The Cincinnati Bengals could end up being one of the most interesting teams in the 2021 NFL draft.
Which means it’s never too early to glance at the latest round of mock drafts.
Those Bengals, after all, picked No. 1 last year and landed their quarterback of the future with Joe Burrow. On track for a potential top-10 pick again, the Bengals could go any number of ways.
Luke Easterling of Draft Wire, for example, has the Bengals picking 11th and taking Oklahoma offensive lineman Creed Humphrey.
Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller also has them 11th, but going with Notre Dame offensive tackle Liam Eichenberg:
The 6’6″, 300-pound graduate senior has been one of the nation’s best left tackles since entering the Notre Dame starting lineup in 2018, including not surrendering a single sack in 2019.
Over at CBS Sports, Josh Edwards has the Bengals fourth, taking Miami (Fla.) edge rusher Gregory Rousseau:
Sam Hubbard is a good player and a building block for that Cincinnati defense. However, it would not hurt to have an explosive edge rusher opposite him. The Bengals are certain to make some changes along their defensive line and Rousseau would be another great addition.
And to top it all off, Pro Football Focus’ Michael Renner has the Bengals 11th, where they take offensive lineman Samuel Cosmi out of Texas, noting the following: “Cosmi is one of the most tested tackles in the country with 1,453 passing snaps between right and left tackle at Texas over the past two and a half years.”
For now, the list of Bengals needs seems straightforward and that’s reflected in mocks — the team has to solidify the line in front of Burrow and the defense has to be able to generate more pressure.
As seen in the mocks, it’s a matter of positioning and value, with some of the top names about to reach household status soon enough once draft season starts.
[listicle id=38954]