Cincinnati Bengals: Final 7-round 2019 NFL mock draft on draft day
By Kenn Korb
Round 6, Pick 183: Devin Ozigbo, RB, Nebraska
There are so many ways Cincinnati can go here, what with the five picks they have in this round alone. To start, they shore up the depth at one of their more stable positions.
Ozigbo does add more than just a body, however. He’s an explosive, powerful runner who brings a bit of a different skill-set to the depth chart. The main two options at running back here (Joe Mixon and Giovani Bernard) are each really good as pass-catchers out of the backfield, but the Bengals could use a guy able to pound up the middle with power.
At the very least, Ozigbo would be competitive with guys like Tra Carson for that No. 3/short-yardage running back role.
Round 6, Pick 198: Gardner Minshew, QB, Washington State
It’d be a terrible disappointment for the new head coach to not get himself a new quarterback option somewhere in this draft, even if he’s just a developmental prospect.
Gardner Minshew isn’t someone who really excites (and likely doesn’t even sound like a quarterback to you), but besides some worries about his height and not having top-end arm strength, he brings to the table pretty much everything a team would love: positive high energy, pocket poise, excellent accuracy, great touch on deep balls, natural feel for the game and is unfazed by blitzes.
Round 6, Pick 210: Ben Burr-Kiven, LB, Washington
Another linebacker? Definitely worth consideration, because this linebacker situation in Cincinnati would still be atrocious even with spending their first rounder on the position. Ben Burr-Kirven would be less of a sure bet than the Bush pick earlier, but it can’t hurt to spend one of many late-rounders on a productive, instinctual individual whose skills would place him much higher in this draft if they were paired with a larger body.
Since they aren’t, Burr-Kirven will have a tougher time finding a successful career, but there’s something to be said about him usually putting himself in the right place at the right time despite his natural limitations.
Round 6, Pick 211: Deion Calhoun, OG, Mississippi State
The biggest weakness for this franchise the past three seasons has been their offensive line. Failures with multiple high draft picks (as well as frustrating cheapness when it came to paying the talent that was already in place) let the unit deteriorate into shambles, and it’ll take multiple years of solid investment to fix those errors.
A late sixth rounder likely won’t change much by himself, but a player like Calhoun is exactly who could have an outside chance at making it into the starting lineup and changing the luck of a downtrodden unit.
Round 6, Pick 213: Ugo Amadi, CB, Oregon
Cincinnati has long been a team not only willing to use their draft capital on cornerbacks, but to often invest years in developing them before giving them substantial roles in their defense. Will that trend change with the departure of Marvin Lewis? Probably, but even so, it wouldn’t be a surprise for one of these many late-round picks to go to that position anyway.
If that happens, Amadi would be a decent pick this late. He’s definitely on the smaller side, but he brings a physicality and willingness to get in against the run that’s sure to impress whoever his professional coaches end up being. He could become a good No. 4-5 depth corner long-term, with special teams usefulness while he hones his coverage skills a bit.
Next. NFL Mock Draft: Redskins, Patriots trade up in draft day projection. dark
Round 7, Pick 223: Carl Granderson, DE, Wyoming
To end the draft, it would be a good idea for Cincinnati to continue adding developmental bodies to their defensive line; if they do, they continue to keep the rotation highly competitive and chock full of talent.
If that’s the route they want to go, Granderson would be a fine capper to a long draft process. He has some insane size (6-5), and if his technique is improved he’ll be an absolute menace. His best hope for success may be rushing from an upright position. If so, he could learn a thing or two from Carl Lawson (whose own size deficiencies make that his best option as well) and give the team an extra layer of malleability to utilize when showing fronts to opposing offenses.