WR Joe Craig, Memphis
CB Troy Hill, Youngstown
C Chris Jasperse, Marshall
WR Jake Kumerow, Wisconsin-Whitewater
TE Matt Lengel, Eastern Kentucky
PK Tom Obarski, Concordia-St. Paul
S Floyd Raven, Texas A&M
LB Trevor Roach, Nebraska
OL Jake Smith, Louisville
RB Terrell Watson, Azusa Pacific
RB Mark Weisman, Iowa
WR Kasen Williams, Washington
DT DeShawn Williams, Clemson
QB Ryan Williams, Miami
That Matt Lengel TE from EKU is a monster - 6'8" 270.
Like a pass catching OT.
Put him on the practice squad and get him to 300.
Floyd Raven can play CB or S and is 6'0" and 204. Ran a 4.45 at pro day. This article says he is a very good special teams guy so you never know. We aren't exactly deep with tall corners or safeties.
Bengals sign 11 undrafted free agents Jim Owczarski, jowczarski@enquirer.com 12:52 p.m. EDT May 8, 2015
Terrell Watson of Azusa Pacific headlines the list of undrafted free agents the Bengals brought in.
(Photo: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)
The NFL Draft may be over, but that doesn't mean the Cincinnati Bengals were done acquiring new talent.
While the common threads that tied the team's nine draft picks together included versatility and a certain "edge" the coaches liked, the theme that ran through the class of undrafted free-agent signings could be defined as swinging for the fences.
Many are from small programs or are "attitude guys" who made their bones out-working everyone else. The Bengals hope one of these players turns into the next Vontaze Burfict.
Here's a rundown of the 11 undrafted free agents the Bengals have brought in this spring.
Troy Hill
Oregon University
Cornerback
5-11, 182
Hill is a Youngstown native who spent his teenage years with relatives in California before enrolling at Oregon. He did plead guilty to a 2013 misdemeanor for menacing in a domestic dispute, and received three years of probation.
After three years as the team's primary backup corner, the 5-foot, 11-inch Hill returned as a redshirt senior and turned in a second team All-PAC 12 campaign after making 14 starts. He also finished 11th in the nation in passes defensed.
Terrell Watson
Azusa Pacific University
Running back
6-1, 242
Watson is another power runner, but ran a 4.49-second 40 at his pro day, faster than first-round pick Melvin Gordon. He rushed for 5,947 yards in four years, but at the Division II level.
Floyd Raven, Sr.
Texas A&M
Safety
6-0, 202
A senior out of Texas A&M, Raven, Sr. played all four years for the Aggies, and began to earn starting time as a junior but has had some health issues. Last year he recorded just 28 tackles, but he can play special teams.
Trevor Roach
Nebraska University
Linebacker
6-2, 237
A redshirt senior out of Nebraska, Roach missed all of 2013 with a foot injury - and his last college game, the Holiday Bowl, with another foot injury. But, the former walk-on posted a 4.78-second 40-yard dash time at the Nebraska pro day and established himself as a middle linebacker prospect with his tackling ability.
Tom Obarski
Concordia St. Paul
Kicker
5-10, 177
With Mike Nugent back for his sixth season with the Bengals and 11th overall, the team brought in Obarski, a four-year player at Concordia St. Paul in Minnesota who converted on 70 percent of his field goals, including a long of 59 in his sophomore campaign. He participated in the Senior Bowl.
Mark Weisman
Iowa University
Running back
5-11, 242
A former walk-on, he became a fan favorite and kind of a cult hero at Iowa. He also produced, rushing for 2,602 yards and 32 touchdowns in three years. Weisman is more of a power runner who would be a true fullback in the NFL.
Matt Lengel
Eastern Kentucky University
Tight end
6-8, 272
After drafting two tight ends, the team added a third - the giant out of EKU. Lengel was granted a sixth year of eligibility due to injury. In his career, he caught 33 passes for 361 yards and two touchdowns.
Jake Kumerow
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Wide receiver
6-5, 209
If the name sounds familiar, it should – his dad is former Ohio State Buckeye and Miami Dolphin Eric. The younger Kumerow runs a 4.5-second 40 and is noted for his attention to detail, but he's coming out of a powerhouse Division III program in the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Jake Smith
University of Louisville
Center
6-3, 306
A redshirt senior who can play all three spots on the inside of the offensive line, Smith was considered by his NFL.com scouting profile to be more of an effort guy, who is a marginal athlete by league standards but gets after it. If that's the case, he's exactly the type of player the Bengals want in camp.
Chris Jasperse
Marshall University
Guard
6-3, 292
Another redshirt senior, the former walk-on at Marshall ended up being a two-time All-Conference USA first-team pick by the time he was done. He started every game of his career (53), which is second in major-college history. With that, he led all active Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I) offensive linemen with 4,040 career snaps.
DeShawn Williams
Clemson University
Defensive tackles
6-1, 295
The senior made 54 tackles, eight for losses, and recorded three sacks in his final season. He also added seven quarterback pressures. Williams has played the fourth-most games of any Tiger in Clemson history. He also blocked two kicks on special teams.