Bengals Booth Podcast: Kings of the Weekend

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Hi again, everybody. I'm Dan Horde, and thanks for downloading the Bengals Booth ORG podcast, the We are the Kings of the Weekend. Addition, as Dave Lapham joins me to break down the 2024 Bengals ORG draft class. The Bengals ORG Booth podcast is brought to you by Paycor, proud to be the Bengals official HR software provider. By Alta Fiber, Futureproof fiber internet designed to elevate your home, business and by Paycor, proud to be the Bengals ORG official HR software provider.By Alta Fiber ORG, future-proof fiber internet designed to elevate your home, business and community to a new level. And by Kettering Health ORG, the best care for the best fans. Kettering Health is the official health care provider of the Bengals ORG. Now, here's a quick reminder that you can have the latest edition of this podcast delivered, right to your phone, tablet, or computer by subscribing. Wherever you get your podcasts.It's the greatest thing since. A perfectly struck golf shot. I played golf with a buddy a few days ago, and on one par three, I hit a seven iron as well as it could possibly be hit. It was majestically high and straight as an arrow. It looked like the shot tracker that you would see if you were watching PGA ORG tour coverage on TV. Now, unfortunately, I hit the ball so well that it flew well past the flag. But you know what? So what? It was perfectly struck, the type of shot that keeps youcoming back for more. Now, let's get to day three of the draft. The Bengals had six picks on Saturday, and frankly, I'm surprised they used all of them. I would have been willing to bet that at some point they would have traded one of their extra sixth or seventh rounders to move up, but they didn't, and you'd never know what day three pick is going to pan out. Their first selection on Saturday was tight end Eric All, a Cincinnati GPE kit from Fairfield High School, who spent most of his college career at Michigan ORG before finishing with a season atIowa. Eric undoubtedly would have gone higher than the fourth round, if not for injuries. He had a back problem two years ago and tore his ACL last season. Here's offensive coordinator, Dan Pitcher PERSON.

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Very well-rounded skill set, size, athleticism, contributor in both the past game, and the run game is physical. We think he can be really an all-around tight end that can help us in all phases.

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Eric PERSON said it was surreal to be drafted by his hometown team, and he sounded giddy about the opportunity to catch passes from Joe Burrow PERSON.

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It's crazy. I remember watching a man at LSU ORG just doing his thing and just playing a team, you know, he's just, you know, he's the best standard for the quarterbacks in the league, and he's just, it's just a dog, you know. It's going to be crazy catching the ball from him.

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In the fifth round, the Bengals chose cornerback Josh Newton out of TCU ORG. He's not a burner as he ran a 4-5-40 at the Combine, but Newton was highly productive with 40 past breakups in his college career. Here's defensive coordinator Luana Rumo PERSON.

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A lot to like. Plays inside, plays outside. You know, played a bunch of games at Nicol ORG, as I mentioned. He's had over 30-plus tackles in three consecutive years. Seven, I believe seven interceptions in his career, was first team all Big 12 and 22.So great kid, great football instincts, awareness. I like everything about his game.

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Newton PERSON isn't shy about saying where he would like to play and why he would like to play there. I mean, honestly, I like everything about his game. Newton isn't shy about saying where he would like to play and why he would like to play there.

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I mean, honestly, I like outside because, you really the best is, you know, outside. She's the outside money.

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But, man, I really don't really, if I had to pick, yeah, outside because, you know, the outside money,

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then, you know, that's the ex-metchance and all this. So, I mean, bro, whatever I fit in and whatever the pick, yeah, outside because, you know, the outside money, then, you know, that's the X-Metjos and all this.

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So, I mean, bro, it's whatever I fit in and whatever the coaches need, like, I'm trying to be a Swiss-Hawndy night.

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With her first pick of the sixth round, the Bengals chose another tight end, six-foot-five-inch Tanner McLaughlin out of Arizona ORG.

