After finishing last in the AFC North for the third-consecutive season, the Cincinnati Bengals are in a pivotal offseason. Free agency and the 2021 NFL Draft will both be important opportunities for the Bengals to improve their roster.
The Bengals own the No. 5 pick in this year’s draft. Cincinnati is picking in the top five for the 17th time in franchise history. The last time the Bengals possessed the No. 5 pick was in the 1993 NFL Draft where they selected defensive end John Copeland out of Alabama.
Who will the Bengals pick with the No. 5 pick in 2021? The Enquirer explores five prospects for the Bengals at five.
1. Oregon Ducks junior offensive tackle Penei Sewell (Height: 6-foot-6, weight: 330)
If Sewell falls to five, expect the Bengals to turn their draft card in expeditiously. Sewell is the consensus best offensive lineman in this year’s draft, and there’s a very good chance that he’ll be off the board by the time the Bengals are on the clock.
The 6-foot-6 Oregon Ducks tackle jumps out on tape. He’s a good athlete with quick feet, explodes off the ball, has good balance and impressive strength.
As a sophomore in 2019, Sewell didn’t allow a sack. He gave up just seven pressures and two quarterback hits as a sophomore. He was a unanimous All-American and was awarded the Outland and Morris Trophy for his performance.
Sewell is equally as good in pass blocking as he is in run blocking. He had 58 pancake blocks in his sophomore year.
The Oregon tackle opted out of the 2020 college football season to prepare for the NFL draft.
Sewell would start immediately in Cincinnati at either tackle position.
2. LSU junior wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (Height: 6-foot, weight: 208)
Many believe Chase is the best wide receiver prospect in this year’s draft. The LSU product opted out of the 2020 college football season. The last we saw of him was when he was catching footballs from Joe Burrow in the 2019 national title game.
The chemistry Chase and Burrow have together is precisely why the Bengals would likely prefer him over Alabama star wideout DeVonta Smith.
Burrow and Chase were exceptional together at LSU in 2019. Chase had an FBS-leading 1,780 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns during LSU’s national title run. He won the Fred Biletnikoff Award as the best receiver in college football and he was unanimously recognized as an All-American.
Chase can lineup on the outside and inside. He is a good route runner with good quickness and strength. He plays taller than his 6-foot frame. At LSU he accumulated a lot of yards after the catch.
In the likely event A.J. Green walks, the Bengals would still have a good wide receiving corps with Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd.
3. Alabama senior wide receiver DeVonta Smith (Height: 6-foot-1, weight: 175)
Smith might be the most decorated wide receiver in college football history. He stacked up his trophy case in four years in Tuscaloosa.
Smith won the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award and Biletnikoff Award. He was named AP College Football Player of the Year, Sporting News College Football Player of the Year, SEC Offensive Player of the Year and was a unanimous All-American in 2020. He led college football in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches in his senior season.
The star wideout was the best player in college football in 2020. He ended his collegiate career as the SEC record holder for most career receiving yards and touchdowns.
Smith has a slight frame, but uses good leverage to get open, avoid physical contact and big hits. He is a fluid route runner with great hands and is explosive with the football. Smith proved that he is the ultimate playmaker.
Who is the best receiver in this year’s draft? It’s a toss-up between Smith and Chase. It’ll probably come down to preference and personnel fit.
4. Northwestern senior offensive tackle Rashawn Slater (Height: 6-foot-3, weight: 305)
Slater is quickly climbing up preliminary draft boards. Before opting out of the 2020 college football season, Slater received preseason All-American recognition and first team All-Big Ten honors. Pro Football Focus graded him as the No. 2 tackle heading into 2020.
The Northwestern offensive lineman appeared in 11 games at left tackle in 2019. He allowed zero sacks, one QB hit and six pressures in 11 games as a junior.
Slater played right tackle as a freshman and sophomore at Northwestern. He is a smart and fundamentally sound offensive lineman.
Scouts like his position versatility. There’s a belief that he can play all five positions across the offensive line. The Bengals have a need at both tackle and guard.
5. Florida junior tight end Kyle Pitts (Height: 6-foot-6, weight: 239)
Pitts was by far the best tight end in college football last season. He tallied 43 catches for 770 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Gators. The junior tight end finished 10th in the Heisman Trophy voting, becoming the first tight end to finish in the top 10 in 43 years.
The 6-foot-6 tight end was the recipient of the Mackey Award, which is awarded to the top tight end in college football. He was a unanimous All-American and was named first team All-SEC for the second-straight year.
Pitts is tall and lengthy tight end with impressive athleticism. The pass-catching tight end runs routes like a wide receiver. He’s a versatile target who can lineup all over the field.
The Bengals were near the bottom of the NFL in overall tight end production. Pitts has the ability to solve the lack of production at tight end.
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