What the Experts Are Saying About the Cincinnati Bengals' 2013 Draft

In what has become a trend in recent years, the Cincinnati Bengals' draft was widely hailed by nearly every football expert on the Internet. From ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. to the Cincinnati Enquirer's Joe Reedy, virtually every expert has given the Bengals' draft at least an A grade.

It has to be an unusual feeling for Bengals fans who have long backed a franchise that had been considered the laughingstock of the NFL. For years and years the Bengals have been widely ridiculed for their draft picks, and experts have taken a certain amount of glee in picking the team apart.

Not so anymore. Now, experts everywhere point to the Bengals as one of the teams that "gets it," while at the same time still expressing surprise that the team continues to draft as well as it has.

Let's take a closer look at what some of the experts are saying about the Cincinnati Bengals' 2013 draft.

Jamison Hensley, ESPN.com

Jamison Hensley, the AFC North blogger for ESPN.com expressed surprise that the Bengals selected Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert with their first pick in the draft.

"No one had the Bengals selecting Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert falling to No. 21," Hensley wrote. "The Bengals didn't need a tight end. Eifert, though, will stretch the field more than (Jermaine) Gresham and adds another target in the red zone."

Hensley did note that the Bengals bypassed a safety, the team's biggest need but hailed the selections of SMU defensive end Margus Hunt in the second round and Ohio State tackle Reid Fragel in the seventh round.

Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News

The Sporting News' Vinnie Iyer liked the Bengals' recent run of offensive selections and pointed to the selections of Tyler Eifert and Giovani Bernard as the perfect way to make the team more dangerous. Iyer gave the Bengals a grade of A-.

"Welcome to the Jungle, where the Bengals have buried their bungling, and done it with offense. See Notre Dame mismatch-creating tight end Tyler Eifert and North Carolina speed back Giovani Bernard," Iyer wrote. "Eifert and Bernard are great options for (Andy) Dalton to further break out of his (A.J.) Green dependency. "

Mel Kiper, Jr., ESPN

Nobody has been harder on the Bengals' drafts over the years than Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN's resident draft expert. But while Kiper believed that the Bengals missed a chance to fill their biggest need, safety, in the first round, he found few other faults (subscription required)  while giving the team an A-.

"The Bengals somehow didn’t address a pretty big need early (and they don’t have many) and still really impressed me," Kiper wrote.  "The pick of Tyler Eifert is just a steal … Eifert to Cincy is a great case of a team simply pouncing when the value gets too good. Giovani Bernard gives them a new dimension in the run game, ironically because he can actually catch the ball. He was the most versatile RB on my board.

"The Bengals seem to be a groove with the draft, the only downside being the picks that came via the Carson Palmer deal are now spent. It was fun while it lasted."

Pete Prisco, CBSSports.com

CBSSports.com's Pete Prisco gave the Bengals an A+ for their draft a year ago and followed that up with an A grade this time. Like several others, Prisco questioned the Tyler Eifert pick because the team already had Jermaine Gresham, but he hardly hated the selection. Prisco was also big on fourth-round linebacker Sean Porter, a former first-round prospect.

"For the second consecutive year, the Bengals had a big haul," Prisco wrote. "They landed a lot of quality players for a roster that already had a bunch. There is no more laughing at the way they draft."

Mike Florio, Pro Football Talk

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk liked the selections of Tyler Eifert and Giovani Bernard with the first two picks and noted that the pair will help slice up underneath zones. He wasn't as pleased with the selection of Nebraska running back Rex Burkhead in the sixth round but noted, "if that’s the worst thing that can be said about a 10-man draft class, it’s a pretty good draft class."

"The Bengals, with two straight playoff berths in non-strike seasons for the first time in franchise history, aren’t getting complacent," Florio wrote. "Marvin Lewis, one of the longest-tenured coaches in the league, seems intent on building a consistent contender.  With Eifert, Bernard, and Hunt leading the class of incoming rookies, the Bengals could be poised to keep making the postseason, indefinitely."

Joe Reedy, Cincinnati Enquirer

Joe Reedy, who covers the Bengals for the Cincinnati Enquirer, gave the draft a final grade of A-. Reedy was particularly impressed with the selections of Giovani Bernard, Margus Hunt and Shawn Williams, although he notes that none of the rookies may start game one.

"The Bengals will go into the season with one of the deepest rosters in the league," Reedy wrote. "It’s a draft that was extremely solid and productive. With five above-average classes, they finally have a formula."

Bucky Brooks, NFL.com

NFL.com's Bucky Brooks, who covers the AFC North, gave the Bengals an A and like most other experts, praised the depth of the team's draft. Brooks was surprised that the Bengals went with Giovani Bernard in the second round, but in a good way. "The Bengals are on the verge of contending for the AFC crown; the addition of Bernard could push them over the top in 2013."

"It's no coincidence that the Bengals have emerged as perennial playoff contenders in recent years, given that they've strung together a series of productive drafts. This year's draft was no exception," Brooks wrote. "With the Bengals stacking another solid class on top of an already loaded roster, Cincinnati is in position to be a legitimate contender in the AFC for years to come."

Chris Burke, SI.com

Sports Illustrated's Chris Burke gave the Bengals a B+ but by and large praised the team's draft. Like most, he was impressed with Tyler Eifert and Giovani Bernard at the top but also praised the team's third-day picks.

"Tyler Eifert brings a dynamic presence to this offense and RB Gio Bernard could, too," Burke wrote. "DE Margus Hunt might need some time to learn the NFL game. Cincinnati actually did quite well in the mid- to late rounds, with LB Sean Porter and seventh-round OT Reid Fragel shaping up as very smart selections."

James Cole, Yahoo.com

By far the lowest grade issued by the national press came courtesy of Yahoo! Sports' James Cole who handed the Bengals a B-. Most of Cole's criticism stemmed from the fact that picking a tight end in the first round was somewhat unnecessary. But like SI's Chris Burke, Cole actually felt like the Bengals had a good draft despite his comparatively low grade.

"What makes this an interesting draft is that taking Eifert is a bit of a departure for them. The Bengals already have standout tight end Jermaine Gresham. Eifert would appear to be a luxury, but he could allow Cincy to play two-tight end packages almost exclusively," Cole wrote. "If that's the case, (Giovani) Bernard was a really good choice because of his quick, slashing running style. In (Margus) Hunt, the Bengals got another talented athlete to pair with Geno Atkins in the middle. If Hunt pans out, the Bengals could be downright nasty on defense."