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He's a receiver more than a blocker and actually broke Rob Grownkowski's PERSON school record for most career catches by a tight end.

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Here's Zach Taylor PERSON.

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He can win in the past game.

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He can win.

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And I think you guys can picture tight ends that have success here in the past couple years for us, you know, where they turn something short and something much bigger, you know, on a third and five.

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They turn it into first down. They break tackles. He's got really good awareness, zone awareness. He's just got that savabiness that I think is critical for our tight ends to have. He can be a threat down the middle of field. He's got good nuance on his routes.And I think he's continued to develop as a blocker. He's got the body type for it, 6'5. I think he could be up in the high 240s. So did a lot of research on these guys. You know, we've watched these top. I mean, I don't even know how many times we watched these tight ends,but really like them. Jedfish PERSON is a good friend of mine. So I've watched Arizona play for the last three years, every game probably. And, you know, I had seen Tanner PERSON and then you studied the tape. And I really liked it. And Jed PERSON confirmed all the things that I thought about him.

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One knock on McLaughlin PERSON is his age. He was on college rosters for six years and turned 25 last month.

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Through the process, some said it was a benefit, some said of the negative. But I believe it to be a benefit. I've always been kind of a lay bloomer. And, you know, I'm going to ride with it. My age is what it is, but I'm excited to, you know, go out there and continue to develop. So I think my best ball is ahead of me.

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Later in the sixth, Cincinnati picked edge rusher, Cedric Johnson PERSON, out of Ole Miss. He's 6.3.260 and had 19 sacks in his college career. So what does Cedric PERSON bring to the table?

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Oh, I bring a lot of athleticism.

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My explosion off, when I get off, my speed, when I'm running, my strengths,

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I feel like I got a lot to bring to the team.

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With their first pick of the seventh round, the Bengals chose another member of the Ole Miss ORG defense, Safety Dejan Anthony PERSON. He's a feel-good story, having started his college career as a walk-on at the Division 2 level.

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I appreciate his story and why he did all the things that he did to get to where he's at today. And to have his name called on draft night, I think is special for him. And he's a guy that, you know, you learn more information about when you bring him in here on the 30 visit. Our scouts had done that. Our coaches got a chance to do that. And really liked,really liked him. I thought there was a really good fit for him. But I do appreciate his story when he hear from him and the things he's gone through to Gatorious today. The Bengals ORG' final draft pick

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was Matt Lee, a slightly undersized center, at least in terms of weight, who spent most of its college career at UCF ORG before ending it with a season at the University of Miami. He'll get a chance to compete with Trey Hill PERSON for the opportunity

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to back up Ted Karras PERSON. I think it's a great fit for him. You know, I think it's, he did a great job down there this year in Miami GPE, and so I think at that point, that was a great pick for us, and so we're excited to get him in here, and I think Ted PERSON will take to them and have a chance to show them the ropes.

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Lee earned all league honors three times in the last four years. The Bengals ORG Booth podcast is brought to you by Paycor, proud to be the Bengals official HR software provider. By Alta Fiber ORG, future-proof fiber internet designed to elevate your home, business, and community to a new level. And by Kettering Health ORG. The best care for the best fans. Kettering Health is the official health care provider of the Bengals ORG.Now, time for an in-depth look at this year's draft class with my broadcast partner, Dave Lapham PERSON. All right, Lap, before we get to day three of the draft, Zach Taylor actually made a little news at the end of today's proceedings, telling reporters that Dax Hill PERSON will be tried out at cornerback in training camp and will be given the opportunity to compete for a starting spot. I would assume that would be on the outside competing with DJ Turner PERSON.What do you make of that announcement by Zach PERSON?

