It could be a home-run pick.
The Cincinnati Bengals will pick at 17th overall in tonight’s NFL Draft (barring a trade), finally giving the answers we’ve been seeing essentially since the season ended. Mock drafts have been circulating since December and tonight, we will finally find out.
ESPN’s Field Yates released his final mock draft with some help from Mel Kiper, which has Ole Miss Rebels defensive tackle Walter Nolen going to the Bengals.
Yates’ pick prediction: Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
It’s hard to find an area on defense that isn’t an issue for Cincinnati, especially with uncertainty still surrounding Trey Hendrickson’s future. With or without Hendrickson, the Bengals are desperate for more pass-rush help. Nolen could help from the interior, given his combination of power and an explosive first step.
Kiper’s notes: There are going to be some really good defensive players available in this range. I’d also watch South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori, Will Johnson and Kenneth Grant for the Bengals.
New ESPN insider Peter Schrager has the Bengals going defense also, but he has them selecting Marshall pass rusher Mike Green.
The pass rusher who led the FBS with 17 sacks last season could go even higher than this. The unfortunate truth is that whichever defender Cincinnati takes here will be pitted against veteran Trey Hendrickson, who hasn’t been happy with contract negotiations and has requested a trade. It wouldn’t be fair to Green, who is a great prospect and fit for the Bengals.
The Bengals showed interest in Green, traveling to his pro day and meeting with him. There are off-the-field concerns with him, so if the Bengals do select him, they likely have done their homework around the two allegations of sexual assault. Concerns like that also could be the reason to go in another direction.
Most experts believe the Bengals will use the 17th pick to help reshape one of the NFL’s worst defenses in 2024, but there are a few options on which position they start with.
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