All in.
In this five-part series, I ask “what if?” and explore different draft scenarios. I will do 15 mock drafts and use this as an avenue to discuss 97 different prospects for the Cincinnati Bengals.
“Time. Space. Reality. It’s more than a linear path… I am your guide through these vast new realities.” – The Watcher – What If…?
Perhaps the most unexpected thing that could happen on draft day is the Bengals using some of their limited draft capital to move up in Round 1, but hey, let’s get crazy.
Moving Into the Top 10
9. DE Jalon Walker 6’1” 243 lbs Georgia
81. S Andrew Mukuba 5’11” 186 lbs Texas
119. LB Demetrius Knight Jr. 6’2” 235 lbs South Carolina
153. RB Corey Kiner 5’9” 209 lbs Cincinnati
193. DT Howard Cross III 6’1” 285 lbs Notre Dame
In a shocking move, the Bengals leap into the top 10 of the draft, in a move that sends their second-round selection to the New Orleans Saints.
The Bengals make a dramatic move to improve their pass rusher, who, in 2024, could only be described as Trey Hendrickson and his imaginary friends. Trading up shows how serious they are about fixing their pass-rush problem, but not only that, they break their mold to do it.
Jalon Walker is 20 pounds too light and three inches too short for a Bengals defensive end draftee, and yet here we are. Duke bent his own rules and trusted the tape to find a disruptor to place opposite Hendrickson. Walker will see immediate action on passing downs, while Myles Murphy and Joseph Ossai will see a heavier workload initially. Walker will make an impact, and fans will be begging the coaching staff to play him sooner, but they will wisely work him in as a specialist to start.
Without a second-round pick, the Bengals needed to get another immediate contributor in Round 3, and they did with Andrew Mukuba. He is undersized, but don’t tell him that. He flies down like a berserker against the run. In pass defense, he has the range and reads that the Bengals were missing at the free safety position over the past two seasons. Expect him to challenge Geno Stone for the starting role and expect him to win.
In Round 4, the Bengals are fortunate to find a potential starting linebacker.
The result of trading away their second-round pick and using their next two selections on defense was that they were unable to address the guard position in this year’s draft. South Carolina’s Demetrius Knight Jr. is the complete package. He is a massive throwback linebacker with modern speed. He can tackle and blitz and is strong in coverage. He was even a captain.
So, why is he still available on Day 3? He is 25. That is almost the same age as Cam Sample (4-year vet) and Joseph Ossai (4-year vet). In fact, Knight is about 9 months OLDER than 3-year-vet Dax Hill. By the time he finishes his rookie deal, he’ll be the age that Samaje Perine (8-year vet) is now.
Knight is ready to play right now and will push for a starting role in training camp.
Next, they go local with Cincinnati running back Corey Kiner. Kiner is a powerful runner for only being 209 pounds. He forces missed tackles left and right and shows excellent contact balance. He has a great feel as a runner and finds the fastest path downhill like water. Kiner will pair up with Chase Brown and take some of the load off of his back, keeping both sets of legs fresh.
The Bengals love a legacy. They spend their final pick on Howard Cross. The former Notre Dame defensive tackle and captain joins his old DC in Cincinnati. Cross has the quickness and hand usage to provide a nice pass rush from the interior. Look for him to compete for a role on passing downs in his rookie season.
Moving Up Just a Little
13. OG Kelvin Banks Jr. 6’5” 315 lbs Texas
49. DE Landon Jackson 6’6” 264 lbs Arkansas
119. TE Gunnar Helm 6’5” 241 lbs Texas
153. S Lathan Ransom 6’0” 206 lbs Ohio State
193. LB Shemar James 6’1” 222 lbs Florida
The Bengals trade their third round selection to the Dolphins in order to move up 4 spots in Round 1, but the most surprising part is that it was to draft a guard, well, kind of.
The Bengals take Kelvin Banks in the first round. Banks will start at guard for the Bengals this fall, but having played left tackle in college, he can bump out to tackle at any time should injury make that a necessity. He also could be the heir apparent to Orlando Brown. Banks is an excellent pass protector and a people mover in the run game. Banks was a team captain who was highly respected by the coaching staff.
With their second pick, the Bengals select Arkansas defensive end Landon Jackson. The 6’6” Jackson has a wingspan that is over 6’11” and is every bit as physically imposing as he sounds. With his height comes some stiffness but also some blocked field goals. He had 6.5 sacks in each of the last two seasons and batted down two passes in 2024, but don’t ask Jackson about that. The two-time captain is more interested in team success than the stat sheet.
Back on the clock in Round 4, the Bengals go a surprising route. Texas tight end Gunnar Helm is not a dominating blocker or an athletic freak. So, what is he? Helm has great hands and wins in the passing game with his shiftiness before and after the catch. He has potential as a blocker but needs the most development in this part of his game. Overall, he is an excellent fit for the Bengals offense and could see early action as an inline tight end.
The middle of this draft stands out. Trading their third-round pick and selecting a tight end in Round 4 meant that they were unable to address the need for a running back or defensive tackle.
In Round 5, the Bengals go with Ohio State safety Lathan Ransom. Ransom does not have ludicrous speed or even crazy speed, but he always seems to be around the ball. He is a hustler and high-level processing. Ranson has a knack for timing up blitzes and is a fierce tackle. Ransom seems to fit into more of a strong safety role, which makes him an interesting fit for the Bengals.
With their final pick, the Bengals select Shemar James. Another team captain, the Florida linebacker is a good tackler and an excellent athlete. He has some really nice moments on film but wasn’t able to string a lot of them together. If he can develop more consistency, he could become a quality starter.
Be sure to check back on Cincy Jungle for the next installment on this 5-part series.
If you missed it, check out the first, second, and third installments.
Yes, there will be more trades, and yes, that trade will be explored.