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Yeah, I mean, I think that, you know, a lot of people probably have to address that, geez, I wish we'd get a cornerback a little earlier, you know, or maybe we'll address the cornerback position in free agency or the other phase of it, the second round of veteran free agency. But, you know, this news, I think Lou Aniruma PERSON would pretty much let the cat out of the bag, basically, with some of his pressures earlier, that, you know, this news, I think Lou Aniruma would pretty much let the cat out of the bag, basically, with some of his pressures earlier, that, you know, that that was under strong consideration. And when they start to go public that way, it's not really a huge surprise.But, you know, you look at me, he has cornerback speed. There's no question about it. Now, you know, flipping his hips and doing all the things the corners have to do. And the one thing that it does do, though, is it does minimize how much you have to recognize and communicate and all those sort of things.

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So that part of it will be, I think, a fairly easy transition.

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It's just this guy is a talented player physically. Great guy. You know, I think it's like just have to find the right home for him. And he has played, they did play him in the slot. They didkick him outside some in his rookie season. I mean, he got to taste of everything in the very early stages of his career. So it's not like he you know, it's not like, boy, that's a joke. Why even think about that?It'd be interesting to see how he competes and, you know, where it goes. You can always make other moves, but that's the spot that they're going to, I guess, try first with him.

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And I think they're trying to find a spot where they can get them on the field. With Gino Stone, Von Bell, and Jordan Battle PERSON, I didn't see a lot of opportunities for snaps playing at safety if those guys are healthy.

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Yeah, and obviously, the big knock on him last year was recognizing and communicating when offenses motion shifted and did all the things that they do you know getting everybody aligned properly in the back end andthey made some moves to address that you know that issue and so yeah trying to find a home for a guy that definitely has national football league physical abilities. There's no question about it.You know, I think another thing they could do is have him covered the tight end and then, you know, pressure off the edge, give him a couple of assignments in the middle of the football field. And I think I don't necessarily think that, well, if they're going to put him outside, you've got to think they're hoping he's going to be in their top three. You know, he'll be out there in nickel and dime packages. But with the experiences that he has, doing everything he can do,including, like I said, you know, if people are out there and, you know, one tight-in three three-wide-receiver personnel packages, and he could be the guy that's all over that tight end, and we're going to come up with pressure packages off of that. And so it's not like, yeah, boy, Dax Hill PERSON, we can't find anything to do with Dax Hill. But they can still, he's maybe not a Swiss Army ORG knife, but he's still probably a Jacknice.

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Yeah, cover the tight end in Blitz PRODUCT.

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I mean, those are two roles that he definitely can do. No doubt.

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All right.

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Let's talk about day three draft picks beginning with the fourth rounder, a local kid, tight end Eric All, who spent most of his college career at Michigan ORG before finishing up with one year at Iowa, unofficially tight-end U. Eric broke out in 2021, then he suffered a back injury in 2022. He was Iowa's go-to receiver early last year, and then he tore his ACL. He's solid as a pass catcher and as a blocker if he can stay healthy.No question.

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And, you know, the thing that, you know, that I liked that was just so real is, you know, when he was trying to put into words what it would be like playing with Joe Borough and trying to be a target for him that Joe PERSON can trust over the middle of the football field, you know, he almost choked up and became, you know, struggling to find, to find the words to describe it. I mean, um, excited is, is probably not descriptive enough. And that's, uh, you know, that's huge. That's big. And he's obviously, uh, you know, he's obviously gifted. I mean, he, he, he just can't, you know, you're talking major injuries,you know, it's, it's, his game has, uh, has been retarded, uh, from a development standpoint because of that. But he's, uh, uh, he's, uh, uh, uh, you're, major injuries, you know, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, is, uh, has been retarded, uh, from a development standpoint because of that. But he's, uh, he's, he's, he can get, uh, you know, get leverage on defenders real early is to set up a break. He's, he's, he's a really good route runner, you know, and, uh, he's, he's, he can do both. There's no doubt about it. I mean, he's, uh, he's a, a very, very talented athlete is, um, he, he can, he can, he can, he can do both. There's no doubt about it. I mean, he's a very, very talented athlete. He can break tackles, yards after contact.You know, he's a very, very talented football players. He's got very quick feet. He gets, as a blocker, I mean, he gets up to the next level and even to the third level pretty darn quickly. So he's got it all. I think he's extremely, extremely strong, athletic, physically talented. Just the injury gods have to let him low for, football injury gods have to let him alone for a while.

