CINCINNATI -- The gem of the Cincinnati Bengals' draft class could be fourth-round pick Andrew Billings, a 311-pound defensive tackle from Baylor. There was some thought he could go in the first round. There was universal surprise when he wasn't drafted on Day 2. The Bengals thought about taking him in the second round. It was a longer and harder thought in the third round before choosing Vigil. While the wait was stressful for Billings, he took solace in a player who a few hours later would become his teammate.
"It was a little anxious at first," said Billings. "Then my agent starting going crazy once the third round passed. Then we sat down and talked about it, thought about Geno Atkins who went in the fourth round. For me, I'm just happy to be drafted."
--Fifth-round pick Christian Westerman wasn't allowed to play football before high school because of a weight regulation prohibiting him. So he boxed.
"It was getting me focused on my footwork and hand speed," said Westerman. "A lot of training and sparring. Nothing too crazy, but something to keep my aggressiveness up. I like to hit people."
Westerman impressed offensive line coach Paul Alexander, who called Westerman the toughest player in this draft.
"When (Andrew) Whitworth came out, he was the toughest kid in the draft, and (Russell) Bodine was, and (Jake) Fisher probably was last year," said Alexander. "When he's the toughest guy in the draft, I put a nice box around him and in this division, you have to. It's not for the feeble."
--Clayton Fejedelem never got any Division I recruiting offers coming out of high school, so he opted to go to St. Xavier, a NAIA school in Chicago where his older brother played. They won a national title together in 2011, but Fejedelem had aspirations of playing in the Big Ten. He transferred to Illinois as a walk-on and earned a scholarship for his senior season, where he led the conference with 11.7 tackles per game.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
A closer look at the Bengals' picks:
Round 1/24 - William Jackson III, CB, 6-0, 189, Houston
For all of their troubles in the postseason, the Bengals don't panic when it comes to the draft. They trust their board so when the receivers they liked at this spot were gone, they had no hesitation picking Jackson. He'll get to learn and earn his way on to the field.
Round 2/55 - Tyler Boyd, WR, 6-1, 197, Pittsburgh
Here is why the Bengals didn't hesitate on Jackson in the first round. Boyd is another big target who will fit right in with A.J. Green and tight end Tyler Eifert. Not the fastest raw speed, but fast enough to become Pitt's all-time leading receiver in catches and yards, surpassing Larry Fitzgerald.
Round 3/87 - Nick Vigil, LB, 6-2, 239, Utah State
The knock on Vigil coming out is his size, but the guy has a nose for the ball and did nothing but produce tackles in college. Has speed enough that he played some running back in college. Won't start, but can contribute immediately on special teams.
Round 4/122 - Andrew Billings, DT, 6-1, 311, Baylor
Domata Peko and Pat Sims are older players entering the final year of their contracts. Billings has the strength to hold up and be disruptive against the run, a must playing in the AFC North.
Round 5/161 - Christian Westerman, G, 6-3, 298, Arizona State
Depth is lacking behind a strong starting group of offensive linemen, so Westerman is a good fit at this spot. Was top recruit from state of Arizona coming out of high school, went to Auburn before transferring back home.
Round 6/199 - Cody Core, WR, 6-3, 205, Mississippi
Has the speed to be a true deep threat, something that the Bengals lost with the departure of Marvin Jones in free agency. Not a polished receiver, but averaged 17.4 yards per catch on 37 receptions as a senior.
Round 7/245 - Clayton Fejedelem, S, 6-0, 204, Illinois
Final pick of this year's class falls into a position group that will give him a chance to make the roster. Earned his reputation at Illinois as a special teams stalwart. That's a good reputation to have when you're looking for a job in the NFL.
