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RD. 1 - 18th Selection:
J.C. Latham - OT - Bama - 6'6" 342
Sitting on the board with Latham were Bowers, Fuaga, and Murphy. Bowers was the highest rated prospect and I labored with the selection because of the aspects he could bring as a weapon to the offense. At the end of the day I felt that it is of paramount importance to protect Joe Burrow for this franchise to move to the next level. The Bengals have had a revolving door at RT since Willie Anderson left and I believe this is the selection that ends that trend. Some have stated that Latham was exploited against Michigan and I tell those people you are absolutely wrong. The entire line other than Latham was exploited and after rewatching every offensive snap for Bama I counted 1 bad snap for Latham which appeared more of a miscommunication but I felt a player of his caliber should have reacted better.
Latham checks every single box you want checked for a day 1 and 10 year starter at RT. He comes with ideal size, length, and athleticism for the position. Latham is the demeanor as a run blocker that the Bengals have missed for some time and he brings outstanding ability to sit down and anchor in pass protection. Transitions very smoothly between blocking assignments on stunts and blitzes. Has more than enough athleticism to slide and hold the edge against speed while more than enough mass to sit down against power. Yes he will need to continue to hone his technique at the NFL level but this can be said about every prospect. Many are calling Alt the best prospect in the draft at OT yet Latham walked out of the combine with higher prospect grade.
RD. 2 - 49th Selection:
Ruke Orhorhoro - DT - Clemson - 6'4" 294
Some may think this is overdrafting for him but I believe that draft boards within the NFL can look very different and on my board I would have Orhorhoro as the highest ceiling DT in this entire draft. Orhorhoro did not play football until his junior year in high school and the majority of kids we are talking about have been playing the game since pee wee football.
He comes with outstanding athleticism and while somewhat lean framed generates impressive power at the point of attack. Ruke has a frame that should comfortably carry more mass without losing his explosion and quickness off of the snap. Even at 6'4" he plays with very good leverage and pad level which help him in being a successful run defender. Orhorhoro has been a pretty decent pass rusher and I look for this aspect of his game to greatly improve with NFL coaching and as he learns more of a plan for attacking blockers in the passing game. I would not be shocked to see him become the best DT to come out of this draft.
RD. 3 - 80th Selection:
Ja'Tavion Sanders - TE - Texas - 6'4" 245
I labored with passing on Bowers in the 1st and I labored in the 2nd passing on Sanders to take Orhorhoro, but I did not feel that I Orhorhoro would be available with the Bengals selection in the 3rd so as explained above I selected Ruke. I could not select Sanders fast enough when he fell to the Bengals in the 3rd.
Sanders brings the level of athleticism and pass catching ability to the TE position that many feel the Bengals have been lacking to make their passing game even that much more dangerous. Because of his testing results, measurements, and play he has drawn comparisons to David Njuko. He is not a burner but he has good quickness and acceleration in and out of his breaks and on tape he plays faster than his recorded 40 time. Once the ball is in his hands Sanders has shown the ability to produce yards after the catch as well as the ability to find soft spots in zone coverage to make himself an easy target for the QB.
Sanders adds one more layer to the Bengals passing game and while he is not an outstanding blocker he also is not terrible. He is not going to knock defenders off of the line of scrimmage but he should get stronger in this aspect in an NFL weight and conditioning program.
RD. 4 - 114th Selection:
Brenden Rice - WR - USC - 6'2" 208
The entire bottom line to offense in the NFL is scoring TDs and this is what Rice did at USC to the tune of a TD every 5.2 receptions. He is a savvy WR that seems to have natural ability for the position, which is expected being the son of the greatest receiver to play the game. While he is not a burner he is excellent as a route runner, like his father, and is sharp and crisp in his cuts and breaks which enables him to separate from defenders. Very physical off the line and in contested catch situations.
Excellent addition to the Bengals WR room.
RD. 5 - 148th Selection:
Isaac Guerendo - RB - Louisville - 6'0" 221
There has been speculation that the Bengals could move on from Mixon to free cap space and to elevate the level of their overall running game. If that is the case then this is a selection that could certainly make that possible on both fronts. To start with Guerendo is a very good protector in the passing game and a very good receiver when targeted. Overall he has a really complete game and an entirely different gear when he gets into the open field, elite speed, as displayed by his 40 time at the combine. He brings good size and can punish defensive backs that attempt to take him on head to head and leg drive to move the pile in short yardage situations. Guerendo would be an excellent addition to pair with Chase Brown and they should compliment each other very well.
RD. 6 - 193rd Selection:
Nehemiah Pritchett - CB - Auburn - 6'0" 190
The Bengals need to add some depth to the CB room with the loss of Awuzie in free agency and the uncertainty of availability of Ivey to start the season. Pritchett should be an outstanding addition to the room. He brings really good size, length, and speed to the CB position to go with a wealth of experience playing against some of the best receiver rooms in college football on a rather regular basis. Pritchett has not produced a ton of interceptions but he plays the ball well in the air and breaks up passes. The Bengals are looking for depth to develop at this point and Pritchett should fit well in that category with the bonus of being a player that has good experience against high caliber competition.
RD. 6 - 208th Selection:
Isaiah Adams - OL - Illinois - 6'4" 315
Experienced at both OG and OT but if you really want to see him at his best watch his '22 tape playing LG for the Illini. Had he stayed at guard for the Illini I believe he would have been talked about as one of the best interior line prospects in this draft. His physicality and athleticism are an excellent fit at guard while he may not have the elite athleticism to mirror NFL speed on the edge he has more than enough for pulling, getting to the second level, and reacting to stunts and blitzes on the interior. In the running game he is a pure mover and in the passing game he plays with good pad level and is able to sit down and anchor against interior power rushers. Like Latham he brings a nastiness as a run blocker that the Bengals offensive line has been missing. The Bengals need to look to the future on the interior and I believe Adams can be a building block in that aspect.
RD. 6 - 214th Selection:
Tahj Washington - WR - USC - 5'10" 174
It seems like the really explosive offenses in the NFL have some type of wrinkle player that defenses must account for. Washington could be that guy for the Bengals. He is absolutely electric and dynamic when the ball is in his hands. When he gets in the open field as a returner or a receiver he has a special ability to make defenders miss and understands how to set up his blockers to produce yards after the catch to go along with his explosive speed. What may be most impressive given his stature is his ability to block in the running and passing game which goes to show you that blocking is a mentality and not about physical traits.
RD. 7 - 237th Selection:
Jordan Jefferson - DT - 6'3" 313
Jefferson has some really impressive traits but it seems he has had a difficult time putting them all together to consistently produce on the football field, however, '23 was statistically his best collegiate season. Jefferson's strongest assets at this point is as a run defender which is good for the Bengals as stopping the run in the AFC North is an absolute must. Where he needs to improve, and has the traits that would make you believe he could, is as a pass rusher. Jefferson has shown true explosion off of the snap but needs to work on anchor and lower body strength to become even better against the run. As a pass defender he must work to better use leverage and power against single and double teams. There is some real potential to be seen in his traits and attributes but can he put it all together to become the player that many feel he should be? Worth the risk for sure this late in the draft.
