While the two-game winning streak for the Cincinnati Bengals has been a fun ride for fans, in the background the draft positioning and NFL mock draft possibilities have taken center stage.
The Bengals have dipped to fifth in the 2021 NFL draft order thanks to the two wins. That could mean missing out on a top offensive tackle prospect like Oregon’s Penei Sewell.
But it doesn’t guarantee it will happen.
Just look at a new mock from Touchdown Wire’s Mark Schofield, which has Sewell falling to the Bengals at fifth overall anyway:
“So it makes a great deal of sense to find someone who can. Even though a few recent wins have the Bengals sliding down a few spots in the draft, with the way the board falls they still see the top tackle in this class drop into their lap. They should run to the podium in this scenario.”
It will take some magic for this to happen of course. Jacksonville seems destined to take Trevor Lawrence and Sewell would have to fall past the New York Jets, a team that might think it already has a franchise passer in Sam Darnold.
Still, the linked scenario isn’t all that hard to see happening. Sewell is an incredible prospect, but teams with needs at quarterback or with strong offensive lines already won’t take him.
Sewell, at this point in the draft evaluation process, still makes the most sense for the Bengals because he’d pair nicely with Jonah Williams. It will just take a little luck — and we’ll have to see where the Bengals land in the final draft order after the Week 17 game against Baltimore.
