Bengals Mock Draft: Instant Contributors Cincinnati Can Find in Every Round
The Cincinnati Bengals head to the 2015 NFL draft in a luxurious position.
While some of the roster's biggest needs are obvious, the front office has nine picks to work with after compensatory selections went out. This means the team can hit on short-term needs and reinforce positions for the future at the same time.
Of course, taking care of business in a smart manner to this point doesn't mean Marvin Lewis and the front office will sit on their hands.
Instead, the organization figures to search for the absolute best value at each slot and add players who can make an impact upon arrival.
The meaning of "instant contributions" varies by team. For a deep Cincinnati roster it can mean seeing some playing time right away as a starter. In the later rounds, the definition changes a tad to a player who can perhaps contribute on special teams but at the least provides solid competition at a given spot.
Within is a full seven-round mock for the Bengals based on need, prospect value and, above all else, a prospect's ability to make the team better right away.
Round 1 (No. 21 Overall): Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
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The Cincinnati Bengals may have Pat Sims back in the fold, but it doesn't eliminate a real need on the interior of the defensive line.
Right now, the depth chart looks crowded. But the Bengals cannot afford to ignore the position as Domata Peko, Sims and others are just stop-gap solutions next to Geno Atkins at this point.
Speaking of Atkins, if last year's mediocre play (by his elite standards) becomes a trend after a knee injury, the front office will need to further reinforce the spot. It's not ideal, but a reality the best franchises would prepare for nonetheless.
The above makes Malcom Brown the pick at No. 21. The Texas product is a penetrating big man who can use his elite anticipation to provide a boost to Cincinnati's rush right away in the right packages, if not provide insurance should a starter suffer an injury.
In time, Brown can take over as an every-down starter. As a rookie, his impact will be obvious.
Round 2 (No. 53 Overall): Jake Fisher, OT, Oregon
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This isn't the year for the Cincinnati Bengals to ignore the trenches on either side of the football.
On the offensive side, Andrew Whitworth is getting up there in age, and Andre Smith is not only coming off a season-ending injury, he's also entering a contract year at a bad time for the organization.
To stop the bleeding down the road, Oregon's Jake Fisher makes sense at No. 53.
Fisher projects as a player who can man any spot on the line. He's strong enough to hold down the right side, athletic enough to man the left and can kick inside if necessary.
Right now, Fisher continues to fight just to enter the top-six conversation when it comes to tackles this year, which helps the Bengals. As a rookie, he can act as the primary backup swing tackle even though the Bengals brought back veteran Eric Winston to act in the same capacity.
At the least, Fisher pushes others along the line and reinforces depth. A year or more down the line, he can start on one of the edges.
Round 3 (No. 85 Overall): Phillip Dorsett, WR, Miami (Fla.)
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A stunning lack of wideout depth and ability to separate off the line of scrimmage hurt the Cincinnati Bengals in the postseason last year.
Don't expect the coaching staff to ignore the issue. Right now, the Bengals tout Cobi Hamilton and James Wright fighting for the fourth spot behind the top three, a situation not needing a ton of explanation.
To improve at the fourth slot and provide quality options should the injury bug strike again, look for the Bengals to take advantage of a deep class and nab a falling Phillip Dorsett.
Were this any other class, a productive senior wideout such as Dorsett wouldn't tumble to the third round. While he doesn't hail from a pass-heavy scheme, the fact he averaged a minimum of 20.9 yards per catch in each of his last two seasons and scored 10 touchdowns last year on just 36 catches speaks volumes to his big-play ability.
Cincinnati needs a situational player who can stretch defenses in a vertical manner, upgrade the No. 4 slot and take over should injury occur—Dorsett hits every mark on the checklist.
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Round 3 (No. 99 Overall): Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon
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This has "Cincinnati Bengals pick" written all over it.
There's no such thing as too many quality corners on an NFL roster these days, so the argument goes out the window.
Yes, Leon Hall and Adam Jones are still around. Yes, Dre Kirkpatrick and Darqueze Dennard are former first-round picks waiting in the wings. No, none of this means the Bengals would pass on a prospect who used to be in the first-round conversation before a knee injury late last season.
This refers to Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, of course. In fact, the Oregon product himself explains why he's such a sound pick near the end of the third round, per CBS Sports' Dane Brugler:
"I was able to play nickel throughout my career at Oregon and it is going to help me in the long run because now the league runs through the slot receiver. If you can have a guy that can cover the slot and shut him down, it helps the team. And that's all you're looking forward to, trying to win games for the team.
"
Ekpre-Olomu is the perfect complement to Kirkpatrick and Dennard down the road. In the short-term, so long as his knee is ready by next season, he can be a strong piece of depth and contribute on special teams.
