Bengals NFL Draft Tracker: Minute-by-Minute Updates
The Bengals look to add top talent to their roster on day two of the NFL Draft after taking Joe Burrow with the top pick on Thursday night. Top targets in the second-round include Baylor wide receiver Denzel Mims and Houston offensive tackle Josh Jones. Stay here for pick-by-pick updates and analysis.
08:22 p.m: The Bengals got their guy. They take Joe Burrow with the top pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. For more on Burrow, go here.
The Bengals are going to take Joe Burrow with the No. 1 pick in Thursday's 2020 NFL Draft.
The annual holiday is going to be a bit different this year, with every NFL coach and front office member connecting with each other virtually due to COVID-19.
The Bengals are in a great position to add not only Burrow, but multiple players that they've given first-round grades.
“The first day ends and you have 18 hours to sort it out how you want to approach the next day and the third round ends and you have another 12 hours to get ready for rounds 4-7,” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said this week. “We're in a good position this year, more so than ever due to the virtual draft that our communication we think is going to be really sharp and we'll have a chance to have plenty of time to talk through a lot of different scenarios."
The Bengals want to take the best player available in the second-round. That could mean taking an offensive lineman, cornerback or wide receiver.
Here are three other thoughts on the Bengals' draft:
Offensive Line is a Priority
If offensive line is so important, why are so many people comfortable with the Bengals waiting to draft a lineman? This is a top-heavy offensive line group, with plenty of options at tackle.
Isaiah Wilson from Georgia could be a plug-and-play right tackle and is expected to be there on day two. He has the size and traits the Bengals look for in an offensive lineman. He’s the perfect trade down candidate in the second round. In a perfect world, the Bengals would move from No. 33 to pick 37-40, add a late third rounder and still get a player like Wilson.
Linebacker is a big need, but offensive line is much more important. The Bengals shouldn’t reach for a tackle — that’s how you end up with Cedric Ogbuehi, but the chances are good that they’ll have to make a decision between a quality offensive lineman and a quality linebacker on day two. The decision should be an easy one for Mike Brown, Duke Tobin and company.
Draft Day Trades
The Bengals have been uncharacteristically aggressive this offseason and that has to continue during the draft and beyond. They need to call the Redskins about left tackle Trent Williams. He’s a proven commodity that would completely transform their offensive line. I explored a potential Williams deal in detail here.
Williams is a big name, but there are other players that will be on the block before, during or after the draft. Raiders guard Gabe Jackson and 49ers linebacker Kwon Alexander are two more players that are reportedly on the trading block.
The Bengals could also move some of their own players including Andy Dalton, who says he’s open to returning in 2020. If they can trade him for a fifth or sixth round pick in this years’ draft, then they should do it.
Draft Predictions
The Bengals would love for LSU's Justin Jefferson or Baylor's Denzel Mims to fall to the second-round. Unfortunately, it's hard to envision a scenario where that happens.
In my 'Final Mock Draft' I have the Bengals addressing the offensive line in round two. They pivot and take a linebacker in rounds three and four, respectively.
It's going to be interesting to see how they approach this draft. They have plenty of needs and only seven picks.
