[Boss-Hog]

I also agree that comparing Perry to Akili is a major stretch, but it doesn't require years of hindsight to realize that the 2004 (and 2007) Bengals weren't nearly good enough defensively to have the luxury of using a first round pick on a third down back. I'm sure they weren't fully convinced that, even after his fine 2003 season, Rudi was the real deal, but that's a call that should have been able to make after a year of evaluation and shouldn't require using a first round pick as running back insurance. Of course, if they absolutely had to take a RB, Stephen Jackson was the number one back on every board that year (except ours, of course).