Mock Draft 2.0

[WhoDeyK]

Round 1 Derrick Harmon DT Oregon 6"4" 313lbs Age 21

I hate Cam Heyward but it’s mostly because the guy plays for the wrong team. Watching Harmon's tape, it’s no surprise when he says he models his game after him. Tough, physical and relentless. He's also one of the few clean prospects that is likely to be available in round 1 and in my opinion a great building block for a defense that needs nearly a complete makeover. Harmon would immediately become our best defensive tackle and provide a pass rushing threat outside of Trey Hendrickson. 

Round 2 Xavier Watts S Notre Dame 6'0" 204lbs Age 23

Al Golden continues the defensive rebuild selecting a guy who he is very familiar with. Hot take but I have Xavier Watts as Safety #1 in this class.  A very popular 2nd round mock projection for the Bengals and its easy to see why. Beyond his familiarity with our new Defensive Coordinator, Xavier Watts is the definition of a Free Safety. Rangy with good instincts and playmaking ability, he would give the Bengals the first Safety since Jessie Bates that you can truly trust to patrol the deep middle of the field. 

Round 3 Ashton Gillotte DE Louisville 6'3" 264lbs Age 22

Put on Gillotte's tape and you'll see someone who just doesn't quit. He is flying under the radar in this loaded draft class but is quickly becoming one of my favorite potential third round picks. He is someone who could provide valuable snaps in a rotation and could, to the surprise of many, challenge Murphy and Ossai right out of the gate. 

Round 4 Dylan Fairchild G Georgia 6'5" 318lbs Age 21

I know many would prefer a guard earlier and honestly I would too but I wanted to do a Defensive focused mock and see what our options looked like if we didn't grab a Guard till day 3. While not ideal, limited picks mean that some position will have to wait until later than expected. All that said, Fairchild would be a good pick in Round 4. A wrestling background and a physical play style, Fairchild could help improve the interior and keep Burrow clean in the pocket. 

Round 5 Hollin Pierce OT Rutgers 6'8" 341lbs Age 24

A great story and a personal favorite, Hollin Pierce would provide the Oline with additional flexibility due to his swing tackle potential. This would give us more depth as right now Cody Ford is the first "tackle" off the bench and is apparently also part of the starting guard competition. 

Round 6 Jackson Woodard LB UNLV 6'2" 234lbs Age 22

One of my absolute favorite linebackers who is getting very little attention. While this pick would likely be Jack Kiser (if available) I had to do one mock featuring Woodard who has a great feel for the game and could greatly outplay his draft position.