BENGALS INSIDER HIGHLIGHTS 4 POSSIBLE PICKS AT NO. 18, AND AN ESPN INSIDER AGREES ON 1 OF THEM

The Cincinnati Bengals will have a lot of options when they go on the clock with the No. 18 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on Thursday night. Some think they’ll go offensive tackle, some defensive tackle, some cornerback or wide receiver, and some think Brock Bowers could fall to the Bengals.

The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. highlighted four players he thinks the Bengals could realistically select with their first-round pick. They are Texas Longhorns defensive tackle Byron Murphy II, Alabama Crimson Tide offensive tackle JC Latham, Washington Huskies offensive lineman Troy Fautanu, and Georgia Bulldogs offensive tackle Amarius Mims.

Of the three linemen, Dehner believes Fautanu is the most versatile, Mims is the most athletic, but he says Latham is the safest pick.

“The most powerful human in the draft at a position where Cincinnati has prioritized power and size,” he wrote. “Plus, proof of concept as a starter the last two years on the right side at Alabama. The safest of the realistic picks.”

It should be noted that ESPN agrees with Dehner, believing the Bengals to favor Latham on Thursday, going as far as to say the team could trade up to specifically select the Alabama tackle.

“The Bengals at No. 18 are also worth watching for a potential trade-up,” Dan Graziano wrote. “They like Alabama offensive tackle JC Latham a lot and could stand to bolster the line, but they may need to move up to get someone in that tier. Otherwise, watch for Cincinnati to bolster its defensive line following the offseason departure of defensive tackle DJ Reader via free agency.”

The only defensive tackle most believe worth taking with the No. 18 overall pick is Murphy, who Dehner calls a “dream addition” to the interior of the defensive line along with Sheldon Rankins and BJ Hill.

“... with potential to finally give Cincinnati the true game-wrecking three-technique that’s so scarce across the league. They’ve been searching since the prime of Geno Atkins,” he wrote.

With a draft class as deep as this one is at offensive tackle, and because the Bengal signed Trent Brown in free agency, the team can afford to bypass offensive tackle in the first round if Murphy is still available at 18. Since they also have two third-round picks, it’s also possible to move around a little on Friday if they see a tackle they like that is still available early in the second round.

Which of the four do you like the most?

2024-04-24T18:01:47Z dg43tfdfdgfd