Bengals mock draft: Tight end with first-round pick?

The internet has so many mock drafts now my eyes tend to glaze over, but actually going through the process and seeing how it could play out was intriguing.

I am not making any predictions. I am not saying any of these picks will actually come to fruition, but this was an interesting exercise, especially because I started it out by going back on something I had been thinking up until this week.

Without further ado, here is a look at what I came up with:

First round: Georgia tight end Darnell Washington

I started out by going back on my original assumption that picking a tight end in the first round is a bad idea simply because there is so much depth at this position they are virtually guaranteed of getting a good one in the second or third round.

Lately I’ve become enamored with the idea of getting a unique guy like Washington with the 28th pick.

He would have a lot of value for the Bengals as someone who can be a destructive force as a blocker who also has the athleticism to be dangerous in the passing game.

Washington might not be a dynamic route runner, but with all the attention the Big 3 receivers are going to draw, getting open becomes easier — especially open enough for Joe Burrow to find him and get him the ball to let him terrorize safeties trying to tackle him down the field.

He might yet improve as a receiver, too, but they don’t need him to catch a lot of balls anytime soon given their other weapons, who are all the more dangerous if the running game is strong.

Yes, the Bengals need to figure out who is going to be their right tackle, but odds are good they won’t find a ready-to-play right tackle in this draft.

Washington’s presence could make the job of whoever ends up there easier, too.

Credit: Rogelio V. Solis

Credit: Rogelio V. Solis

Second round: Texas A&M safety Antonio Johnson

I must confess I didn’t know much about this guy before he popped up as one of the top options on my board, but NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein describes Johnson as a box safety who can also play in the slot. A physical guy with some coverage skills? Sounds like a bigger Vonn Bell to me, and that is something the Bengals could really use.

Third round: Purdue cornerback Cory Trice

Another big guy (6-3) who could bring some positional versatility as a cornerback or safety. They already have a similar guy in Tre Flowers, but that might actually increase their feeling they would know how to use someone with his skillset.

Fourth round: Old Dominion offensive tackle Nick Saldiveri

At 6-6, 318 and more physical than athletic, he brings good value and seems to fit what the Bengals like in offensive linemen. You’re always giving up some things by this point in the draft, but his negatives (hand placement, core strength) are fixable, too.

Fifth round: Georgia running back Kenny McIntosh

Described as a third down back with some big play ability, he could fit in right away with the Bengals even if he is not a No. 1 back.

Sixth round: Nebraska defensive lineman Ochaun Mathis

A 6-5 edge rusher whose production hasn’t been outstanding, this is a lottery ticket pick. He adds another player to a mix that needs as many players as they can get, and his best football might yet be ahead of him.

Seventh round: Cincinnati receiver Tre Tucker

This could go any number of directions, but they need another youngster for the receiver room, and this is a local guy with speed to burn.

Credit: Chris O'Meara

Credit: Chris O'Meara

I have no idea how things are going to go because the Bengals have so many variables in front of them in the first round.

The position they pick in the first round should have a major impact on what they do in rounds two and three (plus trading down still might be the best overall option), but I am unnaturally happy with how this turned out.

I feel like it hit many of their positional needs with some moderate risks in the second and third rounds that could pay off big. That’s the draft, right?