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And he could be the best dual-purpose tight end that they have. Mike Kisicki is largely a receiver. So is Tanner Hudson. Drew Sample PERSON is obviously best known for his blocking ability. And Eric All PERSON, if healthy, is a guy that really can do both. Yeah. And now that they've

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drafted a couple of tight ends, you've got five tight ends that you have, you know, one has this skill set. Another one has maybe a little bit different skill set. Like you say, Eric All PERSON may be the guy that has the most versatile package. He can do the most things at a very significant level. So he's definitely going to, he's definitely going to roster and he's definitely going to make contributions, I would think, with this football team. I mean, you know, he's, he's, he's, he's definitely going to roster, and he's definitely going to make contributions, I would think, with this football team. I mean, you know, he's 6'4 plus over 250 pounds, runs well. You know, he's a big man.Wingspan is 79 inches. His hands are over 10 inches. His arms are over 33 inches. I mean, it's just amazing how big and athletic and strong and quick and fast. It's just, it's the land of the Giants. The National Football League is the land of the Giants ORG and they are so gifted physically as well. We'll get to the other tight end that they

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drafted in just a moment. But before their fifth round pick was announced, you were saying take Newton, take Newton. And sure enough, they took cornerback Josh Newton out of TCU ORG, where he played in the national championship game a couple of years ago. Average size, average speed, he ran a 451 at the combine, but extremely productive with seven picks and 40 passes defensed in his college football career. Yeah, and that speaks toensed in his college football career.

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Yeah, and that speaks to his intelligence. You know, that's what, you know, they say he's a high character guy, and he's got an extremely high football IQ as well as overall intelligence. You know, he's another, you know, another guy that played at a big program. You know, I mean, that's the thing, the common denominator of the past few years stayed intact, big programs that have competedfor national championships, in some case of one national championships, and a bunch of these guys are captains of their football team. In some instances, two-time captains, I mean, that's the formula that has worked for the Cincinnati Bengals and putting together, you know know the strong lock room that they have and uh this guy's uh he's he's definitely a uh strong prospect i mean he transferred from louisiana monroe uh to tc u ORG so um you know he also he said you know what when we're talking to himwhat do you attribute your ball skills to? Well, he played wide receiver. So, in my opinion, guys that have moved from the wide receiver position to play in the defensive backfield, their familiarity with route trees and watching body language when guys are trying to get in and out of cuts. It's almost, you know, I remember what I did when I had to do those kind of things. You have that type of experience to draw upon, and usually that's advantageous to those guys.

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They had two picks in the sixth round in the first was the other tight end we alluded to. Tanner McLaughlin, he is a Canadian NORP who played college football at Arizona, and he is a receiver. Zach Taylor PERSON specifically said, if you picture the tight ends that the Bengals have had over the past few years who could turn a short pass into a first down or something bigger, that's who you're talking about in Tanner McLaughlin PERSON. But he's a big one. You know,

