Now that the draft is over, every casual fan becomes an "expert analyst."
My analysis: I love it!
Only one of the players listed in my mock draft is on his way to the queen city, but the Bengals filled every need on my list, many with talented players.
The knock on previous drafts has been that the team sacrifices talent to reach for need. This was not the case in 2009.
The much-maligned Andre Smith will step in immediately to bolster the offensive line and open up running lanes for Cedric Benson, while protecting Carson Palmer.
Rey Maualuga, a firey player out of USC, gives the Bengals their first difference-maker at linebacker since Odell Thurman's rookie year in 2005. He brings a swagger and hitting ability to a defense in sore need of both.
Michael Johnson, the draft's second-best pass rusher, was the team's third round selection and provides the size (6'7" 266 lbs) and athleticism (4.75 40 and 38-inch vertical) to give offensive coordinators nightmares when trying to scheme against him on third downs.
In Missouri tight end Chase Coffman, the Bengals finally have someone who can play the H-Back position and give the team flexibility. We saw with Chris Perry in 2005 how much Palmer likes to check down to his playmakers out of the backfield.
Jonathan Luigs was not the team's first choice at center. There are questions about his strength against the big defensive tackles in the AFC North. The upside, however, is in his football IQ, which is the most important asset for a center.
In round five, the Bengals stayed local with punter Kevin Huber from the University of Cincinnati. Huber averaged 45 yards per punt last season and hopefully will oust Kyle Larson, who has been disappointing as a punter.
That's six players in the first five rounds, all who can contribute immediately to the success of this team. Any time you can get that many players of that quality, it's been a good draft.
Two interesting picks from the late rounds are running back Bernard Scott and wide receiver Freddie Brown.
Scott, from Abilene Christian, is a small school project, but is very productive as a receiver out of the backfield. Brown, a seventh-round selection, plays much like 2001 seventh-round pick T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Brown, however, is three inches taller at 6'4".
For the first time in five years, I grade the Bengals draft as an A . Now it's up to these men to sign, get into camp, work hard and produce on the field like we've seen they can.
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