Okay, so I’ve been messing around with this Bengals mock draft thing, and let me tell you, it’s been a ride. I started off thinking, “Alright, let’s just see what the experts are saying,” you know? So I went down this rabbit hole of articles and analysis pieces. It’s crazy how much people have to say about this stuff!
First thing I did was look at the Bengals’ needs. It’s pretty clear their run defense last year was, well, not great. Like, historically not great. They were 26th in rushing yards allowed per game. I also noticed that a couple of their defensive tackles, D.J. Reader and Josh Tupou, might be leaving since they’re free agents now. That’s a big deal, so I figured defensive tackle is probably their biggest issue right now.
Then, I started checking out some mock drafts. There’s this guy, Jer’Zhan Newton, that a lot of people think the Bengals should grab in the first round. He’s a defensive tackle, so that makes sense, right? I watched some of his highlights, and yeah, he looks pretty solid. Could definitely see him helping out the Bengals’ defense.
Another thing I saw was this mock draft suggesting the Bengals might pick Abdul Carter, an EDGE rusher from Penn State, at the 10th overall pick. That was interesting. I mean, he was 10th overall pick, I am not sure if he is the one they really need. But, hey, who am I to argue with these mock draft experts? I just jot it down and keep going. I’ve learned not to get too attached to any one idea in these things.
After that, I tried to find some info about later rounds. I bumped into this name, Corey Thornton, a cornerback from Louisville. Apparently, he’s a “draftable prospect,” whatever that means. He had a couple of interceptions last season, so maybe he’s a good pick for the later round. I added him to my list, just in case. Cornerbacks aren’t the top priority, but you never know when you might need depth.
So, yeah, that’s basically what I did. I read a bunch of stuff, watched some videos, and tried to make sense of it all. It’s like putting together a puzzle, except you don’t really know what the final picture is supposed to look like. And the pieces keep changing! It’s fun, though, in a weird, nerdy way.
In the end, I came up with my own little mock draft. Is it going to be accurate? Probably not. But it was a fun exercise, and I learned a lot about the Bengals’ needs and some of the players coming up in the draft. It’s a whole process, man. And the real draft is still a while away, so who knows what’ll happen between now and then?
Anyway, that’s my Bengals mock draft adventure. I might do another one closer to the actual draft, just to see how things have changed. We’ll see. It’s definitely something to keep an eye on if you’re a Bengals fan or just into the whole draft thing.
