Bengals take a risk in Mel Kiper’s first 2024 NFL mock draft

It doesn’t feel like draft dseason gets officially underway until Mel Kiper Jr. issues his first mock draft.

That arrived Tuesday and in Kiper’s first effort, the Cincinnati Bengals get a little risky.

Risky, because the Bengals are willing to start over at a key spot on the offensive line again, standing still at No. 18 and selecting Alabama offensive lineman JC Latham:

We could see a run on offensive linemen starting around here — this is a really talented tackle class. I have seven tackles ranked among my top 25 overall prospects. Latham started 27 games at right tackle for the Crimson Tide over the past two seasons. He can maul defenders in the run game, but he’s also light on his feet as a pass protector. With Jonah Williams headed to free agency, Latham could slot in on the right side and be an instant starter. I could also see the Bengals look toward the defensive tackle class, with Jer’Zhan Newton (Illinois) and T’Vondre Sweat (Texas) still available.

Not that Latham isn’t a good prospect and the fit makes sense if the team can’t or won’t pay Jonah Williams to stick at right tackle.

But to be blunt, the Bengals have a horrific track record drafting offensive linemen, something they’ve quietly admitted in recent years by paying huge amounts of money to free agents other teams have drafted and developed instead.

Granted, there’s a scenario where the Bengals simply can’t afford what the market pays Williams. But his solid play after making the transition to the right side might just be worth investing in so that the team doesn’t have to go back to an unknown at an offensive tackle spot as Joe Burrow comes back from another season-ending injury.