SB Nation Mock Draft: The Cincinnati Bengals select DT Byron Murphy II from Texas

The Bengals look to add the interior pass rusher they have needed since Geno Atkins was cut

With the 18th pick in the 2024 SB Nation writers’ mock draft, the Cincinnati Bengals select defensive tackle Byron Murphy II from Texas.

He is originally from Texas and was a three-star recruit who immediately played at Texas his freshman and sophomore seasons. It wasn’t until his junior season that he became a full-time starter though, and it was then that he showed out with five sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss. He built up this stats while playing the most nose tackle snaps on the team, consistently taking on double teams despite being only 6’0 and 300 pounds. He was named the Big 12 defensive lineman of the year, and as a young and still relatively inexperienced defensive tackle, he has plenty of potential to grow into an even more dominant player.

Ever since Geno Atkins was cut, the Bengals have struggled to bring interior pressure. They added D.J. Reader, B.J. Hill, and Larry Ogunjobi in free agency or via trade, and drafted Zach Carter, who has completely failed to live up to his draft billing. This offseason they signed Sheldon Rankins, who is a solid pass rusher, but long-term they need a player who can finally step in and fill the void left by Geno Atkins. It is lofty expectations for anyone, and he may never reach the height of Atkins, but the hope is that Murphy can be a similar type of player and bring the interior pass rush the Bengals have needed for so long.

DraftKings Sportsbook has Byron Murphy at +150 to be drafted after pick 16 in the 2024 NFL Draft. So according to that, it seems they believe he is likely to get drafted pick 16 or earlier, so getting him at pick 18 is great value. He even has +1500 odds to be selected at picks eight and nine, despite both teams in those spots having bigger needs than defensive tackle, so a top-10 pick hardly seems out of the question.

In the short term, with Rankins and Hill slated to start in 2024, this gives time for Murphy to become more acclimated to the NFL game and start his career as a rotational player who can make some big plays with fresh legs and hopefully be the wrecking ball that the Bengals faced their last two playoff losses in Aaron Donald and Chris Jones.

Getting Murphy here allows the Bengals to attack the offensive tackle position, which has much better depth, at pick 49 and still get solid depth and a presumptive long term starter at right tackle.