2012 NFL Draft: Today's War Room Thoughts for the Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals have nine draft picks to use this year—enough to shore up their holes on both sides of the ball and ensure they field a strong team for seasons to come.

That is, if they use them correctly. Poor draft strategies have hamstrung teams in the past, including the Bengals, so handling their glut of picks intelligently is the biggest priority next month.

All the draft picks in the world aren't useful if mishandled, of course, though it seems the risk is low for Cincinnati to make significant missteps this year.

One thing the Bengals are surely considering is what to do about the running back position. The team brought on free agent BenJarvus Green-Ellis yesterday as a complementary back to Bernard Scott and, to a lesser extent, Brian Leonard, but that still means their group of backs lack a fast, elusive player capable of leaving defenders in his dust.

If the Bengals are looking to add that element to their committee, then, clearly, the draft will be how they find him.

Ostensibly, if they are as interested in Trent Richardson as some reports have indicated, they could attempt to trade up to get him. However, there are players they could target either with one of their two first-round picks or in later rounds that could produce at a high level.

Two first-round options include Lamar Miller from Miami (FL) or Washington's Chris Polk. In later rounds, Cincinnati's Isaiah Pead, Boise State's Doug Martin or Oregon's LaMichael James could all be good fits for the Bengals.

Cincinnati will also likely look for help in the secondary. Both safeties and corners are fair game for the team this year. At cornerback, should they want to use a first-round pick, they could land either Alabama's Dre Kirkpatrick or Nebraska's Alfonzo Dennard. A great later-round option would be Central Florida's Josh Robinson.

At safety, Cincinnati should be looking into Alabama's Mark Barron, Notre Dame's Harrison Smith or Montana's Trumane Martin if they want to fill the position in the first two or three rounds.

The Bengals could also use one of their two first-round picks on a wide receiver, and they might, should the right player still be on the board. However, this is a deep draft class for receivers, so they may be able to wait until a later round to bring on the perfect complement to A.J. Green.

If they go receiver in the first round, then Georgia Tech's Stephen Hill would be a great add; they could likely land Alshon Jeffery in the second round or Rutgers' Mohamed Sanu.

If a slot receiver is more their speed, later-round picks like Joe Adams or Jarius Wright, both out of Arkansas, or T.Y. Hilton from Florida International would be perfect for the Bengals.

The main thing the Bengals will be considering in these upcoming weeks is which positions are of the highest priority. With two first-round picks, the team can bring on instant starters and, ideally, high-impact playmakers and fill holes with their remaining selections as they see fit.

This draft presents a great opportunity for the Bengals to build a long-lasting, well-balanced team that can remain competitive in the AFC North, as well as in the league as a whole. They're going into next month's draft already well-stocked in many areas, which should allow them to be a bit more creative than other teams in the league.

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