Kurt Kittner (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        It could be Kitna and Kittner at quarterback next season for the Bengals. Team scouts and coaches came back from the East-West Shrine Game impressed with former Illinois quarterback Kurt Kittner and talking about him as a possible second-round draft choice in April.

        Based on his 751 passing yards in the final two games, both victories, Jon Kitna appears at this point to be the favorite to start next season.

        But with Akili Smith looking at a long and uncertain rehabilitation from surgery to repair a hamstring tear, and the club unlikely to re-sign 12-year veteran Scott Mitchell, the Bengals have a need at quarterback.

        “We are going to have to take a good look at quarterback, just because of the situation with Akili,” coach Dick LeBeau said. “Scott is no spring chicken.”

        Draft experts say Kittner could be available in the second round. The Bengals had looked at drafting a quarterback in Round 2 last year, but San Diego took Purdue's Drew Brees 32nd overall, four spots before Cincinnati selected wide receiver Chad Johnson.

        Kittner, 6 feet 2, 225 pounds, was a four-year starter at Illinois. He graduated in 3 1/2 years with a bachelor's degree in finance. He threw for 3,256 yards and 27 touchdowns in leading Illinois to its first Big Ten title in 11 years. He completed 54 percent of his passes with only 14 interceptions.

        He had 18 touchdowns and eight interceptions as a junior.

        He played in the pro-style offense of coach Ron Turner. One of Kittner's strengths is his ability to read defenses and adjust to coverages. He has a quick release and makes good decisions.

        “He did a nice job in (Shrine Game) practice,” Bengals scouting director Jim Lippincott said of Kitt ner. “He showed arm strength, accuracy, mobility. We think he's very admirable.”

        Said Bengals kicker Neil Rackers, Kittner's teammate for two seasons at Illinois, “He's extremely laid-back, poised. He's the kind of guy that the world could fall apart on the field and it wouldn't rattle him.”

        An example of Kittner's strength was the Purdue game in November. He threw three interceptions, and the Illini fell behind 13-0. But Kittner recovered to throw four touchdown passes and for 299 yards in the 38-13 victory.

        The most productive quarterbacks in Bengals history, Ken Anderson and Boomer Esiason, were not first-round picks. The Bengals took Anderson in the third round in 1970 with the 67th pick, and Esiason was the team's second-round choice and 38th overall in 1984.

        The Bengals saw some other players at Shrine Game practices in San Francisco who could help them at other need positions.

        They liked tight ends Doug Jolley of Brigham Young and Matt Schobel of Texas Christian, as well as safeties Marques Anderson of UCLA and Lamont Thompson of Washington State.

        “It's going to be a good draft,” Lippincott said. “There's a lot of depth at a lot of positions.”

        The Bengals draft 10th overall in the first round and appear to want a cornerback. Quentin Jammer of Texas is considered the top cornerback available, but he is expected to be taken by the time the Bengals pick.

        They aren't considering a quarterback in the first round, where Oregon's Joey Harrington and Fresno State's David Carr are expected to be gone by the Bengals' pick.

        Draft expert Jerry Jones, publisher of “The Drugstore List,” said the influx of an excellent junior class of players has made the 2002 draft one of the deepest in years.

        “They filled in the holes,” said Jones, who rates Kittner as the third quarterback in the draft behind Carr and Harrington.

        An outstanding prospect who might be available at No. 10 is Oklahoma safety Roy Williams, who was seventh in Heisman Trophy voting.

        The Bengals will continue scouting college all-star games. Lippincott will scout practices for the Gridiron Classic, which will be played Jan. 26 in Orlando, Fla. Several assistant coaches will be in Mobile, Ala., at the same time for the Senior Bowl, also played that Saturday.

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