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Draft Selections
Draft Grade — Bengals
Overall
B
ValueB
NeedB+
TradesB-
FutureB-
Good, not great, for the Bengals: B. The best pick of the weekend was also the simplest. The Bengals watched Demetrius Knight Jr. slide 22 picks past his grade and did not hesitate. Solid and sensible more than spectacular: a B.
The Gordon II pick is the one the value grade keeps tripping over. The cornerback spot stays a question, and it was the one they most needed an answer at. The roster is better shaped than it was, with tight end chief among the fixes.
Nothing here to lose sleep over, and plenty to feel decent about.
Pick Analysis
Pick17
Rnd1
Walter Nolen
In pick No. 17 they get a run-stuffing presence up front. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
Pick49
Rnd2
Xavier Watts
A slide stopped in the 49th pick, with Xavier Watts worth more than the price. A minor need, but a need all the same.
Pick81
Rnd3
Demetrius Knight Jr.
Somehow Demetrius Knight Jr. was still sitting there in No. 81, and they pounced on premier linebacker value. The roster fit checks out.
Pick119
Rnd4
Xavier Restrepo
Xavier Restrepo at Round 4, Pick 17 is money in the bank, a wide receiver taken below his worth. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Pick153
Rnd5
Ollie Gordon II
Ollie Gordon II in the 153rd pick is a reach so steep the board needed a second look to believe it. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Pick193
Rnd6
Jake Briningstool
A top-tier tight end at a bargain, Jake Briningstool in the Round 6 slot, plain and simple. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.