RD. 1 - 29th

The way the draft had fallen at this point the odds were that the Bengals could trade back, gain draft capital, and still get one of their targets of the 29th overall selection. Houston offered a trade that met the criteria of gaining capital yet still being in a good position to get a player they had in their graded grouping for the first round. The Bengals received selections 2-34 and 3-66.

RD. 2 - 34th



Darnell Wright - OT - Tennessee - 6'5" 333

I believe most would like to upgrade both the Bengals tackle positions. However, the Bengals have committed themselves to Jonah Williams at least for this season by picking up his 5th year option. As well, we have a backup at LT in Jackson Carman that built some confidence in the staff and the fan base. On the other hand Collins played poorly all of last season and will most likely not be ready to begin the season. Wright gives them the ability to cut Collins with an injury settlement and save lots of cap space for extensions. I believe Wright gives the Bengals the RT they have been searching for since Willie Anderson. He is brute strong to the point his strength often can save him when using poor technique. I find him a better option than Dawand Jones because he is far more athletic and provides the Bengals more in the way of blocking schemes. I also believe Jones will really struggle with speed at the NFL level.

RD. 2 - 61st



D.J. Turner II - CB - Michigan - 5'11" 178

He is not the biggest or the longest corner in the draft nor does he come with the hype of many others. However, he brings elite speed, elite technique, and elite football IQ to the cornerback position. Turner plays with virtually flawless technique and displays outstanding ball skills. If Awuzie is not ready week 1 the position is going to be in good hands with Turner and Taylor-Britt. If Awuzie is ready to go the Bengals may well have the toughest top 4 corners in the league as a group with Awuzie, Taylor-Britt, Hilton, and Turner. I really like this selection and I see him being a high quality corner for a long time barring injury.

RD. 3 - 66th



Joe Tippmann - C - Wisconsin - 6'6" 313

Wisconsin puts out quality NFL offensive linemen and Tippmann carries on this tradition. He is taller than your typical NFL center but his strength and elite football IQ make this a nonfactor. Tippmann has shown that he is absolutely capable of reading the defense and making the necessary offensive blocking adjustments to combat the defensive look. You can watch film such as the Ohio State game and you will see that Tippmann's responsibility consistently is not a factor in making a play for the defense. When he is not engaged he is continually looking for a blocking target or where he needs to double. He seamlessly transitions on stunts and easily gets to the second level and engages targets. Tippman immediately gives the Bengals an upgrade behind Karras that is of starting caliber. Having Joe last season would have allowed Karra to slide out to OG where he as well has experience rather than the Bengals having to count on Sharping in the playoffs.

RD. 3 - 93rd

This was a position where the Bengals could acquire more draft capital and still hit many target options. Arizona made an offer of value which would see the Bengals moving back four spots but gaining a 6th round selection. Arizona got the 93rd selection while the Bengals received the 97th and 215th selections.

RD. 3 - 97th



Tyjae Spears - RB - Tulane - 5'10" 201

Cutting Mixon would give the Bengals significant cap space to get extensions done. Drafting Spears gives the Bengals the difference maker at RB that this offense is missing. Spears is a human rocket with really good vision. Spears has shown the ability to run through arm tackles and to make people miss. When he gets in the open field he is gone! Spears is legit option catching the ball out of the backfield and is dangerous here as well once the ball is in his hands. There is concern with backs of his size and their contributions in pass blocking. First of all he runs much tougher than his size may indicate and this is a quote from the Senior Bowl...

Quote:Spears also stood out in pass protection drills, where a running back demonstrates whether or not coaches will trust him enough to put him on the field as a rookie.

This was from Football Outsiders.

RD. 4 - 132nd



Isaiah McGuire - DE - Missouri - 6'4" 268

I actually had this young man catch my eye while I was watching film of SEC offensive linemen. Watching tape on McGuire reminds me a lot of Sam Hubbard. He is relentless and goes to the whistle. He has good strength and length for the position and has a frame that relates to the NFL. McGuire needs to polish his technique and become more consistent in his effort. Being in a room with Hendrickson, Hubbard, and Ossai certainly will not hurt McGuire at all. I see McGuire as DE4 as a rookie and could push a guy like Gunter off of the roster.

RD. 5 - 165th



Keondre Coburn - DT - Texas - 6'2" 332

Coburn is just a solid 1 technique that eats up blocks and requires double teams. While not known as a pass rusher he is also a guy you don't sleep on and must account for. I believe Coburn is a guy that is going to make Tupou fight for the spot behind Reader. Coburn pushes the pocket and disrupts rushing plans allowing backers and DBs to play clean against the run. Coburn should push for playing time in the DT rotation immediately. Is very experienced and started 45 games for the University of Texas.

RD. 6 - 208th



Rejzohn Wright - CB - Oregon State - 6'2" 193

Wright brings outstanding size and length to the position and really has pretty good tape to back up these measurables. Experienced in both man and zone coverage while his feet and anticipation of routes show him to be stronger in man. Needs to clean up technique and be more aware as penalties have been his main concern. More than anything I believe Wright is plagued by being in an extremely deep draft for corners. I believe Wright adds a sound set of skills to the DB room and could have a decently high ceiling if he can polish his technique and continue to develop himself which should come with NFL coaching.

