The Bengals' one-day rookie minicamp on Friday had the goal of helping acclimate newcomers to the coaches and their playbooks, and linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. found a literal bond with defensive coordinator Al Golden.

Bond.

James Bond.

"He gives me a James Bond type of feeling," Knight said after the 45-minute workout on the Paycor Stadium turf. "Silent killer. But a mastermind. Love it."

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QB AT LB

If it sounds like Knight won't have much of a problem with the playbook, it's because he won't.

Which is a good thing because it looks like the second-round pick could very well be Logan Wilson’s running mate at linebacker. He's a product of three different college systems as a transplanted quarterback who has put his offensive knowledge to use.

"It's all simple, pretty easy stuff I've seen at Charlotte and South Carolina," said Knight, who also played three seasons at Georgia Tech. "(Playing quarterback) helps a ton. Knowing where quarterbacks are going to look coming up to the line, but also knowing where rotations are happening. Knowing how we can disguise things pre-snap to look different. Just to mess with their minds a little bit. Everything is timing. And when you can throw that timing off, that's a win."

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Knight is the point man as the Bengals transform their linebacker room. But the other backer they drafted, Clemson's Barrett Carter, has plenty in common when it comes to instincts, speed and the makeup to be a long-time NFL linebacker.

They also have Logan Wilson in common. Knight has been watching tape of Wilson since the Bengals' Super Bowl season while Carter "grew up," playing the Bengals' No. 55 on Madden.

"I love his instincts. No doubt, Logan Wilson, you have to point to him every single play and know where he is," Carter said. "Every play. He flies around. He's very physical. That's why he's one of the best linebackers in the game."

When Wilson was the first guy to reach out to him when the Bengals called in the fourth round, "It was a super surreal moment." The rookies have already been invited to his house. "I think next week," Carter said. But he won't meet him until Monday's voluntary practice:

"I'll just introduce myself and be ready to learn from him."

ANGER MANAGEMENT

The Bengals like the looks of Arkansas undrafted defensive tackle Eric Gregory at 6-3, 319 pounds and a veteran of 44 SEC games. And now he's got an even bigger chip on his shoulder because he thought he was going to be drafted in the last two rounds.

"Anger. That's pretty much what I felt. Anger," Gregory said.

Gregory had plenty of interest after the draft. He counted five or six teams, but they passed him in the last round, and that helped the Bengals. Also helping the Bengals were his coaches at Arkansas. As the seventh round unwound, they told him they were aware of defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery as a developer of young talent.

"They say he's a great technician," Gregory said. "He'll help you with whatever you need help."

Plus, the Bengals didn't draft a D-Tackle: "There's opportunity."

ON THE MOVE

The Bengals want fifth-round pick Jalen Rivers to start his NFL career working at tackle. But don't look for long. They're quite taken with his ability to play both tackle and guard, which he did from series to series this past season at Miami.

"I've been successful at guard, but that's why I want to start learning more tackle," Rivers said. "Those are my roots. That's where I started in high school."

And don't lock him out of center. He can play four spots, but he's worked at center in practices.

TRANS ATLANTIC THREE TECHNIQUE

The rookie who attracted the most attention Friday wasn't No. 1 pick Shemar Stewart or top college free agent Seth McLaughlin.

Try defensive tackle Dante Barnett, an engaging 22-year-old from Birmingham in the United Kingdom who has played all of five games in Division III at Dickinson College and learned much of his football from camps and clinics, and as well as watching the NFL on TV.

This is no neophyte to the game. He can tell you all about the most famous 6-1 Bengals defensive tackle ever in eight-time Pro Bowler Geno Atkins. Not only that, he can tell you about the A.J. Green-Andy Dalton Bengals because he's been watching the league since he was 11.

"A.J., so tall, 6-3, right? So good," Barnett said. "I watched Geno. I watched Aaron Donald. Jalen Carter. Any explosive (tackles). Geno has very much a bigger body … Geno's extremely explosive and a very strong individual.

"At that size, you have to dominant in some sort of category. The main thing I've got for me right now is pretty decent quickness. If I can get to a gap quicker than everyone else, I can dominate a gap. That's why I take so much pride in being a three technique. You've got one responsibility. Your gap."

Barnett, a member of the International Player Pathway program (IPP), caught the Bengals' eye at the pro day where he trains at IMG in Bradenton, Fla. They timed him at 4.68 seconds for the 40-yard dash, but he has gone elsewhere where he's been timed as fast as 4.54.

Barnett showed the Bengals enough athleticism at the workout that they invited him to Cincinnati for a pre-draft visit. No one else called, except after Barnett had agreed with Cincinnati following the draft, and he was fine to be courted by Atkins' team.

"The Bengals always have a good team," Barnett said. "It makes sense they would take a shot on somebody my size. The Giants have taken smaller D-Tackles. The Eagles might take a few chances with smaller guys. The Vikings. The Bengals took a chance, and it makes sense."

The move makes sense for the Bengals because they have a chance to develop him all year as an exempt roster player and practice squad player. But he's trying to join an exclusive club of IPP players. Late last season, five were on active rosters.

"It didn't hit me," said Barnett, "until I landed here a couple of days ago and I was a Cincinnati Bengal."