Locked On Bengals - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Bengals - Biggest Cincinnati Bengals draft questions ahead of the 2025 Combine

Episode Date: February 24, 2025

Can the Cincinnati Bengals leverage the NFL draft to boost their championship hopes? Hosts Jake Liscow and James Rapien explore potential picks, key positions like tight end and edge rusher, and the influence of new defensive coordinator Al Golden. What kind of tight end fits what they'll be looking for this year? Will they prioritize interior defensive line early? We answer those questions and more in this episode!Join the Locked On Bengals Insider Community! https://joinsubtext.com/lockedonbengalsFind and follow Locked On Bengals on your favorite podcast platforms:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/locked-on-bengals-daily-podcast-on-the-cincinnati-bengals/id1159723162Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7AObc0lh0WmQl5fJVgtajsGoogle Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vbG9ja2Vkb25iZW5nYWxz?sa=X&ved=0CAYQrrcFahcKEwio_sXtj8nuAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAgStitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/locked-on-bengalsSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!FanDuelRight now, new FanDuel customers can get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in Bonus Bets if your first FIVE DOLLAR bet wins!Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started. Bet with FanDuel—Official Partner of the NBA. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The NFL Combine is almost here. What are we expecting for the Cincinnati Bengals this weekend in the draft before the Combine gives us more information? Let's get into it. You are Locked-on Bengals, your daily Cincinnati Bengals podcast. Part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. What up, Bengals fans, and welcome to another episode of the Lockdown Bengals podcast. I'm your host, Jake Liskow.

He's your host, James Rapine. We're part of the Lockdowneon. Podcast Network here on Lockdown Bengals, your team every day on YouTube and everywhere you get your podcast. Today we're taking a look at some pre-combine expectations and very soon it will be all about post-combine expectations of reacting to the things that we see and hear throughout the NFL combine coming up this week and in the next week. It's now a multi-week event, the NFL combine. Maybe it's been like that for a while. It feels like it keeps getting longer, James. We will be discussing that this week. We've got some of your questions in the mailbag

this week that we will throw in there as well pertaining to the Combine and the NFL draft. And let's start with a mailbag question here, James. This is a tricky one because we've talked a lot in this pre-draft season about the need to find impact regardless of position and find players that make your team better regardless of where they play football. But Adam, Wheels at AC Wheels 10 on Twitter asks, assuming the Bengals somehow acquire a pick to get to seven picks, say as trading Jermaine Pratt, if BPA were to line up, what would be the ideal way this plays out for position groups? For him, he says, two defensive linemen on the interior, a tight end of running back, a safety, a defensive lineman, or defensive edge, sorry, and an interior

offensive lineman. Yeah, I assume those aren't ranked in order. I'll rank them because I do think that that's that hits that's playing the hits and those are all positions that we're going to discuss for sure from a need standpoint I think in this could change in free agency much much easier I think regardless of what you do in free agency interior defensive line is going to be a huge it's going to be just based on this draft based on what the Bengals need even if they go make a splash on the interior it's not like you're going to say, oh, no, I don't want another good interior defensive linemen. Like, that just, that won't be the case.

So that's going to be high there. So I would agree there. I think interior offensive line, it just hasn't been a priority. Like, I was thinking, we've been doing this since 2020. Think about the interior offensive linemen that they've drafted in the Joe Borough era. Deonti Smith, Cordell Voulson, the Trey Hill. Like, who am I? I mean, Jackson, Carmen, I guess, you would throw in there.

But, no, I want to forget that. Like, what do you mean, of course? No, I want to block that completely. He was the highest resource they spent on an interior alignment. The worst pick of the Joe Burrow era, easily. You know, I just, it's painful. And so I do think that that one is there. And what's tough is in this draft,

and we were talking about a little bit before we started recording, the defensive line, at least in the defensive tackles, at least line up with that need. I'm not sure I feel that way, or the NFL feels that way, at least going into the combine, about the interior offensive line class. So last year we talked about it a ton. Man, can you get that guard center flex in the mid rounds?