RD. 6 - 215th



Brenton Strange - TE - Penn State - 6'4" 253

Strange was not on my radar as a TE candidate until all of the debates on the message boards. After watching tape on him he became more and more a favorite prospect of mine. He brings a skillset very similar to that of Hayden Hurst and has outstanding athleticism in the open field. Strange is the type of TE that can be on the field for all three downs and brings value as a receiver and especially as a blocker. I really like this selection and the bonus would be re-signing Hurst and having him to mentor Strange on playing the position at the NFL level.

RD. 7 - 248th



Jake Bobo - WR - UCLA - 6'4" 206

Bobo is a tall long WR that high points the ball and had a relatively high TD to catch ratio at the collegiate level. His length and catch radius make him a viable redzone option. While not being a track star his is a strider and watching him reminds me of a bit more athletic Auden Tate. Needs to improve in getting in and out of his breaks as improving his short area quickness could help him to gain more separation. Is a player that could make the final WR spot or at the least be a player to develop on the practice squad. Intelligence should not be an issue with Bobo as he began his collegiate career at Duke.

(03-11-2023, 06:56 PM)OSUfan Wrote: RD. 1 - 29th

The way the draft had fallen at this point the odds were that the Bengals could trade back, gain draft capital, and still get one of their targets of the 29th overall selection. Houston offered a trade that met the criteria of gaining capital yet still being in a good position to get a player they had in their graded grouping for the first round. The Bengals received selections 2-34 and 3-66.

RD. 2 - 34th



Darnell Wright - OT - Tennessee - 6'5" 333

I believe most would like to upgrade both the Bengals tackle positions. However, the Bengals have committed themselves to Jonah Williams at least for this season by picking up his 5th year option. As well, we have a backup at LT in Jackson Carman that built some confidence in the staff and the fan base. On the other hand Collins played poorly all of last season and will most likely not be ready to begin the season. Wright gives them the ability to cut Collins with an injury settlement and save lots of cap space for extensions. I believe Wright gives the Bengals the RT they have been searching for since Willie Anderson. He is brute strong to the point his strength often can save him when using poor technique. I find him a better option than Dawand Jones because he is far more athletic and provides the Bengals more in the way of blocking schemes. I also believe Jones will really struggle with speed at the NFL level.

RD. 2 - 61st



D.J. Turner II - CB - Michigan - 5'11" 178

He is not the biggest or the longest corner in the draft nor does he come with the hype of many others. However, he brings elite speed, elite technique, and elite football IQ to the cornerback position. Turner plays with virtually flawless technique and displays outstanding ball skills. If Awuzie is not ready week 1 the position is going to be in good hands with Turner and Taylor-Britt. If Awuzie is ready to go the Bengals may well have the toughest top 4 corners in the league as a group with Awuzie, Taylor-Britt, Hilton, and Turner. I really like this selection and I see him being a high quality corner for a long time barring injury.

RD. 3 - 66th



Joe Tippmann - C - Wisconsin - 6'6" 313

Wisconsin puts out quality NFL offensive linemen and Tippmann carries on this tradition. He is taller than your typical NFL center but his strength and elite football IQ make this a nonfactor. Tippmann has shown that he is absolutely capable of reading the defense and making the necessary offensive blocking adjustments to combat the defensive look. You can watch film such as the Ohio State game and you will see that Tippmann's responsibility consistently is not a factor in making a play for the defense. When he is not engaged he is continually looking for a blocking target or where he needs to double. He seamlessly transitions on stunts and easily gets to the second level and engages targets. Tippman immediately gives the Bengals an upgrade behind Karras that is of starting caliber. Having Joe last season would have allowed Karra to slide out to OG where he as well has experience rather than the Bengals having to count on Sharping in the playoffs.

RD. 3 - 93rd

This was a position where the Bengals could acquire more draft capital and still hit many target options. Arizona made an offer of value which would see the Bengals moving back four spots but gaining a 6th round selection. Arizona got the 93rd selection while the Bengals received the 97th and 215th selections.

RD. 3 - 97th



Tyjae Spears - RB - Tulane - 5'10" 201

Cutting Mixon would give the Bengals significant cap space to get extensions done. Drafting Spears gives the Bengals the difference maker at RB that this offense is missing. Spears is a human rocket with really good vision. Spears has shown the ability to run through arm tackles and to make people miss. When he gets in the open field he is gone! Spears is legit option catching the ball out of the backfield and is dangerous here as well once the ball is in his hands. There is concern with backs of his size and their contributions in pass blocking. First of all he runs much tougher than his size may indicate and this is a quote from the Senior Bowl...

This was from Football Outsiders.

