Draft Class 2008

OK, so Draft Weekend ’08 is over and done. It’s time to sift through the rubble of the 10 players the Bengals selected and take a closer look at just what Marvin Lewis and the staff added to the organization in their effort to put last season’s 7-9 season behind them.

The Bengals ended up adding five players on offense and five players to the defense. There are three new wide receiver candidates to choose from, two defensive tackles and a No. 1 pick in linebacker Keith Rivers who at first, second and third glance has all the makings of becoming the kind of force on defense the Bengals have sorely lacked over the years.

One area the Bengals stayed away from was running back, a position that was targeted for expansion. Instead, incumbents Rudi Johnson and Kenny Watson have been given what amounts to a vote of confidence. Lewis is betting on Johnson returning to the form that produced consecutive 1400-yard seasons in 2004-05 while averaging more than 4.0 yards per carry. He’s also optimistic that Chris Perry can stay healthy this season and contribute at least in part as he did in 2005 when he gave the Bengals a viable break-away threat as a runner and receiver.

Lewis said on Sunday after the draft was complete that he believes Perry could be on the practice field in May when the team begins its organized team activities (OTA) in preparation for a June minicamp and then training camp in late July.

Here’s a look at the 2008 draft class for the Bengals:

ROUND 1: LB Keith Rivers (USC) – Injuries decimated the position group last season but there is a possibility that Rivers could be teamed with Ahmad Brooks to the Bengals their most potent linebacking duo since Takeo Spikes and Brian Simmons were taken in the first round in 1998.

ROUND 2: WR Jerome Simpson (Coastal Carolina) – Chris Henry is gone and Chad Johnson is whining to leave town so there could be a lot of pressure placed on this surprise pick who dominated at the Division I-AA level.

ROUND 3a: DT Pat Sims (Auburn) – The Bengals need help on the interior of the D-line and while they would have loved to have gotten USC’s Sedrick Ellis in the first round, they aren’t complaining about this early-entry junior.

ROUND 3b: WR Andre Caldwell (Florida) – Just like Simpson, there will be high expectations placed on Caldwell from the outset. He lived up to the hype for Gators where he left as the program’s all-time leading receiver.

ROUND 4: OT Anthony Collins (Kansas) – O-line coach Paul Alexander has a good track record when it comes to developing young talent and he is gaga over the future prospects of the massive Collins.

ROUND 5: DT Jason Shirley (Fresno State) – Marvin Lewis is rolling the dice with Shirley, who is awaiting a court date next month on a DUI charge from last October. After all of the off-field incidents the team has gone through the past two years they cannot afford to have this kid make them look foolish, even if he is only a fifth-round pick.

ROUND 6a: S Corey Lynch (Appalachian State) – Will be most remembered for preserving the Mountaineers’ improbable win at Michigan last season with a last-second blocked field goal and return. He made plays all over the field and should have an immediate impact on special teams.

ROUND 6b: TE Matt Sherry (Villanova) – One of four players who was a team captain in college. Sherry is another project that needs some development. He could wind up on the practice squad, at least to start the season.

ROUND 7a: DE Angelo Craig (Cincinnati) – His detractors might say he’s a little undersized but his production for the Bearcats was anything but small. The Bengals need to get to the quarterback more often this season and Craig will be given a shot at doing just that.

ROUND 7a: WR Mario Urrutia (Louisville) – A large target (6-5, 230) that helped the Cardinals win the Orange Bowl two seasons ago, his production fell last season but he still adds to the overall depth of the wide receiving corps, a group that is going through some turmoil and foreseeable turnover.