Pre-Senior Bowl Mock

[*ochocincos*]

This one is mostly different from the ones I've posted in Nov/Dec.

1) OT of choice - Last year's OT prospects were considered worse than this year's, and still three of them went before pick 35. And the only OTs I have faith in this year are McGlinchey, Brown, and Miller, so I think OT has to be selected in the first round if the Bengals are to find a good one. Don't play games and hope one falls to the 2nd rounder. Get the guy you want and believe in.

2) DeShon Elliott, S Texas (6'2", 210 lb) - We know the Bengals prefer safeties that are "interchangeable" because they need to play both the run and pass. Elliott can do just that. Elliott also has a big build, so he should be rather durable. I don't think safety is as big of a need as LB or DT, but I have those positions addressed later with players I think are still good, so I thought Elliott might be a mix of BPA and somewhat need because the Bengals could use better safety play and especially turnovers.

3) Frank Ragnow, C/RG Arkansas (6'5", 319 lb) - A versatile, powerful, athletic center who has been very good every year against top SEC competition. He has long arms to stall powerful DTs from getting to the QB and also get push off the line, which this team very much needs.

3 comp for Zeitler) Josey Jewell, LB Iowa (6'2", 236 lb) - Modern day instinctive ILB that can do a little bit of everything. Coaches will like his 400+ total tackles, 28 TFL, 10 sacks, 6 INTs, and 26 PBUs in his four years at Iowa. Jewell was also the team captain for the Hawkeyes the past two seasons and he's a very passionate player. Him with Burfict could be magical. I'm worried though that Jewell will be taken before this and might be better off with a C in Round 2, Jewell the pick before this, and a safety here instead.

4) Cam Serigne, TE Wake Forest (6'3", 250 lb) - Shorter receiving TE to replace Eifert's role as a pass catcher. Serigne, like most college TEs, needs to improve his blocking if he expects to be a starter one day, but I like Kroft or Uzomah to fill that role over the next 1-2 years while Serigne is used primarily as a pass catcher.

5) Hercules Mata'afa, DL Washington St (6'2", 255 lb) - Dude is a pass rushing machine. He's rushed from the inside and outside at WSU. For the NFL, he's going to have to primarily be an edge rusher, but he should be able to fill the role of interior rusher on passing downs too. Luckily with the emergence of Lawson (and to a lesser extent Willis), Mata'afa should have time to develop further as he's used as a situational pass rusher out of the gate.

5 comp for Whitworth) Bruce Hector, DT USF (6'2", 295 lb) - I just found this guy and thought the Bengals might be able to get a nice sleeper 3T rather than have to draft one high. Hector has posted 7+ TFL and 5+ sacks each year for a total of 28 TFL and 18 sacks. He can come in as a pass rush specialist as a rookie while Billings gets more experience at NT.

6) Deatrick Nichols, CB USF (5'10", 190 lb) - Nichols is underrated due to his size and playing at USF, but he'd be a quality backup CB. He's had 11 INTs total in the past three seasons (4,4,3) and 49+ total tackles each of those seasons as well.

7) Daniel Carlson, K Auburn (6'4", 218 lb) - The Bengals should have kept Jake Elliott. Carlson has a big leg like Elliott but hasn't been quite as accurate this year with just 75% FGs made. However, he had really good 2015 and 2016 seasons (87.5% and 85.2%), so I think it's worth a 7th rounder to bring in competition for Bullock again.