With less than a week before the NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals completely upended the first round, sending a Top 10 pick to the New York Giants in exchange for Dexter Lawrence.
That trade would fill a major need for the Bengals along the interior of their defensive line. It didn’t fix every need, though, and now the Bengals are going to need to come up with a plan to continue to improve their team without a pick before Day 2 of the draft.
Paul Dehner of The Athletic attempted to do just that, sharing his final mock draft. There, he would joke, “Sadly, the original final mock draft will never see the light of day, deleted and replaced.” The Lawrence trade killed the original final mock draft, meaning this new final mock draft had to be rewritten with that knowledge in mind.
Potential Day 2 Picks for the Cincinnati Bengals
GettyTexas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez
The Bengals’ first pick, assuming they don’t make any trades, is going to be the 41st overall pick. There is plenty of talent to be found on Day 2 of the NFL Draft, of course, and Dehner believes Cincinnati is going to stick on the defensive side of the ball by selecting Texas Tech Red Raiders linebacker Jacob Rodriguez.
Rodriguez was incredibly decorated a season ago. Last season, he was a unanimous All-American, the Nagurski winner, the Butkus winner, the Lombardi winner, and the Bednarik winner. That came after a career where he played 56 college games, with 317 total tackles, 6.0 sacks, 25.5 tackles for a loss, 6 interceptions, 12 passes defended, and 13 forced fumbles. The Bengals, notably, also brought him in on a pre-draft visit.
Then, in the third round, this mock draft predicts that the Bengals will take Markell Bell, an offensive tackle from the Miami Hurricanes, with the 72nd overall pick. Bell is coming off a season where he did not allow a single sack, offering the kind of protection that Joe Burrow is going to need.
Late-Round Picks for the Bengals in this Mock Draft
GettyNavy Midshipmen defensive lineman Landon Robinson
Day 3 of the NFL Draft will have rounds four through seven. There, the Bengals are set to open with the 110th overall pick. Dehner sees the Bengals returning to the defensive side of the ball there, selecting Daylen Everette, the defensive back from the Georgia Bulldogs.
Everette is obviously at a major position of need for the Bengals. Secondary play has been a concern. He also played against elite talent in college and offers good upside for this spot in the draft.
The Bengals then don’t have a scheduled draft pick until the sixth round. Dehner expects Cincinnati to use the 189th overall pick on another defensive tackle to pair with Dexter Lawrence. That would be Landon Robinson, the star from the Naval Academy. Just 10 picks later sits the first weapon for Joe Burrow, as Texas Tech wide receiver Caleb Douglas is being mocked to go to the Bengals at 199th.
Cincinnati wraps up the draft with two-seventh round selections. Dehner sees both of those coming on the offensive side of the ball. First, with the 221st overall pick, it’s Houston Cougars tight end, Tanner Koziol. Then, at the 226th overall pick, it’s veteran center Pat Coogan, who was with the Indiana Hoosiers a season ago.
There is, of course, room for trades and movement. The Bengals proved that when they moved for Lawrence, but for now, that’s a good idea of what to expect from Cincinnati based on their needs.
New Mock Draft Addresses Bengals Needs in Wake of Dexter Lawrence Trade