Well, they didn't. And now it's like, all right, well, where do you find it? And the answer for that one might be, if it's not early in the draft, like really early, might be in free agency. It's probably early or you're not getting a starter level player on the interior offensive line. I think there's a handful of starting interior offensive linemen that will be picked early. Inevitably, there will be some surprises from the later rounds, but you know,

you can never bank on those that the Bengals finally hit a mid to late round starter. That's a plus starter at the NFL level go back to like Clinton bowling kind of player. Great. But they haven't done that for quite a while. So I do agree with you that even if they were to go sign Milton Williams, interior defensive tackle, adding additional talent there in a draft that is stacked on the defensive interior, needs to be a priority for the Bengals, find the way to make the BPA lined up, line up, because it should at some point.

I'm not saying force it, but I'm saying at some point in this draft, given the strength of the interior defensive line class, you will find a player that fits what you want who can make an impact and then that's when you pull the trigger. If it's the first round on a Walter Nolan or maybe they love Kenneth Grant, those two guys are two of the more frequently mocked players

to the Bengals right now around the internet, around the many, many mocks out there. Great. If it's in the second round and it's a different player, also great as long as we're making sure that value is a match. I'd be shocked if they didn't address defensive tackle on the first two days. Even if they signed two guns in free agency,

wouldn't you be shocked that it wouldn't line up? I just expect that. And so I'm not expecting it necessarily at 17. I think a lot of people are there already. It's February. I'm not going to be there with any position unless it's like the Joe Burrow year where you know they're taking Joe Burrow.

Yeah, I think 17 could still go a lot of different ways. I think even last year it was more compelling or more pointed in the direction of an offensive tackle in the first round than this year is any position in the first round where you could say defensive tackle is the thing that makes the most sense. I wouldn't even necessarily disagree with you, but I think there's a stronger signal this year than offensive tackle was last year. And the reason that I would say it makes sense this year is because, again, the interior

defensive line class is very strong, but I think you could also throw edge into that conversation in the first round. And again, a very strong edge rusher class and a position that I think they would like to add some talent. Now, they, I think, have a more pressing need. on the interior in their minds because they would probably think of it as we have a first round pick that's going into his third year, Miles Murphy, that they're going to be expecting a lot from. And they've talked about that. Now, that's not an excuse, though, to not go add to that room,

especially with questions still existing around Trey Hendrickson's future before the draft. They will probably know his future, but those are a couple of positions where I can see them address it early. And so we're talking. trenches, I think, for early priorities. But then to Adam's question, tight end running back safety, I think all would be in consideration at some point throughout this draft, especially tight end where there's virtually no one on the roster for 2025. I mean, Drew Sample Camp Grandi, I guess that's a stray for them.

Apologies, they don't have a receiving threat at tight end at all on the roster right now. We'll see what free agency does there, but regardless, getting a young developmental tight end, not developmental, a young tight end that they can use immediately and continue to develop an Eric all type player in terms of quality does need to be a priority for them at some point. Hopefully they have the opportunity to do that in the draft. In a position that he didn't mention that I want to throw in there, linebacker, I think, is right now Logan Wilson and not a whole lot else. There's Zhang Mehta on the roster that you should expect as well.

But even if you expect Zhang Mehta to start, there's a need. at linebacker. Yeah, there is. There's, they could take, just make it very clear. Tight end could be the pick at 17. Don't, don't, just not you specifically, but don't dismiss that now. I think that that's,

there's a chance. Linebacker could be the pick at 17. Jahad Campbell, anyone? Now, that does bolster your pass rush. Theoretically, that would be part of why you would take him at 17. But it's, that's, it's, it's pretty open. I'm not at the point where I would dismiss corner. I don't know how the board would line up that way to where it would need to happen,

but just from a position standpoint, not willing to do that yet. Safety seems like it's pretty unlikely that they would go there at 17. I do think defensive tackles the most likely never dismiss offensive line. So there's a lot of, there's a lot of areas, a lot of weaknesses or areas of need. and guess what, Jake, they're not going to be able to address all of them with the right guy in this year's draft. They're not going to hit home runs in every spot.

