The Cincinnati Bengals selecting LSU wideout Ja’Marr Chase with the third pick in the 2021 NFL draft is one of the more common scenarios laid out in mock drafts lately.
That’s the case in a new mock draft from Josh Edwards of CBS Sports, who writes the following about the pick:
“Penei Sewell or trade down are the two most likely outcomes for Cincinnati in this spot but there is an outside chance that the team picks Ja’Marr Chase after moving on from A.J. Green and John Ross this offseason.”
Edwards has the New York Jets taking Trevor Lawrence at No. 1 and the Jacksonville Jaguars taking BYU quarterback Zach Wilson at No. 2.
While Penei Sewell would make more sense given the circumstances, it’s hard to ignore the possibility the Bengals opt for giving Burrow more weapons to use.
And Chase is a proven one — in Burrow’s final season, he tallied 1,700-plus yards and 20 scores.
Whether the Bengals feel comfortable enough to take a wideout in the top five instead of linemen after Burrow suffered a season-ending injury may hinge on whether the team spends up big on free-agent linemen first.
If they do, it opens the door to a luxury pick like Chase, which could provide a boon because the Burrow-led offense borrows so much from the LSU offense in the first place.
