Bengals add to defense in Mel Kiper’s new mock draft after free agency

Now that the Cincinnati Bengals have landed three major upgrades to the offensive line, the first round of the 2022 NFL draft is completely open to best-player-available or one of the lesser needs on the defensive side of the ball.

And that’s exactly what ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. attacks in his newest mock draft after the first week or so of free agency.

In the first round at No. 31, the Bengals address the defensive side of the ball with defensive tackle Travis Jones out of Connecticut:

“Jones is a 325-pound nose tackle with extremely long arms who can controls gaps with his strength. He was impressive at the Senior Bowl in January, boosting his stock into the top 50 picks. He could make sense for a Bengals team that is poised to compete for another AFC North title.”

Interestingly, the Bengals don’t really need another space-eating nose tackle now that Larry Ogunjobi is gone. They need a 3-technique who can rush the passer and rotate with the newly re-signed B.J. Hill.

Keep in mind, too, the Bengals could always attempt to bring Ogunjobi back after his deal with the Bears fell apart.

Still, that’s not to say Jones would be a bad pick. Cincinnati likes to use a variety of formations and depth is critical. He’s incredibly strong and there’s plenty of upside to his pass-rushing ability, especially surrounded by the talent the Bengals have up front.

In Round 1, the Bengals can’t really go wrong and this latest mock is a pretty good example of that.