Texas WR Jordan Shipley—84th overall
With Colt McCoy still on the board late in the third round, many wondered if the Bengals would take a shot at the Texas standout who won more games than any other quarterback in NCAA history. Instead, they went for his favorite target at wide receiver—Jordan Shipley.
After passing on Bryant in the first round, it was obvious Cincinnati would pick up a wideout in the later rounds; it was just a matter of which pick they would use. With Shipley, they get an excellent route-runner who has the potential to be effective in the slot role playing alongside Chad Ochocinco and Bryant.
During his last two seasons with the Longhorns, Shipley recorded 205 receptions for 2,545 yards and 24 touchdowns. A few analysts compared some of his skills to Wes Welker—which could be beneficial to the Bengals.
Cincinnati knew they would have to select at least one wide receiver in the draft to help improve last year’s 26th ranked passing game.
Wake Forest CB Brandon Ghee—96th overall
The Bengals received a compensatory pick in the third round after T.J. Houshmandzadeh signed with the Seattle Seahawks prior to the 2009 season. They used the extra pick on Brandon Ghee in what appears to be insurance for the future.
With Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph in the final year of their contracts, there’s always the chance Cincinnati will be in need of another starting cornerback next season. Ghee has the speed and athleticism to eventually fit that role over time if Cincinnati even loses just one of them after next season.
For now, it appears Ghee will compete for the starting job at nickel corner with Morgan Trent, David Jones, and Keiwan Ratliff. However, there are a number of areas in need of improvement—such as his backpedal—before he even comes close to winning the job.
For more coverage on the Bengals 2010 offseason, click here.
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