By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The Bengals' chances of drafting a running back increased dramatically Monday.

Rudi Johnson inherits the featured back role from Corey Dillon, who was dealt to New England for a second-round draft pick.

IN YOUR OPINION

The Bengals now have 10 total picks, and two each in the talent-rich second, third and fourth rounds. Their six picks between Nos. 49 and 117 make them a prime candidate to trade up in the first round to get the running back of their choice.

With the Bengals and Johnson not yet reaching an agreement on a long-term deal - he is likely to sign a one-year, $1.824 million tender - the Bengals might move up to get the No. 1 back in the draft, Oregon State's Steven Jackson.

Many mock drafts had the Patriots taking Jackson at No. 21 overall, but their acquisition of Dillon makes running back a non-issue for them.

Bengals' picks

The Bengals have 10 picks in this weekend's NFL draft. They are: • No. 24 overall in the first round (from Denver); • No. 49 in the second round; • No. 56 (from New England) in the second round; • Nos. 80 and 96 (NFL compensatory) in the third round; • Nos. 113 and 117 (from Denver) in the fourth round; • No. 144 in the fifth round; • No. 177 in the sixth round; and • No. 208 in the seventh round.

Dallas, at No. 22 overall, is expected to be in the market for a running back, and many draft experts had them taking Virginia Tech's Kevin Jones.

Florida State's Greg Jones and Michigan's Chris Perry could be there at No. 24 for the Bengals. Or they might wait until the second round - at Nos. 49 or 56 - to grab Notre Dame's Julius Jones, whom they coached in the Senior Bowl.

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis didn't rule out the possibility of a draft-day trade of picks, but he did throw a little cold water on it during a news conference Monday morning - before the Dillon trade was announced.

"It's harder for people to move around than people think every year, but you never know," Lewis said. "I doubt it."

Still, Jackson, a 20-year-old who weighs 231 pounds, might be too good to pass up.

"A complete running back who can step into the NFL immediately and become a standout player," is how NFL draft expert Frank Cooney describes Jackson, who doesn't turn 21 until July.

"Jackson is a powerful runner who can explode through a hole, then run away from defenders."

Jackson would be at home in the AFC North and its former alignment, the AFC Central.

He compares to Baltimore's Jamal Lewis and a young Eddie George of Tennessee. Jackson also has been compared to New Orleans' Deuce McAllister.

"I think by me catching 40-something balls this year with nearly 500 yards receiving that that helped out the question of my hands and my durability," Jackson said. "I can play all three downs. There is no need to relieve me or bring in a third down back. I think I'm the kind of back that you could build an offense around."

Jackson also played for two NFL coaches at Oregon State, 49ers coach Dennis Erickson and former Chargers coach Mike Riley.

"I think I've been groomed by having two NFL coaches that taught me the ropes," Jackson said.

Kevin Jones would give the Bengals an outside threat with his speed but has a history of fumble problems. Greg Jones was not fully recovered in 2003 from a knee injury in 2002.

But the Bengals' roster is not without options to work with Johnson.

Skip Hicks, signed in the offseason as a free agent, is having a productive season playing in NFL Europe. And Lewis brought in former Redskins back Kenny Watson last season.

Top five running backs available in the NFL draft

Player	Ht-Wt	College	2003 Stats	Comment
1. Steven Jackson	6-1, 231	Oregon State	1,545 rush yd., 44 rec., 22 total touchdowns	Clearly best back available
2. Kevin Jones	6-0, 227	Virginia Tech	1,509 rush yd., 21 total touchdowns	Good outside runner with excellent speed
3. Greg Jones	6-1, 249	Florida State	618 rush yd., seven touchdowns in 2003, knee injury concerns	Can steamroll defenders, but shows little cutting ability.
4. Chris Perry	6-0, 224	Michigan	1,682 rush yd., 44 rec., 20 touchdowns	Good interior runner who gets better with more work
5. Julius Jones	5-10, 217	Notre Dame	1,268 rush yd., 10 touchdowns	Good combination of power and speed, academic concerns

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E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

This week in the Enquirer

NFL draft and Bengals coverage coming this week:

Wednesday: Depth is important at defensive tackle.

Thursday: The Bengals might be looking for center Rich Braham's replacement and depth across the offensive line.

Friday: Dennis Weathersby's accident puts the Bengals back in the market for a cornerback.

Saturday: A linebacker? And the Enquirer's annual mock draft of the first round from Bengals beat writer Mark Curnutte.

Sunday: Live coverage of the draft's first day with updates on Cincinnati.com.

Monday: Live coverage of the draft's second day with updates on Cincinnati.com.

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