The Bengals, after trading their 7th round pick at the deadline for Khalil Herbert, entered the draft with only 6 picks. They decided against trading back, despite reportedly having some chances to do so, and did not acquire any extra picks. After the draft, however, they did make sure to add a good chunk of players, as they look to fill out the roster. I will take a look at each of those signings. Additionally, I will touch on Jalen Rivers and Tahj Brooks, both late round picks by the Bengals, neither of whom I did scouting reports on in my series of rankings.
G, Jalen Rivers (5th Round):
Ht/Wt: 6’6”, 319 lbs
Rivers has a big frame, high end strength, and a long reach, which gives him a solid set of fundamentals to help him one day become a starter. He played LT the last couple of seasons, but projects as a G. His athleticism isn’t much of an asset, and he will be easier for speed rushers to expose. Still, his reach and strength are both good enough that he can still play OT in a pinch. Inside at G, he’ll be able to block more in a phone booth, where his ability to anchor will shine. While I wouldn’t have him blocking on the move in the run game, his ability in a phone booth is very good in this phase, as well. Rivers is a road grader, and generates a considerable amount of movement, opening up running lanes for the ball carrier.
At the next level, Rivers projects as a scheme specific player. He’ll need to be in a system that allows him to play to his strengths and block close to home. If used the right way, he has the chance to become a very solid starter or quality backup. I didn’t watch him pre-draft to give him a grade, but he likely would have graded out somewhere in the round 4-5 range. A solid pick for the Bengals, getting someone who will be able to add to the competition.
RB, Tahj Brooks (6th Round):
5’9”, 214 lbs
Brooks has a compact frame and is able to run with a lot of power. He is at his best playing downhill, where his quick feet in short areas help him to make the first defender miss, and then go for a decent gain up the middle.
Although he has some quickness to his game, speed is definitely lacking, and he didn’t make much of an impact on outside runs. Explosive plays were very limited, and he didn’t do anything special as a pass catcher.
Brooks is good in pass protection. Excluding the odd blip, he is able to set a good anchor for a RB. Most of his mistakes in this area, when they happen, are due to a technical or mental mistake, rather than him just being outmatched. As a runner, Brooks shows good patience. His vision is okay, but there are instances where he makes some poor decisions, and cuts back into traffic, rather than hitting the open hole.
Overall, I don’t particularly see a lot of upside. He is a “what you see is what you get” kind of player. An abundance of them are out there, and on top of that, he is a bit on the older side for a prospect, and has a lot of miles on the tires. This makes his value pretty low for where he was taken.
Had I scouted him pre-draft, it is likely he would have graded out as an UDFA. But that’s not to say he can’t make it at the next level. Brooks should be good in short yardage situations. As well, even though he isn’t a big play threat, he can give you some consistency as a runner up the middle, and his work in pass protection will bring additional value. His ceiling projects as a RB3, but his ability to play situationally could help him see a higher amount of snaps.
C, Seth McLaughlin
McLaughlin was included in my pre-draft C rankings. Below is his scouting report from that article:
School: Ohio State
Ht/Wt: 6’4”, 304 lbs
Strengths:
For the most part, McLaughlin is a technically sound player. His footwork is pretty clean, and he has good hand technique. It is not often that he overextends or lunges, limiting any freebee quick wins that rushers might be looking to take advantage of. He is a passable athlete for the position. McLaughlin, though not perfect, has some mirror ability, and does show to be capable of blocking in space.
Weaknesses:
McLaughlin is lacking when it comes to arm length, which leaves him vulnerable in some areas. The push/pull move and some inside counters have sometimes been enough to beat him. As well, his strength for the position is average at best. He has seal off strength for the run game, but creates minimal forward movement. In pass protection, he has more stalemates than wins, and has issues against true power. Further, rushers that enter with a running start and a head of steam seemed to be very troublesome for him. The strength to match their power just wasn’t there. McLaughlin is coming off a torn Achilles that he suffered this past season.
