Who the Bengals should be looking for on Friday night.
The Cincinnati Bengals went with a high-potential edge rusher in Round 1, but there is still more work to do. The Bengals have two more picks on Friday night.
So what will they do with them?
Here are some of the best available fits going into Friday.
Defensive Tackle
The Bengals added an outside pass-rusher day 1 of the draft, how about an interior rusher on Day 2?
The biggest swing would be Omarr Norman-Lott. The Tennessee Volunteer has special movement skills for a man of his size. He is a fireball of energy and emotion, for better or worse. He was always a rotational player and struggled against the run. But that could make him a good fit for the Bengals, who have a number of run-stoppers on the interior.
South Carolina’s T.J. Sanders could be a safer bet. Sanders is insanely fast off the ball, and his hands are just as quick. He is also a much more balanced player who will not have to come off the field in running situations.
Nebraska’s Ty Robinson met with the Bengals and you know that Zac Taylor loves a Cornhusker. After recording 5 sacks total in his first five years of college (you read that correctly) Robinson broke out with 7 sacks in 2024. He is power pass rusher with violent hands who plays with the intensity that the Bengals desire.
Toledo’s Darius Alexander is a stout defender with some quality get-off moves. He did not dominate for the Rockets the way you might expect, but he shined at the Senior Bowl against top talent.
Linebacker
Danny Stutsman has all of the tools that the Bengals look for in a linebacker. He is an excellent tackler who can absolutely fly. Stutsman is a well-respected leader for the Sooners. He was uber-productive with 3039 tackles over the last three seasons.
Georgia’s Smael Mondon Jr. has been billed as a pass-game specialist by some, but I see a complete player. He can shoot gaps and get off blocks in the run game as well as anybody in the class. Mondon Jr. has been praised for his passion and voice on the field. He is worker who is always around the football,
Another esteemed leaser, Jeffery Bassa stands out for his athleticism. The Oregon linebacker is excellent in coverage as well as getting off blocks and making tackles from sideline to sideline. He has long active arms and a knack for finding and shooting gaps. He matches up well in man coverage and makes good reads in zone.
UCLA’s Corey Schwesinger came out of nowhere to put up 136 tackles for the Bruins in 2024. He is a bigger linebacker with adequate speed. He seems to have a pretty good feel for timing blitzes but will miss tackles despite high tackle production.
South Carolina Gamecock Demetrius Knight has the size, speed, and smarts you are looking for in a mike linebacker. On top of that, he is a transfer who became a captain in his one and only season with the team. The big knock on Knight is that after playing six years of college ball, he will be a 25-year-old rookie.
Safety
Nick Emmanwori is the type of player who can give your defense an identity. He is more than his size. He is more than his speed. Emmanwori can do it all from the safety position. He has met with the Bengals and should have been in the conversation at 17. This is the type of player that the NFL freezes on sometimes because they try to put him in a box. He can do so many things that they don’t know what to do with him, and they take someone else. 31 teams will regret it, hopefully the Bengals are the 32nd.
Perhaps the most talked about fit in the NFL Draft is Xavier Watts to the Bengals. While the depth at the safety class has been talked about extensively, there are not a lot of true deep field safeties out there. Watts has some versatility, but he is best in the deep field zone. He would finally be a quality replacement for Jessie Bates and, hopefully, the last investment the Bengals would need to make at the position for a while.
Penn State’s Kevin Winston Jr. is a versatile safety and a gritty, tough tackler. He can play the deep field zone and match up with tight ends in man coverage.
Cornerback
Without the injury Michigan’s Will Johnson is likely the second corner off the board. While his lack of testing has caused some to pause, he has shown who he is on film time and time again. He is a playmaker with a nose for the football. This team needs to generate more turnovers, and he is just the guy to do it.
Before his injury, Benjamin Morrison was Al Golden’s top cornerback. Could he be that again? Morrison is an excellent man corner who is hippy and can run with anyone. He also makes great reads in zone and can tackle in space.
Ole Miss’s Trey Amos is crazy. He throws himself into contact with reckless abandon. Something rarely seen in a cornerback. He moves well and has excellent burst. He also has the right demeanor and temperament for a cornerback living on an island.
Shavon Revel Jr doesn’t have great transitions, but he has the speed to make up for it. The East Carolina Pirate is also one of the more physical cornerbacks in this year’s draft. He takes on blocks and makes tackles with great gusto.
Offensive Line
We have heard a lot about how the Bengals value versatility on the offensive line and have seen them talk to a lot of guard/tackles. So let’s start with those guys.
The most talked about is Arizona’s Jonah Savaiinaea. He played right tackle in college but projects best inside. He was very strong in pass protection, with good feet and a great anchor. As a fun blocker, he showed excellent athleticism, pulling and tracking would-be tacklers in space, not to mention serving more pancakes than Denny’s.
It’s surprising that West Virginia’s Wyatt Milum hasn’t been connected to the Bengals. He is an experienced starter at right and left tackle who will look to transition inside in the NFL. Milum has the strength to finish blocks with the other player on the ground but has the athletic ability to make blocks in space, particularly from the backside. He gets push and does not fall off blocks. In pass protection, he demonstrates a strong anchor and the ability to sort out stunts.
Purdue’s Marcus Mbow played both tackle and guard in college, but as seen as more of a guard at the next level. Mbow is a remarkably fluid athlete who still manages to be a mauler. He uses his hands and feet well in pass protection. In the run game he does a great job climbing to the second level to pick up linebackers.
That leads us to the more conventional guards. Georgia’s Tate Ratledge is popular for his elite RAS and elite mullet. He is also a stout pass blocker who takes on a rush like he’s the 300. His teammate Dylan Fairchild was a state champion wrestler, which seems like it would go a long way with Scott Peters. Like you might expect he has excellent hands. Fairchild moves well and makes blocks in space.
Finally, LSU’s Miles Frazier is one of the best pass-blockers I’ve been. He has an excellent anchor and reads movement on the defensive line well. In the run game, he is a powerful people-mover.
Running Back
The Bengals shored up the running back position pretty will by bringing back Samaje Perine and Zack Moss, but they could look to add a playmaker if one falls into their laps.
Ohio State’s Trayveon Henderson is a special player. His spins, jump-cuts, and burst all make Henderson a threat to take it the distance on any down. He is also an excellent receiver and pass blocker. He has it all.
Cincinnati native Kaleb Johnson is a pounder who would make a great compliment to Chase Brown. Early in games the former Iowa Hawkeye can break tackles and pick up dirty yards. Late in the game, he is the closer you want to move the sticks and make the clock tick.
Arizona’s Cam Skattebo is a tough physical competitor. He doesn’t so much break tackles as he punishes defenders for having the gall to attempt to tackle him. He can also catch and has even thrown a few passes. An FCS transfer, the chip on his shoulder has a chip on its shoulder. This dude is the ultimate competitor
