Dude is gonna be a better pro than college player imo…. If we don’t go 3-tech early, could he fall to rd3? Or we trade back in rd2 and pick him up? So many options. He’s a human wrecking ball. Elite athlete.

PRO-DAY UPDATE: Ohio State DT Michael Hall Jr. did not test at Combine but absolutely ??????? his pro-day yesterday. He ran insane 4.76-4.78 (multiple NFL scouts ⏱️) at 299 pounds, which puts him with FSU's Braden Fiske as fastest IDL in this year's draft class.

Also 33.0 VJ, 9-3 BJ, and 24 bench reps. Scouts we spoke with said he looked twitched-up in DL drills.

(03-22-2024, 09:55 AM)Jpoore Wrote: Dude is gonna be a better pro than college player imo…. If we don’t go 3-tech early, could he fall to rd3? Or we trade back in rd2 and pick him up? So many options. He’s a human wrecking ball. Elite athlete.

PRO-DAY UPDATE: Ohio State DT Michael Hall Jr. did not test at Combine but absolutely ??????? his pro-day yesterday.  He ran insane 4.76-4.78 (multiple NFL scouts ⏱️) at 299 pounds, which puts him with FSU's Braden Fiske as fastest IDL in this year's draft class.  

Also 33.0 VJ, 9-3 BJ, and 24 bench reps. Scouts we spoke with said he looked twitched-up in DL drills.

I would argue Round 3 is still considered "early," but that's me.

With all the needs the team still has and guys set to hit FA next year, I'd prioritize RT, NT, and WR ahead of 3T, personally.
Rankins is signed through 2025, so they have a 3T next year still with Hill hitting FA.

If anyone considers Rankins or Hill a NT though (I don't), they could go 3T instead of NT within the first 3 rounds.

(03-22-2024, 10:12 AM)ochocincos Wrote: I would argue Round 3 is still considered "early," but that's me.

With all the needs the team still has and guys set to hit FA next year, I'd prioritize RT, NT, and WR ahead of 3T, personally.
Rankins is signed through 2025, so they have a 3T next year still with Hill hitting FA.

If anyone considers Rankins or Hill a NT though (I don't), they could go 3T instead of NT within the first 3 rounds.

I don’t either, but I’m hesitant to rely on 30 year old 3-tech… could they double dip? Hall then McKinley Jackson(NT)?

(03-22-2024, 10:21 AM)Jpoore Wrote: I don’t either, but I’m hesitant to rely on 30 year old 3-tech… could they double dip? Hall then McKinley Jackson(NT)?

Maybe.
Although I'd prefer not to wait quite until Rd 4 to get a TE because I want one of Bowers, Sinnott, Johnson, or Stover.
Obviously, Bowers isn't making it out of Rd 1.
But could all of Sinnott, Johnson, and Stover be gone by the time the Bengals pick in Rd 4?
I'd like to get one of those TEs in Rd 3 (maybe with comp pick depending on how things are falling) if Bowers doesn't make it to 18.

Bengals can always take a 3T next year too based on what we see (or don't see) from Carter this year.
Bengals should have DT pretty well covered between Hill, Rankins, and Sweat/Jackson (assuming they take one of these guys).
Then they can replace Hill with a draft pick early next year.

(03-22-2024, 10:49 AM)ochocincos Wrote: Maybe.
Although I'd prefer not to wait quite until Rd 4 to get a TE because I want one of Bowers, Sinnott, Johnson, or Stover.
Obviously, Bowers isn't making it out of Rd 1.
But could all of Sinnott, Johnson, and Stover be gone by the time the Bengals pick in Rd 4?
I'd like to get one of those TEs in Rd 3 (maybe with comp pick depending on how things are falling) if Bowers doesn't make it to 18.

Bengals can always take a 3T next year too based on what we see (or don't see) from Carter this year.
Bengals should have DT pretty well covered between Hill, Rankins, and Sweat/Jackson (assuming they take one of these guys).
Then they can replace Hill with a draft pick early next year.

The Bengals seem interested in all the bigger blocking TEs like AJ Barner and Tip Reimann. Drew Sample and Sheldon Rankins are easy cuts before 2025 Sample 0 dead cap and Rankins with 2m dead cap.

(03-22-2024, 11:15 AM)Synric Wrote: The Bengals seem interested in all the bigger blocking TEs like AJ Barner and Tip Reimann. Drew Sample and Sheldon Rankins are easy cuts before 2025 Sample 0 dead cap and Rankins with 2m dead cap.

I get it, but if Rankins plays well this year, no need to cut him to save $10 mill.
Drew Sample is inconsequential (to me) because he's set to make <$3 mill each season in 2025 and 2026.

Where I'm coming from is Bengals only have so many draft picks to put toward new players.
It's ok to wait on some depth next year. Not every piece has to be attempted to get in a single draft.

(03-22-2024, 11:43 AM)ochocincos Wrote: I get it, but if Rankins plays well this year, no need to cut him to save $10 mill.
Drew Sample is inconsequential (to me) because he's set to make <$3 mill each season in 2025 and 2026.

Where I'm coming from is Bengals only have so many draft picks to put toward new players.
It's ok to wait on some depth next year. Not every piece has to be attempted to get in a single draft.

First I put this in the wrong thread I meant to reference this about Johnny Newton and not Michael Hall. Hall is going to be a good rotational pass rusher and probabaly a very very inconsistent run defender because of who he is.

Jer'Zhan Newton could be a star a top NFL defensive tackle. He would be someone they can build their defensive line around for the future. Rankins and Hill wouldn't stop me from drafting Newton if he's on top of my board in round 1. Same thing with Geisiki/Bowers and Brown/Fuaga. 

(03-22-2024, 12:10 PM)Synric Wrote: First I put this in the wrong thread I meant to reference this about Johnny Newton and not Michael Hall. Hall is going to be a good rotational pass rusher and probabaly a very very inconsistent run defender because of who he is.

Jer'Zhan Newton could be a star a top NFL defensive tackle. He would be someone they can build their defensive line around for the future. Rankins and Hill wouldn't stop me from drafting Newton if he's on top of my board in round 1. Same thing with Geisiki/Bowers and Brown/Fuaga. 

While I get what you are saying, the difference I see between the 3T spot vs RT/TE is that Brown and Gesicki are only on 1-year contracts whereas Rankins has the 2nd year.
You greatly pointed out that the Bengals COULD choose to cut him next season and free up $10 mill, but they don't have to.
Compare that to RT and TE, where a new deal would have to be worked out or replace with someone new.

Newton is probably my favorite pass rushing IDL in this draft class.
I'd love to have him.
But I'd want the Bengals to have a plan to address the other positions well if they use their 1st rounder on arguably a luxury pick.

(03-22-2024, 10:21 AM)Jpoore Wrote: I don’t either, but I’m hesitant to rely on 30 year old 3-tech… could they double dip? Hall then McKinley Jackson(NT)?

They're not gonna draft 3T early. Way to many other needs as others stated.

(03-22-2024, 01:42 PM)ochocincos Wrote: While I get what you are saying, the difference I see between the 3T spot vs RT/TE is that Brown and Gesicki are only on 1-year contracts whereas Rankins has the 2nd year.
You greatly pointed out that the Bengals COULD choose to cut him next season and free up $10 mill, but they don't have to.
Compare that to RT and TE, where a new deal would have to be worked out or replace with someone new.

Newton is probably my favorite pass rushing IDL in this draft class.
I'd love to have him.
But I'd want the Bengals to have a plan to address the other positions well if they use their 1st rounder on arguably a luxury pick.

He does have an impressive stat line.  187 total tackles, 27.5 TFL, 18 Sacks, 5 PD, 3 FR, 2 FF  

I just never get a chance to list him in a mock, as he's always off the board well before #18, but if by some chance he were, he would be a BPA too big to ignore for the need at RT and NT.

(03-22-2024, 06:01 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: He does have an impressive stat line.  187 total tackles, 27.5 TFL, 18 Sacks, 5 PD, 3 FR, 2 FF  

I just never get a chance to list him in a mock, as he's always off the board well before #18, but if by some chance he were, he would be a BPA too big to ignore for the need at RT and NT.

According to NFLDraftBuzz, they have Newton with an average overall draft ranking of 18.4.
This ranking is determined from all scouting services in their database.
So it's possible he falls to the Bengals at 18.

With TheDraftNetwork not showing as many prospects on their site as years past, I've started to use NFLDraftBuzz to get familiar with a full list of prospects.

Bengals should be able to come away with one of the following:
- Bowers (unlikely but TEs do fall)
- Newton
- Murphy
- Latham
- Fuaga
- Thomas Jr


If ALL of those guys are off the table, I could see the Bengals either taking one of these guys at 18 or trading back later in the 1st round hoping to get one:
- Mims (too much of a gamble for me, personally)
- Guyton
- AD Mitchell
- Sweat (would be reach at 18 IMO)

I don't think CB is in consideration in Rd 1 at all unless there's a dominant guy there and the rest of the table is so much lower on their board.

(03-22-2024, 05:34 PM)pulses Wrote: They're not gonna draft 3T early. Way to many other needs as others stated.

I mean outside of RT, not seeing where…. Again our defense has struggled since we haven’t had that penetrator. Larry o. We need that back. At worst that’s Newton. At best he’s a top 3 DT.

(03-23-2024, 09:46 AM)Goalpost Wrote: No offense to those who like Newton, but he could be a slight reach at pick 18. The site I follow lists him at 33 overall on their big board.

That could be related to his foot injury though which caused him to miss both combine and pro day. He's kind of wobbled some, in and out, of being the first DT off the board throughout the year.

He was fairly consensus top10 or so before off-season started and injury reported. Murphy has that versatility… but he dosent touch neeton in a lot of areas. DT is such an important part of this defense.

People are going to be suprised when Hall is at the very least a top 40 pick come April. In fact I see Newton, Murphy, Sweat, and Hall all being top 40 picks. The position they play is highly rated and all of those guys fit the modern day 3T or NT positions.

He has the Athlectisim, Age, and his pass rushing numbers are underrated.( I believe he has the second highest pass rush win rate in this draft amongst DTs).