Film Breakdown: Analyzing the Bengals' First Round Options in 2022 NFL Draft

Film Breakdown: Analyzing Cincinnati Bengals' First Round Options in 2022 NFL Draft

Mike Santagata | Apr 26, 2022

The Bengals have the 31st overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. They've never picked that late in franchise history.

Last year, the first round pick came down to two players, but this year there is a large range of possible players that they may have to choose from. They could target a plethora of positions, including an offensive lineman, defensive lineman, safety or cornerback. Even though this decision may come down to whoever falls to them at 31, I have watched just about every possible selection they could make.

Let’s dive into nearly every player the Bengals could consider in the first round.

Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa

Pros:

His movement ability and more specifically his first step are off the charts
He works his combination blocks like a 10-year veteran
Nasty finisher in the run game despite his smaller size
Extremely flexible to be able to turn and seal defenders while on the run
Quickly can drop his anchor when he faces off against power

Cons:

He’s smaller and has short arms
He’s a bit of a leaner and can lose his balance because of it
Leans and goes for kill shots at the second level rather than just driving and sustaining those blocks

My grade if the Bengals take him at 31: A+. He’s a top 20 talent that fills a need.

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— Wally the dog (@pff_wally) April 26, 2022

George Karlaftis, Edge, Purdue

George Karlaftis, Purdue — © Nikos Frazier / Journal & Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK

Pros:

Great get off and first step
Fantastic bullrush that he uses as his primary move
Pristine hand placement on his bullrush
Has a really nice quick swim move that he utilizes as a change-up for his bullrush
Good feel for the pass set of the offensive lineman

Cons:

Lacks length to play on the defensive line
Players can get inside of his frame and control him right now because he lacks some of the technique required to disengage from these blocks.
Pad level can get high at times

My grade if the Bengals take him at 31: A+. Another top 20 talent that falls to them in a position of need.

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— Wally the dog (@pff_wally) April 26, 2022

Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida

Pros:

Stays low and maintains proper cushion to mirror releases in press coverage
Uses his length and a variety of techniques very well when jamming
Smooth hips to quickly turn downfield along with great recovery speed
Good tracking and ball skills
Uses the sideline to his advantage by squeezing outside releases

Cons:

Unnecessarily grabby at the top of routes
Doesn’t do a good job when trying to tackle
Struggles a little bit with quick, twitchy receivers

My grade if the Bengals take him at 31: A. I have him as a top 20 talent in the draft class without too many concerns, but I understand that is not consensus. He is still my third favorite realistic pick for the Bengals at 31.

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— Wally the dog (@pff_wally) April 26, 2022

Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia

Georgia defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt (95) recovers a fumble by Michigan running back Blake Corum (2) during the second half of the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. — © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Pros:

Great get off the ball
Refined and polished pass rush
Plus lateral agility and athleticism
Good hand usage on his pass rush to swipe, rip, etc.
Very good bullrush to bully interior offensive linemen

Cons:

24 years old
Lacks elite production
Doesn’t take on double teams well

My grade if the Bengals take him at 31: B+. Age is a real concern, despite his talent. He'll be pushing 30 by the time his rookie deal is finished.

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— Wally the dog (@pff_wally) April 26, 2022

Zion Johnson, OL, Boston College

Pros:

Ability to torque and move defenders with his core strength
Very impressive anchor
Grip strength and mirror in pass protection
Great double team and combination blocks
Plays with nastiness and always looks to finish the defender

Cons:

Balance may be a concern
Does not play with the same athleticism that he showed at the combine
Stance and kickslide are just a little bit off

My grade if the Bengals take him at 31: B+. Johnson would be a high floor pick in an area of need.

