Bass: Of AI and the perfect Cincinnati Bengals NFL Draft

I admit it. I embarked on an AI quest for the perfect 2024 Bengals draft and fell down a Flemish Giant-sized rabbit hole.

Will somebody please turn off my internet?

I am new to AI, but I watched a presentation the other day and was intrigued. And warned. Some material might be wrong or others’ property. I rely on the old journalism mantra: If your mother says she loves you, check it out.

The NFL uses AI to measure everything from Next Gen stats to player safety via its Digital Player initiative. Teams can use AI to prepare for the draft, which starts Thursday.

Why not us?

Why not me?

Starting on the simple side

I started with ChatGPT. It was not the first AI chatbot, but it is considered the OG. And it is free.

ChatGPT: “Given the Bengals' potential needs and the talent available in the draft, they might consider targeting Evan Neal, an offensive tackle from the University of Alabama.”

Whoa!

Me: “He was drafted in 2022. How up to date is your information?”

CHATGPT: “My training data includes information up until January 2022, so I don't have access to real-time or future events, including the 2022 NFL Draft.”

Not to mention 2024. This was ChatGPT 3.5. My bad. I needed a more advanced and up-to-date AI. I tried others. I landed on Microsoft Copilot, which is GPT-4 Turbo.

Copilot: “The Cincinnati Bengals have several options for the 2024 NFL Draft according to various mock drafts and expert opinions. Here are some of the potential picks: “Jer’Zhan (‘Johnny’) Newton, Defensive Lineman, Illinois ... JC Latham, Offensive Tackle, Alabama ... Byron Murphy II, Defensive Lineman, Texas ... Taliese Fuaga, Offensive Tackle, Oregon State ... The Bengals are expected to prioritize offensive linemen in this draft.”

Cool. Real names of real 2024 draft-eligible players. I eliminated details because information was siphoned from other websites. Which were cited. Which is good. It means I can check for yourself and consider the sources.

Copilot: “As an AI, I don’t have personal opinions. However, based on the team’s needs and expert opinions, it seems that the Cincinnati Bengals could benefit from strengthening their offensive line. A player like JC Latham or Taliese Fuaga could potentially be a good fit.”

Copilot kept inserting disclaimers in our chat. News could develop. Picks by others could affect the Bengals’. Of course. But this is about now and taking a chance.

Me: Pick one.

Copilot: “As an AI, I don’t have personal preferences or the ability to make subjective choices. However, if we consider the team’s needs and the players’ skills, JC Latham, an offensive tackle from Alabama, could be a strong candidate. He’s been described as a big, power player who could be a long-term answer at right tackle.”

I was feeling pretty good about Copilot. I felt like we had developed a virtual bond. I asked which player could significantly improve the Bengals if they traded up.

Copilot: “Based on the expert rankings and the Bengals' needs, one player who could significantly improve the team and might be worth trading up for is Caleb Williams, a quarterback from USC. He is considered the best QB prospect in all of college football. ... Another potential candidate could be Marvin Harrison Jr., a wide receiver from Ohio State. He is considered the best prospect in College Football.”

So much for the bond.

Harrison, I get. But Williams?

Copilot: “The Bengals could choose to develop Williams as a backup to Burrow. This would provide them with a high-quality backup option, which is valuable in the NFL due to the risk of injuries. ... If the Bengals believe that Williams has a higher ceiling than Burrow, they could potentially trade Burrow to another team. ... The Bengals could let Williams and Burrow compete for the starting position.”

Yeah, that ain’t happening.

OK, let’s go for the big question.

Me: What would be the perfect draft for the Bengals?

Copilot: “1. The Bengals have a significant need at defensive tackle. A top prospect like Byron Murphy II from Texas could be a great fit.

“2. The Bengals are also expected to prioritize offensive linemen in this draft. Joe Alt from Notre Dame and JC Latham from Alabama are highly rated offensive tackle prospects.

“3. The Bengals could also use a wide receiver. Marvin Harrison Jr. from Ohio State and Malik Nabers from LSU are considered top prospects in this position.

“4. The Bengals might also consider drafting a tight end in the later rounds as a future investment.

“5. While Joe Burrow is the established starter, the Bengals could consider drafting a quarterback like Caleb Williams from USC or Drake Maye from North Carolina for depth and potential future competition.”

