This is the most excited I have ever been for a draft and I don't know if I will ever have this again. A complete lack of sports for over a month, knowing there wont be more sports after this for atleast a month, the Bengals have the #1 pick in each round, knowing we are getting a franchise QB, the intrigue around pick 33. I will watch every second of this draft. Anyways at this point mock drafts are going to be pretty close to the real thing. I am using fanspeak and the Matt Miller big board that was just updated. I will only do 2 more of these after this, one next week and one next wednesday or thursday before the draft. I will again try to draft how I think the Bengals actually will.
1.Joe Exotic
2.AJ Epensa EDGE Iowa-Same pick as last week. Again the Bengals kind of have a need at edge rusher with only Hubbard healthy and under 30 at the position. Going to a 3-4 Epenesa is the perfect body type for a 5-tech. He had fantastic production but his poor combine may push him down with a fear of athletic upside. A name to consider though is Brandon Aiyuk. The Bengals would grab an elite receiver that fell to this spot and I wonder if they consider Aiyuk to be that. He has been mocked in the first round and is a freaky athlete with great production despite only being a receiver for a few years. At 6'0" he is big enough to play outside. A name to consider.
3.Kyle Dugger S Lenoir Rhyne-This guy is actually the perfect safety athletically. 6'1" 217 ran a 4.49 and had a 42 inch vertical. He didnt do agility testing which means he likely would have done poorly there but everything else is fantastic. Dugger has dropped on the S board based on nothing he can control. Delpit and Xavier McKinney are ahead of him and have slid down to the second round and Jeremy Chinn and Antoine Winfield have risen up boards. It is likely Dugger is the 5th safety and would be a great talent in the third. S is not a need but he is too good to pass up. He could back up both Vonn Bell and Jessie Bates and maybe play nickel LB if he is able to. His biggest concern is he played against poor competition and may need a season to adjust.
4.Willie Gay LB Mississippi State-Elite athlete at LB who was suspended for academic issues. I have drafted him before and have seen him mocked to the Bengals in the third. His upside is higher than Patrick Queen or Kenneth Murray. Problem is there is little tape and he doesnt really play with technique. He was such a good athlete it didnt matter in the SEC he could just bully dudes. He could turn into a 3 down linebacker that is pro-bowl level though, he also has no personality issues and is considered a guy who loves football. You wouldnt see him much this year but playing behind Bynes for a year could help him learn a lot.
5.Darnay Holmes CB UCLA-Darnay had a surprisingly poor combine. He didnt jump or do agility and had terrible 10/20 yard splits in the 40. He is also just under 5'10" which limits him positionally. However in the 5th it is a good time to grab a nickel corner. Mackenzie Alexander was only signed to a 1 year deal so grabbing Holmes now allows him to sit for a year and then take over in year 2. Great pick to mix value with need.
6.Tremayne Anchrum OG Clemson-Starting RT for Clemson for the past few years despite being just 6'2" will be move to RG in the NFL. He has a chance to make it in the NFL based on being technically sound and a decent athlete. Size will be an issue and strength is a concern as he moves inside. However in an offense where I expect Burrow to throw quite a bit pass blocking will be valued more than run blocking.
7.Joe Bachie LB MSU-He had a surprisingly good combine and the Bengals have met with him. He is a little small at 6'1" 230 but that is the same size as Patrick Queen. Bachie actually graded as a better athlete and Queen didnt do agility testing. A concern with Bachie is he was on PEDs when he played which could mean what is on tape is better than what he will be off PEDs. He is an odd prospect because his weakness on tape is athleticism but he tested pretty well. He had fantastic production at MSU as a 3 year starter and captain. The hope would be Bachie would be a good back up and potential running down player. Bachie, Pratt, and Gay could be a solid trio.
The Bengals have said they want to address defense and this certainly did that. Epenesa is great value+need and I was able to grab 2 linebackers that are good athletes. A nickel corner of the future and potential RG are good picks. Kyle Dugger is the wild card because I am not sure there is a good role for him currently in the defense but he is such a good prospect I couldnt say no. Dugger could theoretically play FS,SS, or the nickel LB Shawn Williams played. Dugger, Bates, and Bell on the field at the same time would be a pretty elite Lamar Jackson stopping defense. Through free agency and the draft the defense should be pretty close to the top 10. Going into year 2 of Burrow the focus can shift to building the offensive line and getting him young skill players.
