- By Mike Wilson
- mwilson@profootballtechs.com
Latest Bengals Mock Draft
This is the latest Mock Draft for the Cincinnati Bengals
Round 1 Pick 28: OT Anton Harrison – Oklahoma
Anton Harrison will help the Bengals out at tackle with good speed to pick up the edge rush. Harrison only gave up 4 sacks in 3 years at Oklahoma. He played consistently at the college level and will be a very good pass protector for the Bengals.
From Lance Zierlein (NFL Analyst): Collegiate left tackle with good size and length, but average athletic traits. Harrison is self-aware and does a nice job of utilizing his strengths to mask his weaknesses. He has a feel for pocket depth and uses his length and an inside-out approach to get the job done, but NFL speed could have him scrambling without help. Harrison lacks the pop and drive of a plus run blocker and is better at neutralizing opponents with proper positioning. There are some limitations athletically and it won’t always look fluid, but Harrison has the demeanor and football savvy to get the job done as a starter in time.
Round 2 Overall Pick 60: CB Garrett Williams – Syracuse
Garrett Williams will help the Bengals secondary. Williams has excellent ball skills and good hands. Opposing QBs in college avoided throwing towards Williams when they could.
From Lance Zierlein (NFL Analyst): Outside cornerback with the footwork/athleticism to match routes with good balance and smooth transitions. Williams possesses average size but can be a willing tackler when the opportunity arises. He can mirror and match the release but is inconsistent playing with his back to the quarterback. On the flip side, he’s instinctive and twitchy from zone and off-man but must become more aggressive at attacking passing lanes rather than playing the man. He suffered an ACL tear in October 2022, but if his pre-draft medical exams check out, he could go in the middle rounds and have a chance to become a CB3.
NFL Comparison: Emmanuel Moseley
Round 3 Overall Pick 92: CB Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson – TCU
The Bengals add another corner here, and they will feel very confident with their secondary heading into the 2023 season.
From Lance Zierlein (NFL Analyst): Hodges-Tomlinson possesses the athletic profile and ball production to become a starting nickel back. He uses aggression and explosiveness to help overcome his size deficiency. He’s twitchy and sudden to press and hound receivers underneath. However, he needs to trust his technique instead of defaulting to excessive crowding and hand-fighting that turns into penalties. He’s fully accepting of his run-support responsibilities and is generally solid in that area. Hodges-Tomlinson will face occasional size mismatches, but he’s more than capable of holding his own over the course of a season.
NFL Comparison: Duke Shelley
Round 4 Overall Pick 131: ED K.J. Henry – Clemson
This is value Edge Rusher pick at this position. Henry will provide the Bengals a nice boost in pass rushing from the Edge.
From Lance Zierlein (NFL Analyst): Highly athletic edge defender with good size. Henry has upfield burst, but he tends to be a face-up rusher and will need to improve his hand usage for more effective corner turns. He can be dynamic when twisting and blitzing as a moveable piece around the defensive front and he does a nice job of setting up a buttery smooth inside rush that is often too quick for tackles. He can dart and disrupt as a one-gapper with his hand in the ground but has more trouble than expected in setting firm edges as a run defender. Henry’s strengths and weaknesses are well-defined, with the upside to become a starter.
NFL Comparison: Lorenzo Carter
Round 5 Overall Pick 164: G Chandler Zavala – North Carolina State
This pick will be all about protecting Burrow. Zavala is a 6-foot-5 Guard that plays with good leverage. He moves quickly for his size and is coordinated. He is a consistently good run and pass blocker, and he will help improve the Bengals OL.