If I take a deep breath and focus on the needs instead of the names, I feel good about this. I like the idea of drafting a developmental quarterback late to back up Burrow and Jake Browning, considering the position’s volatility and Burrow’s history. I think we had hit the end, though.

I needed another “voice.”

I found Chat Unlimited and Brutus AI, which also provided sourcing and current information.

Brutus: “As for specific draft prospects, some names that have been linked to the Bengals in mock drafts include Brock Bowers as a tight end, Cooper Beebe as an interior offensive lineman, and Brandon Dorlus as an edge rusher. Additionally, various rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft see different players projected to the Bengals, such as Troy Fautanu, Keon Coleman, Jarvis Brownlee Jr., McKinnley Jackson, and Jaylen Wright.

Nice start, although Dorlus is projected as an interior defensive lineman, which is a bigger need than edge.

Me: Pick one.

Brutus: “Given the Cincinnati Bengals' objectives and potential areas for improvement, a recommended draft pick for the team could be Brock Bowers, a talented tight end prospect.”

Interesting choice. But what, I asked, if Bowers is gone?

Brutus: “If Brock Bowers is unavailable for the Cincinnati Bengals' No. 18 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, another player that could be a viable option for the team is Keon Coleman, a talented wide receiver prospect.”

Hmmm. That seems awfully early for Coleman, but OK.

Time for the big question.

Me: “What would be the perfect seven-round draft for the Bengals?”

Brutus: “Round 1, Pick 18: Keon Coleman, Wide Receiver.

“Round 2, Pick 51: Jarvis Brownlee Jr., Cornerback.

“Round 3, Pick 82: Cooper Beebe, Interior Offensive Lineman.

“Round 4, Pick 113: Brandon Dorlus, Edge Rusher.

“Round 5, Pick 144: Troy Fautanu, Defensive Tackle.

“Round 6, Pick 175: Jaylen Wright, Running Back.

“Round 7, Pick 206: McKinnley Jackson, Defensive Tackle.”

Good grief.

The Bengals have 10 picks. The picks listed after No. 18 are wrong, as are some of the rounds. Fautanu is an offensive lineman and a likely first-rounder. And ... oh ... what’s the use? Brutus just stuck with its original suggestions other than Bowers, maybe because I put that thought into its head ... er ... thinking ... er ... you know.

In fairness, the more information you feed into AI, the better the results. For me, it was time to move on.

The next step awaited.

Now, for a try with a Mock Draft Simulator

I wanted to try Pro Football Focus’ Mock Draft Simulator, one of many out there. This one, according to the website, boasts a “trading algorithm ... powered by AI, which learns from prior trades and uses the Jimmy Johnson and PFF trade charts used by NFL teams.”

Not all NFL teams use those, but I can play along. And I did. A lot. If I drafted as one team, I even received grades. I could adjust some of the parameters. I did. A lot. I tried drafting to attract a grade, but that only soothed my ego.

I traded down a few times and up a few times. Some of what was approved seemed spot-on, and some seemed off, especially if a quarterback was involved. Teams will overpay for quarterbacks. If a trade partner is desperate, the Bengals might want to move down – but not out of the first round. I would not trade up and sacrifice a second-round pick. Probably not a third-rounder, either.

For now, I would not trade either way. The Bengals can get some high-end talent and still address their many needs. Maybe they can trade later to add a pick in Round 2 or 3. It is a fascinating process, isn’t it?

There is no perfect solution. There is no perfect Bengals draft. I am not surprised. There is a dream draft.

With the help of AI, research, luck, history and gut feel, I took a crack at mine:

Round 1, 18: Jer’Zhan Newton, DI

Round 2, 48: Ladd McConkey, WR

Round 3, 80: Roger Rosengarten, OT

Round 3, 97: Theo Johnson, TE

Round 4, 115: D.J. James, CB

Round 5, 149: Beau Brade, S

Round 6, 194: Isaiah Williams, WR

Round 6, 214: Tory Taylor, P

Round 7, 224: Dillon Laube, RB

Round 7, 237: Joe Milton III, QB

This sounded good ... for a few seconds.

Maybe I can tweak it.

Or overhaul it.

Better still, can someone turn off my internet?

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Bass: What if you used AI to project a Cincinnati Bengals NFL draft board?