A new seven-round mock draft from an expert has the Cincinnati Bengals going some interesting directions.
This is especially the case early on in the draft and in terms of overall draft balancing, with some notable picks on the offensive side of the ball for Joe Burrow.
On paper, it might seem to some outsiders that the Bengals might go heavy defensively, especially after the loss of nose tackle DJ Reader in the heart of the unit, so the mock will surprise in this area.
Here is a look at the picks for the Bengals in the seven-round effort from ESPN’s Matt Miller, plus a quick breakdown of each selection.
Syndication: Tuscaloosa News
From Miller: “Teaming Arnold up with DJ Turner, Cam Taylor-Britt and Mike Hilton gives Cincinnati’s secondary a chance to compete with any team in the AFC. Arnold was a five-star safety prospect but made the move to cornerback, where he started for two seasons and collected six interceptions and 21 pass breakups.”
Breakdown: Bengals fans aren’t going to love the idea of the team going back to the Round 1 corner well — and especially not for one hailing from Alabama. But it’s a very real possibility as the team looks for help on the boundary after losing Chidobe Awuzie. The arrival of Geno Stone could mean Dax Hill kicks inside to the slot and otherwise, so more depth on the boundary is a need and Arnold has nice upside.
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From Miller: “To run the Bengals’ three-WR offense, you need three starting wide receivers. That’s not the case right now, with Tee Higgins hanging out there on the franchise tag and Tyler Boyd still a free agent. Pearsall would give Cincinnati at least one more option opposite Ja’Marr Chase. He’s fast and has some of the best end-zone footwork and ball-tracking in the class.”
Breakdown: Wideout this early would be a stunner, with the team wanting to get faster in the slot (hence Tyler Boyd not coming back) and also wanting more under center looks (hence Mike Gesicki arriving and capable of playing in the slot). Still, Pearsall is nice long-term insurance at a premium spot.
Syndication: The Knoxville News-Sentinel
From Miller: “Joe Mixon is off to Houston, replaced with Zack Moss and Chase Brown in Cincinnati. But Wright has the electric speed and outside running ability to push them both down the depth chart and be a rookie starter.”
Breakdown: Brown seems to have the…
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