Bengals go surprise route in mock draft from team’s website

In most mock drafts, the Cincinnati Bengals slot as a team set to address the trenches on either side of the ball.

Sometimes, though, those mocks get Joe Burrow another weapon in the form of a tight end or even wide receiver.

And some other rare times, the Bengals go a surprise route like cornerback.

Such is the case in the latest effort from Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, whose latest media mock draft collaboration with other writers results in the team drafting Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins:

Wiggins, who played 36 games, hit 22 miles per hour when he came from behind for a goal-line strip to preserve a win over North Carolina. At the combine he ripped off a 4.28-second 40-yard dash that was second only to the combine record. The Bengals have loved that elite secondary speed the last two drafts with cornerback DJ Turner’s 4.27 last year and safety Dax Hill’s 4.3 the year before in becoming the cornerstone of what they’ve got back there.

It’s an interesting decision because as the writeup notes, big names like Byron Murphy and Johnny Newton — among others — are still on the board.

And yet, it’s not all that unlikely either. The transition away from Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell in the secondary was a dud, so the latter has returned and Geno Stone has arrived. Former first-rounder Dax Hill’s long-term position is in question and there’s no guarantee former second-rounder DJ Turner works out across from Cam Taylor-Britt.

In today’s NFL, the fourth cornerback spot might as well be considered premium too and Wiggins would give coordinator Lou Anarumo more flexibility, making cornerback an underrated likelihood at No. 18.