Taylor didn’t need immediate starters, which should help give the Bengals’ draft picks time to learn. Cincinnati still needs rookies that can play a role, though. Here are some initial grades on this year’s draft class and how well the Bengals hit their needs:
ROUND 1: No. 18 – Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
Mims started just eight games in college but he’s got all the tools and athleticism to indicate he could become one of the league’s best right tackles. At 6-foot-7, a lean 340 pounds and a gigantic wingspan, he’s an imposing force (college defenders couldn’t get by him for any sacks), and Mims will have time to learn and gain the experience he might be lacking while studying behind Trent Brown – and left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. – before he’s really needed. Cincinnati needed an offensive tackle to develop for the long-term with Trent Brown only on a one-year deal and Mims was a great get if he stays healthy.
Grade: B+
ROUND 2: No. 49 – Kris Jenkins, DT, Michigan
A team captain leading the top-ranked defense in college football on the national championship team, Jenkins brings all the intangibles the Bengals like, but he’s also one of the best run defenders in this draft class. He’s freakishly athletic and strong and capable of shedding blocks, plus he fits a big need with the departure of DJ Reader and Josh Tupou. Lou Anarumo believes Jenkins can also develop into a decent pass rusher to add to his abilities in the run defense.
Grade: A
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
ROUND 3: No. 80 – Jermaine Burton, WR, Alabama
There’s a reason Taylor pounded the table in excitement after the Bengals grabbed Burton in the third round, as seen on a video shared by the Bengals social media channels. Burton is a starting-caliber weapon with explosive speed and craftiness, and his skill set fits right in with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. With Tyler Boyd gone, Cincinnati had an immediate need in the slot and future need on the outside if Higgins departs after this year. Burton can fill both roles. Maturity issues came into question and there might have been better, safer picks for the short-term, but if he can keep his emotions under control, he could be a serious steal.
Grade: A-
ROUND 3: No. 97 – McKinnley Jackson, DT, Texas A&M
I actually had the Bengals taking Jackson at No. 80 and then doubling up on the position here as well in my mock draft, using the Pro Football Focus draft simulator and PFF’s “Big Board.” It seemed like maybe a reach at the time, and many draft analysts didn’t have Jackson rated as high, but he was the only big-body run stopper available to me and the depth at defensive tackle in this class wasn’t great. Cincinnati was thinking the same when this pick came up, and I love the way the organization attacked the needs at defensive tackle with different styles of players. Jackson came for his post-draft visit ready to get to work right away (he asked for a playbook!), and it seems he will be a good fit. My only knock on this pick is the Bengals might have been able to get him later in the draft, but I understand not wanting to take that risk.
Grade: B
ROUND 4: No. 115 – Erick All, TE, Iowa
Iowa has been a great place for tight ends to develop into future NFL talents, and All could be the next great one. He checks all the boxes for the Bengals if he’s healthy, but his medical history, including an ACL tear he’s still rehabbing, makes him a bit of a risk. This is another pick they might have been able to wait on, but All is a complete tight end and could be the three-down option the Bengals have been looking to develop for the long term. He’ll compete for the third tight end position, but All should settle right in as a local guy already familiar with the city.
Grade: B
ROUND 5: No. 149 – Josh Newton, CB, Texas Christian
This was the last position of real need the Bengals hit on in this draft. Newton was picked right in the range most expected, and he gives Anarumo the versatility he likes in his defensive backs. Right now, he projects as a rotational option behind Cam Taylor-Britt and DJ Turner II, possibly competing with Dax Hill for the CB4 spot, but he also can play inside and play the role of Mike Hilton’s understudy as Hilton enters the last season of his contract. He’s not the fastest (he clocked a 4.51-second 40-yard dash time) and doesn’t have an intimidating frame at 5-foot-10, 190 pounds, but he’s more of a tackler than a coverage guy, and Cincinnati needed someone like that.
Grade: C+
ROUND 6: No. 194 – Tanner McLachlan, TE, Arizona
The Bengals had McLachlan higher on their board (The Athletic projected him as a fourth- or fifth-rounder) and were surprised he was still available to them with this pick, so they decided to double dip at tight end. It seems like insurance in case All isn’t ready, or simply two chances to hit on one need, which might not be a bad idea. Like All, he’s considered a strong pass catcher and blocker but doesn’t project with as high of a ceiling. Cincinnati might have used this spot to get an interior offensive lineman but at this stage in the draft, it was a value pick.
Grade: B-
ROUND 6: No. 214 – Cedric Johnson, DE, Ole Miss
Teams can never go wrong adding depth at defensive end with a late-round pick, especially a guy like Johnson who has upside and time to develop. He’s got exceptional physical tools at 6-foot-3 and 260 pounds and with a 4.63-second 40-yard dash time and 38-inch vertical, and The Athletic projected him to go as high as the fourth round, so this is another good value selection.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Grade: B
ROUND 7: No. 224 – Daijahn Anthony, S, Ole Miss
Anthony was the No. 16 safety on insanely well-researched draft board by Dane Brugler, of The Athletic. The 6-foot, 195-pound versatile defensive back is a self-made athlete, starting at Shepherd University before moving up to Liberty and finally landing in the SEC with Ole Miss. There’s a lot to like with this seventh-round pick, but he enters a safety room with a lot of options currently.
Grade: B+
ROUND 7: No. 237 – Matt Lee, C, Miami (Fla.)
Adding interior offensive line depth seems like something the Bengals should have done with an earlier pick, especially with Ted Karras on an expiring contract, but they get a good one here. He’s tall and mobile and considered a high-upside pass blocker with room to grow in the running game.
Grade: A-
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