Looking Towards Day 2

The Bengals have 2 picks today in the 2^nd (37^th and 53^rd) and 1 in the 3^rd (84) and there are lots of quality starters still out there. My ideal draft for today would include the FIU Safety, Johnathan Cyprien at 37^th, NC RB Giovanni Bernard at 53^rd, and Alabama Center, Barrett Jones at 84. However, the Bengals are unlikely to be calling me for my thoughts. Being that the Bengals seem to draft strictly by their board, there are a lot of players that remain and could be candidates for the Bengals with the 5^th pick in the 2^nd Round.  Either way, it should be an exciting Day 2 of the Draft.

Players in Play at 37:

Eddie Lacy – RB, Alabama

Manti Te’o – LB Notre Dame

Montee Ball – RB Wisconsin

Kevin Minter – LB LSU

Arthur Brown – LB Kansas State

Menelik Watson – OT Florida State

Tank Carradine – DE Florida State

Players in Play at 53:

Tank Carradine – DE Florida State

Giovanni Bernard – RB North Carolina

Montee Ball – RB Wisconsin

Johnathan Franklin – RB UCLA

Damontre Moore – DE Texas A&M

Khaseem Greene – LB Rutgers

Shamarko Thomas – S Syracuse

DJ Swearinger – S South Carolina

Tyrann Mathieu – CB LSU

Round 1 Recap

Draft grades are stupid. Draft grades after the 1^st Round are really stupid. However, there were some teams I thought did a good job, and teams I thought did not do as good.

Well Done

Tennessee Titans

Chance Warmack, OG, Alabama - CJ2K is still an elite RB, but has had troubles the past 2 years because he has too many defenders to dodge in the backfield. The Titans helped create room for their best player by drafting Warmack at #10. Not a flashy pick, but a solid pick.

Carolina Panthers

Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah – The Panthers sucked at stopping the run in 2012. Lotulelei was the best run stuffer in the 2013 draft and at one point was considered an option for the #1 overall pick. The Panthers got him at 14 and helped improve a glaring weakness.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia – It pains me to say it, but the Steelers are very solid on draft day. While they were playing football, Jones was considered the top NFL prospect. He has only fallen once football ceased being played. That doesn’t make sense to me. This was an excellent pick, excellent value, and fills the hole that was left by James Harrison’s departure.

Cincinnati Bengals

Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame – Speaking of teams that draft well, the Bengals have slowly become one of the top drafting teams. Eifert is a great pick at #21.

Not as Well Done

New York Jets

Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama and Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri – Both are good players and were not reaches where they took them. What I don’t understand is how does a team with two 1^st Round picks and the worst offensive roster in the league not pick an offensive player?

Saint Louis Rams

Tavon Austin, WR, WVU and Alec Ogletree, ILB, Georgia – Both are great athletes and have great potential. The draft gurus loved the picks. However, they both have high bust potential as well. A 5’7” 175 lb WR at #8 is a big gamble. He has big play potential, he may also get killed if he gets hit. Carving up a weak Big 12 at that size is much different than the NFL. Ogletree also has the talent, but has proven to be a problem off the field. If he can stay out of trouble, this may be a steal, however, he could also be Odell Thurman Jr.

Dallas Cowboys

Travis Frederick, C, Wiconsin – Sure he is the top rated Center, but this was not a strong draft for Centers and he was also projected to be there in the 2^nd or 3^rd Round. Seems like there were better players available…..but why try and make sense of a Jerry Jones decision?

WTF?

Buffalo Bills

EJ Manuel, QB, Florida State – I did predict that Manuel would go in the first round, however, I did not believe he should. Especially as the 1^st (and only) QB of the draft. Despite my general dislike for Todd McShay, he does have some knowledge, and he had Manuel as his 103^rd ranked player and a mid 3^rd Round pick. Buffalo should have been able to get him in Round 2, and even if they couldn’t, they could have got a better player at 16 and a better QB in the 2^nd Round. This has to be one of the largest jumps up a draft board in draft history. EJ Manuel needs to add Colin Kaepernick to his Christmas list. Kaepernick’s success in the read option moved Manuel from the 3^rd-4^th Round all the way to #16 overall.

Bengals Go TE in Round 1

Tyler Eifert is a versatile plug-and-play TE that runs good routes, can pluck the ball at its’ highest point, has great measurables, great character and was the best value pick if you trust your board (yes, I just tried to cram as many draft terms into one coherent sentence as I could – success!). With the exception of the Bengals play-by-play man Dave Lapham, not many had the Bengals taking Eifert at 21. While I was a bit surprised myself, I like this pick more every time I think of it. 

