49. Cincinnati Bengals - Donovan Jackson, OG, Ohio State
The Cincinnati Bengals are prioritizing the trenches, and it’s a beautiful thing. It’s actually insane that the team missed the playoffs with just how good Joe Burrow and the offense were this year. It’s a huge indictment of how their slow starts can catch up to them and how bad the defense was.
Another massive issue that the Bengals have had is their offensive line. They have had some iOL inconsistencies outside of center Ted Karras, so the hope here is that Donovan Jackson can stabilize one of the guard spots for the long-term. The Bengals do have a solid LT in Orlando Brown Jr, a good center in Karras, and an encouraging young RT in Amarius Mims. Another starting-caliber OL could have this unit in a great spot.
50. Seattle Seahawks - Elic Ayomanor, WR, Standard
The Seattle Seahawks might see long-time WR Tyler Lockett retire this coming offseason, and it seems like DK Metcalf may have overstayed his welcome over there, so it would not shock me if Metcalf actually got traded this offseason.
This could set the stage for WR being a huge need, so while they took a tackle in the first round, they’ll grab WR Elic Ayomanor from Stanford, and he is a very solid blocker, which is an outstanding trait for any WR to have.
51. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Isaiah Bond, WR, Texas
Two WRs picks in a row in this mock draft, and it makes sense. The Buccaneers could lose Chris Godwin in free agency, and Mike Evans is getting old, so this is a position of need. Isaiah Bond is the pick for the Bucs in the 51st slot. Very quietly, GM Jason Licht has done a marvelous job with this roster, as the Bucs really have not skipped a beat since Tom Brady retired.
Tampa seems to be taking over the NFC South.
52. Miami Dolphins (via DEN) - Josh Conerly Jr, OT, Oregon
The Miami Dolphins did get the Denver Broncos’ second-round pick due to the Broncos trading up in the first round. The Dolphins nab a tackle in Josh Conerly Jr from Oregon. The trenches are an area of emphasis for the Dolphins in this mock draft, as the team has to gain that tough edge that other AFC teams have.
They may never learn to play in the cold weather with this current group of players and coaches, but the best thing to try and be able to play in the cold is to be tough up front.