The Cincinnati Bengals have been all over defensive prospects ahead of the 2020 NFL draft.
Feel free to add Michigan State linebacker Joe Bachie to the list.
According to Russell Brown of Cover 1, Bachie has listed the Bengals as one of the teams showing him the most interest so far.
Bachie joins a long list of prospects, which was recently updated to include big names like Antoine Winfield Jr. and others.
With three years of significant playing time with the Spartans, Bachie drummed up 285 total tackles, seven sacks and five interceptions.
Over at NFL.com, Lance Zierlein grades him as a player with a chance to make a final roster somewhere. While there are some pluses, it comes with a flag:
“His play strength and contact balance are a plus but teams might view them with some skepticism after a failed PED test. He will struggle with man coverage but plays passing lanes from zone effectively. His technique and play recognition will stand out for defensive coaches, but it might not matter if his speed and athletic testing don’t check out.”
But that somewhere could be Cincinnati, where the Bengals continue to completely overhaul the linebacker room, with free-agent Josh Bynes merely the beginning.
If the Bengals pass on a linebacker early — or merely want to add more than one — Bachie is a name to keep in mind in the mid to late rounds.
