04-18-2023, 02:09 PM
https://www.nflmockdraftdatabase.com/user-mock-drafts/2023/user-mock-1534713
![[Image: xq5PVA5.png]](https://i.imgur.com/xq5PVA5.png)
In case the image doesn't come up (I have been struggling to get images to work on this website recently), This is the draft:
No trades (because MDD's trade proposals are ridiculous)
28: Emmanuel Forbes CB Miss State
60: Tucker Kraft TE South Dakota State
92: Tyjae Spears RB Tulane
131: Xavier Hutchinson WR Iowa State
163: Colby Wooden DT Auburn
206: Cameron Latu TE Alabama
246: Juice Scruggs IOL Penn State
Emmanuel Forbes:
I genuinely believe that, if Forbes weighed 15 more points (~180 lbs), he'd be a top 10 pick and we wouldn't have a shot at him. He has everything you want in a boundary cornerback. He is long (6'1", 32 1/4 inch arms), rangy, athletic (9.27 RAS), fast (4.35 40) and instinctive with elite production (35 PD, 14 interceptions, 6 of which went for a TD in 3 seasons) and has experience in both man and zone coverage schemes. He may jump the occasional route incorrectly, as he's always looking for that turnover, but not being tricked by double moves will come with time in the NFL. He is even great in run defense, always showing a willingness to take on blocks and go after the ball carrier. His weight is his sole concern but it doesn't really show up on tape. He may get blocked out by a TE or OT on occasion, but that would happen to most CBs. He has only officially missed 1 game in his career (granted, he has left a few others mid game), but has had no major injuries in 3 seasons in the SEC. If he could add 15 pounds to his frame (which should be easy being 6'1") and maintain his athleticism, he could be the steal of the draft at the end of the first round. True superstar potential.
Tucker Kraft:
Zac Taylor's comments yesterday said everything you need to know. He doesn't want a big WR at TE. He wants a blocker who can catch. And, along with Michael Mayer, that is Tucker Kraft in a nut shell. He is your classic tight end, with the ability to pass block and run block efficiently while also being a reliable target in the passing game who is capable of running the deep routes (4.62 40 at his pro day, 4.69 at the combine) and breaking tackles after the catch. Despite having the label of "traditional tight end" has also shown he is extremely athletic with a 9.58 RAS, showing off plenty of strength at the bench as well (23 reps). He was also the South Dakota State Power Clean record, so he isn't going to be a "big slot" in the NFL like Kincaid and others like him will be. He isn't the best route runner, had 12 drops in 4 years (compared to 99 receptions) and his level of competition leads to questions about transitioning to the NFL but if we miss out on Mayer in the first (or if we elect not to take him like I did), this is the next best fit for the Bengals, in my opinion.
Tyjae Spears:
Productive (2910 yards on 427 carries with 31 rushing touchdowns, 48 receptions for 564 yards and 3 receiving touchdowns), and great athleticism (8.27 RAS) despite a non-ideal, but not deal breaking, size (5'9" 201 lbs). He is an adept pass catcher and runner who may have the best stop and start acceleration in this draft. He also can absorb contact and stay on his feet, averaging 4.52 yards per carry after contact in 2022. He has shown a willingness to block in pass pro with room to improve and will be very comfortable in the Gio Bernard/Samaje Perine role once he gets some NFL training in technique. He isn't the fastest running back in the draft with just a 4.52 40 yard dash and he will occasionally be caught from behind, and has some injury history that may scare off some teams (torn ACL in 2020, nagging hamstring issue in 2022), but I think he fits our offense perfectly when paired with Mixon for 2023.
Xavier Hutchinson:
I am copying Paul Dehner Jr's homework on this one, but we need someone to replace Tyler Boyd in 2024 and Xavier Hutchinson is similar to Boyd in a lot of ways. Similar size (6'2" 203 vs Boyd's 6'1" 197), speed (4.53 vs Boyd's 4.58), body control, catch in traffic ability, strength through contact, high volume of receptions (254 for 2929 yards and 15 TD in 3 seasons) with several similar stats coming out of college:
A big bodied slot receiver with great hands and the ability to work through traffic is a great find in the 4th round, if you ask me.
Colby Wooden:
Productive (148 tackles, 15 sacks, 29.5 TFL, 3 FF, 6 PD in 3 seasons), long (6'4", 33 3/4" arms), fast (4.79 40, 9.48 RAS) defensive tackle prospect with experience all over the defensive line who still has room to grow. He's a bit undersized at 278 lbs, but has shown the ability to add good weight over time (started his college career at 230 lbs). He may just be a depth piece or a situational pass rusher in the NFL, but in the 5th round you'll take that.
Cameron Latu:
Versatile tight end (45% in line, 55% detached in formation) who has some upside to develop further as he came into college having never played TE. Converted from DE/OLB in 2018 with just 2 years of starting experience. He was productive in those two years (56 receptions, 787 yards, 12 touchdowns) who was reliable in short yardage situations, with 80.4% of his receptions resulting in first downs, but had occasional issues with drops, 7 in those two seasons. He has shown willingness to block but needs to improve his fundamentals and technique. In the 6th round taking a player with ascending production from a very good program sounds like a great way to fill in the back end of your roster with potential for being a low-end starter sometime down the line (kind of Uzomah).
