By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The Bengals have a Pro Bowl receiver in Chad Johnson.

Former first-round pick Peter Warrick is coming off a career year.

Kelley Washington, a third-round pick in 2003, is motivated to improve on his rookie season and has one year of third-receiver experience. There are fourth-year pro T.J. Houshmandzadeh, waiver wire pickup Kevin Walter and speedy free agent acquisition Patrick Johnson. The Bengals would appear to have no vacancy at wide receiver.

Not so fast. Anything is possible with the 24th overall pick and two third-round choices Saturday on the first day of the NFL draft.

"That's certainly a possibility," Bengals offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said recently when asked if the team would take a receiver or running back in the first round.

With the promotion of strong-armed quarterback Carson Palmer, Bengals coach Marvin Lewis wants to throw the ball downfield more often than in 2003.

Going deep and getting some quick scores - such as Warrick's career-long 77-yard backbreaker from Jon Kitna against Kansas City - would boost an offense that has had to piece together multi-play drives in recent seasons to get into the end zone.

"The threat of going down field and having the people to do it and do it on a consistent basis is the thing that scares defenses," Bratkowski said. "That's why, when we get to the (24th) pick, and there's a great receiver who can do that, that's why you have to keep that option open."

As Bratkowski spoke, Chad Johnson, who emerged last season as a premier NFL receiver, walked past in the locker room and lobbied for Pitt's Larry Fitzgerald.

But Fitzgerald will be gone, possibly to Oakland at No. 2 overall as the heir apparent to Tim Brown and Jerry Rice in the Raiders offense.

The Williams - Texas' Roy and Southern Cal's Mike - will be gone, too, before the Bengals go on the clock. But the cupboard will be far from bare. As many as eight receivers could be drafted in the first round alone - and another eight could go in the second and third rounds.

Washington's Reggie Williams might have been there at No. 17, where the Bengals were scheduled to pick before swapping choices with the Denver Broncos to acquire cornerback Deltha O'Neal.

But the third first-round Williams receiver probably will be gone, too, likely to the 49ers at No. 16. But Oklahoma State's Rashaun Woods, LSU's Michael Clayton, Wisconsin's Lee Evans and Ohio State's Michael Jenkins could be had at 24. But none of that group are likely to be left on the board in the second round, where the Bengals pick 49th overall. Jenkins made a good impression on Bengals coaches, who coached him in the Senior Bowl in January.

Jenkins, who is almost 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, had 55 receptions and seven touchdowns as a senior.

Asked what he worked on with Bengals coaches at the Senior Bowl, Jenkins said, "Just little things technique-wise."

He had seven catches for 69 yards in the all-star game.

Evans, though he is just shy of 5-11 and 200 pounds, could be the fastest of the top group of receivers, running the 40-yard dash in 4.37 seconds. He rebounded from a serious knee injury in 2002 to post 64 receptions, 13 touchdowns and a gaudy 19-yard average in 2003.

"A lot of it just comes with feeling and reading the defense," Evans said of his ability to get open. "Once you have a general understanding of what's going on around you, you can read drops and so on."

Top five wide receivers available in NFL draft

Player	Ht-Wt	College	2003 Stats	Comment
1. Larry Fitzgerald	6-3, 225	Pitt	92 rec., 1,672 yds., 22 TD	Best hands in draft.
2. Roy Williams	6-2, 211	Texas	70 rec., 1,079 yds., 9 TD	Prototypical receiver size.
3. Mike Williams	6-5, 228	S. Cal.	95 rec., 1,314 yds., 16 TD	Physically, emotionally mature for 20 years old.
4. Reggie Williams	6-4, 225	Wash.	89 rec., 1,109 yds., 8 TD	Consistent player, good catching in crowd.
5. Rashaun Woods	6-2, 202	Okla. St.	77 rec., 1,367 yds., 15 TD	Excellent route runner.

Coming Tuesday in the Enquirer

The Bengals will likely look to draft a running back this weekend if Corey Dillon is traded.

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E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

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