- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 459,374
- Reaction score
- 44
The long wait is over. The speculation is over. Final mock drafts are in. Thursday, we find out who becomes the newest member of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Before the real event happens, we're going to take one last look at some of the top mocks, 20 to be exact, and see what names are being connected to the Bengals at No. 17.
"Nolen would be a high-energy option to boost the interior pass rush with Mike Green gone. Had James Pearce penciled in here for some time too."
"It's hard to find an area on defense that isn't an issue for Cincinnati, especially with uncertainty still surrounding Trey Hendrickson's future. With or without Hendrickson, the Bengals are desperate for more pass-rush help. Nolen could help from the interior, given his combination of power and an explosive first step."
"A source told me not to overthink the Bengals' draft plans, saying, "They have to get a rusher." Stewart is a toolsy player with high upside who could eventually replace Trey Hendrickson."
RELATED: Cincinnati Bengals final 7-round NFL mock draft
"This pick has to be defense, right? Well … it might be, but dropping Booker on this offensive line to stabilize the interior and protect Joe Burrow would have to be appealing for Cincinnati."
“A lot of people have him in the top-10, and I had him still sitting here, so I didn’t feel like I could pass on him any longer. I think one of the problems the Bengals had last year was that they didn’t have a pass-rusher outside of Trey Hendrickson.”
"Some have suggested Walter Nolen could be off the board by this point, so that will be worth monitoring. If he makes it to this spot, it would be a no-brainer for the Bengals to select him. Despite having B.J. Hill and Kris Jenkins Jr., the addition of Nolen gives them a versatile and violent interior defender who has the desired tools to be developed."
"There’s a great Bengals collective that nailed Amarius Mims and Myles Murphy as first round picks. They put their heads together and came up with Shemar Stewart. Who am I to question them?"
"The "clear cut" candidates according to Bengals' experts Joe Goodberry and Jake Liscow are Kelvin Banks (gone), Derrick Harmon (medicals), and Nolen. Cincy needs more pass-rush juice and have invested far more into edge than on the interior. Nolen's first step juice is arguably the best in the class as long as the motor and strength check out. They had him in for an official visit."
"The Bengals can address interior offensive line on Day 2 of this draft. In this slot they go for talent at another need with Harmon, who is an extremely disruptive interior presence."
"The Bengals can address interior offensive line on Day 2 of this draft. In this slot they go for talent at another need with Harmon, who is an extremely disruptive interior presence"
"Pearce’s ability to effortlessly navigate around offensive tackles would perfectly complement Aidan Hutchinson’s skills, creating a formidable pass-rushing duo for the Detroit Lions and establishing them as a dominant force."
"The fastest player in this draft class is turning a lot of heads. Bengals are dazzled by speed (see: John Ross)."
"The Bengals need defense—plain and simple. Harmon had a standout season at Oregon in his lone year with the program. With powerful hands, long arms, and an explosive ability to shed blocks, he consistently disrupted plays from the interior.
"He led all FBS interior defensive linemen in quarterback pressures last season, and would instantly upgrade Cincinnati’s pass rush from the inside."
"Cincinnati and Trey Hendrickson have yet to hammer out that extension they've been talking about.
"Even if the deal ends up getting done, the Bengals need more juice from the pass rush. Green has one of the most robust pass rush arsenals in the class."
"Ezeiruaku is a skilled pass rusher with some similarities to Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson, whose future with the team remains murky."
"When the Bengals were playing their best on defense in recent years, they were strong down the middle. Starks is a sideline-to-sideline playmaker from center field."
"The Bengals will shop for another pass rusher at some point, but it's a deep draft class at that position. The priority is to protect Joe Burrow, and Zabel is a natural fit with guard/center flexibility."
"There's a case to be made for taking more of an edge defender, but the Bengals need help inside. Harmon is a multi-technique DL who can disrupt from the interior."
"Stewart still needs some development, but he's athletic and could generate strong sack numbers, especially if Trey Hendrickson sticks around, setting the rookie up to feed off the veteran's presence."
"Williams is just 20 years old and he's just figuring out how to play the position. He's going to get a lot better, and at 6-foot-5, 260 pounds, he already looks the part. It's just a matter of putting it all together."
Out of these 20 mocks, here are the tallies:
RELATED: Bengals trade scenarios in 2025 NFL draft
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals mock drafts: Forming a consensus with 20 mocks
Continue reading...
Before the real event happens, we're going to take one last look at some of the top mocks, 20 to be exact, and see what names are being connected to the Bengals at No. 17.
Jeff Risdon, Draft Wire: Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
"Nolen would be a high-energy option to boost the interior pass rush with Mike Green gone. Had James Pearce penciled in here for some time too."
Field Yates, ESPN: Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
"It's hard to find an area on defense that isn't an issue for Cincinnati, especially with uncertainty still surrounding Trey Hendrickson's future. With or without Hendrickson, the Bengals are desperate for more pass-rush help. Nolen could help from the interior, given his combination of power and an explosive first step."