Juice Scruggs:
The only offensive lineman I took in this draft is a dart throw in the 7th round. Opinions on Juice Scruggs vary widely across multiple platforms, but the consensus always seems to be that he is an average athlete with maximum effort and technique. Depending on how you feel about physical profile vs production, you may rank a player like Scruggs as a 4th round pick or an undrafted free agent. He was a team captain and 2 year starter with center/guard versatility and, while he may be physically limited, he may have the technique, desire and smarts to overcome his limitations.
Throughout the draft, I nailed several of my targets, landing both Spears and Hutchinson in their ideal rounds (3rd and 4th). I took Forbes over Mayer because I think the drop off in the CB class is higher from Forbes to Brents than it is from Mayer to Kraft. Plus, we have never really valued TE that highly. The last 3 years (including 2023), we've valued the TE position at approximately 3 to 6 million per year (Uzomah's previous contract was 3 years, 18.3M, Hayden Hurst was paid 3.5 M and Irv Smith was paid up to 2M). There were relatively cheap upgrades in free agency that we opted not to pursue in Schultz (6.25 M), Gesicki (4.5 M), or Hurst (7.25 M AAV). If we are willing to spend a first round pick on a non-premium position, you'd think we'd be willing to shell out 6M for a top of the line one, but we weren't. I was thrilled to see Kraft remain in the 2nd as well, as he was the last of the tier 1 TEs, in my opinion.
I decided not to address Oline because, honestly, I just don't see the Bengals investing too much more at the position. They signed their big free agent at LT, they have a competition at RT between Jonah, Jackson and La'el. I don't think they add a 4th to that competition unless a great player drops to a value position, like Dawand Jones in the 2nd or Broderick Jones in the 1st. I don't think they take Anton Harrison in the first round either. And, once you get past those top prospects, I'm not sure any Olineman in this draft will compete with Jonah, Jackson and La'el so, at that point, what's the point in spending a pick there? I think LG is a good position to try to upgrade, but the opportunity never really arose in this draft. Either way, I came away with value at each of my picks, in my opinion. We can address RT in 2024 if it is still an issue, as the room is currently pretty crowded in competition.
In case the image doesn't come up (I have been struggling to get images to work on this website recently), This is the draft:
No trades (because MDD's trade proposals are ridiculous)
28: Emmanuel Forbes CB Miss State
60: Tucker Kraft TE South Dakota State
92: Tyjae Spears RB Tulane
131: Xavier Hutchinson WR Iowa State
163: Colby Wooden DT Auburn
206: Cameron Latu TE Alabama
246: Juice Scruggs IOL Penn State
Emmanuel Forbes:
I genuinely believe that, if Forbes weighed 15 more points (~180 lbs), he'd be a top 10 pick and we wouldn't have a shot at him. He has everything you want in a boundary cornerback. He is long (6'1", 32 1/4 inch arms), rangy, athletic (9.27 RAS), fast (4.35 40) and instinctive with elite production (35 PD, 14 interceptions, 6 of which went for a TD in 3 seasons) and has experience in both man and zone coverage schemes. He may jump the occasional route incorrectly, as he's always looking for that turnover, but not being tricked by double moves will come with time in the NFL. He is even great in run defense, always showing a willingness to take on blocks and go after the ball carrier. His weight is his sole concern but it doesn't really show up on tape. He may get blocked out by a TE or OT on occasion, but that would happen to most CBs. He has only officially missed 1 game in his career (granted, he has left a few others mid game), but has had no major injuries in 3 seasons in the SEC. If he could add 15 pounds to his frame (which should be easy being 6'1") and maintain his athleticism, he could be the steal of the draft at the end of the first round. True superstar potential.
Tucker Kraft:
Zac Taylor's comments yesterday said everything you need to know. He doesn't want a big WR at TE. He wants a blocker who can catch. And, along with Michael Mayer, that is Tucker Kraft in a nut shell. He is your classic tight end, with the ability to pass block and run block efficiently while also being a reliable target in the passing game who is capable of running the deep routes (4.62 40 at his pro day, 4.69 at the combine) and breaking tackles after the catch. Despite having the label of "traditional tight end" has also shown he is extremely athletic with a 9.58 RAS, showing off plenty of strength at the bench as well (23 reps). He was also the South Dakota State Power Clean record, so he isn't going to be a "big slot" in the NFL like Kincaid and others like him will be. He isn't the best route runner, had 12 drops in 4 years (compared to 99 receptions) and his level of competition leads to questions about transitioning to the NFL but if we miss out on Mayer in the first (or if we elect not to take him like I did), this is the next best fit for the Bengals, in my opinion.
Tyjae Spears:
Productive (2910 yards on 427 carries with 31 rushing touchdowns, 48 receptions for 564 yards and 3 receiving touchdowns), and great athleticism (8.27 RAS) despite a non-ideal, but not deal breaking, size (5'9" 201 lbs). He is an adept pass catcher and runner who may have the best stop and start acceleration in this draft. He also can absorb contact and stay on his feet, averaging 4.52 yards per carry after contact in 2022. He has shown a willingness to block in pass pro with room to improve and will be very comfortable in the Gio Bernard/Samaje Perine role once he gets some NFL training in technique. He isn't the fastest running back in the draft with just a 4.52 40 yard dash and he will occasionally be caught from behind, and has some injury history that may scare off some teams (torn ACL in 2020, nagging hamstring issue in 2022), but I think he fits our offense perfectly when paired with Mixon for 2023.
Xavier Hutchinson:
I am copying Paul Dehner Jr's homework on this one, but we need someone to replace Tyler Boyd in 2024 and Xavier Hutchinson is similar to Boyd in a lot of ways. Similar size (6'2" 203 vs Boyd's 6'1" 197), speed (4.53 vs Boyd's 4.58), body control, catch in traffic ability, strength through contact, high volume of receptions (254 for 2929 yards and 15 TD in 3 seasons) with several similar stats coming out of college:
The Tyler Boyd-Xavier Hutchinson comp is our new favorite in this class.
— Gridiron Grading (@GridironGrading) April 4, 2023
The size, agilities, and key production metrics are so similar it makes you double take.
He is a big-bodied slot that we think could take over that role for the #Bengals.
Early Day 3 target ? pic.twitter.com/T5jR9LNZ5C
A big bodied slot receiver with great hands and the ability to work through traffic is a great find in the 4th round, if you ask me.
Colby Wooden:
Productive (148 tackles, 15 sacks, 29.5 TFL, 3 FF, 6 PD in 3 seasons), long (6'4", 33 3/4" arms), fast (4.79 40, 9.48 RAS) defensive tackle prospect with experience all over the defensive line who still has room to grow. He's a bit undersized at 278 lbs, but has shown the ability to add good weight over time (started his college career at 230 lbs). He may just be a depth piece or a situational pass rusher in the NFL, but in the 5th round you'll take that.
Cameron Latu:
Versatile tight end (45% in line, 55% detached in formation) who has some upside to develop further as he came into college having never played TE. Converted from DE/OLB in 2018 with just 2 years of starting experience. He was productive in those two years (56 receptions, 787 yards, 12 touchdowns) who was reliable in short yardage situations, with 80.4% of his receptions resulting in first downs, but had occasional issues with drops, 7 in those two seasons. He has shown willingness to block but needs to improve his fundamentals and technique. In the 6th round taking a player with ascending production from a very good program sounds like a great way to fill in the back end of your roster with potential for being a low-end starter sometime down the line (kind of Uzomah).
Juice Scruggs:
The only offensive lineman I took in this draft is a dart throw in the 7th round. Opinions on Juice Scruggs vary widely across multiple platforms, but the consensus always seems to be that he is an average athlete with maximum effort and technique. Depending on how you feel about physical profile vs production, you may rank a player like Scruggs as a 4th round pick or an undrafted free agent. He was a team captain and 2 year starter with center/guard versatility and, while he may be physically limited, he may have the technique, desire and smarts to overcome his limitations.
Throughout the draft, I nailed several of my targets, landing both Spears and Hutchinson in their ideal rounds (3rd and 4th). I took Forbes over Mayer because I think the drop off in the CB class is higher from Forbes to Brents than it is from Mayer to Kraft. Plus, we have never really valued TE that highly. The last 3 years (including 2023), we've valued the TE position at approximately 3 to 6 million per year (Uzomah's previous contract was 3 years, 18.3M, Hayden Hurst was paid 3.5 M and Irv Smith was paid up to 2M). There were relatively cheap upgrades in free agency that we opted not to pursue in Schultz (6.25 M), Gesicki (4.5 M), or Hurst (7.25 M AAV). If we are willing to spend a first round pick on a non-premium position, you'd think we'd be willing to shell out 6M for a top of the line one, but we weren't. I was thrilled to see Kraft remain in the 2nd as well, as he was the last of the tier 1 TEs, in my opinion.
I decided not to address Oline because, honestly, I just don't see the Bengals investing too much more at the position. They signed their big free agent at LT, they have a competition at RT between Jonah, Jackson and La'el. I don't think they add a 4th to that competition unless a great player drops to a value position, like Dawand Jones in the 2nd or Broderick Jones in the 1st. I don't think they take Anton Harrison in the first round either. And, once you get past those top prospects, I'm not sure any Olineman in this draft will compete with Jonah, Jackson and La'el so, at that point, what's the point in spending a pick there? I think LG is a good position to try to upgrade, but the opportunity never really arose in this draft. Either way, I came away with value at each of my picks, in my opinion. We can address RT in 2024 if it is still an issue, as the room is currently pretty crowded in competition.
![[Image: oN5QAdY.png]](https://i.imgur.com/oN5QAdY.png)
