That might be a good reason to use that first pick on an elite option at a position not viewed as “premium.” The strategy seemed to work out well in a full mock draft compiled by selecting the Bengals’ six picks from PFF.com’s mock draft simulator -- emphasizing players of positional value and need more than randomness and using the public board.
Here are the results:
FIRST ROUND: PICK 17
Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
PFF.com gave this pick an “A-minus,” with its “mock draft assistant” noting that Marshall defensive end Mike Green, who was next on the big board, would have filled a bigger need. However, there’s a lot to like about Starks, and he would almost certainly be a Day 1 starter over the inconsistent Geno Stone.
There’s also concerns about Green’s background, having sexual assault allegations brought against him in high school and his second year at Virginia in 2022 – though he was never charged in either case. He’ll be under a microscope and that might hurt his draft profile.
Starks was listed at No. 9 on the PFF Big Board. He’s a leader that played 42 college games at a high level, and The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, in “The Beast” draft guide, wrote: “With his length, athleticism and recognition skills, Starks is a strong space defender and plays confident in all aspects of coverage and run support.” He would be an ideal fit next to Jordan Battle.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
SECOND ROUND: PICK 49
Bradyn Swinson, EDGE, LSU
Listed at No. 48 on PFF’s Big Board, Swinson was the best edge rusher available and the pick earned an “A” grade. After accumulating 43 total pressures over his first four years in college (three with Oregon, one at LSU), he played his best football in 2024 and led the Tigers in tackles for loss (13), sacks (8.5) and pressures (59, fifth most in the FBS). He’s green but athletic and quick with tools to chase down the football.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
THIRD ROUND: PICK 81
Tate Ratledge, G, Georgia
This is a pick Bengals fans will love, if he’s really still available in the third round. He’s listed at No. 68 on the Big Board and it would be surprising if he doesn’t go sooner, but Ratledge was a four-year starter and leader for the Bulldogs, highly capable of “bullying defenders out of gaps to create running lanes,” as Brugler described, and solid in pass protection.
Plus, he already has experience playing next to Bengals right tackle and former Georgia teammate Amarius Mims, so it would be a smooth transition in Cincinnati at a position of great need. Brugler has him listed as the No. 3 guard in the draft pool.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
FOURTH ROUND: PICK 119
Jack Kiser, LB, Notre Dame
This one might be considered by the general public as a reach (he’s ranked No. 143 on the Big Board), hence the “B-minus” grade from PFF’s mock draft simulator, but Kiser played for new Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden and brings a lot of traits Zac Taylor has looked for in building the culture of his teams. His tackle production improved each of his six years at Notre Dame, and he was team captain and the leading tackler on the Irish squad that reached the 2024 national championship game.
Clemson’s Barrett Carter was the only other linebacker ahead of him on the board for this round and might be a safer pick but the connection with Golden put Kiser over the top.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
FIFTH ROUND: PICK 153
Trevor Etienne, HB, Georgia
Apparently the Bengals are loading up on Georgia products in this draft, but the fifth round seems like a good spot to take a running back and Etienne – ranked No. 115 on the Big Board – was still available. That’s why the pick earned an “A” grade.
Brugler had him projected as a solid third-round pick in a loaded running back class, noting “there might not be anything exceptional about Etienne’s game, but he also doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses that would keep him from seeing steady NFL snaps. His promise as a pass catcher and blocker gives him value on all three downs.” That last trait is key. Good running backs run in his family: He’s the brother of Jaguars halfback Travis Etienne Jr.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
SIXTH ROUND: PICK 193
Ty Robinson, DT, Nebraska
Ranked No. 156 on the Big Board, Robinson would be a solid sixth-round option filling another need, as the Bengals can’t get enough help on the defensive line. Brugler had Robinson as a third- or fourth-round prospect, and PFF’s simulator gave the pick an “A.”
A versatile lineman, he was a five-year starter at Nebraska, helping the Cornhuskers achieve their first winning record in almost a decade, while posting personal bests across the board with 42 pressures, 12.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks. He’s “built like an oak tree,” as Brugler described him, but brings initial quickness and was well-thought of by his coaches.
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