Summary:
McLaughlin is a solid all around prospect who plays with good technique. However, he doesn’t stand out as being elite in any one area. His athleticism is fine, but that doesn’t mean he is immune to quicker pass rushers. As well, he doesn’t play with the most natural power or pop. Getting stronger is something that should be on the to do list. Overall, McLaughlin is solid in enough areas to potentially become an average starter at some point, but his most likely projection is probably a good backup at C.
| Grade: 64.6 | Round Grade: 6th |
McLaughlin was my 5th ranked C in the 2025 draft class.
DT, Howard Cross III
6’1”, 285 lbs
Cross III is a good athlete at DT, possessing good burst off the snap, as well as the speed and twitch to get after the QB. He is a quick penetration threat to both rush edges of an interior offensive lineman, and sluggish ones will have some difficulty keeping pace with his ability to move laterally. Cross III also has an abundance of rush moves in his toolbox. The push/pull technique and a good rip move show up, but the swim move seemed to be his bread and butter. It made him an effective pass rusher and allowed him to get into the backfield. With his athleticism, he was able to then track down the QB.
Where Cross III falls short is size and power. He is an undersized player, and his bull rush is ineffective. This isn’t too consequential, given his ability to win in other ways. However, it is a lot more consequential to him as a run defender. He gets displaced way too easily, and big running lanes are often opened up at his expense. That anchoring ability just isn’t there, even to stalemate on a lot of these reps.
Overall, I love the value for an undrafted free agent signing. I like what he brings as a pass rusher, but unless he can improve against the run, he likely is a situational pass rusher at the next level. Had I gotten to him pre-draft, I’d expect him, roughly, to have graded out as a 5th round value.
TE, Kole Taylor
6’7”, 250 lbs
Taylor is a TE prospect who brings good length and size to the position room. He is at his best making contested catches, where he is able to use his frame to box out opponents, and his long reach to make catches above the rim. His hands are striping and reliable, even when facing some contact at the catch point. With this skill set, he is someone that can be a big asset in the redzone.
Athletically, he doesn’t stand out, and he is unlikely to create much separation as a route runner at the next level. He is fluid enough as a mover, but just doesn’t have that level of speed to really threaten.
Taylor has enough strength to make it as a blocker from the in-line spot, and he has a lot of experience blocking. His technique will have to improve, though.
Overall, he likely isn’t dynamic enough to become a starter, but he does bring enough in both phases to potentially make it as a depth guy, with TE2 being his ceiling. TE3-4 is a safer projection, however. Had I scouted him pre-draft, Taylor likely would have ended up with a 7th round grade.
OT, Caleb Etienne
6’6”, 329 lbs
Etienne is a physical specimen with a lot of upside. He has a good build, strength, height, a long reach, and athleticism. Pretty much every tool, as far as physical attributes go. He shows flashes of power, with more of these instances coming when he is run blocking. Etienne is an easy mover in space, and this allows him to line up his targets and take them out. In pass protection, he has the athleticism and quick feet to mirror rushers who take him on with speed. His long reach combines to make for a big asset, and it gives him the ability to recover when beaten. As well, his big frame allows him to engulf smaller rushers, and the potential to anchor against stronger opponents is there.
With all of those positive traits, potential is all it amounts to right now. His game is extremely raw, and he looks a long way off from being ready to see meaningful snaps. Etienne plays a very passive game, and is often late with his hands. He negates his own physical advantages, and allows his opponent to expose his rush edge or get under his chest. His pad level consistently is too high, and he doesn’t play with good leverage. The amount of quick losses he had on tape were astonishing, and he was lucky to have help on a lot of them.
I love the upside that Etienne brings. That said, he likely would have had an UDFA grade, had I watched him pre-draft. He is a massive project, and will need a lot of work and time. Still, it is a worthwhile project for them to be taking on, and it will be interesting to see if the coaching staff can get something out of him. He will likely spend time on the practice squad, barring a major surprise in camp/preseason. But the talent is there for him to start at some point down the line, if he is able to improve his technique. Boom or bust, but it is the kind of flyer that you want in an undrafted free agent signing.
