The Bengals held their annual local players day on Tuesday, which can mean only two things.
The NFL Draft is next week (April 24-26) and the IEL Indoor Practice Facility looked like a photo shoot for a Cincinnati high school football all-star game.
With the Bengals allowed to bring in prospects who either played high school or college within the metropolitan area of Paycor Stadium, the roster ranged from the heights (Mount Healthy, Summit Country Day high schools) to the trees (Winton Woods High School) to the other side of the river (Ryle High School).
More than 15 local high schools were represented at the workout, in addition to players from University of Cincinnati, Miami (Ohio) University and Ohio State.
It’s not only one final look before the draft, but a celebration of the city game.
“This is a full circle moment for these players. There is such a great community of football here in Cincinnati and the surrounding areas,” said Bengals head coach Zac Taylor after the 45-minute workout. “We take great pride in all being one. Youth football, high school football, college football, and professional football.
“To get a chance to see these players who we have watched throughout their entire careers hit this professional stage and give them one more opportunity to showcase their talents is meaningful for us.”
Then there’s a guy like University of Cincinnati running back Corey Kiner, at 5-9 and 209 pounds one of the most punishing and accomplished backs in Bearcats history who left home and came back.
Kiner grew up in Evanston attacking the Ohio record books for Roger Bacon High School on Friday nights and watching the Bengals at his grandmother’s home turned into a tailgate on Sundays.
“She’d cook. Sometimes we’d grill,” Kiner recalled after the workout. “She’d bring the TV into the backyard and the whole family would bring their chairs, and we’d watch the Bengals game outside.”
Kiner loved watching wide receivers Chad Johson and A.J. Green and admired another rugged running back in Jeremy Hill while modeling parts of his game on Hill’s successor, Joe Mixon.
But it was Bengals rookie quarterback Joe Burrow, a Mr. Football himself in Ohio, who sent congratulations when Kiner won it after pounding out 1,866 yards and 35 touchdowns for Roger Bacon’s first regional championship.
“He reached out and sent a text and I appreciate it,” Kiner said.
