Mario Alford to Cincinnati Bengals: Full Draft-Pick Breakdown

To finish the 2015 NFL draft, the Cincinnati Bengals found a wideout at No. 238 in the seventh round in West Virginia's Mario Alford, who is a threat to score a touchdown every time he touches the ball.

It sounds like an exaggeration, but Alford comes equipped with track-star speed capable of success at the next level as a kick returner, if not in a base offense if he cleans up his catch consistency.

Alford won't blow anyone away at 5'8" and 180 pounds, but he will blow by them in a hurry. Just ask Alabama:

Put it this way, as Joe Danneman of Fox 19 in Cincinnati does:

In two years with the Mountaineers, Alford averaged more than 14 yards per catch and last season caught 65 passes for 945 yards and 11 touchdowns. He scored from all over the field, whether he was catching passes in the backfield, on a screen, on a slant or burning teams deep. 

As an NFC East scout told NFL.com's Lance Zierlein, there are some interesting comparisons for Alford at the next level: "He has some retention issues with information, so whoever takes him needs to have a plan for him. I like him personally. I would keep him outside and use him like the Colts use (T.Y.) Hilton."

40-yard dash (sec.)	Bench Press (reps)	Vertical Jump (in.)	3-cone drill (sec.)	20-yard shuttle (sec.)
4.43	13	43.0	6.64	4.07

Of course, there's a big plan in place for Alford with the Bengals. 

Barring some unforeseen turn of events, he is Cincinnati's starting kick returner one season removed from taking two back to the house for the Mountaineers. It seems a lock he'll cost Brandon Tate his job. 

Unlike Tate, there's a role for Alford in the base offense if he can better track the deep ball and show more consistency with his hands. The Bengals love their bubble screens and dump-offs behind the line of scrimmage, and considering those can unfold just like returns, Alford may excel in such a manner—think Andrew Hawkins' former role but more explosive.

Now, part of the reason Alford tumbled down the draft board, other than his size and iffy hands, was his lack of short-area elusiveness. He won't make a lot of guys miss, but once he gets going even the fastest players in the league will have problems keeping up, hence his effectiveness on returns and plays that set up like returns.

Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

If the coaches like what they see out of the gates, they may even use Alford as a deep threat to take the top off defenses. He's fast enough that even pro defenders will have to back off in a hurry. A lack of separation killed the Cincinnati offense last year, but if he can get on the field and be reliable, it won't be an issue any longer.

Alford seems like the player the Bengals have been waiting to draft the entire process but knew he would be around late. He has a niche role, yes, but it's a perfect fit in Cincinnati given the need on special teams and offensive coordinator Hue Jackson's style of attack. 

In the seventh round, the only chance a player has to make a roster is by filling a niche need or offering something others on the depth chart cannot. Alford does both and offers the ability to make a difference in his first game with the team.

Grade: A+

Stats courtesy of NFL.com and accurate as of May 2. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.