DT, Eric Gregory
6’3”, 319 lbs
Gregory is a well built interior lineman with the ability to hold his own in the trenches. His bull rush has been an effective way for him to push the pocket and make things a little less comfortable for the QB. Gregory’s hand strikes are powerful, and he has shown some flashes of rush moves and a diverse plan of attack. He holds up well at the point of attack and can anchor against some tough opponents. This helps him maintain his positioning when playing the run, and his pad level is generally low enough for him to maintain leverage during his battles.
Athleticism is the main drawback here—both lateral and linear. There are many plays where he looks sluggish, and if his initial attack stalls, he doesn’t have enough juice to catch that second wind. I don’t see him threatening as a gap shooter and he likely won’t penetrate rush edges very often. While he is generally solid against the run, his lack of lateral mobility limits him on runs to the outside, and can also make him a bit slow to shed blocks and make a tackle.
Gregory isn’t a high ceiling player, but his strength and decent variety of moves gives him the chances to become a solid rotational player. If he can play with a high motor and use his bull rush more often, he might be able to have some kind of impact as a pass rusher, even if his lack of pursuit speed prevents it from leading to much statistical production. That said, his game best projects as a run defender. Where his ability to anchor and eat up space can make it tough for ball carriers to find a running lane. I didn’t scout Gregory pre-draft, but I’d estimate his grade to be around that of a 7th round value.
WR, Jordan Moore
6’0”, 195 lbs
Moore started his college career as a QB before converting to WR. For his relative lack of experience at the position, I was impressed by his route running. He has the twitchiness to be effective out of the slot, and was also able to make some people miss in the open field. Moore has strong hands and good enough concentration to see the ball into his hands through traffic. He also tracks it nicely on over the shoulder passes, and can adjust his body to make difficult catches.
Apart from his quickness, he won’t blow you away with traits. He isn’t slow, but doesn’t look like a huge vertical separator through his speed. When he gets open, it is his route running that does the talking. As well, Moore isn’t a homerun threat after the catch. He’ll make some people miss and pick up extra yards, but he won’t be winning foot races to the endzone. His size is fine for a slot guy, but he isn’t the biggest jump ball threat.
Moore has some things to like about his game, but his average size and speed combination don’t make it the biggest surprise that he went undrafted. This, in addition to his lack of experience at the WR position. That said, he is already a pretty solid route runner, and has enough quickness to potentially carve out a role for himself in the slot. His concentration skills as a pass catcher should help his case. He doesn’t look like a big upside guy, but I wouldn’t put it past him to eventually crack the roster and become a solid, if unspectacular, contributor.
QB, Payton Thorne
6’1”, 207 lbs
Thorne brings some size and athleticism to the QB room. I wouldn’t call him a homerun threat, but he can move the chains with his legs. He also is able to escape pressure in the pocket and extend the play by scrambling outside. When in rhythm, Thorn has flashed the ability to run the quick game effectively, with the odd deep shot mixed in.
At this point, Thorne still struggles pretty heavily with accuracy, something that is largely caused by very poor mechanics. Both his footwork and throwing motion leave a lot to be desired. As a result, he is off on a lot of his pass attempts, missing high, low, and to the side. It doesn’t help that his arm strength isn’t anything great, and fitting the ball into tight windows can be a challenge. When in rhythm, he does have good moments, especially when running the read option or working the quick game. But as a passer, a tendency to hold onto the ball leads to a lot of negative plays. Generally, he doesn’t handle pressure very well, despite having the athleticism to escape. It is more of a mental issue.
Thorne is a project with little upside. If he works everything out, his athleticism and improved accuracy could potentially land him a gig as a backup. However, he projects more so as someone who will be battling for #3 jobs. I did not scout Thorne prior to the draft, but my estimate is that he would have graded out as a UDFA.
