Our Current Bengals’ Three Round Mock Fills Teams Biggest Holes
Oct 8, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
2024 NFL Draft season is upon us, which means 2024 NFL Mock Draft season is upon us, and Cincinnati holds ten selections. In addition to their seven normal selections in each round, they hold compensatory picks in the third and sixth rounds, and an extra pick in the seventh round from Houston in exchange for Joe Mixon.
With free agency in the rear we thought we’d talk about the most important needs and do a 3 round mock? So who do we have the Bengals selecting with each of their first 4 picks?
Round one (pick 18): Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
Cincinnati signed their starting right tackle for 2024 in Trent Brown, but that’s not to say they shouldn’t attempt to build for their future as well. While Brown provides a short term answer, a selection of Amarius Mims would give Cincinnati an insurance policy should Brown, in fact, only be a short term answer. Bleacher Report commended Mims’ build, saying he “looks like he was made in a lab with a towering frame, rocked-up build, big hands and long arms”. They also gave high grades on his quickness and strength, but said that his technique could use some improvement.
Mims has already spoken glowingly about the possibility of him blocking for Joe Burrow.
“I remember that 2019 run he had,” Mims said of Burrow’s championship season at LSU. “He was a dawg. I would love to block for Joe.”
Round two (pick 49): T’Vondre Sweat, DT, Texas
After losing DJ Reader to the Lions, the Bengals have a dire need for a gigantic run stuffing presence up the middle. Enter T’Vondre Sweat.
https://twitter.com/NicholasMoreano/status/1773008858698428837?s=20
After the departure of DJ Reader, Cincinnati signed Sheldon Rankins to a two-year deal, and while that improves their pass rush, defending the run still leaves a lot to be desired, as the Bengals allowed the seventh most rushing yards in the NFL in 2023. Sweat is a massive presence in the trenches that would help replace Reader with a younger option and shore up Cincinnati’s trenches.
There is also the distinct possibility that Duke Tobin feels the need to trade up to get him, but Cincinnati has the draft capital to do it, and the dire need for a run stuffer is there.
Round 3 (pick 80): Junior Colson, LB, Michigan
The Bengals were dreadful at covering tight ends in 2023, and something has to be done. Duke Tobin can possibly address that need by selecting Colson, who is seen as one of the better tacklers and coverage linebackers in the entire draft.
I like Junior Colson.. a lot. pic.twitter.com/vDZHMuMtCT
— Brian Rick (@Chargerswin2024) March 19, 2024
While he has areas he can improve on in certain areas of defending the run, his pass defense ability, particularly against tight ends, gives the Bengals an immediate upgrade. It also gives the Bengals another potential starter at one of their thinnest positions on the depth chart.
Round 3 (pick 97): Christian Mahogany, OG, Boston College
Setting aside the fact that “Christian Mahogany” sounds like a guy who plays the harp in church every Wednesday, the Boston College standout was a three year starter who is a force on the offensive line. While he does need to improve his patience as a blocker, he relies on brute strength to deliver punishing blocks and throw off defensive linemen at the point of contact.
Current starting left guard Cordell Volson has had an inconsistent start to his career up to this point, so bringing in an interior lineman like Mahogany would provide depth and competition so that Volson isn’t the only option at left guard.
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