Thursday, February 24, 2000
Bengals go to scouting combine undecided
BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The NFL heads to Indianapolis today for this weekend's scouting combine, and the Bengals' options with the fourth pick in the April draft are as wide open as Interstate 74.
“We could take anything,” said coach Bruce Coslet. “Or we could take nothing and trade down.”
While general managers, coaches and scouts time and chart nearly 400 college players at the RCA Dome, doctors probe everything from minds to moles in pro sports' biggest meat market.
The combine has some local flavor, with projected first-round picks Ahmed Plummer, an Ohio State cornerback from Wyoming High School, and Shaun Alexander, an Alabama running back from Kentucky's Boone High School.
Travis Prentice, the most prolific running back in Miami history, tries to improve his ranking with analysts such as ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr., who doesn't have him among the top 60 prospects. Also trying to make a name this weekend are Prentice's teammate, wide receiver Trevor Gaylor, and University of Cincinnati defensive back and returner Tinker Keck.
Some of the players the Bengals are considering at No.4 are Alabama left tackle Chris Samuels, Michigan State wide receiver Plaxico Burress and Virginia running back Thomas Jones.
Coslet wouldn't rule out taking Penn State linebacker La Var Arrington or teammate Courtney Brown, a defensive end, if they do the unexpected and slip out of the top three picks that includes consensus first pick Peter Warrick, a wide receiver from Florida State.
But Coslet admitted the Bengals are strong at linebacker and the free-agent signings of Vaughn Booker and Tom Barndt probably eliminate a defensive lineman.
The Bengals appear likely to take a cornerback in the second round for the third straight year, a position draft experts say is the thinnest in years. But the 5-foot-11, 190-pound Plummer probably won't be there for Cincinnati.
“All (the cornerbacks) are second-rounders, but a few of them will go in the first round and he'll most likely be one of them,” said Jim Lippincott, Bengals director of pro/college personnel.
“He's a good cover guy, a good tackler. He knows how to play the ball. I saw him in a high school all-star game and he was one of the quickest human beings I've ever seen. He'll be a good one.”
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