Round 3
Brandon Aiyuk
Again, the options present are CO-PI-OUS. Seriously, this was not a terrible year to have a terrible season. Have a need at safety at 65, there’s potential starting talent available at the top of the third in the form of Kyle Dugger and Jeremy Chinn. Want to bring a competent TE talent into the fold, how does Cole Kmet sound? Want to continue bolstering the LB position, Willie Gay, Jordyn Brooks and Malik Harrison are on the board. Project tackles Prince Tega Wanogho and Isaiah Wilson remain available as well. And I bypassed each and every one of those players. That’s because Aiyuk fell to me here. I don’t know if I expect a fall of this magnitude from Aiyuk come the 24th, but if he does slide and the Bengals haven’t taken a WR in the second round, you’d have to think that he’d be a strong consideration at 65. The Bengals’ current receiving stable is replete with recognizable names and intriguing talent, but discerning followers of the team might recognize the degree of uncertainty that permeates the group. AJ Green, erstwhile perennial pro bowler, is currently tagged and operating with one year of team control. He’s also missed twenty-three games over the past two seasons and turns 32 prior to the start of the season. John Ross has abundant talent, but Elijah Prince was overheard chirping him from the stands last season about his frequency on the injury report. He’s also on the precipice of a fateful team decision in regard to his fifth-year option, and given the available evidence the Bengals have at their disposal, you’d have to think that they’re leaning no in terms of picking up that option. Tyler Boyd has been a very solid receiver for the Bengals over the past two seasons, but he’s not a lead receiver talent and can be taken out of games when he becomes the primary focus of a defense. Auden Tate can also be a contributing receiver on a good team but he’s not a game-breaker by any stretch of the imagination.
Into that morass steps Aiyuk. Aiyuk adds explosive athleticism to one of the outside receiver positions, and although raw in terms of the technical aspects of the position, he does show the requisite body control and quickness to develop into a competent route runner. As a first-year contributor he’d add depth behind Green and Ross while contributing to the vertical explosiveness of the offense in a circumscribed package of plays. An Aiyuk pick would also allow the Bengals to move on from Ross if they deem him too unreliable in the near or medium term.
Other Options at #65: Kyle Dugger, Jeremy Chinn, Cole Kmet, Willie Gay, Malik Harrison, Isaiah Wilson