Round 4 (No. 120 Overall): Gerod Holliman, S, Louisville
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Ask five different people about Louisville safety Gerod Holliman and expect to hear as many differing opinions on his draft stock.
On film, it's clear Holliman comes equipped with a strong football IQ and great instincts in the passing game, hence his 14 interceptions last year. Of note as the major negative, though, is poor form in the tacking department, as Rotoworld's Josh Norris explains:
"Per @LanceZierlein, Gerod Holliman had 44 tackles this year and 20 missed or broken tackles in 2014. That is dreadful.
— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) February 23, 2015"
It's a red flag, but not something that figures to stop the Bengals at No. 120 overall.
The team has an open spot for a situational safety after the loss of Taylor Mays this offseason. Defensive coordinator Paul Guenther can deploy the Louisville product in a smart manner to take advantage of his strong suits while grooming his negatives—all the while Holliman can contribute on special teams.
Round 4 (No. 135 Overall): Nick O'Leary, TE, Florida State
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Tight end is quite the surprise candidate when it comes to the Cincinnati Bengals' draft plans this year.
After losing Jermaine Gresham to free agency (although don't be shocked if the two sides reunite after his surgery) and Tyler Eifert suffering a season-ending injury in Week 1 last year, tight end is an obvious need.
The thing is, Eifert is still the No. 1 and Ryan Hewitt showed flashes last season as a hybrid piece. There's no reason to spend a top pick on the position when a quality H-back candidate such as Florida State's Nick O'Leary figures to be around in the mid rounds.
O'Leary won't blow anyone away with his athleticism, but he has experience in-line, in the backfield and in the slot, with sure hands and crisp routs as his strong traits. At worst, he serves as a backup and competition; at best, he sees the field and becomes a reliable option as a rookie in certain packages.
Round 5 (No. 157 Overall): Markus Golden, DE, Missouri
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Stuck in the shadow of Shane Ray and without a definitive position, Missouri's Markus Golden seems destined for a draft-day fall followed by a journey into "steal" chatter down the road.
Many see Golden as an outside linebacker, but the Cincinnati Bengals could use him to set the edge in certain situations. NFL Network's Charles Davis is one of a few who think Golden performs better with his hand in the dirt:
"Watched Mizzou DE Markus Golden and love how he plays with effort, and passion. Many see him as an OLB candidate, I like him best at DE
— Charles Davis (@CFD22) March 24, 2015"
The depth chart along the defensive line in Cincinnati is already crowded, but such a situation should never prevent a team from taking strong value and breeding competition.
Golden can provide some heat to veteran Wallace Gilberry and the developing Will Clarke, if not see the field outright and contribute against the run as he further develops his pass-rushing skill set.
Round 6 (No. 196 Overall): Ty Montgomery, WR, Stanford
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For the Cincinnati Bengals, more depth at wideout is never a bad thing.
A deep class and strange usage at Stanford will push Ty Montgomery down the board, and he just so happens to be excatly what the Bengals need late in the draft.
Montgomery's production correlates with how a staff uses his talents, as his last two seasons show:
| Year | REC | YDS | AVG | TD |
| 2014 | 61 | 604 | 9.9 | 3 |
| 2013 | 61 | 958 | 15.7 | 10 |
Montgomery is most productive with the ball in his hands on a quick-hitting play with room to work. There's obvious value there meshing well with Cincinnati's style of offense.
More than anything, Montgomery best projects as a returner at the pro level, an area of need for the Bengals with Brandon Tate out the door. It doesn't make sense to risk Giovani Bernard or Adam Jones on returns when a sixth-round rookie with plenty to offer can do the same job well.
Round 7 (No. 238 Overall): Josh Robinson, RB, Mississippi State
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There's an unspoken rule the best teams follow—draft a running back. Every. Single. Year.
Given the nature of the position and the depth the Cincinnati Bengals already feature at the position, the seventh round is the best time to do this.
What do the Bengals get in Josh Robinson? An explosive player who received a career-high 190 attempts last year and turned it into 1,203 yards and 11 scores on a 6.3 yard-per-carry average. He's versatile, too, catching 28 passes for 370 yards and a score.
Proven, productive backs without a lot of wear and tear aren't easy to find. Robinson fits the bill and is explosive enough to see situational work if Giovani Bernard misses time as he did last season.
At worst, Robinson creates a serious competition with Rex Burkhead and James Wilder Jr. on the back end of the roster.
Note: Stats courtesy of NFL.com as of March 29 at 9 p.m. ET. All advanced metrics via Pro Football Focus.
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