Cincinnati Bengals Mock Draft: Perfect Draft Strategy‏ for 2012

Normally, I would do a detailed position by position breakdown of the roster before I wrote a draft strategy. You can see an example of such for the Browns here; http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1050883-2012-nfl-mock-draft-cleveland-browns-needs-strategy-and-top-4-overall-picks.

However, the Bengals are in a unique situation heading into the 2012 NFL Draft. They have more high round picks than holes at starter for their roster. The following will be a pick by pick dream scenario based on the strategy I think the Bengals should take to best shape their roster.

Currently, the Bengals have one of the best young rosters in the entire NFL. I think they are much closer to becoming an elite team than most people due to their youth, large number of draft picks this year and next and the fact they have more cap room than any other team in the league.

Too many football fans will take the easy and lazy way out and say "They are the Bungles—they will never consistently find success." However, with the new CBA, the Bengals will be forced to spend like the rest of the teams in the league starting next year. Couple that with aging rosters for both the Steelers and Ravens and the mountain of draft picks the Bengals have waiting in the wings, and I think they will be the cream of the crop in the AFC North in the near future.

One final note before I dive into the picks: the Bengals have a history of taking talented but troubled players in the draft. Normally, I would be totally against these type of players. However, the Bengals have found some gems by using this strategy. As such, I will factor this in heavily when making picks for them.

1st Round—David DeCastro RG Stanford

If anyone tells you the Bengals biggest need is not RG than you should stop listening to them immediately as they clearly have no idea what they are talking about. I fully acknowledge that DeCastro, the best G prospect since Steve Hutchinson was coming out of Michigan, might be gone by the time the Bengals 17th overall pick is on the clock. However, because this is a dream scenario, DeCastro is the pick as he could very well still be on the board. If DeCastro is gone, I would advise the Bengals take the next guy I am about to suggest at 17th overall and select Cordy Glenn RG Georgia at 21st overall instead.

1st Round—Mark Barron SS Alabama

Just like DeCastro, Barron might not be on the board when the Bengals are picking. However, since it is not far fetched, I am selecting him for the Bengals. After releasing Chris Crocker, the Bengals do not have anyone to play SS that leaves you excited. Taylor Mays is on the roster, and while he is a tremendous athlete, his football instincts are questionable. It would be a wise decision to draft Barron, easily the best SS prospect in the draft this year, and let him compete with Mays for the starting job at SS while the other provides a nice young backup.

2nd Round—Juron Criner WR Arizona

A.J. Green is the best young WR in the entire NFL. Last season, I touted him as the OROY which you can read here; http://bleacherreport.com/articles/939964-cam-newton-does-not-deserve-to-win-nfl-offensive-rookie-of-the-year.

At the time, it was the most debated sports article in the history of Bleacher Report. While Green is a stud No. 1 WR, the Bengals are in need of a solid No. 2 WR to compliment him. If Shipley is recovered from his knee injury, he can be a solid No. 3 WR to play the slot. Hawkins is an option in the slot to backup Shipley. Tate is a solid return man and can provide a deep threat, but his ability to be a No. 2 possession WR type is questionable at best.

The Bengals have not had a young and talented No. 2 WR since the days of T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

Juron Criner should change that. Over the last two years, he averaged nearly 80 receptions, 1,100 receiving yards and 11 TDs a season. He is 6'4" and 215 lbs. He does not possess the speed or athleticism that would allow him to be a No. 1 WR. However, his size, route running, hands and body control make him the best No. 2 WR prospect in the draft in my opinion.

3rd Round—Orson Charles TE Georgia

Once upon a time, Orson Charles was being touted as the last pick of the first round to the TE needy New York Giants. However, that was before he foolishly got a DUI. Since then, his draft stock has plummeted.

The Bengals already have one of the better young TE in the NFL with Jermaine Gresham. However, the Bengals could stand to upgrade his backups from the current Donald Lee and Colin Cochart tandem. Charles is an athletic pass catching type of TE. If he can either quit drinking, use a designated driver or hail a cab, he could develop into a really nice weapon in two TE sets for the Bengals. He should also turn into a top notch special teams player early in his career.

4th Round—Ronnie Hillman RB San Diego State

How appropriate that The City of Seven Hills drafts a man named Hillman. In my opinion, Ronnie Hillman is the most underrated RB in the entire draft. In his two seasons of college, he averaged around 1,600 rushing yards and 18 rushing TDs a year. Before you knock those stats by saying he played at San Diego State, let me say two words to you: Marshall Faulk. Hillman has a great center of balance and some wiggle in his running ability.

5th Round—Vontaze Burfict LB Arizona State

Vontaze Burfict is the most vicious hitter at LB to leave college football since Ray Lewis. The problem for Burfict is that he has a few too many screws loose. He is a personal foul machine and his attitude is questionable at best.

However, his talent is off the charts. He was projected as a first rounder for much of this past season and at one point, Bleacher Report draft guru Matt Miller had him as the second highest rated player in the entire draft. If Burfict can tap into his enormous potential that prior ranking might not be too far off. He just needs to remain motivated and play more under control while on the field.

An in shape Burfict that does not pick up costly personal foul penalties and is not out of position on the field could turn into a wrecking ball. He could be the type of player to single handedly turn around a defense. At the very least, he could provide nice depth at LB and be a heat seeking missile on special teams.

5th Round—Cliff Harris CB Oregon

If you thought Orson Charles or Vontaze Burfict had character concerns—you have not seen anything yet. Cliff Harris makes them look like boy scouts. Charles had a lone DUI while Burfict technically never had any specific legal troubles that we know of. Harris, meanwhile, had frequent run-ins with the law. So many in fact that he was kicked off the team at Oregon. You have to be one heck of a bum to accomplish that feat.

With that said, Harris has as much raw talent at CB of any player in the draft. He might also be the best punt returner in the draft as well. As a late fifth round pick the risk is almost non-existent as well.

I expect the majority of the complaints involving this pick to be centered around not picking a CB earlier. I see countless mock drafts with the Bengals taking a CB with one of their first round picks. I think that would be foolish. Most teams carry six CBs. The Bengals already have Leon Hall, Nate Clements, Jason Allen, Terence Newman, Pac-Man Jones and Brandon Ghee on the roster. I know Hall is coming off an Achilles injury. I know Clements and Newman are past their prime. I know Pac-Man might be arrested at any time. Even still, you cannot find a deeper CB crop on any other team in the league. The only elite CB that would be an upgrade at starter from day one would be Morris Claiborne, but he will be long gone by the time the Bengals pick at 17. Taking a flier on Harris would be the best decision to make.

5th Round—Best DT available

Geno Atkins is an absolute stud. Peko is a nice starter at DT alongside him. Pat Sims was re-signed to be the third man in the four man rotation. Currently, Nick Hayden or Jamaal Anderson (playing out of position) would be the only options for that last DT roster spot. Obviously, the fourth man in a four man DT rotation is not going to make or break a team. However, the Bengals should simply take the best DT still on the board with this pick. No one player stands out this late in the draft at DT to me, but since this is merely for depth it should not matter a whole lot.

6th Round—BPA

BPA stands for Best Player Available regardless of position. This is a luxury pick. The Bengals should be so flush with talent at this point that they should either deal this pick for a future draft pick or simply take the best player available on their board. This may seem like a cop out pick, but seriously, show me a hole on that roster after all of my previous picks are factored in. Realistically this pick will be lucky to make the practice squad if the pick is not dealt for a future draft pick(s).

Let me know your thoughts below.