Wednesday, January 09, 2002
Bengals to draft in 10th position
Choice team's lowest since '98
By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The Bengals will have the 10th pick in the 2002 draft, according to the NFL, which announced the order Tuesday.
The draft will be April 20 and 21 at New York.
The Bengals were one of four teams to finish 6-10 this season. The Bengals' strength of schedule was .531, more difficult than those of Kansas City and Jacksonville, which will pick eighth and ninth, respectively. Indianapolis will pick 11th based on its .563 strength of schedule.
The 10th pick is the Bengals' lowest since 1998, when they selected linebacker Takeo Spikes from Auburn 13th overall.
The Bengals have drafted fourth (Justin Smith, 2001, and Peter Warrick, 2000) and third (Akili Smith, 1999) the past three seasons.
Coach Dick LeBeau is not upset with the 10th choice, because the Bengals dropped to that position after winning their final two games.
“I think drafting 10th is a good thing,” LeBeau said. “I wish we were drafting in the 30s. That's where I want to shoot for next year.”
The Bengals' top areas of interest in the draft are cornerback, offensive tackle, tight end and defensive line. Several Bengals assistant coaches are in San Francisco this week scouting college athletes who will play in the East-West Shrine Game on Saturday.
Cornerback is the team's biggest need, but the top-rated cornerback in the draft, Quentin Jammer of Texas, probably will be taken before the Bengals pick. Other top corners available are Keyuo Craver of Nebraska, Mike Rumph of Miami (Fla.) and Mike Echols of Wisconsin.
The top offensive tackles, Bryant McKinnie of Miami (Fla.) and Mike Williams of Texas, both could be gone, too. The No.1 tight end is Dan Graham of Colorado.
The order of the top seven in the draft is expansion Houston, Carolina, Detroit, Buffalo, San Diego, Dallas and Minnesota.
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Bengals to draft in 10th position