S, Shaquan Loyal
6’0”, 202 lbs
Loyal looks like one of the hardest hitters in this class. He is not afraid to lower the shoulder and deliver a punishing blow, whether it is to tackle a ball carrier or to force an incompletion. Some of his plays will show up on the highlight reel. Loyal is a sure tackler who displays positive instincts when defending the run. He is an effective player down low, and is quick and decisive when coming down to make a tackle. In coverage, he seems to have good ball skills. Loyal has made quite a few pass breakups, and has also snagged a handful of interceptions. He tracks the ball naturally, which helps.
Overall, as far as his athleticism is concerned, I wouldn’t say it is anything to write home about. Despite the strong ball skills, his play in coverage leaves a lot to be desired. Loyal isn’t the fastest guy, nor is he the quickest. Opponents have been able to separate on him when matched up in man coverage. Even when he is patrolling the field, his range is average, and it is not a guarantee that he will reach his destination in time, when he is looking to break up a pass. As a defender in both phases, I’m a fan of his hard hitting style, but it did lead to some penalties at the college level. He’ll have to learn how to walk the line without crossing it.
Loyal is a good run defender who can deliver some big hits. This, along with his ball skills, should give him a chance to make a name for himself. More improvement in coverage will definitely be needed, and his deficiencies in this area are likely what caused him to go undrafted. That said, Loyal is a worthwhile developmental guy. I didn’t scout him pre-draft, but my estimation is that he would have graded out appropriately as a 7th rounder, or perhaps a priority UDFA.
WR, Jamoi Mayes
5’10”, 206 lbs
Mayes projects as a slot receiver at the next level, and has the quickness and twitch to create some separation, especially at the short and intermediate levels. In my exposures, his hands seemed pretty reliable, though there were a few instances of body catching. He isn’t the biggest guy, but has a strong build, which helped him deal with contact at the catch point.
With smaller receivers, you’d like to see speed being one of their strengths, but Mayes seems to be lacking. He is quicker than he is fast, so I do think it is fair to question how much upside he has as a downfield threat. This skill set would suggest he is more of an underneath target. The twitchiness he has does give him separation potential, but his route running will need a lot of improvement if he is to translate it into success at the next level. He made a jump in competition last year, and his production suffered. It seems as though more developmental time will be needed.
Mayes has some tools to work with. His twitch and strong build give him the potential to work his way onto the roster as a slot receiver, even if his speed is underwhelming. His route running still needs work, however, and some time on a practice squad would benefit him. I didn’t watch him prior to the draft, but in my estimation, he would have graded out as a UDFA.
WR, Rashod Owens
6’2”, 230 lbs
Owens is a tall, well built receiver who plays a physical brand of football. He fights through press coverage nicely, and is able to use his strength to win the battle for body position down the field. Owens has shown the ability to make tough contested catches, and can battle through contact while still keeping the ball secured.
Owens has the size and strength, but not much speed or quickness to go with it. He often struggled to separate in college, and I don’t anticipate this changing at the pro level. His threat as a downfield target is limited, and even on underneath routes, creating separation will be tough. At the pro level, he’ll need to continue to win in contested situations. Limiting bobbles will help.
Owens could eventually catch on as a depth option at the receiver position. He projects as a possession target, who’s large frame and ability to box out can help move the chains from time to time. That said, he might be lacking enough pop to establish himself as anything more than back-end depth. He isn’t someone I got around to watching before the draft, but he likely would have received a UDFA grade.
CB, Bralyn Lux
5’10, 185 lbs
Lux is a solid athlete who has shown potential in man coverage. Long speed may be a slight question mark, but he has the change of direction skills to stick with quicker receivers. Some ball hawking tendencies have shown up on tape, and he has a knack for jumping routes. He is light, but was willing to help in run support, from the tape that I watched. Nothing overly spectacular about him as a tackler, but he is solid. No complaints.
Lux is on the light side, and you see some struggles when he is pressing at the line or dealing with more physical receivers. He has the tools to play in man, but can still sometimes leave too much cushion, and not be able to recover in time to prevent the catch. His spacing in zone can also improve. Lux seemed to be solid in run support and as a tackler in my exposures, but his light frame could lead to issues at the next level.
