Bearcats LB Ivan Pace Jr. met with Bengals

Could the Bengals keep Pace local by picking him during the draft?

Cincinnati Bearcats linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. has had a meeting with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Speaking with reporters at the scouting combine, Pace revealed he grew up a fan of the Dallas Cowboys but that he would enjoy the chance to stay closer to home while playing in the pros.

“Everybody’s a Bengals fan beside me,” Pace said, per SB Nation’s Jared Mueller. “I’m a Cowboys fan. So I switched up a little bit. I like the Bengals but that’s not my favorite team. I had meetings with them (the Bengals). They talked about me getting up there and seeing the campus and stuff.”

Pace generally slots as a mid-round pick in mock drafts and rankings, with size being one of the big negatives. Still, he’s got good athletics and might be the best pass-rusher amongst off-ball linebackers in the class.

Depending on what happens with Germaine Pratt and the draft board, the Bengals may very well be interested in taking a local guy in the mid-rounds, even if he grew up liking the Cowboys.

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