1. Say want you want about the “Draft Experts,” Eifert was the top TE according to everyone and most had him as one of the 10 best overall players in the draft (Kiper had him 8). To get him at 21 was a steal.
2. He creates matchup nightmare. Imagine the issues defense will have (especially in the redzone) trying to cover AJ (6’4” 207), Gresham (6’5” 260), Sanu (6’2” 210) (or Hawkins), and now Eifert (6’6” 250)! Not to mention hopefully the RB they take today. The Patriots have shown what type of nightmares 2 good TEs can create, and though Gresham has had some issues with drops, he can still be quite good.
3. Takes pressure off AJ. Eifert can be lined up at TE, the slot or out wide – either way, it forces a defense to either take the safety away from doubling AJ, or put a safety or LB on Eifert – at 6’6” with good speed, hands, and a great ability to win 50-50 balls, advantage Eifert.
4. The Bengals needed more weapons on offense…and Eifert provides that, pure and simple.
5. He was much better than any WR or S that was available when they picked.
6. While I like Elam, there are players close to (and arguably better than) Elam still left (Cyprien, Swearinger, Shamarko Thomas) and I think Eifert makes more of an impact than Elam.
7. The Bengals weakness has been their offense, not their defense. Eifert addresses that weakness.
8. Eifert provides an immediate replacement for Gresham should the Bengals elect not to resign Gresham next year. Gresham is a FA after this season. With Atkins, Dunlap, and MJ also FA’s, and Green and Dalton the following year, Gresham has to be the last on that list in priority, and therefore the Bengals may not be able to match the offers Gresham is likely to get.
9. The Bengals are a fun punching bag for many, but since Lewis arrived, they have been very good at drafting (and league experts agree). The Bengals do not reach for players of need and take the best player available. Doing so creates situations like this year, where you have the luxury of no glaring needs. Yes, they need to get better at safety, but let’s be honest, with MJ, Dunlap, Harrison, and Atkins rushing the QB, a stud safety is not a necessity….plus, worst case scenario, Crocker and Rhoades are still on the market and can hold their own.

2013 NFL Draught Drinking Game

If you would like to spice up your draft watching, the crew here at the 12oz Pro-Spective has developed a fun drinking game centered around draft terminology and analyst tendencies. This game was developed around watching the broadcast on ESPN and the amount of things that call for drinks can be quite extensive, so feel free to abide by whichever ones you would like (easiest if copied and pasted onto a Word document and printed). And as always, we here at the 12oz Pro-Spective always encourage our readers to drink responsibly and may not be held liable for any bad decisions you make after playing this game. Enjoy!

1 Drink

Anytime the following are said:

• Boom or Bust
• Can’t Miss Prospect
• Downhill Runner
• Every Down Player
• Good Ball Skills
• Good Between the Tackles
• Good Hands
• Good Intangibles
• Good Leverage
• Good Locker Room Guy
• High Character Guy
• Mearsurables
• North South Runner
• Possession Receiver (x2 if player is black)
• Read Option Type Quarterback (x2 if player is white)
• Shutdown Corner
• Sleeper
• Stretch the Defense
• Tremendous Upside
• Value Pick
• Versatility

Every time the following is done:

• Berman gives a guy a nickname

2 Drinks

Anytime the following are said: 

• Fluid Hips
• Good at the Point of Contact
• Good Base
• Good/Low Pad Level
• Good in Space
• Grinder (x2 if player is black)
• Lacks Speed for the Next Level/Elite Level Speed  
• Plug and Play
• Quicker Than he is Fast
• Stiff Hips
• Trust Your Board
• Tweener
• Workout Warrior

Every time the following is done:

• When Berman says “aaaaagh”
• When Berman holds his hand in front of himself in the shape of an ‘L’ (like the ‘loser’ symbol you put on your head as a kid)
• When Berman clearly needs to take a breath…and doesn’t
• When McShay gives an “I’m better than you laugh”
• When Kiper stares at McShay with a look of death
• If Gruden ever says he doesn’t like a player

3 Drinks

Anytime the following are said: 

• Heavy Hands
• High Motor (x2 if player is black)
• Wes Welker Type (x2 if player is black)
• Waist Bender
• Take the Top Off the Defense
• Runs Behind His Pads 

Every time the following is done:

• When Gruden looks at another analyst like he wants to kill them (if he does kill them, shotgun a beer)
• When McShay and Kiper argue

10 Drinks

• If the Jets Fans boo their pick

Finish Beer

• If the Vikings miss a pick
• When Berman cannot think of something to say
• If Kipers hair gets messed up
• If the Commissioner messes up a name

Shotgun/Funnel a Beer

• If a team not named the Vikings miss a pick
• If the Browns take a 1^st Round QB
• If Mel Kiper is rendered speechless by a pick or does not know a player
• If the Commissioner drops a jersey

Finish a Fifth of your Favorite Spirits*

• If a player nut taps/cup checks Goddell

*Please be aware that the Surgeon General (and the 12oz Pro-Spective) believe finishing a Fifth of any liquor could be harmful to your health (and liver) and we do not encourage doing so.