Bengals outlook
First-Round Prospects
Pos Player School
LB James Farrior Virginia
LB Jamie Sharper Virginia
CB Tom Knight Iowa
CB Michael Booker Nebraska
CB Sam Madison Louisville
CB Chris Canty Kansas St.
Bengals picks:
Round 1: 14th
Round 2: 13th (43rd overall)
Round 3: 16th (76th)
Round 4: 15th (111th)
Round 5: 14th (144th)
Round 6: 13th (176th)
Round 7: 16th (217th)
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The Bengals probably won't make a trade today in the NFL draft.
''As I sit here, we have no deals pending nor any discussions,'' President and General Manager Mike Brown said Friday.
But that doesn't mean trade talk won't affect them.
More trades radically altering the selection order for today's first round, such as the New York Jets' Thursday deal with St. Louis that gave the Rams the top overall pick, could be made.
Shuffling the draft order could spell trouble for the Bengals, who want to take an outside linebacker or a cornerback with their first-round choice.
''We think a good defensive player will be there,'' Bengals coach Bruce Coslet said, ''but we have our strategy and our ducks in line if there isn't.''
Cincinnati's alternatives include drafting an offensive lineman or a running back or ''trading down'' to obtain additional choices in later rounds. Though the level of first-round talent is considered ordinary, an abundance of useful players should be available thereafter.
''Anyone with extra picks in the second, third, fourth and fifth rounds is excited about this draft,'' analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said. ''There is a lot of depth.''
Well, maybe. Other teams picking ahead of the Bengals also need outside linebackers, but the quality of players at that spot drops off after the top three: Dwayne Rudd of Alabama and James Farrior and Jamie Sharper of Virginia. Cincinnati has no chance of getting Rudd, a minimal shot at Farrior and a fair chance at Sharper.
Thus, the Bengals may resort to using their first-round choice on an undersized defensive end who can be switched to linebacker. That list begins with Florida State's Reinard Wilson and continues with Colorado's Greg Jones, Akron's Jason Taylor.
Since their proposed switch to a 3-4 defense requires stockpiling linebackers, the Bengals may select another one in the later rounds. Barring a trade, they have seven choices, one in each round, in the draft that ends Sunday.
Should the Bengals decide that their first-round pick would be better spent on a cornerback than a linebacker, they'll have no shortage of options. The two highest-rated
corners - Ohio State's Shawn Springs and Texas' Bryant Westbrook - will be gone when Cincinnati's turn arrives. But Iowa's Tom Knight, Nebraska's Michael Booker and Louisville's Sam Madison should be among the alternatives.
There's also the unsettled matter of a nose tackle to anchor the center of the front line for the 3-4. Though there's no one in the Tim Krumrie mold, the Bengals might be tempted by the likes of North Carolina's Rick Terry, Texas A&M's Edward Jasper or Central State's Myron Elzy.
Draft analyst Jerry Jones had a suggestion for the Bengals: Take Clemson defensive end Trevor Pryce to fill the role of the behemoth in the middle.
''If you understand that he grew from being a 240-pound linebacker to a 280-pound defensive end, it's not out of the question that he could play inside,'' Jones said.
The Bengals have other holes to plug. Garrison Hearst's defection to San Francisco through free agency and Ki-Jana Carter's poor condition at a recent offensive mini-camp has spurred the team to consider taking a running back.
Though Houston's Antowain Smith, Florida State's Warrick Dunn and Washington's Corey Dillon may be taken, the Bengals could have estimable performers such as Iowa's Sedrick Shaw, Virginia's Tiki Barber, Texas Tech's Byron Hanspard or Northwestern's Darnell Autry within reach.
Cincinnati wouldn't mind adding a fleet wide receiver. Retaining restricted free agent Rich Braham spared the Bengals from being forced to grab an offensive lineman, but any team can use more depth in that area.
''With the advent of free agency, your draft is a little bit more heavily weighted need-wise, as opposed to the best-player-available theory,'' Coslet said.
Locals figure in draft
Indiana tailback Alex Smith (Franklin County High) and Notre Dame fullback Marc Edwards (Norwood) could go today, or more likely Sunday during rounds 4-7.
Some Cincinnati Bearcats and Miami Redskins will be keeping an eye on ESPN throughout the weekend. They include defensive backs Chris Hewitt, Sam Garnes and Jermaine Trent and wide receiver Robert Tate of UC, and linebacker Dee Osborne, center Matt Cravens and offensive tackle Eric Beverly of Miami.
Bengal's draft picks
BENGAL'S FIRST PICK
BENGAL'S SECOND AND THIRD PICKS
Todays stories
SULLIVACOLUMN
BRUMFIELD GETS 2-YEAR DEAL
Previous draft stories
OFFENSIVE NEEDS CAN WAIT TILL LATER ROUNDS April 18, 1997
DRAFT HOT AT THE CORNER April 17, 1997
LB SEARCH NEAR AN END April 16, 1997
'IMPACT' PLAYER, TRADE UNLIKELY April 13, 1997
14TH PICK NOT TOO LATE TO GRAB GOOD PLAYER April 13, 1997
Other recent stories
BRAHAM STAYS, GRAHAM SIGNS ON April 16, 1997
PATRIOTS MAKE OFFER TO BRAHAM April 15, 1997
BRUMFIELD GETS OK TO PLAY April 11, 1997
TWO MORE FREE AGENTS VISIT April 9, 1997
BEN-GALS TRYOUTS BEGIN SUNDAYApril 9, 1997
McCULLOUGH TRIES AGAIN April 8, 1997
BOOMER FEELS AT HOME April 6, 1997
ESIASON ACCEPTS 2-YEAR DEAL April 5, 1997
WITH BOOMER, BENGALS ARE BETTER Sullivan column - April 5, 1997
PACK WAITS AS ESIASON MEETS WITH BENGALS April 4, 1997
PLAYERS MIX FUN, SUN AND FOOTBALL April 3, 1997
ESIASON TALKS WITH GREEN BAY April 1, 1997
SIRAGUSA, SMITH ENCOURAGED; BORGELLA SIGNS March 26, 1997
SIMMONS SAYS NO TO BENGALS March 25, 1997
LAST DAY FOR SIMMONS March 24, 1997
OFFER TO SIMMONS EXPIRES THIS WEEKEND March 22, 1997
BRAHAM INTERESTS PATRIOTS March 21, 1997
SIMMONS MAY FIT IN BUDGET March 19, 1997
BOOMER COULD BE BACK March 18, 1997
SARGENT SIGNS FOR 2 YEARS March 13, 1997
SUTTER SIGNS; SIMMONS TO VISIT March 12, 1997
HEARST HANDS BALL TO CARTER March 8, 1997
HARRIS, COLLINS LOOK ELSEWHERE March 6, 1997
MAP FAVORS BENGALS WITH FREE AGENTS March 5, 1997
3 FREE AGENTS VISIT TODAY March 4, 1997
CB HARRIS SETS FREE-AGENT VISIT Feb. 27, 1997
BENGALS MAKING HEADWAY WITH FREE AGENTS Feb. 25, 1997
BENGALS HAVE CAP ROOM FOR FREE AGENTS Feb. 15, 1997
BENGALS WON'T CHASE TOP FREE AGENTS Feb. 14, 1997
