Bengals rookie WR Andrei Iosivas' refinement showed at minicamp
Aside from Tom Brady, not many late sixth-round picks turn out to be much of anything. Even fewer are ready to play immediately as rookies. The Cincinnati Bengals are hoping to go two-for-two this year. They'll have a great chance at hitting on punter Brad Robbins, who's the presumed favorite to win a battle against […]
Aside from Tom Brady, not many late sixth-round picks turn out to be much of anything. Even fewer are ready to play immediately as rookies. The Cincinnati Bengals are hoping to go two-for-two this year.
They'll have a great chance at hitting on punter Brad Robbins, who's the presumed favorite to win a battle against Drue Chrisman this offseason. But Robbins was the second of two sixth-round picks the Bengals made this year.
Wide receiver Andrei Iosivas was the first, and for good reason.
A former decathlon athlete, Iosivas brings exceptional all-around movement skills to Cincinnati's receiving corps, a unit that desperately needed speed and explosion behind its starting trio. He ran an impressive 4.43 40-yard dash and leaped 39" on the vertical jump at the NFL Scouting Combine.
That raw athleticism, combined with playing at an Ivy League school, created the perception that Iosivas is just speed and quickness right now, lacking the technical abilities to win as an NFL receiver. According to offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, the rookie impressed in more ways than just moving fast.
"It's more natural to me than I would have thought," Callahan said on a recent episode of Dave Lapham In The Trenches. "He doesn't look like a kid that played at Princeton. He looks like a kid that played at Ohio State or in the SEC. I mean, he has real skill, and he's been fun to watch."
That's notable praise from a coach that's worked with stars from LSU (Ja'Marr Chase) and Clemson (Tee Higgins) alike. Iosivas obviously didn't receive that level of coaching in college, but being so physically gifted has given him an evident boost to hit the ground running, literally.
Iosivas' projected role for Cincinnati doesn't require much projection at all. His physical stature at 6'3" and 205 pounds mixed with that explosion makes him an ideal weapon on the boundary, and for limiting any big returns as a gunner.
"He's a true traditional outside receiver that hopefully can contribute in some special teams roles as well because of the size and speed," Callahan said. "He's been fun to see so far."
Should Iosivas continue to impress beyond his physical capabilities in training camp, he could create an interesting conversation when final cuts are due. Iosivas is a virtual lock to make the roster, but if the team trusts him as a receiver and special teamer, the Bengals could go with just six receivers and go heavy elsewhere.
Training camp and preseason action will be crucial for Iosivas to make his case.
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Featured image via © Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
