The best and worst of the Bengals' 2015 draft
The 2015 NFL Draft is finally over. But before the business of football can begin, Enquirer Bengals writers Paul Dehner Jr. and Jim Owczarski break down the best and the worst of the Cincinnati Bengals draft.
Best pick
Paul Dehner, Jr.: Josh Shaw. Did you ever make a dumb decision in college? Make a bad situation worse because you didn't know any better? Not saying Shaw's action that earned him a 10-game suspension by USC should be condoned, but there are worse problems than one bad decision to lie about how an injury was sustained.
His background helped make him a great value in the fourth round, and he's a perfect scheme fit for the Bengals, who love press corners, a skill Shaw excels at. Plus, his versatility in an ability to play safety and one of the being best gunners in college football add to his value on Sundays.
Jim Owczarski: Jake Fisher. I like the fact that the Oregon tackle is ready to play right away and can move along the line if the need arises. And while you never go into a season planning for a starter to get hurt, the odds are that one of the five along that offensive line will get nicked up in some capacity, and Fisher – who the Bengals would've considered taking in the first round – should be able to step right in.
Worst pick
PD: Fisher. Not that Fisher won't end up a great offensive linemen or even that he won't become a significant asset should an offensive linemen get hurt this year, I just think there were other options than doubling up at a position already occupied by two starters.
If they didn't feel value was there perhaps moving back or pushing up to find a better fit at another position (WR?) would have been the play. Not a knock of Fisher, more deciding to double up at tackle.
JO: C.J Uzomah. After already taking one developmental tight end in the third round in Tyler Kroft, the team used its fifth-round selection on an even greater project. He's a physical specimen and possesses all the raw tools to have a high ceiling – but the team admitted it's going to take awhile. I felt this was a good spot to add a guy who would be ready to play Week 1.
Underrated pick
PD: Derron Smith. Sixth round typically means an uphill battle to make the club and that may be the case for Smith, but he reminds of George Iloka with his production in the Mountain West (15 picks), four years as a starter and unexpected slide where he expected to go in rounds three or four. He's proven to be productive with nice instincts, and he lands in a place with a reserve safety spot open for him to take.
JO: Paul Dawson and Marcus Hardison. OK, I'm cheating a little by picking these two guys, but I think both of these players will be able to participate on Sundays immediately. Are they going to displace any current starters? If healthy, probably not – at least not right away – but before the year is out these two may prove to be contributors.
Highest ceiling
PD: Cedric Obguehi. There's a reason the Bengals took him at 21. If not for his ACL injury, he would have been long gone. His rare length and lightning-fast feet with technique adjustments from Paul Alexander and mentoring from Andrew Whitworth set him up to be one of the top tackles in the game.
JO: Josh Shaw. Now, the Bengals feel first-round pick Cedric Ogbuehi could fall right in line with the Pro Bowl tackles of yesteryear (and present day), but that's what's supposed to happen with a No. 1 pick, right? So to me, the highest ceiling is Shaw. If not his season-ending suspension, he may have gone much earlier. And while the competition in the cornerback room is fierce in 2015, it could also turn over quite a bit in 2016 and beyond, leaving room for Shaw to really emerge.
Best stat
PD: I'll go for a statistic not from one of the draftees, but a reason for the first two picks. Over the past two years, the Bengals projected offensive line starters have missed 21 combined games (Andrew Whitworth 2, Clint Boling 4, Russell Bodine 0, Kevin Zeitler 8, Andre Smith 7). If you figure they added the first and second reserves off the bench with Ogbuehi and Fisher, the last two years would suggest one would see action in 10.5 games.
For a team determined to boast one of the league's best offensive lines, the precedent is set for a contribution.
JO: Now, Ogbuehi's 35 7/8-inch arm length is a pretty good stat, and so is Mario Alford's 4.25-second 40 time, Paul Dawson's 20 tackles for loss and Derron Smith's 15 career interceptions at the free safety spot. Those are all great numbers.
But really, the best stats are truly legendary, and that belongs to defensive lineman Marcus Hardison, a converted high school quarterback. When asked how far he can throw a ball, he said, "I can probably throw that thing a whole football field." Good enough for me.
