Today is the day! The smoke screen has appeared more and more every day, but that’s the beauty of the draft itself. The Bengals currently hold ten picks in the draft and four in the top 100. Due to their above-average free agency, they have put themselves in a really nice spot to take advantage of drafting BPA at 18. Sure, there are still holes that exist, but their gaps aren’t nearly as alarming with the depth shown in this draft class. Also, with so many teams needing key positions the Bengals could find themselves landing a true prospect in the first round.
When it comes to the Bengals, they have one of the most unpredictable front offices in terms of their draft strategy. Not many people could have known they were going to take guys like John Ross in 2017, or Jackson Carman in 2021, even Myles Murphy & Dax Hill came by a surprise to many. So take every mock draft you see with a grain of salt because they have their guys they like and try to keep everything air tight, and in house.
What routes could they take on Day 1? Well, there’s certainly a few. Do they stick with building the trenches? Do they plan to draft Tee Higgins’ future replacement? Do they finally get their TE that Joe Burrow can finally get used to? Duke Tobin, Bengals GM, has the keys to Mike Brown’s trust and if he wants to finally get over the hump and bring in the right guys to win a Super Bowl, this draft is about as important as it gets. Here, I’ll put myself in his shoes and do what I think best fits the Cincinnati Bengals.
Round 1, Pick 18: Jer’Zhan (Johnny) Newton, DT Illinois
- At 6’2, 295 lbs. Johnny Newton is a game-changer on the defensive front. In his four years at Illinois, he racked up 28.5 TFLs as well as 18 sacks. Anyone who watched his tape can see the production pop off the screen. He has the potential to be the guy who the Bengals have been searching for to finally fill the shoes of future HOF’er Geno Atkins. There have been concerns about a recent foot surgery but the word is, he should be recovered by the time of the draft.
Round 2, Pick 49: Cooper Beebe, OG Kansas State
- A very athletic and very violent offensive guard that could easily fit the mold of David Pollack’s “glass eater.” With a RAS score of 9.28, he could bring in the type of athleticism the Bengals need to make their offensive line more secure. There have been some reports saying that Beebe is the best true guard in this draft class. He is well worth the selection, especially with it being a make or break year for Cordell Volson.
Round 3, Pick 80: Ricky Pearsall, WR Florida
- I was quite thrilled to see Ricky Pearsall’s name available for this selection. With 57% of his snaps in the slot, he has shown he can be the guy to replace Tyler Boyd on day one. But with his athleticism, he can also line up out wide and still wreak havoc in this offense. He clocked a 4.41 40 yard dash and has proven on the field that once the ball is in his hands, there’s always a chance the endzone is in play. I can only imagine the smile on Dan Pitcher’s face if the Bengals make this selection.
Round 3, Pick 97 (Compensatory): Jaylen Wright, RB Tennessee
- Jaylen Wright is one of the most electric RBs in this draft class. With his 4.38 40 yard dash, he could pair nicely with speedster Chase Brown. With the addition of Ricky Pearsall, this could easily turn into the quickest offense in football. He has had trouble keeping the ball safe in college but the Bengals could shape him up to be a decent NFL RB.
Round 4, Pick 115: T’Vondre Sweat, NT Texas
- The 22 year old bowling ball out of Texas would be the perfect replacement for DJ Reader who just left the Bengals for the Detroit Lions. Some may say the nose tackle position could be a bit of a reach for the second round but T’Vondre Sweat would ultimately fill the biggest need on the Bengals roster to date. He would be a perfect fit as his size has helped him swallow up double teams throughout college. The pairing of him and Johnny Newton would give this defensive line the major boost it needs. Due to a recent DUI, Sweat’s draft stock took a hit, but I believe he still has room to grow, maturity wise. He is likely to go well before the 4th round, but for the sake of we deserve some luck, let’s hope he gets this far. The Cincinnati Bengals are not shy taking a “problematic” player and hoping they can grow in Cincinnati.
Round 5, Pick 149: Beaux Limmer, OC Arkansas
- After scoring a 9.80 RAS score, Beaux shows he is one of the more athletic interior offensive lineman in the draft. He showed out in the Senior Bowl against T’Vondre Sweat. He has the potential to be a true diamond in the rough selection.
Round 6, Pick 194: Caedan Wallace, OT Penn State
- Caedan Wallace has 40 career starts and 1,276 snaps in his career at RT. There’s only three others projected to be drafted with over 1,000 snaps at the position. Experience, paired with his 8.20 RAS score, is just about the best thing the Bengals could ask for in a late round pick with the chance to find his way in a starting role later in his career.
Round 6, Pick 214 (Compensatory): Joe Milton III, QB Tennessee
- One of my favorite QB prospects in this year’s class. Milton has a cannon of an arm and led a solid Tennessee team during his time in college. I believe there are some teams where he could potentially compete for QB1, but in this case, the only playing time I’d hope he gets in stripes is in Pre Season.
Round 7, Pick 224 (Via Houston): Brevyn Spann-Ford, TE Minnesota
- A huge (literally) addition to the TE stands in at 6’7, 270 lbs. Needs to work on his blocking but with some NFL tuning, he could be seen as an extra lineman. Drops are also a possible problem but he could truly be a big help in the red zone due to his frame.
Round 7, Pick 237: Tory Taylor, P Iowa
- In my opinion, Tory Taylor is the best punter in this draft class. I’d really like the Bengals to bring him in and compete with second-year Brad Robbins.
As the draft approaches, all eyes are on Cincinnati. With each pick, fans hope for the next star player to wear the orange and black. It’s an exciting time for Bengals faithful, and the anticipation is palpable. Here’s to hoping the draft brings some big wins for the team and its fans! This draft could truly either put us in a big hole with all the trade requests coming out and being made public, or it could propel us into having 2-3 day 1 starters, which is what this roster really needs. Regardless…WHO DEY!
