Mel Kiper has Bengals going DT and WR in latest 2-round mock draft

What would you think about a new 3-tech and WR 3 after the first two rounds of the draft?

We’re in the calm before the storm right now. Free agency has cooled for the most part as the 32 franchises in the NFL prepare for the upcoming draft. The only thing to do now is wait.

Wait and obsessively create and read NFL Mock Drafts.

Mel Kiper Jr., who’s been a huge part of the draft process for a long time, has released his newest two-round NFL mock draft.

First, he predicts the Cincinnati Bengals will use the No. 18 overall selection on the best interior pass rusher in the upcoming draft class, Texas Longhorns defensive tackle Byron Murphy II.

“As of now, I’m assuming the Bengals are keeping wideout Tee Higgins, who was franchise-tagged but requested a trade last month,” Kiper wrote. “If they plan to give Higgins an extension, they could instead look toward a defense that ranked last in the league in both yards per play allowed (6.0) and yards per pass attempt allowed (8.1) last season.”

“Murphy led the Big 12 with 33 QB pressures last season, which is even more impressive when you consider he played nearly all of his snaps along the interior. He has a lightning-quick get-off at the snap. He’s the best 3-technique tackle in this class.”

The Bengals lost DJ Reader in free agency, and he has yet to be replaced. They did, however, bring in defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins as a free agent. Rankins is also a 3-technique defensive tackle who excels as an interior pass rusher. They signed him to a two-year deal in hopes he can increase the team’s inside pass rush, something they’ve missed since Geno Atkins left.

If they were to select Murphy in the first round, he’d immediately join a rotation with Rankins and BJ Hill. In an obvious passing situation, Murphy would also join Rankins as well as defensive ends Trey Hendrickson, Sam Hubbard, and/or last year’s first-round pick Myles Murphy to create a hellish pass rush while still being able to drop several players into coverage.

Speaking of coverage, who will opposing defensive backs see coming at them when Joe Burrow drops back to do his thing? Obviously, it’s Ja’Marr Chase, and at this point, I think it’s safe to say Higgins is too. But who is WR3?

Well, Kiper thinks the Bengals will fill that need not with Charlie Jones or Andrei Iosivas, who were both drafted last year, but by using the No. 49 overall pick on Michigan wide receiver Roman Wilson.

“Here’s a spot for Cincinnati to snag a No. 3 wideout,” he wrote. “Wilson moved up in my rankings after he ran a 4.39-second 40 at the combine; he ran away from defenders on crossers on tape, but I wasn’t totally sure how he’d test. He has 12 touchdowns last season. He can be a movable playmaker in Zac Taylor’s offense.”

The Bengals are likely to lose Tyler Boyd, even though he hasn’t been signed by another team. Unless the market suddenly dries up after the draft, I don’t think he’d want to accept a low offer from the Bengals when he could, and should, get paid more elsewhere.

With that being said, Wilson would add more speed to the offense, and we all know speed kills. Defenses will already be overwhelmed dealing with Higgins and Chase, but adding a wide receiver like Wilson, as well as tight end Mike Gesicki, to the mix looks explosive, at least on paper.

However, going after a defensive tackle and wide receiver in the first two rounds ignores the massive need at right tackle beyond the 2024 season, and if Trent Brown can’t stay healthy through an entire season, it would be nice to have someone the team trusts there. These two picks also ignore the fact the team has no fourth cornerback on the roster right now.

These are needs that can always be addressed in free agency after the draft if things don’t go their way, but grabbing young and cheap talent in the draft at premium positions is a must.

What would you think if the Bengals passed on positions like offensive tackle, tight end, or defensive back in the first two rounds if it meant they could land Murphy and Wilson?