at an April Fools joke. Thanks for all the emails.


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