(01-31-2013 10:04 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  Over/under that Mike Brown will take Te'o in the 1st round?

It's beginning to shape up rather interestingly but obviously way too early to say. McShay just updated his top 32ish. If you accept that the Bengals will draft a S, LB, or RB in R1 which I think is probable (unless they don't sign Andre Smith which I doubt), Te'o might slide to be the obvious pick at 21. McShay had no RBs listed and the only safety was Vaccaro who he had very high and thus very unlikely to be around at 21. Makes me think we might be looking very hard at a LB and it will depend upon who's available.

(01-31-2013 08:56 AM)Eastside_J Wrote:  

(01-30-2013 11:08 PM)Murph29 Wrote:  I just don't care that much about the underlying story to give a crap about this. I think the bigger question around him is whether he's the monster of a player from much of the season or the dude that disappeared when he met SEC beef and speed.

He is my take on him, very good athlete, he has fantastic instincts, decent speed and very good hands. He moves laterally really well. The issue with him IMO is that he is not even close to a powerful run stopper at the collegiate level.

Even in his highlight reels it is tough to find a single play where he met a guy straight up and dropped him. He is usually hitting and giving up 2-4 yards to the ball carrier after contact.

I could be totally wrong, but I just can't see him being physical enough to make plays in between the tackles at the MIKE or WILL spots in the NFL.

In the NC he bounced off of players like the current MLB for the Bengals does

No way. Rey is the best at that.

I visit the mock drafts every week or ten ten days and found this today on Walter Football. It's for you, Clifton Ave....

21-Cincinnati Bengals: Manti Te'o, LB, Notre Dame
Back in October, I had Manti Te'o slotted to Cincinnati at No. 10 overall because: "The Bengals have major problems at linebacker. They lost Keith Rivers this past offseason, Manny Lawson will be a free agent in the spring, and Rey Maualuga is arguably one of the worst defensive starters in the NFL. I don't know if he's hurt or what, but he's been awful this season. Manti Te'o, the top player available, would be a big boost to the linebacking corps."

Well, Te'o is now a legitimate option for them at No. 21. He'll likely fall at least a few spots because of the weird story about his fake girlfriend, but the Bengals won't care. They'll see a player who would offer a big upgrade on defense.

As Eastside said, Te'o isn't anywhere near being a good run-stopping LB at the NFL level. For most of his college career, it was like he was on skates each time a blocker locked on.

Don't want the Bengals to draft him.

Te'o would fit in perfectly with the Bengals. He has a fake girlfriend and the Bengals have a fake general manager. Match made in heaven -- or online.

Too soon fellas.

I think we are all being a little insensitive. All this snarking. This is not what Lennay would have wanted.