Mock Draft heavy on defense

[Bengalstripes9]

I had some time this morning and used the nfl mock draft database simulator for the following:


Rd 1: Edge: Jalen Walker, Georgia

Rd 2: LB: Jihaad Campbell, Alabama

Rd 3: CB: Denzel Burke, Ohio State

Rd 4: OT: earnest Greene, Georgia

Rd 5: safety: Jaylen Reed, penn state

Rd 7: DT: Simeon Barrow Jr, Miami



We need a good edge alongside Tre for more pressure to elevate the defense.

Also need to add more depth at corner and hopefully add a good starting corner (wouldn’t mind getting this in FA).

We need stronger tackling and run support on defense and all these picks should provide that. DT Simione is said to be great against the run but is undersized and not the best pass rusher—he does have two blocks though so he could be good rotationally and in special teams.

I would have liked to add more olineman but there wasn’t good value other than the OT pick which adds depth. Would also have liked to add a premier DT but we just invested heavy there last offseason and I’m not giving up on those players yet.

[Bengalstripes9]

Don’t know a ton about these players.

If Walker isn’t a fit there were other options along the dline in round 1.

I’m hoping for a solid corner or dlineman in Round 1

[*ochocincos*]

I don't know how well Walker would hold up as a hand-in-the-dirt full-time 4-3 DE, but he might be a fit as a 4-3 LB who rushes the passer a lot, as he can also run down ball carriers. That might be of value in a conference with Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen.

[BFritz21]

Campbell is a hell of an athlete and is great against the pass and making plays, but he can't shed blockers and/or stop the run, which is what we need, especially since our defensive line isn't looking too strong at the moment.

[SunsetBengal]

(02-04-2025, 08:08 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: Campbell is a hell of an athlete and is great against the pass and making plays, but he can't shed blockers and/or stop the run, which is what we need, especially since our defensive line isn't looking too strong at the moment.

He'll likely be a good pass rushing DE for a 3-4 team.

[Bengalstripes9]

(02-03-2025, 08:18 PM)ochocincos Wrote: I don't know how well Walker would hold up as a hand-in-the-dirt full-time 4-3 DE, but he might be a fit as a 4-3 LB who rushes the passer a lot, as he can also run down ball carriers. That might be of value in a conference with Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen.

What do you think of Mykel Williams?

He's another one that comes up half the time on the simulator.

What about the top ranked safety? Seems like he's always gone when I pick but he's rated highly.

Is there a corner worth taking?

[Bengalstripes9]

(02-04-2025, 08:08 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: Campbell is a hell of an athlete and is great against the pass and making plays, but he can't shed blockers and/or stop the run, which is what we need, especially since our defensive line isn't looking too strong at the moment.

Yeah he's probably not a good fit.

What about Tyleik Williams (DT) or Azareye'h Thomas (CB) or a guard?

[Bengalstripes9]

Take 2:

(1) Edge Mykel Williams (georgia)
(2) Corner Azareye'h Thomas (Florida state)
(3) Guard Tate Ratledge (georgia)
(4) Guard Dylan Fairchild (georgia)
(5) DL Dylan Phillips (maryland)
(7) Edge Saivan Jones (LSU)

[*ochocincos*]

(02-05-2025, 02:31 PM)Bengalstripes9 Wrote: What do you think of Mykel Williams?

He's another one that comes up half the time on the simulator.

What about the top ranked safety? Seems like he's always gone when I pick but he's rated highly.

Is there a corner worth taking?

MW is someone along the same lines as Shemar Stewart, who may be higher boom-or-bust for me.

Who is the top ranked safety in the simulator you are using?
I can't see going Top 10, but potentially first one in the teens, or early 20's conservatively.
That's kinda the problem with picking later in the rounds. There will always be that risk of a person being taken before you pick.

Depending on where they end up actually getting taken, I could see Will Johnson (CB Michigan) and Shavon Revel Jr (CB East Carolina) being guys Golden may want.
If Golden trying to run more of a press scheme like he did at ND, Revel's size, athleticism, and playstyle could fit in well.
Revel does play in a G5 conference though, so there may be some concerns of level of competition, but we saw how good Sauce Gardner has been with NYJ since coming out of UC, who was also playing in the American conference at the time.

I think with all the defensive talent though, defense has to be the route they go in Rd 1, or possibly pass catcher if they didn't address it well in FA and need to replace Gesicki/Higgins. If so, I'd be looking toward Tyler Warren (TE Penn St), Colston Loveland (TE Michigan), or Emeka Egbuka (WR Ohio St).

[BFritz21]

(02-05-2025, 02:38 PM)Bengalstripes9 Wrote: Yeah he's probably not a good fit.

What about Tyleik Williams (DT) or Azareye'h Thomas (CB) or a guard?

