2012 NFL Mock Draft: Will Cincinnati Bengals Still Target a RB in First Round?

Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden has made no secret about his want to implement a running back-by-committee approach in 2012. 

His front office obliged in part on Wednesday, as the Bengals signed former New England Patriots running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis to fill one part of that committee. Fellow free-agent Cedric Benson is now widely expected to leave Cincinnati, but Bernard Scott remains to complement Green-Ellis.

Given that Green-Ellis and Scott now occupy two big parts of Cincinnati's running back stable, will the Bengals still look to the draft to find another piece to the committee? It remains an intriguing possibility.

Cincinnati still doesn't have that home-run threat in the backfield, and adding a player such as University of Miami's Lamar Miller still makes sense with one of the team's two first-round picks. Outside of Trent Richardson, who isn't expected to fall to the Bengals, no back adds an explosive element with first-round value like Miller currently does.

Jamison Hensley of ESPN thinks a rookie running back will be targeted by the Bengals to ultimately complete Cincinnati's backfield.

"He will likely share carries with backup Bernard Scott and perhaps a rookie draft pick in a running back by committee. One reason the Bengals parted ways with Benson was his reluctance to split carries," he wrote.

It may not be a first-round running backs for the Bengals, and you could make a convincing argument now that it likely shouldn't be. However, with someone like Miller on board with Green-Ellis and Scott, the Bengals would have a complete offense stacked with young, explosive position players.

2012 NFL Mock Draft 

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

2. Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor (via trade with St. Louis Rams)

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC

4. Cleveland Browns: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU  

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

6. St. Louis Rams: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State (via trade with Washington Redskins)  

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina

8. Miami Dolphins:  Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

9. Carolina Panthers: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

10. Buffalo Bills: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

11. Kansas City Chiefs: Dontari Poe, NT Memphis

12. Seattle Seahawks: Nick Perry, DE, USC  

13. Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

14. Dallas Cowboys: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB/S, Alabama

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Quinton Coples, DL, North Carolina

16. New York Jets: Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama  

17. Cincinnati Bengals: David DeCastro, G, Stanford 

18. San Diego Chargers: Cordy Glenn, G, Georgia

19. Chicago Bears: Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois

20. Tennessee Titans: Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

22. Cleveland Browns: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame 

23. Detroit Lions: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State 

25. Denver Broncos: Devon Still, DT, Penn State

26. Houston Texans: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

27. New England Patriots: Mark Barron, S, Alabama

28. Green Bay Packers: Fletcher Cox, DL, Mississippi State

29. Baltimore Ravens: Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

30. San Francisco 49ers: Brandon Thompson, DL, Clemson

31. New England Patriots: Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama 

32. New York Giants: Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama