Like it or not, the Cincinnati Bengals are not ready to give up on their second-year linebackers Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight. The pair have been praised vociferously by the coaching staff for how well they performed despite the lack of a veteran on the field at the position.
Carter replaced veteran Logan Wilson mid-season and wore the green dot, as the one player on the field who could hear the defensive call from coordinator Al Golden. From that point on, Carter rarely left the field.
Knight started 14 games and showed a knack for making splash plays. Of course, where he struggled most was doing what the Bengals drafted him to do, playing on the edge in odd fronts.
After drafting Knight in the second round, Golden talked about his length and how he would be an asset on the edge. Then after the season, Golden has talked about trying to find another player to take this role from Knight, allowing the second-year player to remain off the ball.
Knight is 6-2, 235 pounds, and has 32 5/8 inch arms. When they look at linebackers in the draft, they will be looking for someone in a similar mold.
Ohio State has a couple of guys who could fit the bill, but Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles are unlikely to be realistic options with the 10th pick.
Here are my top four candidates who the Bengals could target after Round 1.
Anthony Hill Jr. – Texas – 6’2” 238 – 32 3/8” arms – 21 years old
Hill was insanely productive for the Longhorns with 249 tackles, 31.5 TFLs, and an astounding 17 sacks in three seasons. 2024 was his best season. That year alone, he had 113 tackles, 16.5 TFLs, and 8 sacks.
Such sack production from the middle linebacker position speaks to Hill’s unique athletic gifts. He ran a 4.51 40 and posted a 37-inch vertical at the combine.
Hill is tenacious with an excellent motor. He has a nice deep as an outside rusher and is disruptive in all aspects of his game. He can come in a bit too hot, leading to missed tackles, but this is easily correctable. He is a complete linebacker with unique pass-rush upside.
If the Bengals want Hill, they will probably have to take him at 41.
Jake Golday – Cincinnati – 6’4” 239 – 31 7/8” arms – 23 years old
Golday’s arms are a hair under 32 inches, but he has some unique qualities that keep him in the running for the job.
He has 105 tackles, 6 TFLs, and 3.5 sacks for the Bearcats last season, his second in Cincinnati after 3 years at Central Arkansas. He ran a 4.62 40 and has a 39-inch vertical.
Golday is a good all-around linebacker. He gets off blocks against the run and is an underrated pass defender. He shows incredible burst, particularly when chasing down scrambling quarterbacks (could be a useful skill when you see Lamar Jackson twice a year).
The Bengals could be lucky and see him slip to Round 3, but if he is the guy they target, they probably shouldn’t wait that long.
Jaishawn Barham – Michigan – 6’3” 240 – 32 3/8” arms – 22 years old
After two years as a linebacker at Maryland, Barham transferred to Michigan, where the team’s needs pushed him into an Edge role. In four years of Big Ten football, Barham has 193 tackles, 23 TFLs, and 12 sacks. Barham ran a 4.64 40 and posted a broad jump of over 10 feet.
Barham would be a pretty solid addition as a rotational edge player alone, but his versatility makes him a great fit for the Bengals. He can hold the edge and take on down blocks from tight ends. He has an excellent burst off the edge and can power rush as well.
He is a realistic option in Round 3.
Jaden Dugger – Louisiana – 6’5” 240 – 34 7/8” arms – 22 years old
Duggar is a former Georgetown safety who switched to linebacker when he joined the Ragin’ Cajuns. Last season, he had 125 tackles, 13 TFLs, and 4 sacks. His arms are nearly 35 inches long. He ran a 4.64 40, a 7-second 3 cone, and a 4.25 shuttle. He also broad jumped over 10 feet.
Duggar shows excellent burst in all facets of his game, off the edge as a pass rusher, breaking on routes in coverage, and getting in front of blocks as a run defender. He is a powerful and effective tackler.
He is inexperienced at the position and played in the Sun Belt, but he has some crazy athletic traits that give him an extremely high ceiling. Duggar could be a Day 3 gem if the Bengals are willing to take a shot on him.
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