The Bengals continue to struggle in the draft. Leon Hall was high on many teams boards, so I can't argue with the pick too much, but I don't think his lack of playing speed is seriously going to hold him back. He was never able to match up with top receivers like Ted Ginn, Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith in college and I don't see how he's suddenly going to be able to in the NFL. I'm not opposed to them taking a running back, because Rudi Johnson needs a backup, but the second round wasn't the place to make that move. I think they reached on Marvin White, although they did need depth at safety. I like the Jeff Rowe pick. He has a similar game to Carson Palmer and he could develop into a quality backup in Cincinnati. Of their last three picks, I think Toeaina and Ndukwe will both struggle to make the roster. Santucci could prove to be a quality backup though; he has decent fundamentals and the Bengals need depth on their line. Overall, they only added one future starter (Hall) and I don't think he will live up to the first round hype.
Grade: C-

We should expect drafts like this from the Bengals. While the product on the field has gotten better, the drafting hasn't. I like the Joseph pick, and he should be a starter as a rookie. Whitworth is a solid player, but I'm a little surprised the Bengals went offensive line that early in the draft. The needed a defensive end, but the really reached for Rucker and passed on a few guys that could have been steals there. Peko is an interesting player that could develop into a solid pro. I like Nicholson and I think his character issues have been blown out of proportion. While they certainly don't need a quarterback, I think McNeal is a great pick that late in the draft. He's a tremendous athlete and even if he doesn't develop at quarterback I expect to see him find a way to make an impact. Kilmer and Brazell aren't going to make an impact anywhere and probably won't even make their opening day roster.
Grade: C