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To be fair the Bengals did not start off this draft all that well. Picking sixth and needing a center to help protect QB Carson Palmer and open up holes for the running game the Bengals passed on Center Alex Mack of Cal. This could be a potential big miss for the future of this team.
One has to wonder if the lack of a true GM (the Bengals are one of five NFL teams that do not employ a GM) has something to do with this miss. Instead of drafting Mack they Bengals took Andre Smith OL from Alabama.
While Smith was the 7th ranked OL in this draft, and the Bengals needed OL help, Smith’s draft stock had fallen considerably since his premature exit from the NFL Scouting Combine. Smith is a troubled youngster joining a locker room full of troubled athletes. This is not a good situation for him or the team.
Smith’s stock had fallen so far that most draft experts expected him to fall into the second round so we must label this pick as a complete reach that has a lot of potential to fail.
The Bengals made up for this pick in the second round taking Top rated LB Rey Maualuga with the 38th pick overall. While LB was not a top need for this team they get a good value with this pick by taking the best rated LB in the entire draft. Hopefully Rey becomes the cornerstone of a new and improved Bengals defense.
The Bengals also scored a third round victory taking DE Michael Johnson with the 70th pick overall. Johnson was the 6th overall rated DE in this draft and the Bengals had a strong need at this position.
Along with Maualuga Johnson has a lot of potential to become the second piece of the new and improved Bengals defense. With all that being said let us look at 2009 Draft Day grades for the Bengals:
Round 1: C-
Round 2: A
Round 3: A
Talent: A
Need: B
Average: B+
A Complete look at the 2009 Bengals draft:
Round One 6th overall Andre Smith OT Alabama
Round Two 38th overall Rey Maualuga LB USC
Round Three 70th overall Chase Coffman TE Missouri
Round Four 106th overall Jonathan Luigs C Arkansas
Round Five 142nd overall Kevin Huber P Cincinnati
Round Six 179th overall Morgan Trent CB Michigan
Round Six 209th overall Bernard Scott RB Abilene Christian
Round Seven 215th overall Taufui Vakapuna RB BYU
Round Seven 249th overall Clinton McDonald DE Memphis
Round Seven 252nd overall Freddie Brown WR Utah
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