Bengals Day 1 & 2 Mock Draft

The 2021 NFL Draft continues to inch closer, and the Bengals are in very good shape. With the chance of three, maybe even four quarterbacks going in the top four, Cincinnati could have their pick of the top non-QB prospect at number five.

Coming off of a four-win season with multiple needs to address, here is a possible look at what the Bengals might do throughout the first three rounds.

Round 1 (Fifth overall): OT Penei Sewell, Oregon

Look across a multitude of mock drafts, and you’ll find the results split on whether the Bengals go receiver or offensive lineman in the first round. However, I’m still sticking with a lineman, in this case, Sewell.

Despite opting out of the 2020 college football season, Sewell is still the consensus top lineman available and a top-five prospect overall. Standing at 6’4 and weighing 330 pounds, Sewell has the size and strength needed for run-blocking as well as the balance and mobility to protect the passer. Since being named a unanimous All-American his sophomore year, he has been looked at as an immediate starting left tackle with Pro Bowl upside.

Cincinnati will give lots of consideration to LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase here, as they could seek to pair the top receiver in the draft with his old college quarterback. However, the injury to Burrow will prioritize protection, making Sewell the pick at number five.

Round 2 (38th overall): WR Terrace Marshall Jr., LSU

If Cincinnati is not going with Burrow’s former teammate in the first round, they might as well select one in the second round. Terrace Marshall Jr. represents an immediate need for the Cats, with plenty of value inside the top-40.

Each of the top wide receivers, including Chase and the Alabama boys, along with other fringe-first rounders like Kadarius Toney and Elijah More, all stand at six feet or less. Then there is Marshall, who stands at 6’2 and weighs over 200 pounds. He is a guy who can stretch the field and be a bigger target who can give Burrow a nice window to work with while also having the ability to play inside if need be.

Of course, the Bengals going with Marshall or any receiver here hinges on what they do in the first round, as going Chase there might have them take a look at Alabama OT Alex Leatherwood or Ohio State OG Wyatt Davis. But if they go OT in the first, Marshall at 38th overall would be a great addition.

Round 3 (69th overall): OG Kendrick Green, Illinois

Joe Burrow was sacked 37 times last year in 10 starts and as a whole allowed 48 sacks, tied for the fifth-most in football. So it’s plausible and possible that two of the first three picks made by the Bengals go toward the offensive line, with Kendrick Green getting selected in the third round.

While some may see Green more as a center, he played mostly guard in three seasons at Illinois. At 6’1 and a little over 300 pounds, he has excellent movement and range as well as underrated athleticism showcased from his days as a three-sport athlete in high school. With center Billy Price making just one start last year and questions about the long-term upside of the guards Michael Jordan and Xavier Su’a-Filo, Green could become a starter at any of those positions.

After going with offensive players for the first two picks, Cincinnati may consider going with a defensive player in round three, particularly someone on the defensive line to replace veterans Geno Atkins and Carl Lawson. But Green could give this o-line another desperately needed starter, solidifying Burrow’s safety and long-term health.