They just need to hit home runs early on and get impactful guys because that'll help hide things a bit and obviously they have to marry the draft with free agency and what they do in free agency. And I think that's what's interesting is it's not like this draft is considered an all-world draft. There's some areas,

defensive line, that people feel really good about, tight end, feel good about, running back, feel good about from a depth standpoint. And this free agent class isn't deemed as like this all-world free agent class. It's kind of a down year and free agency. So how the Bengals navigate it to maximize things, I do think is an intriguing storyline because obviously you want free agency in the draft to marry up and give you the best roster that you possibly can for the 2025 season and beyond. Yeah, we'll wrap this conversation up and then get into tight ends and tight ends.

end styles and some specific tight ends that may or may not fit the Bengals as we continue the show, the pre-combine show coming up next. James, you mentioned the general texture of the draft class, a general texture of the free agency class, not being these all-world years to improve your team. I think that exploring trades is another part of that. If you're the Bengals for your team looking to bolster a championship-level roster, there could be some very interesting players available in trades. These aren't things of Bengals, too. we'll see how the Bengals approach this off season when it seems like a lot of their resources will be dedicated at least early on to some of those guys that they would like to keep around

in terms of their own veterans, their own stars, which we've talked about a ton. We're not going to spend a lot of time on today, but inevitably you will hear about as the combine gets going and people start talking in Indianapolis. You're already hearing about it. James, you found this one and put it up at banglesock.com. people talking to others around the league and reporting on all their skepticism that the Bengals will get things done outside of Cincinnati with T. Higgins.

Of course, the league is skeptical of the Bengals doing what they say they want to do, but we'll, of course, see what ends up happening there. Very interesting draft class, though, James. When we talk about all the positions of Bengals need, how free agency will impact that, obviously, and change priorities a little bit based on the kinds of guys they bring in.

and where that moves some of the needs around, some of the priorities around, I think will be interesting. But I mentioned the need for a pass-catching tight end, the need for a young, long-term tight-end piece, which they were hoping Eric Al would be. We'll see maybe eventually he gets back and can resume his path to that role. But Kirk Nelson at Cray Jacka on Twitter

is curious about the type of tight end we think the Bengals would like this year, James. Do we think the Bengals are more interested in Colston Loveland or Tyler Warren, Mason Taylor or Elijah Royo at tight end? From organization to coach to scheme, Kirk would like to see the Bengals aligned on the kind of tight end they bring in.

Yeah, I think they are aligned. I think this might be the one position where they've been aligned throughout the years and that's why they haven't reached in their mom. even though they've liked certain guys. I don't think there's been a big disparity there. Now, the alignment includes the position value and in positional value.

And I think that's what's hurt them at times when they've evaluated tight ends well, whether it's a Tucker Crafter or Sam LaVorda, two guys that I think in an ideal world or in other worlds are Bengals at this time in other universes and other scenarios. So I think the Tyler Warren The discussion with him is like, all right, well, can he be healthy Eric All? That gives you even more of everything that Eric All gives. And if so, I don't know how you would be able to look at last year

and what Eric All did and say, oh, well, that wouldn't be super valuable in this offense. At the same time, Loveland has the job. juice and does a lot of, and you were talked about this with Mike Renner, it's like, man, if you don't keep Gaseki especially, and I know they're different, but if you don't keep Gaseki, can you imagine Joe Burrow throwing to Loveland and just what he could bring from a, you know, a pass catching standpoint, a threat over the middle, just the ability that he has athletically how gifted of a pass catcher he is at the tight end position. So I think it's interesting.

