A breakdown of the Bengals' top targets in the second-round
The Cincinnati Bengals are going to take Joe Burrow with the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft on Thursday night.
The Ohio-native will enter with big expectations, as he hopes to rejuvenate a franchise that has had four straight losing seasons.
Taking Burrow is just the beginning for the Bengals. They need to add multiple difference makers in this draft. They’ll get their chance starting with the first selection of the second-round.
“You get a lot of time to think about it,” Zac Taylor said when asked about pick No. 33. “There's going to be some really good players there that we probably have first-round grades on. It'll just be exciting to see how it all shakes out. Again, we put a lot of time and energy in it to sort out the whole depth of the draft, through all seven rounds and free agency. When you've done all that work, you know that Duke [Tobin] has done a great job of organizing and putting time and effort into it, then we feel like we're very prepared.”
People around the league believe there's a big gap between media projections and how the 32 NFL teams rate these prospects.
Predicting what the Bengals are going to do with the 33 pick is dependent on everyone else around them, which makes it an even bigger challenge. The goal of this was to cover as much ground as possible, which includes trading down.
Here’s a breakdown of the top candidates the Bengals could select in the second-round.
The ‘I doubt it, but there’s a dream scenario where they fall’ prospects:
Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU — Jefferson will probably be off the board by pick No. 20. The Bengals can start thinking about the third-round if he makes it to them in round two. He would be a no-brainer pick.
Jefferson is one of the best slot wide receiver prospects in NFL Draft history. He has a great rapport with Burrow and has drawn comparisons to Tyler Boyd and Greg Jennings. Some may worry about the Bengals having two wide receivers with similar skillsets, but the Rams and Patriots have had plenty of success on offense relying on slot receivers. The Bengals would be ecstatic to land Jefferson at No. 33.
Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma — Murray impressed during the interview process and at the combine. NFL teams view him as a safe pick, with a low-bust probability. He has the sideline-to-sideline speed and quickness that NFL teams covet. The 21 year old would be an instant upgrade to a linebacker room that needs it, but he should be long gone by the time the Bengals are on the clock Friday night.
Patrick Queen, LB, LSU — Much like Murray, Queen has the athleticism the Bengals would love to add to their linebacker room. He may have the biggest range on draft boards. Queen could be taken anywhere from picks 15-35.
NFL teams will like his ability to play all three downs. He’s solid in coverage and is just scratching the surface of his potential. It’s realistic to expect Queen to be a day one starter. If he falls to No. 33, the Bengals will likely take him.
The “I expect him to be gone, but he could be there” prospects:
Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor — Mims finished his college career with 186 catches for 2,925 yards and 28 touchdowns. He had a breakout season under current Bengals wide receivers coach Bob Bicknell in 2017, finishing with 61 receptions, 1,087 yards and eight touchdowns. He averaged a career-high 17.8 yards-per-catch under Bicknell. He has the size, speed and explosiveness to be an instant downfield threat and target in the red zone.
Unlike Jefferson, he’s a great fit with A.J. Green, Tyler Boyd and John Ross. Mims could go off the board as early as No. 21 to the Eagles. The Vikings and Packers are two more teams that could be interested in 6’3”, 207-pound wide receiver. There’s a good chance the Bengals draft him if he makes it to No. 33.
Josh Jones, OT, Houston — The offensive line play across the league has gone downhill in a hurry over the past five years. Jones is a quality player and someone that can come in and be an instant starter. He’s one of eight potential tackles that could be selected in the first round. Andrew Thomas, Tristan Wirfs, Mekhi Becton and Jedrick Wills are locks. Austin Jackson and Jones are also expected to go off the board in the back half of the first-round. The Bengals would likely take Jones over Murray or Queen if multiple players on this list fell to pick No. 33.
The ‘It’s realistic and would be a quality pick’ prospects:
Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson — Higgins is expected to be taken somewhere between picks 25-40. He has great size and ability to make contested catches. He averaged over 18 yards per catch in three years at Clemson, finishing with 2,448 yards and 27 touchdown receptions. He’s only 21 years old and should be able to contribute as a rookie.
Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU — Reagor could be taken anywhere from picks 15-40. He’s an explosive wide receiver that projects to be a downfield threat as a rookie. He’s electric with the ball in his hands. Over 51 percent of his receptions went for 15 yards or more in his last two seasons according to Pro Football Focus. He had below average quarterback play last year, which hurt his numbers. The Eagles, Vikings, Packers and 49ers could all consider Reagor in the first-round.
Isaiah Wilson, OT, Georgia — Wilson ends up with the Bengals in Mock Draft 3.0. He’s a big, long right tackle with size that offensive line coach Jim Turner would love to work with. Wilson is 6-foot-6, 350 pounds with 35 ½-inch arms. He projects to be a starting right tackle, which is the Bengals’ biggest need on the offensive line.
Wilson didn’t test well at the combine, posting poor 3-cone and short-shuttle times. That’s the biggest knock on him. He has great feet, which probably come from his basketball playing days. If the Bengals end up with Wilson, it won’t be a ‘sexy’ pick, but it could help change an offensive line that has struggled in each of the last four seasons.
Zack Baun, EDGE, Wisconsin — Baun is one of the best edge rushers in this draft. He fills a need with Carl Lawson entering the final year of his contract. Baun finished second in the Big Ten behind Chase Young in sacks (12.5) and tackles for loss (19.5) last season. His drug test was flagged at the combine, which could hurt his stock. Baun should go off the board between picks 20-40.
The dark horse/trade down candidates:
Ezra Cleveland, OT, Boise State — Cleveland is a great athlete, but is he strong enough to become a quality tackle in the NFL? That’s a question all 32 teams have asked themselves during the pre-draft process. He wowed scouts at the combine with his agility scores. Cleveland has some of the traits you look for, but can he develop into a quality offensive lineman? All it takes is one team to say “yes.” He could be off the board in round one, but it’s more likely that he's still around when the Bengals are on the clock on Friday night.
Cesar Ruiz, OL, Michigan — The Bengals probably won’t address the interior of their offensive line until later in the draft. If they did, it would be for a player like Ruiz. He’s athletic, strong and has the ability to play both center and guard. He could start as a rookie and seems to be the “safe pick” that everyone thought Billy Price was two years ago. Ruiz is a second-round candidate, especially if the Bengals trade down and he’s still available.
Laviska Shenault, WR, Colorado — Shenault is a first-round talent with injury issues. It’s hard to predict where he ends up in a loaded wide receiver class. The Bengals probably won’t take him with the No. 33 pick, but he could be a candidate in a trade down scenario. In a perfect world, he would fall to No. 65. He's versatile, dynamic with the ball in his hands and would be a nice addition to the Bengals' offense.
