Eight Players That Could've Moved Up the Bengals' Draft Board at the Senior Bowl

Here are some of the players that stood out the most in Mobile

Author:
James Rapien
Updated:
Jan 30, 2021 12:10 PM EST
Original:
Jan 30, 2021

CINCINNATI — Last year Zac Taylor's staff got an up close and personal look at all of the players that participated in the Senior Bowl.

The Bengals coached in Mobile last season. The process helped them during the draft process. They ended up spending five of their seven draft selections on players that were at the Senior Bowl.

Taylor's staff didn't coach this year, but the Bengals were still in Mobile to get a closer look at all of the talent participating in the annual All-Star Game.

Here are eight players that could've moved up the Bengals' draft board this week.

Quincy Roche, Edge, Miami

Roche caught the eye of draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah throughout the week.

"He just kept showing up in team drills. He has heavy hands and a motor that runs hot," Jeremiah noted.

Roche obviously helps fill a need and should be available in rounds 3-4. The Bengals could be a good fit for the 22-year-old. He had 30.5 sacks in 45 career games.

D’Wayne Eskridge, WR, Western Michigan

Eskirdge's success against the Mid-American Conference translated on a bigger stage this week in Mobile. His draft stock continues to rise. Don't be shocked if he's off the board in the first two rounds.

D'Ante Smith, OT, East Carolina

Smith had success at both tackle and guard, which was icing on the cake following an impressive weigh-in day that caught the eyes of scouts. He's 6-5, 294 pounds with 35.28-inch arms, an 85.15-inch wing span and 10-inch hands.

His ability to play both tackle and guard could alleviate the concerns about his weight. Obviously his arm length and wing span are exactly what NFL teams are looking for. If he can add another 15-20 pounds, then there's no reason why he won't lineup at tackle at the next level.

Creed Humphrey, C/OG, Oklahoma

Sticking with the offensive line theme, it's impossible not to like Humphrey as a prospect. He was an All-American at Oklahoma and doubled down on it with a stellar performance in Mobile. He showed the ability to play center and guard, which should improve his draft stock. Humphrey could be a top 35 pick and is expected to be taken in the first two rounds.

Quinn Meinerz, OG, Wisconsin-Whitewater

Meinerz turned heads all week. He drew rave reviews from most analysts that were watching practice.

"He (Meinerz) was a relative unknown coming into the week, hailing from a Division III school," Jeremiah wrote. "Not only did he prove he belonged, he showed everyone that he's one of the best players here. Meinerz was dominant, displaying plenty of power and strength."

He reportedly played through a broken bone in his right hand, which makes his performance that much more impressive. The Bengals are on the hunt for interior offensive linemen and Meinerz will certainly be on their list. There's a chance he could go on day two of the draft following a breakout performance in Mobile.

Robert Hainsey, OL, Notre Dame

Hainsey is a day three prospect that caught the eyes of evaluators and scouts this week. He played both guard and tackle. Hainsey stayed after practice and surprised evaluators with how technically sound he was in team and one-on-one drills.

He also impressed teams during the interview process, which bodes well for his draft stock.

Carlos Basham, DE, Wake Forest

Basham flashed early and often this week in Mobile. The Bengals have a clear need at edge rusher.

Basham had 173 tackles (35.5 for loss) and 19.5 sacks in 42 career games at Wake Forest. Fifteen of those sacks came in his final 19 contests.

"Basham made himself some money this week by showing his inside/outside versatility," Jeremiah wrote. "Some defensive linemen just have a knack for getting into the backfield no matter where they line up, and Boogie is one of those players. There was no top-tier defensive end in this year's Senior Bowl, but Basham really stood out from the rest of the group."

William Bradley-King, DL, Baylor

Bradley-King was "consistently disruptive" this week according to Dane Brugler of The Athletic. His quickness and rush technique both stood out.

He's 6-3, 254 pounds and his arms are nearly 33-inches long. He finished with 31 tackles (5.5 for loss) and 3.5 sacks in nine games at Baylor this season.

Bradley-King is expected to be a late day two or early day three draft selection.

Bonus: James Hudson, OT, Cincinnati

Hudson had a great week by all accounts, which is a great sign for the former Bearcats offensive tackle. There's some speculation that he could be taken in the first 40 picks of the draft. He's one of many offensive line options that may be available when the Bengals are on the clock in round two. Hudson could end up being a guard in the NFL, but he took plenty of reps at tackle this week.

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