Tag: Bengals

Cam Ward would’ve likely been no better than QB5 in last year’s draft class, but he’s QB1 in 2024. Teams had a late Day 2/Day 3 grade on him over the summer, but he’s made big strides this season; he’s playing more from the pocket, he’s getting the ball out on time and he’s doing a better job of getting through his reads. We know about the athleticism and arm strength, but he’s gotten better each year he’s been in college, too.

Good luck finding someone tougher than Shedeur Sanders. He’ll stand in the pocket and take hit (after hit after hit) to make a play downfield. He’s not the athlete and doesn’t have the arm strength of Cam Ward, but he does a lot of things really well. I would like to see him play on time more consistently, but part of that has to do with Colorado’s inconsistent offensive line.

Travis Hunter is the best athlete — and the best player — in this draft class. We’ve had otherworldly cornerbacks and wide receivers in previous classes, but he’s a twofer, able to dominate on both sides of the ball and take over games. The big question: where will the team that drafts him want him to play? And if it’s, say, at cornerback, how big will be the package of offensive plays for Hunter? Because lining up for 120 snaps a game, like he’s done for the Buffs, isn’t sustainable in the NFL.

Abdul Carter is a freakish athlete who moved from off-ball linebacker to edge rusher for the 2024 season. Carter is not Micah Parsons — not yet, anyway — but he’s just scratching the surface on what he can do.

My comp for Mason Graham over the summer was Christian Wilkins. My co-host on the “With the First Pick” podcast, Rick Spielman, took it a step further and said Quinnen Williams. Wherever you land, Graham is a special talent who headlines a deep defensive line class.

Kelvin Banks Jr. was my OT1 over the summer and nothing’s changed. He’s athletic, has good feet, plays with balance and power and uses his hands well. He’s better in passpro than the run right now, but it’s close — and he’s only going to get better.

Will Johnson was my No. 1 player over the summer and he remains a top-10 talent. He battled a toe injury that sidelined him for much of the second half of the 2024 season, but when he’s healthy, he’s one of the best defenders in college football; there’s a reason the easy comp for him is Patrick Surtain II.

Will Campbell has been my OT2 throughout, and while he’s not as athletic as Kelvin Banks Jr., he’s been incredibly consistent throughout his LSU career. He had his struggles with Jared Verse in 2023 (who didn’t), and the formidable South Carolina front four gave him trouble at times this season. But he held his own against Arkansas’ Landon Jackson, who will be a high-round pick in April.

Georgia has a history of producing insane athletes, and Mykel Williams may end up being the best of the group. He’s a first-round talent all day long, and he could end up being one of the first defenders off the board in April.

Nic Scourton is a power rusher who will long-arm you into the stands. He’ll also flash an inside spin move that puts OTs on their heels. Add the non-stop motor with which he plays, and it’s hard not to love his game. My podcast co-host, Rick Spielman, calls him a more athletic Keion White.

Tetairoa McMillan is 6-foot-5, but he moves like a shifty slot receiver with the benefit of an enormous catch radius and the ability to make contested catches look easy. Think Drake London but a better athlete.

Is Ashton Jeanty a luxury pick? That depends; were Bijan Robinson or Jahmyr Gibbs luxury picks? Because Jeanty is that type of impact back. He hasn’t been used nearly as much in the pass game, but that doesn’t mean he can’t do it.

Put aside for the moment that Malaki Starks is an elite athlete who can line up anywhere in the secondary; he’s also one of the smartest players on the field, and that combination is what makes him a top-10 talent.

Jalon Walker is listed as an off-ball linebacker, but he can line up anywhere … and wreak havoc from anywhere. Very interested to see how NFL teams plan to use him at the next level.

James Pearce Jr. is a juiced-up, twitchy edge rusher who can win with the bull rush or speed around the edge. He plays with a non-stop motor and with the type of freakish athleticism that can match the Jalen Milroe-type QBs in the pocket.

Kenneth Grant is a really good athlete for his size — and he has a knack for getting his hands up in the passing lane and knocking the ball down. He moves well laterally, as he has a surprisingly quick first step with good hand usage to shoot gaps and be disruptive in the backfield. For me, he’s more explosive and consistent than Kris Jenkins, his former teammate and Bengals second-round pick in 2024.

A San Diego State transfer where he played right tackle, Josh Simmons was a pleasant surprise in Columbus, Ohio, where he was not only installed at left tackle, but was playing at a high level before an October knee injury vs. Oregon ended his season. I thought he might come back to school — he could probably use the experience — but instead he declared for the 2025 draft. And in a draft light along the offensive line, I fully expect Simmons to draw some first-round consideration, even if he might need a year or two of seasoning.

Aireontae Ersery allowed just one sack all season. I love his athleticism, his ability to throw guys out of the club consistently, and while he’s better against run than pass right now, he has all the traits NFL teams look for in a tackle.

For an edge rusher, Shemar Stewart is enormous. He’ll play too high at times, but can collapse the pocket with his size/power/strength. He has a quick first step, even for his size, and the power to shoot gaps. And when the bull rush doesn’t get home, his huge frame allows him to knock down passes. He has a hair-on-fire motor and consistently plays with power and athleticism.

Shavon Revel tore his ACL in October, and he hasn’t played since. But his tape is a lot of fun; his track background shows up on tape, as does his length. He’ll play with physicality at the line in man coverage and is a fluid mover in space. He’s not the shutdown corner of, say, Sauce Gardner when he came out, or as physical as Joey Porter Jr. (and maybe that’s a good thing), but he’s a nice mix of both in terms of size and play style.

Colston Loveland is listed at 6-foot-5 and 237 pounds, and while he runs like he’s 185, he plays like he’s 260. He’ll run through open-field arm tackles all day long, has an enormous catch radius, and is a precise route runner, looking like a receiver at times in his movement skills. He’s a willing blocker, but like most pass-catching tight ends coming into the league, he’ll need to improve in this area.

Tyler Warren has accounted for roughly 75% of Penn State’s offense (we’re ballparking that, don’t quote us) as a receiver, passer and runner. No player has done more for his draft stock than Warren, who was a late Day 2/Day 3 pick over the summer.

Deone Walker consistently wins with heavy hands at the snap as a pass rusher — both long and powerful, which makes him a nightmare no matter where he lines up (and Kentucky used him everywhere). He will play too high at times against the run, but was more consistent in that area in 2023, so he’s certainly capable of dominating in the run game, too. Plus, you don’t find many guys this size this athletic.

Derrick Harmon is what I’d describe as “country strong” because when you see him bull rush an interior OL into the QB’s lap and then throw him out of the club, it gets your attention. He’s consistently a load on the inside, in part because of power, low pad level and the aforementioned bull rush. He doesn’t have a variety of pass-rush moves, but he doesn’t need them. He can struggle against the run if he plays too high, but when he’s locked in he’s a game-wrecker — Harmon had 40 pressures on the season, including eight(!) against Boise State.

This defensive line class is incredibly deep, and in previous years, Walter Nolen probably goes off the board a little higher. Either way, he explodes off the ball while also being strong as an ox. At 6-foot-4 and 290 pounds, he won’t be mistaken for, say, Dexter Lawrence, but don’t be fooled; he plays stout against double teams, and is quick to get off blocks and get to the ball.

This may sound rich but, at times, Jahdae Barron flashes in a way that reminds me of Brian Branch; he’s one of the smartest players on the field, he’s always around the ball, and if you need a play, he consistently shows up. He can line up in the box, in the slot or outside, is an effective blitzer off the edge, and is an asset in the run game.

The numbers don’t blow you away (66 catches for 771 yards), but don’t be fooled: Luther Burden III is a first-round talent and game-changer with the ball in his hands. The QB play at Mizzou was inconsistent in 2024, but there’s a reason he had 86 receptions for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns in 2023.

He’s a better pass rusher than run stuffer right now, but wherever you line him up (and South Carolina used him everywhere), he’s playing every snap with his hair on fire. He’ll collapse the pocket when he’s playing over the center, and he uses his hands well when coming off the edge with a head of steam.

This is going to sound nuts, but watch a handful of Landon Jackson’s pass-rush snaps and you’ll see some T.J. Watt (remember, Watt somehow lasted until the end of Round 1). At other times, you’ll see the consistency of Anthony Nelson, which is pretty good, too. Either way, Jackson plays with heavy hands and the power you’d come to expect from a 270-pound edge rusher (even though Arkansas lined him up everywhere), as well as the juice you might not be expecting.

Sweet mercy, Omarr Norman-Lott is juiced up coming off the ball. Explosive is probably the best way to describe him; he’s listed at 305 pounds but moves like he’s 50 pounds lighter, plays with a relentless motor, is as close to sideline-to-sideline as you’ll find in a defensive linemen, and we get Braden Fiske-hustle vibes when watching him — except Norman-Lott may be a better overall athlete.

Emeka Egbuka is a big-bodied, fluid mover with natural hands, good contact balance and the ability to run through arm tackles. He gets in and out of breaks with urgency and has yards-after-catch ability. He’s not a finesse player but more of a bruiser. When you talk about “big slots,” this is what you mean. I think he has some Amon-Ra St. Brown in his game.

Jack Sawyer is listed at 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds and is coming off a five-sack 2024 season that includes 28 hurries. Used almost exclusively off the edge for the Buckeyes, he flashes the speed-to-power of a first-round pass rusher who is also stout setting the edge in the run game.