Matt Miller, ESPN: Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M
"A source told me not to overthink the Bengals' draft plans, saying, "They have to get a rusher." Stewart is a toolsy player with high upside who could eventually replace Trey Hendrickson."
RELATED: Cincinnati Bengals final 7-round NFL mock draft
Dane Brugler, The Athletic: Tyler Booker, OG, Alabama
"This pick has to be defense, right? Well … it might be, but dropping Booker on this offensive line to stabilize the interior and protect Joe Burrow would have to be appealing for Cincinnati."
Cris Collinsworth, Pro Football Focus: Jalon Walker, EDGE, Georgia
“A lot of people have him in the top-10, and I had him still sitting here, so I didn’t feel like I could pass on him any longer. I think one of the problems the Bengals had last year was that they didn’t have a pass-rusher outside of Trey Hendrickson.”
Russell Brown, FantasyPros: Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
"Some have suggested Walter Nolen could be off the board by this point, so that will be worth monitoring. If he makes it to this spot, it would be a no-brainer for the Bengals to select him. Despite having B.J. Hill and Kris Jenkins Jr., the addition of Nolen gives them a versatile and violent interior defender who has the desired tools to be developed."
Josh Norris, Underdog Fantasy: Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M
"There’s a great Bengals collective that nailed Amarius Mims and Myles Murphy as first round picks. They put their heads together and came up with Shemar Stewart. Who am I to question them?"
Hayden Winks, Underdog Fantasy: Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
"The "clear cut" candidates according to Bengals' experts Joe Goodberry and Jake Liscow are Kelvin Banks (gone), Derrick Harmon (medicals), and Nolen. Cincy needs more pass-rush juice and have invested far more into edge than on the interior. Nolen's first step juice is arguably the best in the class as long as the motor and strength check out. They had him in for an official visit."
Connor Rogers, NBC Sports: Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
"The Bengals can address interior offensive line on Day 2 of this draft. In this slot they go for talent at another need with Harmon, who is an extremely disruptive interior presence."
Mike Florio, NBC Sports: Tyler Booker, OG, Alabama
Brentley Weissman, Pro Football and Sports Network: Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall
"The Bengals can address interior offensive line on Day 2 of this draft. In this slot they go for talent at another need with Harmon, who is an extremely disruptive interior presence"
"Pearce’s ability to effortlessly navigate around offensive tackles would perfectly complement Aidan Hutchinson’s skills, creating a formidable pass-rushing duo for the Detroit Lions and establishing them as a dominant force."
Sam Farmer, LA Times: Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky
"The fastest player in this draft class is turning a lot of heads. Bengals are dazzled by speed (see: John Ross)."
Ari Meirov, The 33rd Team: Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
"The Bengals need defense—plain and simple. Harmon had a standout season at Oregon in his lone year with the program. With powerful hands, long arms, and an explosive ability to shed blocks, he consistently disrupted plays from the interior.
"He led all FBS interior defensive linemen in quarterback pressures last season, and would instantly upgrade Cincinnati’s pass rush from the inside."
Kyle Crabbs, The 33rd Team: Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall
"Cincinnati and Trey Hendrickson have yet to hammer out that extension they've been talking about.
"Even if the deal ends up getting done, the Bengals need more juice from the pass rush. Green has one of the most robust pass rush arsenals in the class."
Daniel Jeremiah, NFL Media: Donovan Ezeiuraku, EDGE, Boston College
"Ezeiruaku is a skilled pass rusher with some similarities to Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson, whose future with the team remains murky."
Charles Davis, NFL Media: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
"When the Bengals were playing their best on defense in recent years, they were strong down the middle. Starks is a sideline-to-sideline playmaker from center field."
Lance Zierlein, NFL Media: Grey Zabel, OG, North Dakota State
"The Bengals will shop for another pass rusher at some point, but it's a deep draft class at that position. The priority is to protect Joe Burrow, and Zabel is a natural fit with guard/center flexibility."
Eric Edholm, NFL Media: Derrick Harmon, DT, Georgia
"There's a case to be made for taking more of an edge defender, but the Bengals need help inside. Harmon is a multi-technique DL who can disrupt from the interior."
Bucky Brooks, NFL Media: Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M
"Stewart still needs some development, but he's athletic and could generate strong sack numbers, especially if Trey Hendrickson sticks around, setting the rookie up to feed off the veteran's presence."
Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports: Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia
"Williams is just 20 years old and he's just figuring out how to play the position. He's going to get a lot better, and at 6-foot-5, 260 pounds, he already looks the part. It's just a matter of putting it all together."
Out of these 20 mocks, here are the tallies:
- Walter Nolen - 4
- Derrick Harmon - 3
- Shemar Stewart - 3
- Tyler Booker - 2
- Mike Green - 2
- Donovan Ezeiuraku - 1
- Maxwell Hairston - 1
- Malaki Starks - 1
- Jalon Walker - 1
- Mykel Williams - 1
- Grey Zabel - 1
RELATED: Bengals trade scenarios in 2025 NFL draft
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Bengals mock drafts: Forming a consensus with 20 mocks
Continue reading...
