Bengals take a TE at No. 21

Associated Press

CINCINNATI

Jermaine Gresham nearly bowled over Bengals linebacker coach Jonathan Hayes during his pro day workout at Oklahoma, a moment that helped decide his destination in the NFL.

Could Cincinnati pass him by in the draft? Not a chance.

The Bengals filled their biggest hole by taking Gresham with the 21st pick on Thursday, providing their offense with an ingredient that’s been long missing from the passing game. Greshman is an accomplished pass catcher, as well as a solid blocker.

With one unintended bump, the 6-foot-6, 258-pound Gresham convinced them he was worth a top pick — something the franchise has been reluctant to use on a tight end. It’s only the second time in franchise history that the Bengals selected a tight end in the first round.

They picked Mike Cobb with the 22nd overall pick in 1977.

The passing game bogged down last season after starting tight end Reggie Kelly ruptured an Achilles’ tendon and backup Ben Utecht suffered a major concussion early in training camp. Both missed the season and became free agents.

Hayes, who was a tight ends coach at Oklahoma before joining the Bengals, went to see Gresham work out at the school before the draft. As part of the session, Hayes told him to run a route across the middle of the field, then run right up to him.

Gresham was a little too eager and smacked right into the NFL coach, nearly knocking him down.

“I remember I was running it, and he wanted me to run up to him,” Gresham said, in a phone interview. “It was just a reaction. I used my body against him.”

His immediate reaction: Oh no!

“I thought at first that the team wasn’t going to take me because I was beating up on the coaches,” Gresham said.