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6'5, 244 pounds, you know, runs 4-6. I mean, you know, he's a big one. You know, six five, two hundred and forty four pounds, uh, you know, runs four six. I mean, you know, he's almost four six flat. I mean, that's, that's a pretty good, uh, pretty good combination right there, you know, and he is, uh, he's, he's a guy that, uh, you can, you can move around formations. Um, you know, I, I think he's got room for growth in his game. Like you said, he's not going to put his hand in the dirt at the end of the line of scrimmage and dominate defensive ends and outside linebackers.But he has a, he's got soft hands. He's got a decent catch radius. You know, he'll fight for contested catches. He shows, you know, effort after the catch to get some yak. He's got the strength to do that. So he's a talented guy.There's no doubt. I mean, he's got room for growth. I mean, and I think he's got just a coach to help him get there. You know, obviously, I think the strength and conditioning coaches are going to like to work with this guy because I think he needs to improve his strength. And, you know, particularly even in his legs to get some leg drive to move people off the line of scrimmage.That's an issue or area that he realizes he needs to improve. But again, this is a guy that you look at it. He was best player on the board. You know, he's a chance to roster, roster meaning, you know, practice squad anyway. So why not take a chance? And that's the thing I think from probably the fifth round on. It was, okay, well, who's the best available player? We're going to trust our board.We busted our butt, putting this thing together. And I think some of these picks down the stretch were just best available player. And maybe the last pick at the center position was, okay, let's not have to go fight for one in college free agency. Let's make sure we get a center in training camp to take some of the load off of Ted Karras, the veteran center we've got, and see if we can develop a guy. Maybe he's a practice squad player.We can try to develop him if we feel like he's a good enough prospect at that spot.

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Their second pick in the sixth round was an edge rusher, Cedric Johnson, 63260 out of Ole Miss. They're hoping that Miles Murphy PERSON and Joseph O'Sai break out this year and really contribute his past rushers. But Johnson had 19 sacks in his college football career, and he'll be looking to show that he's got some juice in training camp as an edge guy.

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Yeah, again, best available player, you know, I think. But, I mean, his measurables. It's, you know, these guys are back in the, if these numbers were around in the 80s, be like, are you kidding me? You know, 6-3, 260 plus, 4-640, you know, wingspan of almost 80 inches. I mean, you know, twitchy athleticism, a powerful player, you know, played at a big program and a big conference.It's, he's, he's, he's definitely a guy that has confidence. I thought in his presser, he, he's, he was almost like jumping through the phone to, to start his opportunity at some sort of a camp. I mean, he's we talked about hands before how important hands havebecome. He shows powerful hands and he's athletic with his knee bend and attacking blocks. He does set the edge very effectively and he can stack and shed, you know, and he's gotspeed to chase chase plays on the perimeter. And, you know, he's, he's definitely a guy that I can see why they felt like he was the best, best available opportunity when he was drafted. There's, there's a lot to work with there. There's, there's no doubt about it. He talked about his versatility. He, you know, he can, he's played a bunch of different spots up and down the line of scrimmage in terms of, you know,five techniques, seven technique, nine technique, whatever. And he's even played inside a little bit. So, you know, he's beaten average tackles. And in the SEC ORG, probably they're cut above average. Let's see what he does against more advanced players when he comes to the national football league.

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With the Bengals first pick in the seventh round, they took one of Cedric Johnson's Ole Miss teammates, safety, Dejan Anthony PERSON. And he is the great story in this year's draft class. It's from Richmond, Virginia, no scholarship offers coming out of high school. He started his college football career as a division to walk on. And he ended his college football career in the SEC last year where he led the rebels and interceptions and passes defensed. He'll be probably looking for a spot on the practice squad and looking to show that he can contribute on special teams. Yeah, it is amazing. I mean,

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what he started is a career at Shepard University ORG, then transferred from Liberty ORG. I mean, it's crazy. Here's a guy that was not going to let his dream die and believed in himself. You know, he's got some flashy athleticism. I mean, he moves pretty darn well,and he's doggedly determined to make plays all over the football field. He's got some flashy athleticism. I mean, he moves pretty darn well. And he's doggedly determined to make plays all over the football field. He's got an outstanding change of direction, and he can flip his hips. He can, you know, he can stay in phase with receivers vertically. And that's important, you know, at the safety position. We know all about that.He's got solid range, you know, when he's playing over the top in two high schemes. So I think Lou Anirumo PERSON likes that. He's got a lot of, you know, a lot of traits that they like. And I think, again, the best available athlete at this stage, you know, on the draft, he tracks the football very well. He's got great tracking skills. So there's a lot to work with there. And the other thing is, he's a willing defender and run support. You have to have that at the safety position, you know,he's got a desire to make an impact when he closes on people. So, um, it's, uh, it's going to be interesting. I think, I think, um, the thing you worry about is sometimes he gets bullied by blockers, you know, when he's in the box at the collegiate level. So now you're jumping to the police. The National Football League, it's going to be something to keep your eye out on.

