Cincinnati selects CB and OG in first round

Associated Press

CINCINNATI

The Bengals took Dre Kirkpatrick from Alabama with the 17th overall pick in the draft on Thursday night, adding to their already bursting collection of first-round cornerbacks.

It marked the third time in the last seven years that Cincinnati chose a cornerback with its top pick. The Bengals also took Johnathan Joseph in 2007 and Leon Hall in 2007, giving themselves one of the league’s best tandems. Joseph left for Houston as a free agent after the 2010 season, and Hall tore an Achilles tendon last year.

Suddenly, it was time to get another one.

And now, they have a total of six cornerbacks who were first-round picks by various teams.

This one came courtesy of the Oakland Raiders, who gave up the 17th overall pick as part of the deal for quarterback Carson Palmer.

The Bengals also had their own pick at No. 21. They traded it to New England and moved down to the 27th spot, where they got guard Kevin Zeitler from Wisconsin. Cincinnati also got the Patriots’ third-round pick. They needed an offensive lineman after Nate Livings, their starting left guard each of the last two seasons, went to Dallas as a free agent. Right guard Bobbie Williams broke his right ankle in December and is an unrestricted free agent.

Ravens

OWINGS MILLS, Md.

The Baltimore Ravens didn’t get anything out of the first round except one more pick than when they started.

And that, general manager Ozzie Newsome said, was plenty good enough.

The Ravens traded the 29th overall selection to the Vikings on Thursday night, a move that left Baltimore without a first-round pick for the second time in three years.

In exchange, Baltimore received Minnesota’s second-round slot — 35th overall — and the Vikings’ fourth-rounder (98th overall).