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— Wally the dog (@pff_wally) April 26, 2022

Kenyon Green, G, Texas A&M

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY SportsUSA Today Images

Pros:

Dynamite in his hands to move defenders on initial contact
Drops his anchor and becomes an immovable object
Great mirror ability in pass protection
Good processing against stunts and blitzers
Very quick out of his stance

Cons:

Very erratic and wide hand placement
Gives up his chest too often
Prefers to wrestle defenders rather than move his feet and drive

My grade if the Bengals take him at 31: B+. Green is a good prospect in an area of need. He doesn't have a high floor like Johnson, but he might have a higher ceiling.

pic.twitter.com/c7GjyzXHeg
— Wally the dog (@pff_wally) April 26, 2022

Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington

Pros:

Played a variety of spots at Washington
Explosive athlete to close on receivers
Loves to fit the run
Very good blitzer
Solid bail technique on the outside

Cons:

More of an inside/slot cornerback
Looked like he did not have the long speed you like to see at cornerback
A little bit too jumpy on jabs and other moves at the top of routes

My grade if the Bengals take him at 31: B. While I think Gordon is a great prospect in this spot, it does feel like he may be underutilized early in his career since the Bengals already have a great slot corner in Mike Hilton.

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— Wally the dog (@pff_wally) April 26, 2022

Logan Hall, DL, Houston

Pros:

Explosive first step to fire off of the ball
Drops to a knee against double teams extremely well
Will meet offensive linemen at their pad level despite size
Good bullrush to power through linemen
Has a good set up and secondary pass rush moves as well

Cons:

As a rep goes on, his pad level can rise especially when rushing the passer
Hand placement can be erratic and a little bit too high
At 6-foot-6, he needs to be an outlier to be successful at defensive tackle

My grade if the Bengals take him at 31: B. A slight reach, but it’s in an area of need and this draft has a very shallow crop of players that can play both 3 and 5-technique.

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— Wally the dog (@pff_wally) April 26, 2022

Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson

Pros:

Fights hard to get through screens
Very willing run defender
Backpedal is one of the best in the class
Quick reaction speed to the ball being thrown
Keeps a good cushion in coverage

Cons:

Narrows his base too frequently in press sometimes even crossing his feet
Opens his hips early
Can be too aggressive to underneath routes especially playing cloud in Cover 2

My grade if the Bengals take him at 31: B. The hernia and no testing drops this about an entire letter grade. On film he’s a great player, it's just a risky pick.

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— Wally the dog (@pff_wally) April 26, 2022

Lewis Cine, S, Georgia

Pros:

Will lay down some absolutely brutal hits
Flies downfield to fit the run
Plus route recognition and knowledge of his role in each coverage
Good ball skills to break up passes
Coming off of a national championship where he may have been the best player

Cons:

Shaky ability to stick in man coverage against out breaking routes
Played with almost all NFL level players on the Georgia defense
Leaves his feet too often when making tackles

My grade if the Bengals take him at 31: C+. Safety is a need and Cine fits what the Bengals like to do, but it’s a slight reach and he probably doesn’t see much action early on.

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— Wally the dog (@pff_wally) April 26, 2022

Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State

Pros:

Finds lanes to run through and make TFLs in run defense
Clutch player who stepped up in big moments
Tough player who would play through in game injuries
Can play both in the box and deep
Anticipatory defender that does a good job of reading the quarterback

Cons:

Missed way too many tackles this season
Had issues in man coverage
Some stiffness

My grade if the Bengals take him at 31: C. Again this is a slight reach and while safety is a need, it’s not immediate.

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— Wally the dog (@pff_wally) April 26, 2022

Arnold Ebiketie, Edge, Penn State

Pros:

Swipe move is one of the best moves in the class
Good length for the position
Good bend and flexibility
Very good understanding of how to manipulate an offensive tackle’s pass set
Flashed a good speed to power and long arm

Cons:

Inconsistent get off due to his slower reaction time to the ball
Did not lock out offensive linemen consistently in run defense
A little bit light to play at EDGE in the NFL and it showed in college occasionally

My grade if the Bengals take him at 31: C. The inconsistent get off and overall play is concerning for someone that is 23 years old, even if he has all the tools to become a dominant pass rusher.

pic.twitter.com/wbgdQp23b2
— Wally the dog (@pff_wally) April 26, 2022

Travis Jones, DT, Connecticut

Pros:

Very powerful player
Will split double teams
Played at a very high level when he faced top competition
C-4 in his hands when he clubs players
Surprisingly good pass rusher for someone his size

Cons:

Does not get off of the ball well
May be more of a nose tackle than a 3 technique
Does not always recognize the blocks that he is getting quickly

My grade if the Bengals take him at 31: C-. Jones is a good player, but this is a slight reach at 31 and I personally don’t think he's a good fit with the current roster. Much more of a nose tackle than a 3-technique due to his suboptimal get off.

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