By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Marvin Lewis painstakingly credited each member of the Bengals' personnel department by name a few days before the draft for their hard work. But when the weekend came to a close, Lewis' fingerprints were all over the end product.

The 2003 Bengals draft class wasn't just better than recent years, it might go down with 1977 and '84 as two of the best in franchise history.

Analysts nationwide are giving the Bengals' draft high marks - many ranking them right behind only the Baltimore Ravens. Cincinnati's grades start at B+ and go up. Most experts give them a solid A.

That's how it looks up close, too. In the first four rounds, the Bengals selected players who easily could have gone in the first two rounds - maybe even the first round alone.

It's interesting how Carson Palmer, projected to finally fulfill the elusive franchise quarterback dream, became almost a bonus as the next three rounds unfolded. Don't forget Palmer was signed two days before the draft, and regardless of whether he plays as a rookie, his first year in the NFL will not be a waste. The same can't be said for former first-round quarterback hopefuls David Klingler and Akili Smith.

Iowa's Eric Steinbach (56) looks to make a block against Mich St., Oct. 12, 2002, in Iowa City, Iowa. Steinbach was selected as the 33rd overall pick in the NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals Saturday. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

The Bengals' second-round pick, offensive lineman Eric Steinbach, is a ready-to-play guard or center who slid because of the record run on 11 defensive linemen in the first round. Then the Bengals made two intelligent gambles on players with medical concerns - wide receiver Kelley Washington (third round) and cornerback Dennis Weathersby (fourth round).

The Bengals insist Washington's neck is 100 percent healed, and imagine him and Chad Johnson running deep and opening space underneath in the pass game for Peter Warrick and Matt Schobel.

Weathersby, a big, physical player, dropped in the draft following an Easter Sunday shooting that put him in the hospital for five days. He says he is grateful for the selection and determined to make the most of the second chance at life he has been given.

And each of the Bengals' five final picks offers hope of finding a niche in Lewis' system. Fifth-round speed linebacker Khalid Abdullah is considered a steal. Sixth-round defensive tackle Langston Moore could contribute immediately against the run.

Lewis said the middle- and low-round picks are expected to challenge for starting jobs in two or three years.

There was a refreshing decisiveness to how the Bengals conducted their draft. Lewis was telling the truth when he said the work and rankings had been done in advance.

There was no on-the-clock lobbying by position coaches, no Warrick coming to town and pushing for college buddy Ron Dugans in the 2000 third round (although Dugans ended up being a fine pick). There was no reaching for a cornerback in the second round or trying to pacify the special teams coach by taking punter-kicker Travis Dorsch in the fourth round last year.

There was a plan this year - Lewis' plan - and the organization stuck to it. Lewis said the draft will go even better next year when he and his staff don't have to devote so much time to planning and executing a pre-draft minicamp.

Drafts take three years to accurately evaluate. But the three-day view couldn't be much better.

The '03 draft has the feel of '77 and '84, when the Bengals added several key players to their two Super Bowl teams.

The 1977 draft produced starting defensive lineman Eddie Edwards and Wilson Whitley, fullback Pete Johnson and cornerback Louis Breeden (in the seventh round).

The 1984 draft brought quarterback Boomer Esiason to Cincinnati as Ken Anderson's heir apparent, and eighth- and ninth-round picks Bruce Reimers and Bruce Kozerksi were anchors on the offensive line protecting Esiason.

Experts' takes on the Bengals

Mel Kiper, ESPN

Grade: B+

"The Bengals did what they had to do with Carson Palmer, and Eric Steinbach has the ability to play guard or center. Cincinnati followed those selections with good value, getting Kelley Washington and Dennis Weathersby in the third and fourth rounds, and the rest of the picks were spent on solid players."

Jerrett Bell, USA Today

Grade: Five stars (out of five)

"Will Carson Palmer emerge as best QB in the draft? History says that's a 50-50 proposition. Marvin Lewis history? Give it a chance. Got possible first-round talents in G Eric Steinbach and WR Kelley Washington. Sleeper: OLB Khalid Abdullah."

Pete Prisco, CBS Sportsline.Com

Grade: A

"They drafted a bunch of good players, including top pick Carson Palmer. They then got Eric Steinbach, a player many thought would go in the middle of the first round, at the top of the second and Kelley Washington in the third... These aren't the same old Bengals."

Len Pasquarelli, ESPN.COM

Grade: A-

"Guard Eric Steinbach (No. 2) is a heist and ... his athleticism alone could win him a starting spot. Wide receiver Kelley Washington (No. 3) is going to play a lot in 2003, provided his surgically repaired neck is rehabilitated."

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