Cincinnati Bengals:
Rd 1, Pk 28: DT, Calijah Kancey
The Bengals get a high end interior pass rusher, one they haven’t had since Geno Atkins. Like Atkins, Kancey is undersized and has short arms, but Kancey even takes it to another level. This pick is betting on an outlier to succeed, but Kancey’s ability to create quick penetration is outstanding, and it allows him to wreak havoc in the backfield. His athletic traits should help him in his transition to the NFL, and can help offset the size issues.
Rd 2, Pk 60: OT, Dawand Jones
In this scenario, Jones falls to the Bengals 2nd round pick. He gained some 1st round steam following the combine, but that seems to have cooled off. There have been rumblings that teams are concerned about his weight and movement ability, like with Orlando Brown some years ago when he fell to the 3rd round. But, in reality, Jones is actually a much better athlete than Brown. With Brown now being on the Bengals, adding his comparable in the 2nd round would be quite the pickup. He is a plug and play RT, and would give them security with the status of both Jonah Williams and La’el Collins up in the air.
Rd 3, Pk 92: DE, Andre Carter
Carter is still a raw player, but his wicked combination of size and athleticism should at least make him a useful part of the rotation in his rookie year. As he develops his technique, works on the mental part of his game, and puts in more work in the weight room, he has the potential to be an elite player. With Trey Hendrickson, Sam Hubbard, and Joseph Ossai on the roster, taking their time with a player like Carter is a luxury that the Bengals can afford at DE.
Rd 4, Pk 131: CB, Cory Trice
Trice seems to have fallen under the radar a bit, in what is a stacked CB class. He is not a finished product, and will need some technical refinement, among other things. However, he has a nice blend of size, length, and athleticism, that could have him in a starting spot within the next couple of years.
Rd 5, Pk 163: TE, Davis Allen
Like at CB, this TE class is pretty good. There has been a lot of talk about the Bengals taking one of them in the 1st round. That wouldn’t be bad, but with Kancy there, I decided to wait. Allen is someone that I am a big fan of. He is not quite as athletic as someone like Kincaid, but he might have the best hands in this class. As well, his catch radius is enormous, and he still possesses enough speed to get down the field to make a play. In year one, he might split time with Irv Smith, but by year 2 or 3, Allen should be a quality starter.
Rd 6, Pk 206: RB, Keaton Mitchell
The Bengals get a RB, but it is not the new starter that many have been hoping for. Guys like Tyjae Spears and Roschon Johnson were considered earlier, but the value I got in those rounds was hard to pass up. At this point, it seems as though Mixon might be staying (ideally under a paycut). Given that the RB position is highly replaceable, you could argue that drafting a RB and burning a year of the rookie contract for him to sit behind Mixon would not be an efficient use of resources. As we have seen in past years, rookie RB’s are capable of stepping up in a big role. In keeping Mixon for one more year, the Bengals can defer their selection of a replacement to next year, which also pushes the rookie contract up a year. Mitchell, meanwhile, would give the Bengals offence a much needed dose of speed. He can be used as a gadget guy and pass catcher. And for his size, he actually isn’t that bad between the tackles.
Rd 7, Pk 246: WR, Matt Landers
This is a swing for the fences in the 7th round. Boom/bust. Landers is one of the most talented WR’s in the entire draft. Great combination of size and speed, but has never been able to put it all together. He couldn’t get going at Georgia or Toledo, and finally had somewhat of a breakout year at Arkansas this past year. When watching his tape, I got the sense that full effort wasn’t there, which is something that could explain his slow development. Being in an NFL environment that preaches character may be just what he needs to really start working towards his ceiling. If you look at his flashes, he easily looks like a WR1 talent. Risky pick? Sure. But well worth it in the 7th round, and probably even earlier, if I am being honest.
