Jake Fisher to Cincinnati Bengals: Full Draft-Pick Breakdown

One day removed from selecting Texas A&M offensive tackle Cedric Ogbuehi in the first round, the Cincinnati Bengals dipped back into the well a second time Friday and selected Oregon offensive tackle Jake Fisher in Round 2 at No. 53.

On the surface, it's a surprise that owner Mike Brown and coach Marvin Lewis decided to double-dip at the position.

However, the Bengals trust their board, and it's clear the team has an eye toward the future, with a little bit of the present mixed in for good measure.

At 6'6" and 306 pounds, Fisher is an elite offensive tackle prospect and freak athlete. He has the footwork and athleticism to play left tackle and the power and nastiness to excel on the right side as a run-blocker.

For Lewis, pairing Fisher with Ogbuehi this year personifies the organization, as ESPN.com's Coley Harvey captures:

It's also worth pointing out this is the exact scenario Brown and Lewis agreed on this week, per Paul Dehner Jr. of The Cincinnati Enquirer:

Fisher does quite a lot for the Bengals despite the prior addition of Ogbuehi.

For one, he's an instant-impact starter if the team elects to use him in such a manner, unlike Ogbuehi, who may ease his way into his pro career coming off a torn ACL this past January.

Last year the Bengals had a deficiency at center with rookie Russell Bodine but didn't have the personnel to make a switch. Ditto at offensive tackle when injury struck, hence the team bringing on Eric Winston late last season.

Now the Bengals have a guy in Fisher who is talented enough to start right away. Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com notes this thought process by the coaching staff:

As the Bengals showed with the selection of Ogbuehi, Fisher gives the team options down the road too. Right tackle Andre Smith enters 2015 off a season-ending injury and a poor campaign, while left tackle Andrew Whitworth is on the wrong side of 30—both head to free agency after next season. 

40-yard dash (sec.)	Bench Press (reps)	Vertical Jump (in.)	20-yard shuttle (sec.)	3-cone drill (sec.)
5.01	25	32.5	4.33	7.25

This doesn't mean the Bengals are looking to let one or both of those players walk, but Smith has been erratic his entire career, and Whitworth may be better kicked inside to left guard. 

For his part, Fisher seems to already embrace his role with the team, per Dehner:

Regardless, it won't be a shock this summer to hear Fisher making a serious push for a starting position somewhere on the line. The nod figures to go to veterans, but he's pro-ready enough to step right in and perform.

While perhaps not the most popular pick, Cincinnati entered Round 2 without a glaring need and shored up another major one down the road, preventing it from developing into a serious issue. For a team with Andy Dalton under center and a pair of explosive backs already in place, it's the right move.

Cincinnati can still grab a rotational pass-rusher, fourth receiver and defensive depth at good value in the later rounds.

Fisher was Cincinnati's top player on the front office's draft board. When a team drafts as well as the Bengals have over the years to even be in the luxurious position of drafting two tackles in a row, it's hard to question the approach.

Based on his upside and the fact he gets to learn from the veteran Whitworth and offensive line coach Paul Alexander, folks might look back on this pick with appreciation if Fisher turns out to be a starter on the left side. 

It's a hole many teams in the league struggle to fill well, and Cincinnati might have just provided itself with a seamless transition thanks to Fisher's arrival.

Grade: B

Stats courtesy of NFL.com and accurate as of May 1. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.