In college, Lux played on the boundary a lot. He might stay there, but it also wouldn’t surprise me to see him kick inside due to his slighter frame and relative lack of length. As an undrafted free agent, showing he can play both positions is what really would help. Overall, I like some of the tools that he comes with, and there is some developmental upside. There are still enough technical and mental things to improve on that, along with his size, don’t make it the biggest surprise that he went undrafted. However, I think he brings enough things to the table that would have been worth a 6th or 7th round pick. Some time on the practice squad may be what he needs, but down the line, I could see Lux becoming a solid depth option in the secondary.
RB, Quali Conley
5’10”, 209 lbs
Conley is a well built power back with the ability to wear down a defence. For his playing style, his speed is half decent, but average at best in a more general sense. He is probably faster than Brooks, who the Bengals selected in the 5th round. However, he doesn’t have nearly the same kind of twitch that Brooks has. Conley is a straight line runner who has good vision between the tackles. His good decision making allows him to take the space that opens up for him. That said, he isn’t a homerun hitter, and isn’t a big threat on runs to the outside. Conley’s build has allowed him to be an asset in pass protection, though his technique is still a work in progress.
Conley brings the power, but has average speed and little twitch to speak of. He isn’t a dynamic player, but more of a lunch pail kind of guy. He doesn’t often make people miss, and usually has to lower his shoulder and take an extra yard or two when a defender goes in for the tackle. Conley can make basic contributions in the passing game on check downs, but isn’t much of a threat otherwise. I don’t see him separating on more complex routes, and his hands aren’t perfectly natural. He brings some ability in pass protection, but will need to improve his technique to be relied on consistently.
The strengths and weaknesses you see with Conley are pretty typical with many of the power backs you see in the league today. There are a lot of them out there and, in a league whose tempo continues to get faster, these kinds of players often go in the late rounds or undrafted. Rightfully so, in my opinion. Still, that doesn’t mean they can’t make a roster and have a role. Teams do value power backs, and guys that can get those tough yards up the middle. With that in mind, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Conley end up on a roster. He wasn’t a player I had scouted pre-draft, but he would have graded out as a UDFA.
LS, William Wagner
Wagner was included in my pre-draft Special Teams rankings. Below is his scouting report from that article:
School: Michigan
Ht/Wt: 6’1”, 244 lbs
Strengths:
Wagner gets good enough snap velocity on his field goal and extra point snaps. Accuracy is decent here as well. He has shown to have decently quick feet to set in protection after snapping to the punter.
Weaknesses:
Ball velocity on punts doesn’t look like anything special. There were also instances of low and inaccurate snaps. Size is good enough but definitely not in the higher tier for the position. Looked a bit on the slow side when running down the field in punt coverage.
Summary:
Wagner is generally solid, but has his moments of blips where the accuracy isn’t quite there. His ball velocity on punts is also not the best. At the next level, Wagner will get looks in training camp and will have to earn his roster spot.
| Grade: 75.6 | Weighted Round Grade: UDFA* |
DT, Dante Barnett
Barnett is a UDFA entering the NFL through the International Player Pathway program, out of Birmingham, England.
The 6’1”, 278 lb DT had offers from Texas, TCU, and SMU earlier on, but was not eligible to attend due to academic reasons. He spent some time at Dickson College in Pennsylvania playing Division III ball, before returning to England when tuition fees became a challenge.
Barnett entered the IPP and continued to work towards getting to the top level of college football. Although that never happened, he got a chance to have a pro day at UCF, and ran a 4.69 40 yard dash.
As part of the IPP program, Barnett won’t count towards the 90 man roster limit in the offseason. If he were to make the team out of camp, he would count towards the 53 man roster limit. However, if the Bengals wanted to stash him on the practice squad, they would get a 17th spot for him, as he would not count towards the usual 16 man limit.
I haven’t watched any tape on Barnett, so I don’t have any insight to give beyond what was stated above. Given the free practice squad spot that they would receive, it is likely that the Bengals take this route, and hope that he can develop.
