Better late than never?
That’s the idea the Cincinnati Bengals seem to be hoping for by waiting to take an offensive lineman until the sixth round with Kansas’ Hakeem Adeniji.
But the pick sure is a hard one to dislike.
Adeniji just checks all of the boxes. The Bengals had him at the Senior Bowl. He was a four-year player. He’s got big-time versatility. Adeniji’s brother played line at Air Force Academy.
From NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein:
“Adeniji understands and displays technique, but it tends to get sloppy when his footwork gets him behind in the rep. He was an imperfect fit in Kansas’ move-oriented running game, but could compete for a roster spot in a man blocking scheme where he should be able to play with better control, consistency and push at the point of attack.”
The Bengals love a brew of features like this. Adeniji’s resume boasting tackle play is nice, but it seems more likely he’ll compete inside with the likes of Michael Jordan, if not Billy Price.
Maybe Adeniji doesn’t break onto the field as a starter during his rookie year. That’s totally fine — more depth and versatility to keep pressure on the starters is a must.
In the sixth round, getting a guy who slots into a need and has a serious shot at making the roster is a plus. It sure doesn’t hurt that the Bengals got a close look at him during the Senior Bowl.