I think Warren's certainly more well-rounded. But Loveland is more dynamic. And can you get his blocking good enough? Because if so, you can't teach dynamic. And if James Casey says, oh, well, I think I can get a little bit more of them as a block or where we can line them up in line enough, well, then I think you know which way the Bengals would leave.

I think there's a little bit more on the bone with Loveland as well in terms of development. And now Warren was behind guys that got drafted at tight end at Penn State. There's a reason that it took him a while to get on the field. And then we got on the field for Penn State like he was the offense. They built it around him. Meanwhile, Michigan is running its past game through Colson Loveland. So you have a couple of guys that are focal points for the respective offenses between those two guys.

And Tyler Warren's out there taking direct snaps running the ball, throwing the ball. And there's a play I was watching. I remember I was watching him with Joe Goodberry. and trying to figure out where he was on the field and why this play was included. I'm like, oh, he's not even on the field. Why is this play in this cut up? And it was because he took the direct snap.

And that was the first direct snap I ever saw Tyler Warren take. And I was confused because I was looking at the tight end positions and the wide receiver positions. He wasn't out there at any of those. So he does a lot of really cool things, is a dynamic player, but doesn't have the level of athleticism or speed

that Colson level brings you, the level of refinement as a receiver. Meanwhile, Loveland is probably playing, you know, big slot receiver for you. He's big enough to be in line. He's 6.5, 245. He's 21 years old. He'll get a little bit bigger in the NFL. So can you develop that blocking part of his game?

Can you use him as a move blocker off the line of scrimmage, off the point of attack, the way they use the error call? Can he attack those blocks coming across the formation with violence and aggression the way that we saw Eric all do it, is that part of his game? Is that the way that he would play? Or is it more of like what it looked like when they had Tanner Hudson out there?

And he's trying to do it, but just doesn't bring the same approach or attacking mentality or physical style that Eric all did. Because you need some of that at tight end, I think. And that is something that you have to consider. And then you look down the draft, a deep tight end class, right?

Elijah Royo is going to be a fascinating player. I think he is expected to absolutely tear up the combine. It was a guy that really came on in the second half of last season, showed out at the Senior Bowl. Looks like, again, he could be an electric receiver at the next level. And Mason Taylor's scene is kind of this all-rounder, who is a very smooth player, should be a reliable receiver, has upside as a tight end and can do a little bit more in line.

And that's not even to mention Harold Fanon, who some people like as tight end one in this draft who is probably getting picked somewhere in day two. So a lot of tight ends there. That's not mentioning some of the guys further down in the draft that I think will be interesting for different reasons as more developmental players. But as far as the Bengals style, Tucker Kraft and Sam LaPorte are different kinds of players,

right, James? We think they like both of them. We also think they really liked Dalton Kincaid that year. Well, that will point you toward Colston Ludland, if that is a preference, right? If they saw that draft class, how it played out, saw Sam Laporte to play out in the NFL, that would point you a little bit more toward Colston Loveland between those two guys, I would think. But Warren and the full skill set there, if he makes it to their pick in the first round, I think would have to be considered quite strongly.

Yeah, I think, and I don't think he's going to as of now. Again, pre-combine take. I don't think Tyler Warren's there. I think Loveland has a real good shot to be there. And it's, they will be considered for sure. And I think when it comes to Kincaid, I, at least initially, and I was really high on Kincaid. And I think that the situation there is interesting and kind of, kind of wild that it hasn't

worked out better from a production standpoint in Buffalo. But Loveland, man, like he, he's what the Bengals loved about Kincair. you're right it's the best of that it's multi years how old is loveland it's 21 and i'm just he's actually not 21 yet he's turning 21 between now in the draft and that's a big difference with multiple tight ends in this class kinkade was older and was was was just had just started producing lovelin you see it you see it with these other guys that have produced fanon's 20 as well i think this is the draft to take a tight end i know that early people, because of the needs in the trenches. I get that. But it would probably be a mistake if the

