2017 NFL Draft: Cincinnati Bengals Final 7-Round Mock Draft
By Kenn Korb
Round 4, Pick 9: Demarcus Walker, DE – Florida State
In both the regular and alternative first-round selections I gave, we see the Bengals grab a defensive lineman. They shouldn’t feel comfortable coming away with only one player for that unit from this draft, however, and adding a second to start the final day of the draft would be an effective use of their resources.
Whether they have Soloman Thomas or Jonathan Allen, a defensive end would make the most sense as the second defensive line selection.
Getting someone best suited to stay on the edge is a necessity. Carlos Dunlap should be fine as one starter, but Michael Johnson needs to be replaced or at least relegated to playing fewer snaps. The depth of the group has also taken a hit, with Margus Hunt leaving for Indianapolis in free agency and guys like Will Clarke and Wallace Gilberry being low-end backups at this point in their careers.
Walker does have a decent shot of being gone before now due in part to his noteworthy college production (25 sacks the past two years), but concerns with his inconsistent motor may make teams want to wait until later to grab him. They may also worry about the way those sacks came to fruition as well (as NFL.com’s analysis says about them, many weren’t exactly of the “early win” variety).
The worries of others could become Cincinnati’s gain.
Though he may not project to be a game-changer, with players like Atkins and Dunlap garnering all the attention someone like Walker could have plenty of chances to get good matchups on the edge and “clean up.”
Alternative Selection: JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR – USC
It was clearly noticeable how much of a lesser offensive group Cincinnati had at their disposal in 2016 compared to past years. We can look at the fact that Hue Jackson was no longer at the helm all we want, but the seismic changes to Andy Dalton’s receiving corps made a huge difference of its own.
Now, I don’t think the team should have eagerly shelled out the huge contracts given to Marvin Jones Jr. and Mohamed Sanu, but at least they should have had a better succession plan in place. Bringing in Brandon LaFell and Tyler Boyd sounds like a sound decision on paper, sure, but it came with foreseeable issues.
LaFell has proven to be a decent option in the past, but he is someone who struggled with drops and inconsistency throughout his career in both Carolina and New England. In both of those places, he was able to be a significantly lesser part of the offenses: Carolina focused heavily on run game dominance to help free up coverages for their guys out wide; he was often no higher than No. 4 in New England’s pecking order for plays.
Boyd came in as a more dynamic option, but as I’ve mentioned multiple times already, this team insists on not giving their young players major roles. With these two guys in particular in mind, selecting someone like Smith-Schuster here would be a smart move.
The Anquan Boldin comparisons may not get everyone jumping out of their seats, but maybe it should Boldin has never been a speed demon, but his toughness and ability to consistently make big plays and pick apart defenses despite his built-in disadvantages shouldn’t be callously overlooked. If Smith-Schuster can bring even a smidgen of that, it could have a strong intangible effect on the offense he joins.
Smith-Schuster may not see much immediate impact, but there is a chance he could. When it comes to most rookies, they are missing much of the attention to small details needed for teams to trust them from the break; if the Boldin comparisons go further than just play speed (which they seem to do) that shouldn’t be as much of an issue for him.
Even if he doesn’t get out there right away, LaFell shouldn’t be around much longer. His contract is finished after 2017, and even without improvement Smith-Schuster may already be a better offensive piece than him. In any case, taking the No. 2 spot over in 2018 wouldn’t be a stretch if he’s on the roster.