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Their 10th and final draft pick was Senator Matt Lee. I saw him face UC several times while playing at UCF ORG, and then he transferred to the University of Miami for his final year and was a second team all-ACC ORG player. Lap, I would think he's at least got a chance to beat Ted Karras' PERSON backup in a training camp battle with the incumbent Trey Hill PERSON.

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Yeah, I mean, I think you look at the thing that jumps out at me, a 32 and an eighth inch arms, and that's obviously why he's playing center. But, you know, he's six three and a half over 300 pounds and pretty much a five flat 40 guy. I mean, that's some pretty good measurables right there. And like you say, competed, you know, at an all-conference level. I mean, this is another guy that he was still around.Why compete with other teams to try to, you know, get him into training camp? He probably, the Bengals ORG probably did themselves a favor financially to take him in the seventh round because this is the type of guy that I think he would have gotten probably some, some interest from multiple teams, you know. So, yeah, I think it takes, you know, he's, I think a hell of a lot more than just a training camp body.But it also, you know, helps Ted Karras and alleviate some of the snap load there. And like you said, Trey Hill PERSON will be in competition. And as we've always said, no matter what these sporting endeavor, competition breeds excellence performance. So you look around and say, hmm, you know, why did they draft a guy in my position?I don't care what ground there is. Why did they draft somebody? Let's pick it up. You know, it's, and not Ted Carras, Trey Hill PERSON, you know, he's got to now buckle down and keep developing and advancing. And that's just dead list the whole boat. All right. Let's hit on some overall

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thoughts about the draft. I've got, I guess, three things that really jump out to me about the class that I really like. Number one, they address their biggest need by using two top 100 picks on defensive tackles. We have the chance to interact with both of them today, and Chris Jenkins PERSON is going to be a fan favorite, a bubbly, effervescent personality, and obviously a very good track record as a player at Michigan ORG. I don't know if he'll ever be a Pro Bowl guy, but I'm a bubbly, effervescent personality, and obviously a very good track record as a player at Michigan ORG. I don't know if he'll ever be a pro bowl guy, but I think he's going to be a very solid and reliable, high effort, good player on the Bengals ORG' defensive line.

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Just an engaging personality. Easy. He smiles all the time. I mean, he's, you know, you can see why his teammates voted him to be a captain. McKinley Jackson PERSON, the other big defense tackle you talk about has a little bit different type of a personality, but again, very welcoming, easy to talk to, very approachable. I mean, these guys, I think, like you say, Dan PERSON, they're going to be fan favorites because they're just,they're not, they like being around people. They don't shy away from it. And it's, I think that's going to be something the community will embrace for sure. And they're good football players. They're obviously drafted, draft for need. I mean, they're obviously drafted for need. I mean, you look at McKinleyJackson, the dude's like 300, almost 330 pounds, long arms, big old hands. Again, we talk about these hands on these guys, how strong they are with their hands.And Chris Jenkins PERSON looks at he's another guy that that carries his weight very well I mean the guy's 300 pounds he doesn't really look at you know I mean he's and he runs a 4 940 at 6 2 and a half 300 pound guy you know he's got some good arm length 34 inch arm length is a good thing to have when you're in the interior of the defensive linecan try to control, you know, big monsters that have long arms as well. He's almost getting an 80 inch wingspan. So, in talking, and hearing him talk and talking to him a little bit, I think it's going to be very interesting because, I mean, his pass rush ability and traits and athleticism, I don't think it's been tapped into yet because Michigan ORG is very, very disciplined in how they do everything.I mean, it's like, okay, on this particular play, you stay in this gap no matter what, even if it's a, you know, third and seven, or if you're going to pass rush, you have to pass rush in this lane and you have to be on the outside portion. It's very, very structured, very, very disciplined. There's not a whole lot of freedom there. And I'm not saying that, you know, you come to the National Football League ORG and you'reout of control and you're, you know, you're taking this wide rush up the football field. You're not staying in your gap responsibilities and all that sort of thing. But I think that, I think that Coach Holly and Loua Nirouma PERSON were going to say, look, you got some athleticism. You've got some overall body strength that's incredible and Lou Aniruma PERSON are going to say, look, you've got some athleticism. You've got some overall body strength that's incredible and some explosiveness to you. And you can do a lot more as an interior pass rush.And we're going to give you the freedom to do it. And we're going to improve your inventory moves. And let's get after it.

