Updated: 1:40 p.m.
The Bengals went for Kansas junior offensive tackle Anthony Collins in the fourth round Sunday, a 6-5 317-pounder that has played both tackles and one they believe can move inside to guard and play every spot but center.
"I can do that, too," Collins said after the Bengals took him with the 112th pick.
With three high-paid tackles already in the fold and second-rounder Andrew Whitworth a veteran of both left guard and tackle, offensive line coach Paul Alexander declared Sunday, "You can never have enough tackles ... or else your quarterback gets killed."
But Alexander and offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said the move wasn't a hedge against incumbent left tackle Levi Jones' request to be traded. Bratkowski said he wasn't aware of the request until he saw reports of it Saturday and Alexander said, "I look forward to Levi playing left tackle for us this year."
It's believed Jones is going to report to the June 12-14 mandatory minicamp, but that he won't be at the dozen or so voluntary on-field sessions preceding them.
Ironically, Collins hooked up with Jones at a workout at API on Jones' home turf of Tempe, Ariz.
"He didn't give me any impression of that. We didn't even talk about football," Collins said. "He just said it was a great organization, that's his team and he's ready to play."
Alexander indicated that Collins is more ready to play than Stacy Andrews, the fourth-rounder the Bengals picked in 2004 as a project and is now the club's franchise player.
"(Collins) is pretty well on his way," Alexander said. "When you watch the film, his guy doesn't hit the quarterback. ... There are five guys picked ahead of him, their guys hit the quarterback a lot more than this guy's has."
It shows how far he has come. Collins started out as a basketball player that didn't play football until his senior year of high school. Then he went to Kansas as a defensive lineman before moving to the O-line and starting at right tackle in '06 and left tackle in '07.
Alexander believes Collins has the reach to play left tackle but says he's a prototypical right tackle that can play both guards. But Alexander won't decide where to put him until everyone gathers.
Besides the starting line, there are also Andrews, guard-tackle Scott Kooistra, backup center Dan Santucci, and guard Nate Livings as the current top nine guys before adding Collins.
