The Cincinnati Bengals appear to be looking for linebacker depth in the upcoming Draft.
Yesterday, they met with Missouri’s Josiah Trotter, who should be a Day 2 pick.
Today, Tom Pelissero reports that the Bengals are meeting with Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez.
Pelissero said that Rodriguez’s comp is Carson Schwesinger, who was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of last year’s draft.
Bleacher Report predicts that Rodriguez will go a little later, in the third round, and that he has the potential to start at some point.
Strengths: According to Bleacher Report’s profile, Rodriguez has good instincts against the run and can mirror running backs. He’s a “decent” tackler with “decent” pad level. But where he really stands out is in his ability to cause fumbles, or his “Peanut Punch” (don’t ask me what that’s referring to). He caused 13 fumbles in his college career.
NFL.com added that he is constantly moving, making it hard for linemen to hit him. And his command of the field inspires his teammates.
Weaknesses: Size. He is 6’1” with arm length just under 31”. NFL.com writes that he can be knocked around inside the box on account of his size. He also has below-average strength, according to B/R, which means he can’t get out of some blocks. And he has subpar speed that gives him a limited range.
Overall, B/R gave him a grade of 7.3, which is comparable to… Demetrius Knight Jr., who got a 7.2 from B/R last year before Cincinnati drafted him.
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