I'd love Williams and I think he'd be perfect for us, and I'm talking about game changing.

He can bullrush, shed blocks, or just stand up blockers and clog up the line.

I'd love to see what Montgomery can do with him in both of their first years here and I think he'd help solve a lot of our problems.

I think Thomas could be good but I wouldn't spend that early of a pick on him and I've been preaching that we need to fix the interior offensive line but I'm actually hoping we do that in free agency just to make sure we get the best protection for Burrow.

[Bengalstripes9]

One more:

(1) Safety, Malaki Starks (georgia)
(2) Left Guard, Donovan Jackson (ohio state)
(3) Corner, Denzel Burke (ohio state)
(4) Edge, Saivion Jones (lsu)
(5) DL, Jordan Phillips (maryland)
(7) OT, Jack Nelson (wisconsin)

[Bengalstripes9]

(02-05-2025, 03:03 PM)ochocincos Wrote: MW is someone along the same lines as Shemar Stewart, who may be higher boom-or-bust for me.

Who is the top ranked safety in the simulator you are using?
I can't see going Top 10, but potentially first one in the teens, or early 20's conservatively.
That's kinda the problem with picking later in the rounds. There will always be that risk of a person being taken before you pick.

Depending on where they end up actually getting taken, I could see Will Johnson (CB Michigan) and Shavon Revel Jr (CB East Carolina) being guys Golden may want.
If Golden trying to run more of a press scheme like he did at ND, Revel's size, athleticism, and playstyle could fit in well.
Revel does play in a G5 conference though, so there may be some concerns of level of competition, but we saw how good Sauce Gardner has been with NYJ since coming out of UC, who was also playing in the American conference at the time.

I think with all the defensive talent though, defense has to be the route they go in Rd 1, or possibly pass catcher if they didn't address it well in FA and need to replace Gesicki/Higgins. If so, I'd be looking toward Tyler Warren (TE Penn St), Colston Loveland (TE Michigan), or Emeka Egbuka (WR Ohio St).

Malaki Starks is ranked 13 overall in the similator (mock draft database).

Don't know much about him but he's picked ahead of me 90% of the time.
Seems odd because safeties usually drop, but it is a sim.

[Bengalstripes9]

Okay, I had to do one more and this one had the top RB in the draft fall to me (probably unlikely).

(1) Ashton Jeanty RB, Boise State
(2) Tyleik Williams DL, Ohio State
(3) Tate Ratledge IOL, Georgia
(4) Dylan Fairchild IOL, Gerogia
(5) Saivion Jones Edge, LSU
(6) Jack Nelson OT, WI

[*ochocincos*]

(02-05-2025, 03:08 PM)Bengalstripes9 Wrote: Malaki Starks is ranked 13 overall in the similator (mock draft database).

Don't know much about him but he's picked ahead of me 90% of the time.
Seems odd because safeties usually drop, but it is a sim.

This is why teams have their own big board - situations like this. (I know you know this)

If you know going in you need/want, for example, a DE, DT, SAF, CB, WR, you don't just take the highest guy at that specific position you want.
You have multiple plans such that well if I was really wanting a safety and Starks is off the board, maybe pivot to a CB or DL if they are rated much higher than the next safety and look to take a safety in a subsequent round.

We don't want a repeat of 2018 where the Bengals (supposedly) had Ragnow's name ready to select and he gets taken right before, so they just take the next C available in Billy Price because they desperately needed a C.

[*Synric*]

I get the Jalen Walker hype but I think I'd rather have Josaiah Stewart in the 3rd. He's the better pass rusher.

[kalibengal]

(02-05-2025, 02:38 PM)Bengalstripes9 Wrote: Yeah he's probably not a good fit.

What about Tyleik Williams (DT) or Azareye'h Thomas (CB) or a guard?

Nic Scourton Rd 1 anybody?
great measurables and productive

[Bengalstripes9]

(02-05-2025, 03:25 PM)ochocincos Wrote: This is why teams have their own big board - situations like this. (I know you know this)

If you know going in you need/want, for example, a DE, DT, SAF, CB, WR, you don't just take the highest guy at that specific position you want.
You have multiple plans such that well if I was really wanting a safety and Starks is off the board, maybe pivot to a CB or DL if they are rated much higher than the next safety and look to take a safety in a subsequent round.

We don't want a repeat of 2018 where the Bengals (supposedly) had Ragnow's name ready to select and he gets taken right before, so they just take the next C available in Billy Price because they desperately needed a C.

Yeah I guess that’s what I was trying to do is figure out who those top players are that they would consider.

They could really go a number of ways: dline, corner, safety, G/T.

It would be ideal to get a legit player on defense in rd one and another in round two or three as well.