Cincinnati Bengals Draft Prospect Profile: Mario Alford

Mario Alford provides that speed and versatility the Cincinnati Bengals desperately need.

Going into the 2014 NFL season, the Cincinnati Bengals looked as if they would have the strongest offense in Andy Dalton’s tenure as the quarterback of the team. However, injuries to No. 2 receiver Marvin Jones and star tight end Tyler Eifert greatly handcuffed Dalton’s production.

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After the injuries to Jones and Eifert, Dalton’s main targets were A.J. Green, Mohammed Sanu, and Jermaine Gresham. Green is obviously one of the best receivers in the league and Sanu is also a guy that had shown ability and potential in the past. Unfortunately for Dalton, Green got injured towards the end of the year, which made him sit out three games. Gresham also missed a crucial Week 16 game as well.

Nevertheless, if the Bengals can stay healthy this year on the offensive side of the ball and their defense gives them similar production from the past few seasons, Dalton and the Bengals should again be a playoff team at the end of the 2015 season.

Their receiving corps is solid, but they never had that slot weapon that can make plays as an offensive weapon across the field. The Bengals drafted that type of player in the seventh round in Mario Alford.

Out of West Virginia, Alford is coming from an offense that predicates itself on speed and agility. While Kevin White was the receiver that got all of the attention, and rightfully so, last year in the Mountaineers’ air-raid offensive philosophy, Alford is a guy that has an intriguing skillset for the NFL.

The first thing to notice about Alford is his speed. His size isn’t terrific at 5-foot-8, 180 pounds, but he makes up for it with his blistering speed. Quarterbacks in the NFL love having a reliable pass-catching option in the slot and that truly what Alford is. With his speed, Alford can immediately make a difference in the Bengals’ return game.

In terms of his NFL comparison, the Dallas Cowboys have a player that is a bit like Alford. While he doesn’t have the speed Alford has, Cole Beasley is truly one of the most quarterback-friendly receivers in the NFL. Since coming to Dallas, Tony Romo has had a reliable pass-catching option from the slot. Beasley is a guy Alford should model his game to.

Some route-running improvement would do wonders for Alford. At West Virginia, he relied a bit too much on his speed. Instead of breaking down and getting in and out of his cuts, Alford rounded a lot of his routes. I’d like to see Alford become more precise on his routes.

Dalton needs a home-run threat and Alford truly is that. His tracking ability is elite, he has decent jumping ability for his size, and, with his speed, he has the ability to create a ton of separation between him and his defender. Here’s what NFL Network’s Mark Dulgerian said about Alford and how he fits with the Bengals:

"“Alford has blazing speed and is a true home run threat with the ball in his hands. He lacks WR traits but he has a chance to contribute in the Bengals’ return game.”"

In the seventh round, taking a flier on a player like Alford truly is a low-risk, high-reward type of move for the Bengals. Alford has that high-octane trait that is uncoachable. I don’t ever expect him to be a Pro Bowler, but if he is used correctly in Cincinnati, the reality is that the Bengals could have a real effective playmaker on their roster.

Next: Cincinnati Bengals: 2015 NFL Draft Grades

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