bfirst Draft (2025)

[*bfine32*]

RD1/PK1-TITANS: ABDUL CARTER/ ED

RD1/PK2-BROWNS: TRAVIS HUNTER/CB/ WR

RD1/PK3-GIANTS: SHEDUER SANDERS/ QB

RD1/PK4-PATRIOTS: WILL CAMPBELL/ OT

RD1/PK5-JAGUARS: WILL JOHNSON/ CB

RD1/PK6-RAIDERS: CAM WARD/ QB

RD1/PK7-JETS: MASON GRAHAM/DT

RD1/PK8-PANTHERS: TETAIROA MCMILLIAN/ WR

RD1/PK9-: SAINTS: MYKEL WILLIAMS /DE

RD1/PK10- BEARS: JOSH SIMMONS/ OT

RD1/PK11- 49ERS:  KELVIN BANKS/ OT

RD1/PK12-COWBOYS: ASHTON JEANTY/ RB

RD1/PK13: DOLPHINS: MALIKI SPARKS/ FS

RD1/PK14: COLTS: SHAVON REVEL/ CB

RD1/PK15: FALCONS: JAMES PIERCE/ DE

RD1/PK16- CARDINALS: WALTER NOLAN/ DT

RD1/PK17: BENGALS: JALON WALKER/ LB (6’2/245)


Al Golden likes a 4-2-5 and asks a lot of his LBs, Walker is possibly the best Defensive Player in this draft, but he falls because many consider his primary position as off-the-ball LB. But that was also a knock on Micah Parsons coming out. Golden got 8 sacks out of his LBs at UND last year and made Jack Kiser one of the best LBs in the nation.

We can save about $6 Mil by letting Pratt walk this year and $4 Mil next year if Wilson continues his fragility. Every writeup you read on Walker mentions his outstanding character,


RD2: TATE RUTLEDGE/ OG (6’6”/320)


The Mulleted-Mauler is ready to step in at RG today. He’s an experienced o-lineman from the same oline that gave us Mims. Great character were words associated with our 1st RD pick Nasty and intense are words associated with Tate,

If you’re looking for a player who can flex out to OT, look elsewhere. If you looking for a franchise OG for the next 10 years, look here


RD3: JORDAN BURCH/ DE (6’6”/290)


Burch is someone who I am much higher on than most. If we took him in the 1st I wouldn’t be mad, if we took him in the 2nd I’d be happy. But most projections have him as day 3 and that’s where I’m taking him.

Burch is a huge DE who lives in the opponent’s backfield. Negatives are, that he’s done it this far by physical dominance alone, but most feel he won’t have that at the next level. I could also see a role as a fullback for JB  


RD4: RICKY WHITE III/WR (6’0”/ 179)


RW3 is the opposite of the WR we took late in the 3rd last year. RW is known for his work ethic and high-character. Despite going over 1,000 receiving yards in each of the past 2-season and meaning Mountain West Receiver of the Year honors, this Team Captian found time to also earn MW Special Teams player of the year



RD5: TERRENCE FURGUSON/ TE (6’5”/245)

Good-sized TE with the ability to play at all 3 levels (H-Back, In-line, downfield). Fergie never quite lived up to the hype in college, here’s to hoping he surpasses it in the Pros, I look at TF and I see George Kittle


RD6: HOWARD CROSS III/ DT (6’1”/288)


We throw Golden a bone with our last pick giving him one of his own. Howie is under-sized for a DT, but does have strong NFL bloodlines. Doesn’t seem all that long ago that we took another undersized DT in the 4th RD out of UGA

[Luvnit2]

I like your draft. If Burch is there in round 3, I would run to the podium if Duke and grab him.

[*Synric*]

Bengals need the Mulllet.


12 pressures & 1 sack in 2 years. The sack was against Jared Ivey this season in Ratledge's first game back from injury.

[sandwedge]

I love picks 2,3 and 6. I hadn't thought of a LB in round 1. I think I would prefer a DT, but all in all a good draft!

[*bfine32*]

(02-08-2025, 03:39 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: I like your draft. If Burch is there in round 3, I would run to the podium if Duke and grab him.

I agree but many mocks I see have him there in the 3rd. IDK if injury concerns or folks thinking he'll have to move inside are dropping him. Who ya gonna get: Reggie White of Shawn Oakman

(02-08-2025, 04:03 PM)Synric Wrote: Bengals need the Mulllet.


12 pressures & 1 sack in 2 years. The sack was against Jared Ivey this season in Ratledge's first game back from injury.

I mentioned earlier I wouldn't be mad taking him at 17. I'm not a "trade down" guy, but in this instance I'd consider it

(02-08-2025, 09:32 PM)sandwedge Wrote: I love picks 2,3 and 6. I hadn't thought of a LB in round 1. I think I would prefer a DT, but all in all a good draft!

I liked Walker. Golden becoming our DC has made me love Walker

[Clark W Griswold]

I like it but i was not sure about taking a LB in the first round. However, it sounds like Walker can rush/cover/tackle so that would be a great help for a defense that needs help with everything. It’s one of the reasons why I would love Starks to fall to the Bengals. I think they would really benefit from getting a versatile player that can help in multiple areas.

I also like getting a stud G early but found it interesting to see Bleacher Report’s NFL comp for Ratledge is Clint Boling…

[SunsetBengal]

(02-09-2025, 01:00 PM)Clark W Griswold Wrote: I like it but i was not sure about taking a LB in the first round. However, it sounds like Walker can rush/cover/tackle so that would be a great help for a defense that needs help with everything.  It’s one of the reasons why I would love Starks to fall to the Bengals. I think they would really benefit from getting a versatile player that can help in multiple areas.

I also like getting a stud G early but found it interesting to see Bleacher Report’s NFL comp for Ratledge is Clint Boling…

To the best of my memory, the Bengals haven't taken a LB in the 1st round since... Keith Rivers

It was sad how things turned out for Rivers; If the team does elect to take Walker, let's hope his story goes a little more smoothly.

[Whatever]

(02-09-2025, 02:24 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: To the best of my memory, the Bengals haven't taken a LB in the 1st round since... Keith Rivers

It was sad how things turned out for Rivers; If the team does elect to take Walker, let's hope his story goes a little more smoothly.

At least Rivers turned out better than Pollack... ironically another LB/Edge hybrid out of Georgia.

[Whatever]

LB in the first is kinda meh,both due to positional value and the fact that both starters are under contract.  However, I can get behind Walker as a pure BPA pick and eventual Pratt replacement.

Hate to say this, but Ratledge is your typical Mock Draft forum pick.  Oversized, limited athletically, and will wind up being a worse Pro than a college player because of it.  With as bad as our OL is athletically compared to the rest of the league, I feel any early OL pick needs to be working towards improving that, not just falling in with the status quo.  Plus, another pick with poor positional value early.  Walker was probably BPA, so I can get wit that, but Ratledge will be nowhere close.

Really like Burch in the 3rd, though he is a bit of a tweener.  DL finally gets some help, there.  

Day 3 is pretty solid, though are you seeing Burch as a 3 tech primarily?  Cuz Cross would be a second undersized 3 tech if that's the case.

[coachmcneil71]

Great analysis of the top of the first rd. I dig this draft for the most part.

[Goalpost]

I'm a fan of Walker and I'm curious how he tests at the combine.

One guy who seems to be a riser at the moment is Armand Membou. He is a tackle who might be undersized ,but seems to be appearing in round 1 as a guard in some mocks.

[Clark W Griswold]

(02-09-2025, 02:47 PM)Whatever Wrote: At least Rivers turned out better than Pollack... ironically another LB/Edge hybrid out of Georgia.

I think Pollack would have been a good NFL player but just had a freak injury
And that injury had a major impact on the Bengals because from what I remember they were heading towards a 3-4 look. I believe Marvin wanted to go in that direction with Pollack being his main OLB in the Kevin Greene/Suggs mold. The injury killed that idea.

Who knows how that would have turned out but I don’t think Pollack was a bad pick just bad luck.

The team doesn’t really pick old school LBs that high any more but I think Walkers ability to rush makes him more like a Pollack pick than a Rivers pick.

[3wt]

I'm a fan:

I wanted one of the big uglies in round one (Grant, Booker), but Walker is going to be a stud, and I loved the way KC's linebackers impacted last night.

Love Ratledge. Stats are really good, he's mean, finishes and does well (reportedly) against the bull rush.

I'd love to have seen Mitchell Evans in the 4th, but I don't think he makes it that far.

I'm also a fan of Ty Robinson out of Nebraska. He would set the edge well and put pressure from the edge.


But I'd be very happy with this draft.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

Tate Rutledge and Jordan Burch on the Bengals? Sign me up and Jalon Walker makes sense now with the Al Golden hire. Good job Bfine.