Is this a BPA pick?
Ahead of the NFL Draft, we will start to see reports of the players the Cincinnati Bengals will meet with ahead of their 17th overall selection in April. With heavy investments on the offensive side of the ball, look for them to take a look at a lot of defensive players.
One defensive back they will reportedly meet with is University of South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori.
South Carolina S Nick Emmanwori is reportedly set to meet with the Bengals.
This is the type of pick you make in a BPA scenario.
He’ll have a mid-Round 1 grade for us and the Derwin James comp is legitimate.
They need to sign a guard and pass rusher to make it a possibility. https://t.co/Z2IDAI5sMS
— Gridiron Grading (@GridironGrading) March 18, 2025
Adding a player who draws comparisons to Derwin James to the Bengals defense is certainly an exciting thought. Since the departure of Jessie Bates III after the 2022 season, the Bengals have struggled to replace the dynamic playmaking Bates brought.
As the tweet mentions, the Bengals may only draft Emmanwori if they have signed what they believe are clear upgrades to the pass rush and offensive guard positions, but using one of their pre-draft visits for him shows there is legitimate interest.
Al Golden will likely get several rookies to work with this season, and a safety in the first round certainly appears to be a possibility.
