5 Bold Predictions for New Cincinnati Bengals CB Dre Kirkpatrick in 2012

Dre Kirkpatrick was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft, and it is time to make some bold predictions concerning his rookie campaign.

Kirkpatrick finds himself in an ideal situation for a rookie cornerback. Most first-round rookie corners are the best at their position from the beginning, meaning opposing quarterbacks around the league pick on them all season.

This isn’t the case for Kirkpatrick. He enters a depth chart peppered with veterans, and at least one is better than him. Jason Allen, Terence Newman, Nate Clements and Adam Jones are all veterans who will compete for playing time with Kirkpatrick. Leon Hall is still the No. 1 corner on the team, although it is unknown when he will return.

The Bengals defensive unit a season ago was an elite group overall, and that won’t likely change—especially considering most of the starters are returning. Kirkpatrick joins the elite unit and should have plenty of opportunities to make big plays thanks to the players around him.

It is difficult to exactly predict Kirkpatrick’s rookie season, but things are looking good right now. Here are five bold predictions for Kirkpatrick in 2012:

Kirkpatrick Will Win Starting Nickel Corner Job Before Season

Dre Kirkpatrick’s competition for a starting role is stiff this offseason. Nate Clements, Terence Newman and Jason Allen are all veterans who could lock down the No. 2 and nickel corner positions.

However, there is hope for Kirkpatrick. With the exception of Clements, Newman and Allen are on the same level as Kirkpatrick in terms of attempting to learn the defensive schemes in Cincinnati because they are new to the roster as well.

The major advantage Kirkpatrick has over each player is his youth and athleticism. Newman was regularly torched last year in Dallas, and Clements struggled at times in coverage. Kirkpatrick is faster and taller than the three veterans, which gives him a significant advantage at this point in time.

When all is said and done this offseason, it is likely that Kirkpatrick will have secured the nickel corner position on the depth chart at the very least. He will receive significant playing time either way, but locking down a starting gig on a defense like the Bengals is a great first step. 

70-Plus Tackles

It is not out of the realm of possibility for Dre Kirkpatrick to be one of the defenders on the Cincinnati Bengals next year with the highest tackle tally.

This could happen for a number of reasons. For one, Kirkpatrick was considered by many before the draft to have the ability to play free safety in the NFL. If he does play like a safety while on the field, he will certainly have a large tackle number.

Secondly, during his college career Kirkpatrick was extremely aggressive against the run. That is a trait that will likely make the transition to the NFL. In a run-first division like the AFC North, Kirkpatrick will have plenty of opportunities to rack up tackles.

Finally, thanks to the overall talent of the defensive unit, Kirkpatrick isn’t going to be high on the priority list for blockers trying to pave the way for running backs. This will allow Kirkpatrick to utilize his great athleticism to get to opposing ball-carriers and receivers quickly.

Don’t be surprised when Kirkpatrick notches 70 or more tackles by the end of his rookie year. 

6-Plus Interceptions

It is also not hard to imagine Dre Kirkpatrick could intercept a large amount of passes this year. Six or more is a likely number for him.

In 2011, Joe Haden of the Cleveland Browns picked off six passes to go along with his 64 tackles. 2010 saw New England Patriots rookie Devin McCourty intercept seven passes and notch 82 tackles.

Both Haden and McCourty were thrown at a lot over the course of their rookies seasons, simply because they were rookies. Kirkpatrick won’t be an exception to this rule, especially if Leon Hall and Nate Clements are on the field as well.

Kirkpatrick will have plenty of opportunities for interception during his rookie year if he sees a significant amount of playing time. If his collegiate play is any indication, Kirkpatrick will make opposing quarterbacks pay for bad throws.

He won’t lead the league in interceptions by any means, but Kirkpatrick will put up a large number in that statistical category this season as well. 

Will Have Better Season Than Other First-Round Cornerbacks in 2012 Class

Dre Kirkpatrick was one of three cornerbacks selected in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft. The other two corners were selected before him. Morris Claiborne landed with the Dallas Cowboys No. 6 overall, while Stephon Gilmore was selected by the Buffalo Bills at No. 10 overall.

Kirkpatrick fell to the Bengals at No. 17 overall. Despite this, he will end up having a better rookie season than both Gilmore and Claiborne.

This is mostly a result of where each player landed. As stated earlier, Kirkpatrick ended up on an elite defensive unit. Claiborne joins an adequate enough unit, but is the No. 1 corner right away and will be subsequently picked on a lot.

Gilmore is now in Buffalo, which appears to be building an elite defense. However, in a division with Tom Brady, it is going to be hard for Gilmore to be a shut-down corner in his rookie season.

All three rookies will be thrown at a lot next season, but only Kirkpatrick won’t have to line up against each team’s No. 1 receiving option on every down. Kirkpatrick will give up fewer receptions and touchdowns than both Gilmore and Claiborne next season.  

Kirkpatrick Will Be in the Discussion for Defensive Rookie of the Year

Add up all of these predictions and Dre Kirkpatrick has one stellar season that could see him in the 2012 Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.

It is important to note that the last cornerback to accomplish this incredible feat was Charles Woodson in 1998 as a member of the Oakland Raiders.

This is an honor that doesn’t typically go to cornerbacks because of the nature of the position. Cornerbacks are measured more by their ability to shut down opposing players in the passing game, which doesn’t have a major statistic.

Conversely, linebackers and defensive linemen can accumulate a sexy statistic such as sacks. They also have a tendency to pile up a much larger quantity of tackles than members of the secondary.

It is safe to say the odds are against Kirkpatrick winning the award. He won’t win. He will, however, be in the discussion. That is great for Kirkpatrick and the organization’s future. 

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