Ask Mark

Six days until the Bengals make their first pick, and fans are feeling the draft.

Question, from Ryan in Xenia: If the Bengals pick Terence Newman, do you think Rex Grossman will fall to the second round? If he does, do you think the Bengals would take him?

Answer: Grossman is almost a certainty to be there in the second round. But if the Bengals draft Newman, the multitalented cornerback from Kansas State, look for the Bengals to take Chris Simms with the first pick in the second round. The Bengals appear to like Simms best of the "second-tier" quarterbacks.

The first tier, of course, consists of Carson Palmer, Byron Leftwich and Kyle Boller - all of whom will go in the first round.

Many draft analysts rank Simms as the No. 4 quarterback available. Simms' strengths are his size (6 feet 41/2, 220 pounds), touch, mobility and ability to read defenses. He sometimes forces the ball, which resulted in 11 interceptions in 2002 at Texas. He also threw for 2,938 yards and 24 touchdowns.

Much, rightfully, is being made of the first overall choice, which is Marvin Lewis' first signature decision as coach. But the success of the remaining eight picks - especially in Rounds 2 and 3 on the first day and their two picks in Round 4 - will be the ones that could pay big dividends beyond 2003.

Q, from Jason in Vandalia: Whom do you personally think the Bengals should pick first? I've been rooting for Terence Newman from the start. I just have this gut feeling Palmer is going be a bust, with having had only one good season in college. (Reminds me of one Akili Smith, and look where he is.)

A: Pacific-10 quarterbacks should be viewed with some suspicion, because defenses in that conference aren't up to par with those elsewhere in big-time college football. So Palmer, who played at USC, like Smith, who played at Oregon, had an advantage in college. Smith once said he picked out the true freshman playing cornerback and picked on him all day.

The same reservation applies to Leftwich, who played at Marshall, the bully of the Mid-American Conference. Those defenses aren't even in the same class as the ones in the Pac-10. Former Marshall quarterback Chad Pennington discredited that theory a bit because of his outstanding season with the Jets, but Pennington can move. Leftwich cannot. He'll be a nice, big target for NFL pass rushers.

Newman is an exciting possibility. He's as gifted an athlete to come out of the college ranks since Deion Sanders. But is a cornerback as important as a quarterback? No. The vote here, if one were available, goes for Palmer. He's physically gifted, coachable and will benefit from two years of playing behind starter Jon Kitna. Kitna has used his intelligence and grit to stay in the league. If some of his street toughness and integrity influence Palmer, he and the Bengals will benefit.

Q, from Brandon in Alexandria, Va.: Now that Neil Rackers has been signed for another year, what will be the fate of Travis Dorsch? It seems silly to keep two kickers on the roster.

A: Dorsch, who worked as a kicker and punter as a rookie, no longer is considered a kicker. Coaches made him a punter exclusively, and it's incumbent punter Nick Harris who faces the challenge. For the first time as a pro, Rackers will face no direct competition in training camp. As a rookie, he beat out Doug Pelfrey. In 2001, it was Richie Cunningham, and last year Dorsch.

---

E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

Return to Bengals front page...