Bengals 7-round Mock:
1st Round, Pick 12: CB Denzel Ward, Ohio State
- Adding Ward to go alongside the breakout star William Jackson III immediately gives the Bengals one of the best CB tandems in the league. Need an OT or LB more, but the Bengals didn't want to reach for an OT and they don't take LB's in round 1, so they go "best available." The Bengals finally have two guys capable of going toe-to-toe with Antonio Brown, which you need if you want to hold the Steelers down for an entire game.
2nd Round, Pick 14: LB Malik Jefferson, Texas
- Still early for the Bengals to draft a LB, but this was a "best available" pick. Pairing Jefferson with Vontez Burfict is perfect for taking on AFC North offenses.
3rd Round, Pick 13: OT Orlando Brown, Oklahoma
- Brown had a miserable combine and fell wayyyyy down the draft board... but he's still a stud at OT, and the Bengals are thrilled that his stock dropped so far. He can plug-and-play at LT, allowing incumbent LT Oubeghi to slide to RT, effectively upgrading two OL positions with one pick.
3rd Round, Pick 36: C Frank Ragnow, Arkansas
- Another plug-and-play starter, an upgrade over incumbent Russell Bodine. The third round could not have been more perfect for Cincy.
4th Round, Pick 12: DL Breeland Speaks, Ole Miss
- Immediate upgrade in the DT depth rotation over the aging Pat Sims. Key piece added in the fourth round that is needed to spell the gargantuan (and easily gassed) Andrew Billings, who plays next to Geno Atkins.
5th Round, Pick 14: LB Shaquem Griffin, UCF
- No way he lasts this long, right? The darling of the combine still slides to the fifth round because execs are prejudiced against dudes with one hand... and the Bengals are again delighted. The LB corps has a new third-down specialist, and potential future 3-down player to go along with Burfict and Jefferson.
5th Round, Pick 33: RB Kalen Ballage, Arizona State
- Another "Best Available" pick, and a really nice backup piece to go with Joe Mixon in a tough AFC North, where you need two *dudes* to run against tough Ravens and Steelers defenses. Allows the Bengals to trade Gio Bernard to the Patriots for future draft picks, because of course Bernard will end up in NE.
6th Round, Pick 13: S Damon Webb, Ohio State
- Much-needed safety depth in the sixth (!) round, and a guy that can be a starter in 3 years when both of the club's starting safeties have expired contracts. Key special teams piece until then.
Round 7, Pick 31: OT David Bright, Stanford
- If you're going to take a late flier on an OT on the slim chance the guy might have the goods, you can do worse than taking that flier on a Stanford guy.
Round 7, Pick 34: OG KJ Malone, LSU
- Another late flier to try and beef up the OL depth. If it works out, great. If not, no harm done.
Round 7, Pick 35: WR Jester Weah, Pitt
- Weah actually has great straight-line speed at 6'4", so if he picks up the offense and can somehow stick around on the roster, that means you got a steal.
