With the NFL combine coming up in a couple of weeks, it’s officially the time of year where everyone gets to be armchair general managers. I took a swing at drafting for the Cincinnati Bengals by using Fanspeak’s mock draft simulator.
Let’s break down these prospects and analyze how they would fit with the Bengals roster.
Jonah Williams
I had a tough decision with the 11th pick here. The Bengals two biggest needs are at linebacker and offensive tackle. With both Devin White and Jonah Williams still on the board, I decided to go with the position that presents more value. Franchise left tackles are hard to come by in the NFL and if you have an opportunity to take one, you shouldn’t pass that up. Williams is considered by many to be the top offensive tackle prospect in this class and looks to be NFL ready right away. He would likely compete for the starting right tackle spot immediately while being groomed to take over for Cordy Glenn at left tackle down the road.
Devin Bush
Since I passed on linebacker in the first round, picking Bush here in the second was a no brainer. Bush seems to be unanimously the second best linebacker in this class behind Devin White. He shows a great ability to close on the ball and displays flashes of good ball skills in the passing game. That’s an important trait considering the Bengals inability to find linebackers with coverage skills over the years. With being a second round pick, I would expect Bush to contribute right away. The future of Vontaze Burfict is uncertain to say the least, which leaves Nick Vigil as the only known commodity for the Bengals.
Chris Lindstrom
Lindstrom had a strong showing at the Senior Bowl and could be drafted somewhere in the second round. Being able to get him in the third round would be good value. The Bengals currently have some pieces in place with their interior offensive line, but there is some uncertainty there. Clint Boling is old reliable at left guard and will be the starter there next season as well. However, the right guard position is a little more in flux. Alex Redmond was a disaster last season, but Christian Westerman showed some promise with the limited snaps he got. If it were up to me, Lindstrom would compete with Westerman for the starting right guard spot in this scenario.
Isaac Nauta
Nauta was one of the top recruits in the country coming out of high school and made an impact right away at Georgia. He’s solid as a receiving tight end and elite as a blocking tight end. The Bengals have some decisions to make with all three of their tight ends hitting free agency this offseason. It’s likely they let at least one of them walk so it would be wise to look at tight ends in the draft. Nauta would have the ability to make an immediate impact. What the Bengals do in free agency would determine whether or not Nauta would see significant playing time as a rookie.
Brett Rypien
My personal opinion of Rypien is he’s a top-five quarterback in this class. I don’t think he’s ever going to be a star in the NFL, but I think he could be a serviceable starter or a solid backup for a team. My comparison for him is none other than Andy Dalton. Speaking of Dalton, it appears that Zac Taylor is committed to him for at least this season. Regardless of what the Bengals plan to do with Dalton, we saw what happened when Jeff Driskel had to step in and it wasn’t pretty. Getting Rypien here in the fifth round would potentially add a more reliable backup for Dalton or whoever the quarterback is down the road.
Mike Edwards
Edwards was an impact player for Kentucky’s defense, earning All-SEC honors as a safety three consecutive seasons. The Cincinnati native plays the run really well and is also strong in coverage. He’s just an overall solid player. The only concern at the next level is his average athleticism. This is the point in the draft where you’re looking for depth and possible special teams contributors. Edwards would be a solid backup to Shawn Williams at strong safety and could also play slot corner if needed. Edwards probably wouldn’t start right away, but he would provide value at special teams and serve as a quality depth player early in his career.
Gary Johnson
Johnson is a project as an NFL prospect, but that’s okay when you’re picking in the sixth round. He shows ability as a hard hitter and looks to be an explosive athlete at times. He needs a lot of fine tuning before he could make an impact as a linebacker, but like Edwards, Johnson could be a special teams contributor and potential starter down the road. Hopefully his former teammate Malik Jefferson can emerge as a contributor so the Bengals don’t need to rely on a sixth-round rookie linebacker to contribute.
Terry Beckner Jr.
Beckner was a highly touted prospect when he arrived at Missouri. He’s a guy who has flashed serious potential, but unfortunately he’s suffered two serious knee injuries and that stunted his development a little bit. Maybe the Bengals could tap into that potential and turn him into a high impact player. The Bengals do quietly have a need on the interior defensive line. Geno Atkins is still a stud, but Andrew Billings is somewhat inconsistent. When Glasgow went down with an injury last season, we saw that the Bengals need some more depth in that spot.
Derrick Baity
Baity is my guy and getting him late in the sixth round is a steal. Like Edwards, Baity was an important player on a Kentucky defense that boasted an elite secondary. Baity isn’t going to blow you away athletically but he’s a technician and a smart player. I think he could step in and be a teams number two corner right away. Kind of like on the defensive line, corner is a bigger need than people realize. It’s not the most glaring need, but outside of William Jackson III the Bengals could use some help. Especially if Darqueze Dennard ends up leaving in free agency. I think Baity could step in and contribute right away for the Bengals.
Kingsley Keke
Keke was a solid player with Texas A&M. He’s not an every-down player, but he could be a solid depth piece for the Bengals. That’s all that should be expected from a sixth-round pick. As I stated in the Terry Beckner description, the interior defensive line could use some depth pieces. Keke could provide that and getting it in the sixth round is good value.
Greg Dortch
Like Baity in the sixth, Dortch is another steal this late in the draft. He has elite quickness and route running skills. He also shows a strong ability to track the ball. On top of that, he’s an explosive punt and kick returner. The Bengals have a strong receiving core, but the guys currently at the back of the roster are underwhelming. Dortch would be a strong backup receiver in the slot. He may even be good enough to make an impact with the current starters.
We still have a long way to go between now and the draft. The process will truly begin during the combine. After that and free agency, we start getting reports of who the Bengals are courting and who they like the most. Until then, it’s fun to speculate about potential prospects they should consider. Let us know what you think of this draft.