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The next thing that I really liked was the fact that they took a home run swing in the first round by taking Amarius Mims PERSON. There's some risk involved, obviously, since he only had eight college starts, but they have not drafted an offensive lineman that looks like that since Andrew Whitworth PERSON. And when we were clustered around him with other reporters talking to him after he arrived in Cincinnati GPE, I honestly thought to myself, how does anybody get past this guy?He's maybe the first 340-pound person I've ever seen in my life that looks like he probably has a six-pack. I mean, he is so solidly built and so gigantic, you've got a chance to have a star if it pans out.

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Absolutely. I mean, it is, it's incredible to see. Did you shake his hand, Dan PERSON?

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My hand was buried inside of his hand when we shook.

Speaker 21837.46s - 1976.18s

Oh, I know. I mean, I shook his hand. I'm like, whoa, man, this is a mucker now. He's got some big holes drawing hands on him, and he's got, you know, those long arms to go with it. It's like Inspector Gatt PERSON that has oversized hands, and, man, and he's broad, he's wide, he's stick. Everything that you would want, he's big in the right places, you know.And like you say, it looks like he's carrying about 285, 290, and the dude's 340. It's incredible, you know, it looks like he's carrying about 285, 290. And the dude's 340. It's incredible, you know. And I asked him, so when did you have your growth spurt? And he grew like in one summer, like about five or six inches. And I said, man, when you were laying in bed, could you feel yourself growing? I mean, it's crazy.It's crazy. But he is very athletic for a guy his size as well. I mean, it's crazy. It's crazy, but he is, he's very athletic for a guy his size as well. I mean, he played some basketball. He put the shot. He threw the discus. And I just, you know, I think he's very coachable. And the Bengals ORG coaches, we're talking about not only the games that he was able to play in and avoid injury, matching up against really good players and college football playoff games and the things that ill.The practice tape, you know, he's probably some of his toughest competition, if not his most difficult competition, came in practice every day. You got, you know, five defensive linemen when he was there, they were first round, you know, been drafted in the first round. So it's like, you know, you're talking about the cream little crop in the FCC ORG, you know, and that's the place to be in college football. So there's, and like we talked about beforeDan PERSON, with him, in my estimation, the floor is the tape, and it's solid. It's limited, but the tape that's there is extremely solid when you watch this guy. But his ceiling is unlimited because of the fact that he's only just begun. And I think he has the highest ceiling of any player in the draft, particularly in the Bengals ORG draft, but I'm talking about in the draft in general, not just offensive line or offensive tackle. I mean, this dude has got an incredible ceiling.He's got a long ways to go before he rests, and I think Frank Pollitt PERSON's going to get a lot out of that big bad one.

Speaker 81977.02s - 2014.06s

All right, the final big picture thought for me has to do with the Bengals ORG culture. I think Zach Taylor PERSON and his staff have done such a fantastic job in recent years of building a great culture that it has allowed them to take not huge chances, but slight chances with somebody like Germain Burton PERSON, who obviously struggled to control his emotions at times at Alabama and probably before that at Georgia ORG. They're counting on the fact that this is such a good group led by Joe Burrowthat Jermaine Burton PERSON will learn the way it has to be done and should be done and will allow his incredible gifts to come through.

