A 1-4 start for the Cincinnati Bengals has many fans already thinking about April and how general manager Duke Tobin can build the roster back to AFC supremacy. With their only win in the last three weeks coming on the road against Carolina, questions remain in abundance for a franchise that was expected to challenge, once again, for an AFC title in 2024. Here is an early look at where Cincinnati could go come April in this Bengals 7-round mock draft.
Round 1 (No. 2 overall): Travis Hunter, DB/WR, Colorado
There are short, and long-term concerns at both spots for the Bengals. While it seems highly unlikely that Travis Hunter will play every snap on either side of the ball in the NFL like he’s done in Boulder, expectations remain that he’ll get some looks on his non-primary side of the ball. The top overall prospect in the class for me, Hunter would provide an immediate impact in Cincinnati.
Round 2 (No. 33 overall): Donovan Jackson, IOL, Ohio State
One of the premier guards in the class, Donovan Jackson has been excellent thus far up front for the Buckeyes. He missed time at the beginning of the year, but since stepping into his starting role in Week 4 against Marshall, Jackson has been dominant in the run game, with the footwork to climb and anchor to sit in pass pro. He’s a high-floor type of prospect.
Round 3 (No. 70 overall): Derrick Harmon, IDL, Oregon
Derrick Harmon remains a very intriguing player. He can live in the B-gap, slide inside to nose, or stand up in the 4i over the tackle. Away from his ability to clog gaps on early downs, Harmon can also push the passer with some consistency, as evidenced by his 25 pressures in the first five weeks.
Round 4 (No. 106 overall): Jaydn Ott, RB, Cal
An explosive piece in the backfield, Jaydn Ott would form a nice 1-2 combo with Chase Brown for the future in Cincinnati. While Ott could also holster an ‘RB1’ workload at times, his ability to stretch defenses horizontally both in the ground game and in space, would allow the Bengals’ playbook to continue to expand.
Round 5 (No. 142 overall): Hunter Wohler, SAF, Wisconsin
This is the time in the draft when teams look to add versatile, multi-phase contributors to the roster. A four-year contributor for the Badgers, Hunter Wohler’s ability to play in the box, at nickel, and as a centerfield safety would provide depth to an aging Cincinnati safeties room, sans Jordan Battle. He’s tough as nails, tackles his tail off, and has good instincts on the backend that put him in spots to make plays on the football (3 INTs and 6 PBUs in his career).
Round 6 (No. 178 overall): Connor O’Toole, EDGE, Utah
This is a good spot for Connor O’Toole, a player I expect to evolve into a contributor on Sundays. He isn’t the most explosive of edge rushers, but his nuance and length have caused fits to opposing tackles for years. He’s got eight pressures and three sacks so far this fall and entered the year with 47 pressures (7 sacks) in his career. A wide receiver convert and former standout on the track, O’Toole is a high-level athlete with some of those track goods required to produce at the NFL level.
Round 7 (No. 216 overall): Nick Nash, WR, San Jose State
With it being so early in the process, I like to use these selections to introduce players to the audience that are currently unknown to the public eye. For Nick Nash, there may not be a more impressive wideout in college football thus far. Away from his immense production through five games (55 catches, 712 yards, 9 TD), Nash has a few of the traits teams look for in a potential contributor on the outside. He’s got good size, hands, and has showcased an innate understanding of leverage and space to exploit against zone looks.
