Sunday, February 21, 1999
BENGALS NOTEBOOK
Draft possibilities still plentiful
BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
INDIANAPOLIS — It's not set in stone the Bengals will draft a quarterback in the first round, since they like about seven or eight of the prospects.
They could always pick Georgia cornerback Champ Bailey with the third pick and hope UCLA's Cade McNown, Tulane's Shaun King or Washington's Brock Huard is there in the second round. Or they could trade the pick for two lower first-round picks and grab McNown and a cornerback like Ohio State's Antoine Winfield.
Or what if Kentucky's Tim Couch slips to third? The Bengals are going to withhold judgmentuntil Couch's March 11 workout, and he knows what the scouts want to see.
“Deep comebacks, deep posts, deep go routes,” Couch said Saturday here at the NFL scouting combine, where he has chosen not to work out today. “There are people who ques tion my arm strength and I'm eager to show them I can throw deep.”
Couch met here Friday night with the members of the Cleveland Browns' staff, which has the first pick in the draft. It might not be a lock anymore that Couch is No. 1, but he didn't answer Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams, who Friday ripped Couch for campaigning to be the No. 1 pick.
“I don't care what he thinks,” Couch said. “If he wants to be the No. 1 pick, we'll have to wait and see.”
The Bengals visited with Couch this weekend and he said he'd be dejected if he dropped to three because he wants to be No. 1, but he would look forward to coming to town, “because I love to play football.”
KING AND I: Tulane quarterback Shaun King, who has some admirers in the Cincinnati draft room, has a lot in common with Bengals quarterback Jeff Blake of East Carolina. Both are Conference USA products who probably didn't get the attention they deserved in college.
“I talked to Jeff at a Christian conference once in Florida and I enjoyed it,” King said. “He spent time with me and gave me some advice and warned me about some of the traps when you come out of college and go into the league. I enjoyed his fellowship.”
FREE AGENT MUSINGS: Bengals scout Paul Brown met the agent for Falcons cornerback Ronnie Bradford Friday, but Peter Schaffer said his client doesn't have a visit lined up to Cincinnati. The Bengals are keying on cor ners, safeties and defensive linemen. They put out a feeler on Bears safety Marty Carter and are making a run at Jacksonville safety Chris Hudson.
PLEASE COME TO BOSTON: Cincinnati agent Nate Lampley expects Ohio State wide receiver David Boston to go anywhere from No. 5 to No. 12. The Redskins pick fifth and they spent about two hours with Boston Friday night. Lampley represented Ohio State cornerback Shawn Springs when Seattle took him in the first round.
Bengals Stories
Levett sad for final show at the Shoe
UC seniors to be honored
UMASS 78, XAVIER 77
XU NOTEBOOK
New catcher keeps fans at heart
REDS NOTEBOOK
Heed the lessons of a sad tale
Pinstripes equal winning to Clemens
Garden Party: Arena Turns 50
The Night The Gardens Took Root
ARKANSAS 74, KENTUCKY 70
BOWLING GREEN 69, MIAMI 58
Busch driver has places to go
Ohio boys basketball scores
Ohio girls basketball scores
Ky. boys basketball scores
Ky. girls basketball scores
Indiana boys basketball scores
Indiana girls basketball scores
CINCINNATI BOYS BASKETBALL ROUNDUP
CINCINNATI GIRLS BASKETBALL ROUNDUP
Moeller wrestlers earn third straight sectional title
N.Ky. wrestlers earn two state titles
Ransom leads Ursuline romp at district swim
CYCLONES 6, MICHIGAN 4
HOCKEY TODAY
PROVIDENCE 4, MIGHTY DUCKS 2
