Bengals Take WR in Round 2

The Bengals took Coastal Carolina wide receiver Jerome Simpson with the 46th selection in the second round.

There were wide receivers with greater name recognition than Jerome Simpson available when the Bengals’ turn came up in the second round of the NFL Draft. Obviously, name recognition had nothing to do with the Bengals’ draft board.

The Bengals selected Simpson (6-2/190) with the 46th overall pick, causing more than a few raised eyebrows in the process. Cincinnati was in the market for a wide receiver following the release of Chris Henry this month and the uncertainty of Chad Johnson, the franchise’s all-time leading receiver in both receptions and yardage. Johnson is demanding a trade even though he has four years remaining on a six-year contract. The Bengals have repeatedly declined his request.

Simpson was the sixth wide receiver taken in the second round after none were selected in the first round. A total of nine wide receivers were taken overall in the second round. DeSean Jackson of California, Limus Sweed of Texas and Malcolm Kelly of Oklahoma were all picked after the Bengals took Simpson, who averaged 16.8 yards per catch and caught 43 touchdowns for Division I-AA Coastal Carolina.

“When picking a receiver this early, he needs to come in and fill a void,” said Lewis. “We wanted to find a guy who we felt had the stature and be able to do that and to have the physical tools to get away from bump-and-run coverage.

“This has been a pretty in-depth process.”

Simpson said he had heard through the grapevine that he could go as high as the late second round so he was a little surprised when the Bengals called as early as they did.

“It’s a blessing to be picked this early,” Simpson said. “I just prayed that I would get a chance.”

Simpson was rated the top wide receiver outside of the Division I-A ranks by NFL Draft Report and was a consensus All-American as a senior. In his four-year career at Coastal Carolina he caught 157 passes for 2,636 yards in 44 games. Simpson was also a member of the Coastal Carolina track team. He qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships last spring in the long jump and was part of the 4 x 400 relay team that set a meet record at the Big South Conference championships.

Henry had the ability to stretch defenses down the field but his numerous run-ins with the law made that inconsequential.

“I’m not sure you can say that Jerome is going to be exactly that,” said offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski. “But I do believe that right away and at a very early time he’s going to be a much better intermediate route runner and be able to do things in the short distances than, for instance, Chris did at any point when he was here.”