The Bengals are in need of offensive line help—both for starting spots and for depth. One player in which they have shown interest could bring short and long-term solutions.
Ever since the Joe Burrow era kicked off in Cincinnati (and even prior to it), the Cincinnati Bengals have been clamoring for a respectable offensive line group. They have committed a lot of free-agent and draft capital toward rebuilding it, but inconsistent play remains.
The team will undoubtedly be looking for more help in the early rounds of the draft. Whether it’s players who bring immediate depth and long-term starting potential or ones who could vie for a starting spot right away, there are many intriguing options in this year’s class.
One player who could provide tackle-guard versatility is Minnesota’s Aireontae Ersery. Cincinnati has already shown interest in him by scheduling a top-30 visit, and that versatility is one trait they love in the guys up front.
There are some questions about Ersery’s true pro positional fit, but the pedigree is there. His size, tape, and accolades show a promising prospect.
Aireontae Ersery
- Height: 6’6”
- Weight: 331
- Age: 23
- Year: Redshirt Senior
- School: Minnesota
- Hometown: Kansas City, MO
- Arms: 33 1/2
- 40-yard Dash: 5.01
- Vertical: 7.47
- Broad: 8.94
- RAS:
Aireontae Ersery is a OT prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.32 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 96 out of 1395 OT from 1987 to 2025.
Splits projected, times unofficial, will have complete card.https://t.co/ltbb6cnGRY pic.twitter.com/gwYGHgoKUq
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 3, 2025
Background
Ersery was a 3-star recruit coming out of high school and opted to join the Golden Gophers program. In his first two years, Ersery played in only two total games, with one start.
However, in 2022, he started all 13 games and was named an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention. He followed that campaign with a Second-Team All-Big Ten nomination, and in 2024, he was both a First-Team designee and the winner of the Conference’s Offensive Lineman of the Year award.
Ersery was a rock at Minnesota at left tackle, cementing himself as a key part of three consecutive bowl wins by the Golden Gophers. In his senior season, the Gophers averaged 115.6 yards per game and 18 touchdowns on the ground, with 20 more coming through the air.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Ersery looks the part of a prototypical NFL tackle. At 6’6” and 331 pounds, he has ample size to take on NFL defenders.
When reviewing the tape, he also shows solid footwork and moves well for his size. One of the biggest feathers in his cap from this past season is his respectable showing against Abdul Carter, who was one of the best edge players in the entire country last year.
As noted by his RAS profile, Ersery has a very promising overall athletic profile. His speed, size, and explosion all grade out well, which isn’t necessarily the case with many current Bengals offensive linemen.
However, he has slightly shorter arms, and his hand technique when engaging defensive linemen could use some work. Some wonder if he’s better suited for guard at the NFL level.
And therein lies the rub.
We’ve seen the Bengals engage in this type of “musical chairs” game with players on the offensive line, often stunting their development and unlocking their true potential. However, we’ve also seen positional changes work around the league, as recently as Mekhi Becton’s move inside after struggling at tackle for years.
Outlook
Ersery has a lot of promise as an NFL lineman. It’s possible the Bengals are looking at him as a guard to begin his career while also providing immediate tackle depth with the departure of Trent Brown.
New offensive line coach Scott Peters is looking to put his stamp on the offensive line, and it will be interesting to see if he opts to go with players who have high RAS scores for his unit. Cincinnati could use more athletes on the line, and Ersery brings that presence.
The former Minnesota standout provides both short- and long-term possibilities for a team like the Bengals. While some may view his age as a negative, it could also suggest that he’s more pro-ready than some younger prospects.
The best-case scenario for the Bengals is that Ersery can come in and compete immediately for a guard spot while developing as a left tackle under the tutelage of Orlando Brown Jr. If this works out as envisioned, Cincinnati would have its bookend tackles in Ersery and Amarius Mims for the foreseeable future.
As it stands, most pundits have Ersery landing somewhere in the late-first or early-second round of the draft. If that comes to fruition, the Bengals may need to maneuver to get him.
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