Notes: Whitworth big enough for all sides By GEOFF HOBSON May 15, 2006 Posted: 5:40 a.m. Whitworth: Bengals see versatility (Bengals photo) The gurus and pundits wonder if Andrew Whitworth can play left tackle in the NFL. The Bengals not only think he can, they think at one point he’ll be able to play all five spots. Maybe more importantly, he thinks he can play where ever they put him. Which is a good thing because for the first time in his life this weekend the second-rounder played right tackle for a few snaps. “He’s all man. A 100 percent, USDA man,” said offensive line coach Paul Alexander after Sunday’s second practice. “I don’t know who is saying (he can’t play left tackle) because I’m not one of them. I think he can play any of the five spots.” The 6-7, 335-pound Whitworth is shake-your-head huge. But if his back is as big as a billboard, you can emblazon A-T-H-L-E-T-E on it. Here’s a guy who was a junior tennis champion growing up in Monroe, La., and shoots in the 80s in golf. “I’ll be a player whether it’s left or right,” Whitworth said. “I think I can play whatever position they want me to play, but you have to prove it on the field.” Whitworth agrees that he saw his share of speed rushers in the SEC in his 52 straight starts, the last 22 of which he didn’t give up a sack. He can tick off the NFL rushers he has faced: Antwan Odom, Bobby McCray, Reggie Torbor, Dan Coady. “There are a couple of guys here,” said Whitworth of the Bengals Georgia contingent of David Pollack, Robert Geathers and Odell Thurman. “Pollack got one sack in the four times we played them.” And that’s about it. He’s not listening to the right tackle stuff. “Sometimes they have to pick a guy to be tough on to see if they can be right about somebody. It won’t be me, I can tell you that,” Whitworth said. “If you look at every tackle taken in the draft, none of them have had the amount of experience or games I had in four years at left tackle.” Of course, the Bengals hope they don’t have to use him at left tackle because they would like to extend the contract of incumbent Levi Jones beyond 2006. They would also like to do the same for left guard Eric Steinbach and right tackle Willie Anderson. But since they don’t know who they can sign to what, they want to make sure Whitworth can play all over. “He’s a smart guy,” Alexander said. “I guess what I like most about him is his presence. He’s got so much maturity to him.” When the Bengals had six linemen Saturday, they rotated a bit and Whitworth got a taste at right tackle for the first time. He said the new footwork wasn’t much of a problem even though he’s a lefty. When Harvard tackle Brian Lapham had to cut short his tryout because of knee problems, the Bengals were down to five linemen Sunday and they kept everyone pretty much in one spot. Wilkerson WILKERSON PASSING MUSTER: Whitworth’s former LSU linemates are enjoying solid weekends. Guard Nate Livings has flashed his experience while center Ben Wilkerson has been very encouraging and David Jones has separated himself from the other rookie tight ends. It took him more than a year as a Bengal to get significant work on the practice field, but Wilkerson has stood up to the challenge in the four workouts over the weekend. It’s been a harrowing 18-month grind, but it looks like he has come out of his rehab from patella tendon surgery intact. Wilkerson, one of the top centers in the nation when he badly damaged his kneecap on Oct. 30, 2004, became one of the Bengals’ most celebrated college free-agent signings last season. But his only on-field work turned out to be a three-week window off the physically unable to perform list in mid-season. When there was no place to put him on the active roster and he still looked a little hurt, the club shelved him for the rest of the season on injured reserve. But Alexander said Sunday he thought he looked better this trip. “I think it’s much better than it was,” Alexander said. “This is really his first football with us. Last year he was kind of thrown in there on the scout team. But now for the first time he’s running our offense and running the show. He’s showing that quickness and strength.” Between Wilkerson and Whitworth, no wonder LSU won it all. Alexander and his assistant, Bob Surace, have been raving for a year about Wilkerson’s work ethic as well as his presence inside the hot spots of the locker room, classroom, weight room and training room. “I think his best attribute is his leadership,” Alexander said. “He’s really a special guy when it comes to that.” Because Wilkerson was on so many lists last season, and safety Herana-Daze Jones and tight end Ronnie Ghent spent all last season on the practice squad, they were eligible to participate with all the rookies. With his new No. 80, his permanent wooden locker, and two practice squad seasons under his belt, Ghent is clearly in command of the group of young tight ends that has included Jones, free agents Greg Estandia of Nevada-Las Vegas and Ryan Hamby of Ohio State, and tryout guys Byron Allen of Northwestern State and C.J. Leak of Tennessee. “I remember where I was. I was swimming like these guys,” said Ghent, who came in two years ago as a free agent out of Louisville. “You’re trying to run and think at the same time, and that’s just a tough thing to look good. I know that’s the main thing I still have to do. Take what I do in practice and do that when we’re in the team stuff.” Ghent Ghent’s tenacious work in practice has made him the leading contender to be the No. 3 guy behind Reggie Kelly and Tony Stewart. His relentless play in practice was rewarded last year by head coach Marvin Lewis with a half-dozen orange-and-black lunch buckets, signifying the practice player of the week. “He’s told me he wants to see the same thing carry over into the spring,” Ghent said. There must be something about No. 49. Ghent’s