First 5-rd 2017 mock draft!

[*ochocincos*]

Too early for 2017 mock drafts? Of course. But they are fun, so here goes a very early five-round mock for the Bengals with no compensatory picks.

1: DeMarcus Walker, DE Florida St (6'3", 281 lb) - A power 4-3 DE that has proven to get after the passer, tallying 10.5 sacks in 2015 and poised for another big year. The Bengals need an edge rusher to go with Dunlap and MJ, and Walker fits the bill.

2: Dan Voltz, C/OG Wisconsin (6'3", 302 lb) - Bodine has struggled so far, Zeitler enters a contract year, and Westerman has never taken a snap at center before. While I hope that Zeitler stays and either Bodine or Westerman emerges as a good starting center, I have my doubts. So I went with a good center prospect from a school well known for churning out good offensive linemen.

3: Stacy Coley, WR/RS Miami (6'1", 187 lb) - Brandon LaFell is a one-year rental, Boyd is likely more of a Houshmandzadeh style player who will thrive in the slot and occasionally line up outside, and Core is raw. Enter Coley, who is a blazer with enough size to stay outside. He's also an accomplished return specialist, which is a bonus.

4: Riley Bullough, LB Michigan St (6'2", 230 lb) - Many may recognize Riley's last name, as his older brother Max entered the NFL in 2014 after being the leader of a stout Michigan St defense. Riley also has that fiery leadership, described as being a controlled animal on the field. He's more athletic than Max, can hit, and stuff the run. With Maualuga and Burfict both entering their final seasons in 2017, Bullough would be a good selection to groom as a future MIKE and leader of the defense.

5: Shock Linwood, RB Baylor (5'8", 200 lb) - Linwood is a very similar runner to Gio Bernard, demonstrating outstanding lateral agility and speed to thrive on outside runs. While I expect the Bengals to re-sign Bernard in the 2017 offseason, the Bengals may lose Burkhead and/or Peerman. It'd be nice to have a backup RB with the same explosiveness that Bernard has.