Last season was a familiar one for the Cincinnati Bengals. They had a dominant regular season and bombed out early in the playoffs. That’s added misery for Cincinnati’s fanbase, which has been rolling in postseason agony for quite a long time now. Will this year’s NFL Draft haul be of any help for Cincy’s aspirations to get over that hump in the playoffs? Let’s check out our preview and predictions of how Cincy will spend its first five picks in the draft.
For more team draft previews, you can read our breakdown for the following clubs: Eagles | Cowboys | Browns
NEEDS at WR: Look at the Bengals’ current depth chart at the wide receiver position and dare say with conviction that Andy Dalton must be very happy. You can’t do it. With Mohamed Sanu and Marvin Jones gone, the Bengals certainly needs someone who could take away some of the attention away from A.J. Green and boost the Bengals’ receiving corps.
STRENGTHS: With his 41.0-inch vertical, Doctson could’ve played basketball in TCU, too. An athletic freak who also topped the Combine in broad jump (131.0 inch), 20-yard shuttle (4.08 seconds), and 60-yard shuttle (11.06 seconds), Doctson seems to have the tools to become a devastating receiver in the pros. The former TCU wideout also has a sticky grip of the ball that enabled him to drop just six of 84 catchable passes lobbed at him in 2015.
NEEDS at S: It’s not fun for Bengals fans to see Reggie Nelson leave for Oakland. Nelson led Cincy with eight interceptions last season and his departure has definitely left a big void to fill in the Bengals’ secondary unit.
STRENGTHS: Burns can really burn some serious rubber. Like Doctson, Burns had a solid performance during the Combine, particularly in the 40-yard dash, where he posted a blazing time of 4.46 seconds. Burns has displayed deftness playing in man and zone coverage and uses his size (stands 6’0”) and length (33 1/4″) to deflect and intercept passes. He had six interceptions last year in Miami.
NEEDS at DT: Domata Peko isn’t getting any younger and while Michael Johnson and Pat Sims should help keep the defensive line sturdy, it would still be wise for Cincinnati to draft a defensive tackle, one that could serve as the future replacement for Peko.
STRENGTHS: Hargrave is quick for a dude his size. Standing at 6’1” and weighting over 300 pounds, Hargrave has displayed expert timing in college to outwit offensive linemen. He’s an elite pass rusher in South Carolina, even recording six sacks in a game against Bethune-Cookman last year.
Round 4: Pick #24 (122nd overall) – DE Charles Tapper – Oklahoma
NEEDS at DE: The Bengals are also looking for depth in this position following Wallace Gillberry’s decision to join Detroit. Gillbery’s not the best defensive on Cincy’s roster last season but his absence will put so much pressure on Carlos Dunlap and Michael Johnson. Adding another defensive end will give extra mileage on the bodies of Dunlap and Johnson, who are both signed through 2018.
STRENGTHS: Tapper turned scouts’ heads during the Combine by emerging with a 4.59-second run in the 40-yeard-dash, the best among his peers. It’s his speed and quickness that leads him into taking down opposing quarterbacks.
NEEDS at RB: Yeah sure, the Bengals have the pair of Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill plus Rex Burkhead, but Cincinnati only has one running back with a guaranteed contract beyond 2016. That’s Hill, who is coming off a down year following a terrific 2014 rookie season.
STRENGTHS: Washington excelled playing under Kliff Kingsbury’s air-raid offense in Lubbock and it showed when he caught 41 passes for 85 yards and 2 touchdowns last year. Those numbers are in addition to his strong ground game that allowed him to rush for 1,492 yards and 14 touchdowns. He’s a do-it-all running back who could offer versatility in Cincy’s offense.
The Bengals have seven picks in the 2016 NFL Draft:
