| 21 April 2010
The first round of the NFL Draft is Thursday night and like music to my ears ESPN's Todd McShay is still predicting that the Bengals will take Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant with the 21st overall pick.
In fact, McShay's last three mocks all have the draft's top WR landing in Cincinnati. Bryant does come with some baggage, but he would be a steal at that point of the draft. I was on record saying I would have been on board with the Bengals trading up to get Bryant before they landed Antonio Bryant (no relation) as a free agent. But even though the starting wide receivers are set with Chad Ochocinco and Antonio Bryant, Dez Bryant would be an extremely intriguing option as the No. 3 WR. Just a tad more explosive than Andre Caldwell to say the least.
And beyond that, it's time to start thinking about the future at the position considering Ochocinco is 32 (or "Tres Dos" as he might say) and Antonio Bryant is 29.
I am telling you right now that Dez Bryant would be a top five pick if he had been allowed to play his final season in college. And I think the NCAA came down way too hard on him. Yes, he should have been suspended for being dishonest about his relationship with Deion Sanders, but not for the entire season. Keep in mind, he did nothing wrong in the NCAA's eyes by having a relationship with Sanders, but it's the fact that he lied about knowing him and going over to his house (and other stuff) that led to the year-long suspension.
Remember when the Bengals passed on Randy Moss twice in the same draft to take Takeo Spikes (solid pick) and Brian Simmons (not so much)? Hopefully they remember that if Dez Bryant is still on the board at pick No. 21. Not that Bryant will be as good as Moss, but he's clearly the best receiver in this year's draft and it would be highway robbery for the Bengals to get him that late in the first round.
But honestly, I think someone will take him in the top 20 picks. McShay has been adamant for three weeks now that the Bengals are the team, but I will believe it when I see it. (And will then celebrate.) Somehow I think the Bengals will end up with Oklahoma's Jermaine Gresham and I do not like the idea of taking a tight end in the first round, even when your have a dreadful situation at TE like the Bengals do. Plus there are injury concerns with Gresham and I would be more weary of that than Bryant's "character issues."
(Interestingly, McShay has Gresham going to the Patriots with the very next pick. So, there is a very good chance that Gresham ends up in Cincinnati. However, if Bryant is not the pick, I hope one of the defensive players that are expected to go in the top 20 picks falls into the Bengals' lap and they take him, like perhaps DE Jason Pierre-Paul who is projected to be taken No. 14 overall by ESPN.)
In the second round, McShay has the Bengals taking Arizona TE Rob Gronkowski with the 54th overall pick. I would not be a fan of that and I'll have more on that later.
The Bengals then get two picks in the third round and McShay predicts they will be Georgia safety Reshad Jones with the 84th overall pick and Washington linebacker Donald Butler with the 96th overall pick (a compensatory selection).
Interestingly, Florida tight end Aaron Hernandez - once thought to be a late-first or early-second round pick - is projected to go 95th overall by McShay. If the Bengals could get Hernandez in the third round, I think that would be a steal. He's short for a TE at 6-2 ½ but he catches everything and would be a great value there. Course, that would mean the Bengals not taking a TE in the first two rounds and I don't know if they are willing to be patient. That is how you end up making bad picks is by reaching based on need. I think Gronkowski would be a horrible pick in the second round and I hope that doesn't happen. I would rather get Gresham in the first round (even with his injury history) than Gronkowski in the second. The latter was known to have an attitude problem in college and also had some off-the-field issues in high school. But what makes me willing to take a chance on someone like Dez Bryant and not Gronkowski? It's very simple: Bryant is a special talent and Gronkowski is not.
The Bengals also have a pair of picks in the fourth round and ESPN projects they will be Arizona DT Earl Mitchell (No. 120 overall) and Cal cornerback Syd'Quan Thompson (No. 131 - another compensatory pick).
Personally, I can't wait for the draft and it's going to be interesting to see what happens. And yes, I love the new format. I know opinions have been mixed and I know a lot of people who frankly don't like the new three-day set-up at all. However, I think it will grow on everyone and it will be a smash hit.
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