Late March Mock

[*ochocincos*]

It's been over a month since I've posted a mock. The reason was because there were so many holes and I wanted to see how most of FA played out.

Given the Bengals are (nearly) finished with FA at this point, I decided it was about time for another mock.

1) Ja'Marr Chase, WR LSU (6'1", 208 lb) - I'm expecting Sewell gone to either NYJ or MIA. While I would prefer Pitts here, I can definitely understand the appeal for Chase. He was dominant in 2019 as a 19 year old and has the rapport with Burrow already. Chase would also be the fastest WR on the team. Burrow would have three very good pass catchers in Chase, Higgins, and Boyd to work with.

2) Alex Leatherwood, OG/OT, Alabama (6'5", 312 lb) - Versatile OL with great length who can come in as a rookie to hold down the RG position. Once Reiff leaves, Leatherwood could shift over to RT or the Bengals could choose to keep Leatherwood at RG and get a new RT.

3) Payton Turner, DE Houston (6'5", 270 lb) - There are a lot of pass rushers in this draft, and the glut is in the 2-3 round range. At one point, Turner was 290 and playing IDL, but went back down to 270 for his senior season and moved back to edge. He showed more quickness and explosion with this weight loss. He's an ideal size for 4-3 DE and also can play 3-4 DE in hybrid looks due to his experience at Houston. With Hendrickson and Hubbard holding down the starting roles, Turner gets a chance to develop further as part of a rotation.

4) Marlon Tuipulotu, DT USC (6'2", 308 lb) - Versatile IDL who can play both 3T and 1T. Very sound, well-rounded player who wins with leverage. Tuipulotu can rotate with Ogunjobi as a rookie.

5) Josh Imatorbhebhe, WR Illinois (6'2", 215 lb) - Explosive, big, fast, raw. He has good speed for his size and had over a 47" vert. He was the most productive WR at Illinois. I like this guy to back up both outside spots.

6) Alaric Jackson, OL Iowa (6'5", 318 lb) - Played OT at Iowa, but has a severe lack of length to stick outside in the NFL. However, he has the athleticism and ability that he could develop into a good OG.

6-HOU) Tony Fields, LB West Virginia (6'1", 222 lb) - Depth LB who played MIKE in college but projects as a WILL in a 4-3. Athletic and ability to chase down defenders.

7) Tony Poljan, TE Virginia (6'7", 265 lb) - Big TE who used to be a QB. He had steady production at Virginia, putting up 907 yards and 10 TDs on 71 receptions between 2019 and 2020. He's not very fluid or athletic, but he will probably appeal to Taylor as a big blocker who can also be a safety net at TE3.

[*Synric*]

Tony Fields isn't the biggest or fastest linebacker but he just has a natural feel for the position. He looks so fast on tape because he is always near the football.

[BoomerFan]

This one is pretty good. Addresses our needs well, and I think the options will be Chase and Pitts in the first round with Sewell gone. Either work, but given the Burrow connection, that may push Chase over the top.

[*ochocincos*]

(03-24-2021, 04:00 PM)BoomerFan Wrote: This one is pretty good. Addresses our needs well, and I think the options will be Chase and Pitts in the first round with Sewell gone. Either work, but given the Burrow connection, that may push Chase over the top.

Thanks. The way I saw it, the Bengals only had arguably two "needs" to fill, which was 1 pass catcher and 1 starter on OL. With Sewell gone, I felt pass catcher was the better option at 5 and then get an OL in Rd 2. Then all the other picks are rotational/depth pieces.

[*ochocincos*]

(03-24-2021, 03:51 PM)Synric Wrote: Tony Fields isn't the biggest or fastest linebacker but he just has a natural feel for the position. He looks so fast on tape because he is always near the football.

Yep. I expect that Wilson, Pratt, and ADG are the planned primary LBs, so I just was trying to find a depth piece. Knowing Anarumo likes athletic guys, I thought Fields was a good fit.

[Whatever]

I like it overall. I would personally double dip at OL before DL, but this addresses a lot of needs with good prospects.

[*ochocincos*]

(03-24-2021, 10:04 PM)Whatever Wrote: I like it overall.  I would personally double dip at OL before DL, but this addresses a lot of needs with good prospects.

I went DL in Rds 3 and 4 because they need more than Hubbard and Hendrickson outside. I don't think Kareem becomes anything more than a career backup. I wanted to get another DT since Ogunjobi was only on a one-year deal and DT performance was terrible last year with all the injuries.

If the Bengals got another pass rusher and/or pass catcher in FA, I'd be more willing to replace pass catcher or DE with OL.

[oncemoreuntothejimbreech]

The first two picks may be the best case scenario for the Bengals.

[bengaloo]

I would be happy with this draft.

[Storer50]

Too heavy on dl.

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[BengalsFanRealist2855]

Realistic