number ended up going to LSU’s Jones, who has had an impressive debut catching the ball this weekend. The 6-3, 260-pound Jones is also showing he can run fast and catch in a crowd. One of the biggest impacts of the Marvin Lewis era has been the upgrade in college free agents the past few seasons. It’s just not veteran free agents that are attracted to winners. The Bengals just have a lot more talent at these camps than they used to. Wilkerson and Jones are examples, as are Georgia Tech defensive end Eric Henderson and Miami of Ohio safety John Busing. The broken toe that took Henderson out of the NFL scouting combine looks to be healed and he has flashed that he’s active in the pass rush. It’s hard for him to stand out in a no-pads setting, but Busing has been able to show his smarts and speed are smoothing his transition from linebacker. By the way, Bengals second-year linebacker David Pollack showed up to watch the morning practice. He wouldn’t say anything about the boot on his left foot, but it doesn’t appear to be a serious problem, although he may not work in this week’s first voluntary camp. Pollack did say hello to Henderson and chatted a bit. Henderson’s line coach at Tech once put together video clips of Henderson and Pollack when he was at Georgia to show his line how to attack the game with intensity. “He’ll be OK for a guy from Tech,” Pollack said with a smile. NO SURPRISES: The one thing you want to avoid in a rookie camp is surprises. You draft a guy and he’s not exactly what you thought in some disappointing way. But so far that hasn’t been the case in a quick look at the weekends of the eight draft picks: 1. Johnathan Joseph, CB, South Carolina: Yes, he’s raw but he’s also showing the Deltha O’Neal-like athleticism the Bengals love. Remember, he doesn’t have to play right away. They also like the fact that even though he runs so fast, he’s put together thickly at 5-11, 195 pounds. 2. Andrew Whitworth, OL, LSU: He looks to be one of these guys who only has to be coached once to do a technique the right way. Plus, the coaches have been impressed with the power of the punches with his hands, comparing favorably with some of their stronger veterans. 3. Frostee Rucker, DE, USC: Practicing on fumes because of his graduation commitment, he has shown some quickness. While he’s not overly big, he showed up looking a bit bulkier than 265, which is a plus. 4. Domata Peko, DT, Michigan State: A DT can’t do much out of pads, but he showed his strength, that he knows his way around the fundamentals, and he got in the backfield a few times. The early returns look good. 5. A.J. Nicholson, MLB. Florida State: Odell Thurman may be in luck. It sounds like Lewis is going to spend a lot of time getting on this kid. But that means the Bengals coach likes him. He showed up very instinctive and he has impressed the coaches with his ability to run. Thurman may blow up people spectacularly, but Nicholson is a heady guy who gets to the spot, too. 6. Reggie McNeal, WR, Texas A&M: He’s showing he’s got the speed and hands to make the conversion from quarterback. The question is if he can do it before the final cut. The coaches haven’t seen anything that makes them think he can’t. In another busy session Sunday, McNeal threw his first passes as a Bengal in a quick route-running drill with his fellow receivers. McNeal would run two routes with special teams coach Darrin Simmons throwing, and then McNeal would replace him and throw the routes to the other guys. But the Bengals clearly are looking at him as a wide receiver first, so it’s really a more Antwaan Randle El experiment than Kordell Stewart. 7a. Ethan Kilmer, S, Penn State: It hasn’t been an easy camp for him because he has played so little safety, not to mention football. But the one thing that couldn’t escape the eyes of the coaches Sunday is the guy can run and he’s got tremendous range back there once he knows where the ball is going. 7b. Bennie Brazell, WR, LSU: Got to love this guy. The Olympic hurdler has the world-class speed, but he has also caught pretty much everything headed his way. Send to a Friend Printer-Friendly
i just never thot of bennie being in the league but hey if he puts on a little bulk, why not. it will be hard to get in with the bengals because of chad johnson and chris henry being very good deep threats for the bengals. hopefully he gets in on the occasional reverse this year or streak
After hearing the comments and excitement from the Bengal's coaching staff about him, I have come to the conclusion that he has already made the team. They are treating him like their best pick of the draft.
Bennie has what you can't teach: speed. If not the Bengals, I believe someone will give a chance and see if he can catch in a game.
Can't remember if it was the Off Co. or the receivers coach for Cincy, but one of them was quaoted as saying something to the effect of "we are going to use Bennie exactly how he should have been used in college." Kind of a slap in the face of the LSU coaches, but the point is, they seem to love him so far. Apparently he only dropped on ball during the three day mini camp.
I live in N.Kentucky but make the drive to work in Cincinnati every day,have for almost 12 years now. The Bengal fans here remind me a lot of Saints fans in that they are rabid,devoted and know their pro football. The Bengals' coaches really seem to be impressed with all the LSU signees and as head coach Marvin said when asked by a reporter about why he signed so many LSU products he said,"if they can play for Nick Saban they can play for me". I think those players from LSU that make the team will be happy with the head coach and the fan support even if it was not their first choice of teams. This place is starting to get an SEC feel about it and I brag to some of my yankee co-workers that you can't beat "the boys from the south".:lsup:
