Our latest 3-round Bengals mock draft
It’s that time of year again: time to break the old crystal ball, time to try to outwit the think tank that is de facto CEO Duke Tobin and company.
The top three needs for the Cincinnati Bengals entering the 2024 NFL Draft appear to be, in no particular order, offensive tackle, defensive tackle and running back (the wide receiver situation will likely resolve itself in 2024).
Without further ado, let’s jump right into our prediction for what the first three rounds of that draft might look like.
Round 1, pick no. 18: Jer’Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois The Bengals need an offensive tackle to replace Jonah Williams, who will likely go the route of free agency.
But offensive tackle is one of the deepest positions in the draft, and there will be another good one on the board if Cincinnati picks in the second round.
Remember Andrew Whit worth? At 6-foot-1 and 295 pounds, Newton is small for defensive tackles, but so are Aaron Donald and Geno Atkins.
Newton is strong and physical at the point of attack and has the upper body strength that allows him to fight off blocks.
In 12 games with the Illini last year, Newton recorded 52 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, two passes defensed, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble.
He was named a consensus All-American, was the Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year and was named the Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year.
After streng thening the defensive side of the trenches, the offense is next, with the Bengals looking to find a replacement for Jonah Williams.6 feet 7 inches. 327 pounds. 5.10 in the 40. “Is effective when asked to shoot and shows the agility, speed and overall range to emerge as a lead blocker.” If Guyton is still on the roster when the Bengals’ number is called, it’s pretty much a given.
As a senior, Guyton played in 10 games for the Sooners and allowed no sacks in 355 pass-blocking sets, three hits and nine carries. He has experience at right and left tackle, which fits the size and mindset that Cincinnati covets.
It’s clear that Joe Mixon’s time in Cincinnati is coming to an end and this year would be the perfect time to recruit his successor. The Bengals already have former Illinois star Chase Brown on the roster, but a successful ground game requires two game-changing players.
Benson definitely fits the bill. With a height of 1.80 m and a weight of 100 kg, it reaches a speed of 4.37 x 40 and has the ability to save a penny. And he still has plenty of gas in the tank.
As a junior for the Seminoles, Benson gained 905 yards on just 156 carries (an average of 5.8 yards per carry) and scored 14 touchdowns. As a sophomore, he totaled 990 yards on 154 attempts (6.4 yards per game) and nine touchdowns.
If Benson isn’t on the field, Cincinnati could opt for Michigan Wolverines running back Blake Corum, who was the offensive MVP of the 2023 College Football Playoff championship game and a two-time All-American.
Corum, whose only drawback is his 6-foot-4 height, ran for 1,463 yards and 18 touchdowns as a junior, then racked up another 1,245 yards and 27 scores as a senior. What do you think of these choices? Let us know in the comments section!