RD. 4 - 132nd



Isaiah McGuire - DE - Missouri - 6'4" 268

I actually had this young man catch my eye while I was watching film of SEC offensive linemen. Watching tape on McGuire reminds me a lot of Sam Hubbard. He is relentless and goes to the whistle. He has good strength and length for the position and has a frame that relates to the NFL. McGuire needs to polish his technique and become more consistent in his effort. Being in a room with Hendrickson, Hubbard, and Ossai certainly will not hurt McGuire at all. I see McGuire as DE4 as a rookie and could push a guy like Gunter off of the roster.

RD. 5 - 165th



Keondre Coburn - DT - Texas - 6'2" 332

Coburn is just a solid 1 technique that eats up blocks and requires double teams. While not known as a pass rusher he is also a guy you don't sleep on and must account for. I believe Coburn is a guy that is going to make Tupou fight for the spot behind Reader. Coburn pushes the pocket and disrupts rushing plans allowing backers and DBs to play clean against the run. Coburn should push for playing time in the DT rotation immediately. Is very experienced and started 45 games for the University of Texas.

RD. 6 - 208th



Rejzohn Wright - CB - Oregon State - 6'2" 193

Wright brings outstanding size and length to the position and really has pretty good tape to back up these measurables. Experienced in both man and zone coverage while his feet and anticipation of routes show him to be stronger in man. Needs to clean up technique and be more aware as penalties have been his main concern. More than anything I believe Wright is plagued by being in an extremely deep draft for corners. I believe Wright adds a sound set of skills to the DB room and could have a decently high ceiling if he can polish his technique and continue to develop himself which should come with NFL coaching.

RD. 6 - 215th



Brenton Strange - TE - Penn State - 6'4" 253

Strange was not on my radar as a TE candidate until all of the debates on the message boards. After watching tape on him he became more and more a favorite prospect of mine. He brings a skillset very similar to that of Hayden Hurst and has outstanding athleticism in the open field. Strange is the type of TE that can be on the field for all three downs and brings value as a receiver and especially as a blocker. I really like this selection and the bonus would be re-signing Hurst and having him to mentor Strange on playing the position at the NFL level.

RD. 7 - 248th



Jake Bobo - WR - UCLA - 6'4" 206

Bobo is a tall long WR that high points the ball and had a relatively high TD to catch ratio at the collegiate level. His length and catch radius make him a viable redzone option. While not being a track star his is a strider and watching him reminds me of a bit more athletic Auden Tate. Needs to improve in getting in and out of his breaks as improving his short area quickness could help him to gain more separation. Is a player that could make the final WR spot or at the least be a player to develop on the practice squad. Intelligence should not be an issue with Bobo as he began his collegiate career at Duke.

Instead of Coburn check out Kobie Turner DT Wake Forest.

(03-11-2023, 07:46 PM)pulses Wrote: Instead of Coburn check out Kobie Turner DT Wake Forest.

Turner is a 3 tech in the NFL not a 1 technique. I was looking for a strong player that can give relief to Reader and take some snaps for him. I like Josh Tupou but I feel we need someone to push him as well. We have some good 3 technique players right now in B.J. Hill, Zach Carter, and Cam Sample. That was my reason for taking Coburn and I felt that Coburn fit perfectly.

(03-11-2023, 11:25 PM)OSUfan Wrote: Turner is a 3 tech in the NFL not a 1 technique. I was looking for a strong player that can give relief to Reader and take some snaps for him. I like Josh Tupou but I feel we need someone to push him as well. We have some good 3 technique players right now in B.J. Hill, Zach Carter, and Cam Sample. That was my reason for taking Coburn and I felt that Coburn fit perfectly.

I wasn't to impressed with Carter I think we drafted him to high. I hope i'm wrong tho. But I still feel like we need more pressure on the IDL. Getting someone to push Tupou is not a bad idea either.

(03-11-2023, 11:45 PM)pulses Wrote: I wasn't to impressed with Carter I think we drafted him to high. I hope i'm wrong tho. But I still feel like we need more pressure on the IDL. Getting someone to push Tupou is not a bad idea either.

I felt that there was actually some growth shown with Carter as the season progressed. Now will that progression continue is the big question. I feel like the group of guys he is surrounded by sort of makes hard work infectious which could aid his continued growth. We will see that is for sure. With his skill set you almost wonder if they shouldn't take some weight off of him and make him a DE.

(03-11-2023, 11:25 PM)OSUfan Wrote: Turner is a 3 tech in the NFL not a 1 technique. I was looking for a strong player that can give relief to Reader and take some snaps for him. I like Josh Tupou but I feel we need someone to push him as well. We have some good 3 technique players right now in B.J. Hill, Zach Carter, and Cam Sample. That was my reason for taking Coburn and I felt that Coburn fit perfectly.

We have Jay Tufele too who I thought was better than Tupou last year. I also believe we need a 3-tech more because Tufele was 
very good when DJ was out and BJ Hill and Carter weren't great in collapsing the inside last season in the passing game at all.

Other than that, love this Mock as you know. Warming up on Spears just because of the elite game breaking ability. We can work
on his pass protection and minimize any shortcomings there.

Great job OSUfan.