Bengals didn't find a way to get a tight end. Now, I'm not saying force it, but it's hard for me to envision a year where there's like six or seven starting level tight ends, according to some of these draft experts. And you look at the Bengals and you're like, man, you can't find a way for that to lineup at all. You know, the next Tucker Kraft would be nice in stripes if you can find that. And that doesn't mean in round one. But on the first two days of the draft, I think a tight end can make a ton of sense. It might be as much of a favorite as any position on offense, at least going into the combat. You talk about the strength of this draft class. You're talking about tight end and defensive line on the first two days, probably. If you're thinking about it from the Cincinnati

Bengals perspective, maybe throw safety in there too, because I think there's some really interesting safetys in the first couple of days of the draft as well, but from like a position need, strength of draft, value perspective, that's where I think this class is pushing you. That's the direction you're getting pulled in. It'll be really interesting to hear what Duke Tobin and these coaches have to say about this draft class and we start to get some hints from what the Bengals are thinking about this draft class in the coming days as well. And one question will be what kind of edge rush are they like?

Let's discuss that position and archetypally a little bit given the Bengals preferences there in the past coming up next. All right, Jake, let's keep the mailbag rolling as I talk over you with Braden Staten, who at B-State-B on X asks, how real is the concern over the edges's height and weight?

We have seen them go after big guys, but they can't bend. What are you know if you think they will change the way they evaluate their edges this year because of all the quote whiffs they've had in recent years. I don't think that this is a year that we should expect significant change. I'm still hoping that there's some more flexibility here,

that it's perhaps more coincidental that they keep going after these bigger guys than necessarily a strong preference. But that is, as a kid say, maybe a little bit of cope more than hope. I think you look at the James Pearson, Mike Green, early draft pick profiles in this class. And you see 245, 251. We'll see what they weigh at the Combine, but Mike Green was 251 at the Senior Bowl. And I think there should be reasonable skepticism that the Bengals would be interested in that kind of player. This is a nearly decades-long, if not decades-long trend for the Bengals.

and if there was ever a time for them to explore this style of edge rusher, it would have been when they were a five-man surface, a five-two heavy defense with Luana Rimo. And Al Golden is talking about going to a four-three base. And so then maybe you are talking about, you mentioned Jahad Campbell earlier. Maybe you're talking about Jalen Walker, if he's not a top 10 player the way that he's expected to be a top 10 player.

Some of these guys have played off the ball, but also have edge rushing ability, or were edge rushers recruited as edge rushers, then ended up playing off the ball because Alabama and Georgia were so stacked, depending on what the case was, right, finding the role for those guys, maybe there would be consideration there

if they think they can also play off the ball. And then, like, best case would be that you find a guy that stumbles into a Micah Parsons path and it's just that good on the ball that you just have to put him there. But it seems, like more likely the Bengals would be interested in like a Nick's Curtin, 280, 6-4, and has the productivity.

Or like the one that I think everyone's afraid of right now, the Shamar Stewart, 65-280, another traits kind of pick, or even Mikel Williams, 265 on the bottom end of that, of that range that the Bengals really like, but 260-plus, they're relatively comfortable. And so when you look at the guys that have the size of Bengals-like, You don't necessarily have the production or the pass rushing profile. And so that's where I think a lot of Bengals fans are looking at this class.

Like, can they get both? Can they break their mold? Or are we going to see more of the same? Nick Skirton, I just looked it up as you were talking about him. Lance Zerlind, guess who he comped? Guess the pro comp. Well, if you're asking me, I'm guessing it's Miles Murphy. Trey Hendrickson.

Oh, that's more exciting. Look at you going negative. See, Jake, everyone's going negative. See, you get Trey Hendrickton Jr., junior skirtin, skirting alongside Hendrickson. But, no, I think, I agree. I think the size is still going to be a factor. Now, the production is such a thing here in the impact.