Speaker 22015.24s - 2027.56s

And I agree 100,000 percent because you put tape on and watch this guy. I mean, I remember when, you know, okay, wide receiver, who's left on the wall? Burton PERSON's the guy.

Speaker 62027.96s - 2033.82s

Burton PERSON is the best wide receiver left on the board right now. In fact, in my opinion, the dude had

Speaker 22033.82s - 2182.56s

first round physical talents, first round, you know, and then obviously he didn't go, and it cost him. So, you know, maybe the big, big lesson, unfortunately, I think he could have gone in the first round if it was totally clean, his whole portfolio as such. So everything that everybody's been telling him about getting control of yourself and, you know, make sure that you take care of business, you know, off the football field, as well as on the football field, keep your composure, keep your head. Well, it costs them. I mean, in my mind, it's custom. So maybe this is a bitter pill lesson, you know, that is going to be the final component,the final wake-up call to make sure that you take care of business. You start to mature in that regard because, man, this dude, um, physically, geez, I mean, he can, he can get vertical in a hurry. You average 18 yards per reception in your career in over 20 yards per reception in, in 20, which was number one in the SEC ORG against that type of competition. I mean, his ability to get vertical is as good as there is in the country. You know, I mean, he can get it done in a hurry.And he's a quality route runner because he's been working with our guy, T.J. Hushman Zada, who was as good a route runner as, as I've seen. And the theme, when I watch him that I've seen that he's gotten from T.J. He has a little different wiggle, a little subtle different move. When he's running the same route in a route tree three different times in a game and give a defensive back just a little bit different look in it every single time.And that was what made T.J. Khrman Zada PERSON such a great role runner is he never ran, you know, his route tree the same way. You know, he always came up with some sort of little improvisation, some sort of a little, just to just to not let the defensive backs lock in, man, you know, keep them on their heels and not on their toes. And this kid, I've seen some of that, that TJ's, you know, a part of him. So I think the Bengals ORG got themselves a good one to work with, man. And, you know, I hope it's not a situation where, you know, collectively, let's hold on to, all hold on to our butts because it's going to be a, you know, a roller coaster ride.Hopefully he's learned and continues that maturation process because he's a player, man. He's a dog, like we said.

Speaker 82183s - 2196.74s

DAWG boy, a big dog. Final question. Have you talked enough about the draft over the last 72 hours? Oh, hell yes.

Speaker 62198.7s - 2201.42s

There's no two ways about that, as they say.

Speaker 22201.72s - 2204.66s

I mean, yeah, it is, I am drafted out.

Speaker 82205.42s - 2211.54s

So we will wrap it up here, and I'll look forward to talking more about the draft with you in a couple of days. How's that?

Speaker 22212.26s - 2226.18s

That sounds like a plan, coach, that 48 hours would be, yeah, I'm not going to look at, you know, talk about or whatever. It's just going to be a mass dose and mass quantities of grandkids.

Speaker 82228.14s - 2278.26s

If you miss them, you can go back and listen to our conversations following the first two days of the draft, and then coming up on Monday, I'll get the front office perspective as I'll be joined by the Bengals director of college scouting, Mike Potts PERSON. That's going to do it for this episode, brought to you by Paycor, proud to be the Bengals ORG official HR software provider. By AltaFiber PRODUCT, future-proof fiber internet designed to elevate your home, business, and communityto a new level. And by Kettering Health ORG, the best care for the best fans. Kettering Health is the official health care provider of the Bengals ORG. If you haven't done so already, please subscribe to this podcast. And if you have a minute, give it a rating or share a comment. That helps more Bengals fans find us. I'm Dan Horde PERSON. And thanks for listening to the Bengals Boothpodcast.