Zac Taylor prepared to draft remotely, believes Senior Bowl helped Bengals staff
All 32 NFL teams are preparing to conduct the draft remotely according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Every team, including the Bengals, could participate in the draft away from team facilities.
The news comes on the heels of President Trump's call with all major-league sports commissioners, including Roger Goodell. The call was "off the record," according to Jenna Fryer of the Associated Press.
The sports world has been put on hold due to coronavirus concerns, but the draft is expected to continue, although it'll be much different this year.
Every NFL team is adjusting on the fly with pro days cancelled. Player interviews and meetings have been conducted virtually.
The Bengals have an edge on the competition heading into the draft. They were one of two teams (Lions) to coach at the Senior Bowl.
Zac Taylor and his staff got to work with 60 different prospects for one week. The Bengals coach feels good about where the organization is from a scouting standpoint.
“We really got a head start coaching the Senior Bowl so right away you get to cross off 60 guys that you got to interact with,” Taylor told Jeremy Rauch on Cincinnati’s Fox 19 Now. “We got guys on the road quickly. The two weeks worth of pro days that were held, we were at just about all of them.”
This draft is crucial for Taylor’s tenure in Cincinnati. The organization has aggressively addressed their weakness in free agency after an underwhelming 2-14 season. They need to inject even more young talent into the roster.
Joe Burrow will be the No. 1 pick, but the Bengals have to find a lot more than a quarterback in this draft. Linebacker, offensive line and wide receiver and three positions they will likely target.
“We’re trying to improve our whole team and there’s no position we would shy away from if the right player is there,” Taylor continued.
The Bengals held a pre-draft meeting with Minnesota safety Antoine Winfield. He’s one of the many options the team could consider in the second or third rounds.
For more on who the Bengals could draft, go here.