And I'm fine with taking a defensive player in round one, round two, round three. If you want to, make sure. they're giving you impact right away. And this isn't a four snaps here, 12 snaps here, six snaps here. And that's tough to evaluate. And that aligns with, because a lot of people say, oh, well, I want them to be more open. And that's a factor here. But the other factor here when it comes to their evaluations, and we've seen this, is the plan. Hey, Lou, you want Dax Hill? Hell yeah, Lou wants Dax Hill. What's the plan? Can we all figure out?

the plan for Daxel? Can we all figure out the plan for Miles Murphy, how we're going to get him from a solid against the run, lacking pass rush moves, Uber athlete, and get the most out of him? And I'm sure they had those conversations, but they need to be in lockstep here. So they get it right. Because I refuse to believe that Daxel and Miles Murphy just can't play football and are good. And we started to see that with Dax. And I think we've seen a little bit from Miles. but we just haven't seen a lot of them and part of that's the plan and so i i think the way you one you have a plan for these guys and you have to be a line there which we were asked about earlier in the show but the production part of it man production is is huge and uh so who knows maybe nick

skirton is the next trey hendrickson wouldn't that be nice yeah uh would be that would be nice and we talked about some of these guys with mike yesterday so for those of you that heard that show you heard us talk about some of these names at the edge rusher spot. But I just think that the Bengals have to take a look in the mirror and see what's happened with their recent edge picks and figure out what's gone wrong and try to address that. And if that means that they conclude, like that's how I think you get to the conclusion that you can draft Mike Green. If off-field stuff aside, if you can figure out that,

you have a guy that's playing with intensity, power, bringing it against the run like Nolan Smith, even though he's smaller. That's how you talk yourself into it because he has the athleticism and the moves and the production, even if it was a Marshall. Showed up at the Senior Bowl. It's still awesome, right?

That's how you talk yourself in to a different type of player is by reflecting and seeing, okay, we need a guy that is a little bit more refined or has more of a plan. But to your point, the other thing that is so important is having a development plan, and that's why they hired Al Golden, is no matter who they pick, I think an emphasis, given the way they're talking about what Al Golden's strengths are, will be, all right, Al and staff, what's your plan for this guy? How are we going to get the most out of him? And that's obviously incumbent on Al Golden and his staff. But talking about the edge rusher position, given the recent track record for the Bengals, the entire defensive line, really. Like having a development plan and a plan to play them early on is going to be crucial. And that is largely why Al Golden is now the defensive coordinator of the Bengals instead of Lou

at a Rimmo. Yeah, it's a very good point. And it's going to hit all of these levels of the defense. We mentioned linebacker. And could they go that route early in the draft? What will they do in the secondary safety? There's going to be a ton of time to discuss those. have probably come up this week.

We're going to hear from Al Golden this week and react to his comments at some point. We'll hear from Zach and Duke as well. Look at me combining them. Dak. Dak Taylor and, I would I, in Zook Tobin? There we go. I flipped them.

Real quick, just because I looked up these Lanzer Line player profiles, we talked about Tyler Warren, compared him to Jeremy Shockey. So that one's interesting. Give him a 677 overall grade. which is fourth on his big board. Two spots lower.

Colston Loveland, a 6-70, compared him to Sam Leporta. Really interesting. That's all. Really, really interesting. There's a reason I mentioned Leporta to you before we started recording when we were talking about Loveland. We will hear from what do you call them? Because you read Lance? Is that one?

No. I know. We'll be hearing from, I think you called them Zook, Taylor. Zook and Dak. Dak, Tobin. Yeah. Duke and Zach will be meeting with the media in Indianapolis on Tuesday,

and we'll be sure to have plenty to talk about from their comments. Until then, that's going to do it for this episode of the Locktime Bengals podcast. Hootay and have a good one.