Locked On Bengals - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Bengals - Cincinnati Bengals Add Defensive Playmakers in Mock Draft Monday!

Episode Date: March 22, 2026

The Cincinnati Bengals need major defensive help and they get it in the latest Locked On Bengals mock draft. Cincinnati lands three  playmakers with major upside on defense, as the NFL Draft board br...eaks the Bengals' way and they address key needs. James Rapien and Jake Liscow take you through all of the top players and explain each selection in their first post-free agency mock draft! Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Join the Locked On Bengals Insider Community! https://joinsubtext.com/lockedonbengals Find 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/id1159723162 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7AObc0lh0WmQl5fJVgtajs Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vbG9ja2Vkb25iZW5nYWxz?sa=X&ved=0CAYQrrcFahcKEwio_sXtj8nuAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAg Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/locked-on-bengals Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! TurboTax This year you’re getting a major upgrade — Intuit TurboTax now has in-person locations nationwide. Visit http://TurboTax.com/local to book your appointment today. Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast. Gametime Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply. Robinhood You’re no longer just a spectator. Play by play. You decide. Trade Every Play with Robinhood. Now available across the U.S. Download the Robinhood app now to begin. Futures and cleared swaps trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. Event contracts are offered by Robinhood Derivatives, LLC., a registered futures commission merchant and swap firm. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. During the tournament FanDuel is offering$300 back in Bonus Bets every day for ten days. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started — Play Your Game. 5-Hour ENERGY Have your cake & drink it too. Birthday cake-flavor is back, no fork needed. Vanilla-y cakey flavor, caffeinated kick, and no sugar. It's party time. Order Now at 5-hourENERGY.com or Amazon.   Home Chef For a limited time, Home Chef is offering my listeners 50% off your first box, free shipping, and free dessert for life. Go to http://HomeChef.com/LOCKEDON.   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.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 Now that we know what the Cincinnati Bengals have done for major free agent additions, it's time to dive back into the simulator for this week's Mock draft Monday. 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. He's James Rapine. I'm Jake Liscoe and we are your host of Lockdown Bengals. Today we're diving into another mock draft Monday, a three-round mock draft based on everything the Bengals have and haven't done in free agency. As the player acquisition process isn't over quite yet, the Bengals still have a chance to add some talent to this roster between the draft and potentially low-dollar veteran additions after the draft.
Starting point is 00:00:55 They're not going to talk about that today, but we are going to get into a three-round mock draft. And today's episode brought to you by Fandle during the tournament. The Fandul is offering $300 back in bonus bets every day for 10 days. Had the Fandul.com to get started. James, the Bengals have added to their defense, and we've spent a couple of weeks asking them to do more and talking about what they haven't done and hoping they would do one more thing.
Starting point is 00:01:23 But the draft is ahead of us now, and we're about a month away, is that right, from the NFL draft and the Bengals. having a top 10 pick this year to try to add talent to the team and the potential to get a game-changing player. And pick number 10 especially, that's where all of the discussion largely is. And hopefully, it works out that way, right?
Starting point is 00:01:50 We don't know exactly who will be picked ahead of the Bengals, but we know now what the Bengals have done. And as we dive back into the simulator, one thing that I wish these simulators would do a little bit more aggressively, is update team needs. I'm not sure if the team needs for every team really reflect what they've done in free agency, but that's just me venting, James. What are you hoping to see us get done in our three-round mock draft today?
Starting point is 00:02:19 Add three awesome players that are going to be instant contributors. And that's what the Bengals need. That's why I wanted them to go in free agency and go that route. It's harder to do that in the draft than it is free agency. And so we'll see if we can do that. I think the good news is, is at 10, there are a lot of paths where that player does help right away, does start right away, does make a major impact right away. After that, it obviously gets harder. That was always going to be the case.
Starting point is 00:02:45 But yeah, let's see if we can do it. I'm optimistic at 10 that they can get a plug-in play, instant impact type player that they really haven't gotten. Amarius Mims would be one, right? but really haven't gotten in most of these first round picks, really since Jamar Chase. And so part of that's on them, part of that's on the coaching staff. But let's dive in here and see what options we have at 10. Yeah, and that's always the adventure that we take. We're doing this live or just recording this thing.
Starting point is 00:03:19 So let's see who the simulator takes off the board in picks one through nine here today. And immediately we see that there's. is one defensive target available. I don't know why I'm looking at trades. We do have one defensive target available. So for those who are just listening and not watching on YouTube, Rvel Reese goes two, David Bailey goes three, Ruben Bain goes four, Sunny Stiles goes five. And if you're hoping for one of those defensive players, you're probably sipping breath. You're probably thinking, there's not going to be anybody left. Then Francis Maui at six, Carnell Tate at seven, Jordan Tyson at eight, and Caleb Lomu, to the Detroit Lions.
Starting point is 00:03:59 who trade up to number nine to get an offensive lineman, which means it's Jeremiah Love, Caleb Downs, Mansour Delane, Jermad McCoy, at the top of the pro football network board here. And we actually did a Jeremiah Love mock. I think we might have also done a Caleb Downs mock at some point. But talk to me about the decision between Jeremiah, loving Caleb Downs in your mind, James.
Starting point is 00:04:23 Well, I don't think we did. I think we took Bain over Downs, which is interesting. but we obviously don't have that option. And here's the beauty. The beauty is you are getting that instant impact here. You can't go wrong with that. Everyone's going to talk about Jeremiah Love and the position he plays. You could certainly argue that he's the best player in the draft.
Starting point is 00:04:43 That being said, for the Bengals, and this is why, especially in free agency, had they done the extra edge and done the proven linebacker, if you take Downs here, your defense feels pretty darn set. It feels really good because Downs is going to come in and play a ton of snaps for you on defense. He can move all around. I think that this coaching staff certainly learned, and a lot of the coaches aren't here, but the ones that were here learned what they didn't do with Dax Hill.
Starting point is 00:05:14 And now you're getting a guy in Caleb Downs, who is a better college player than Daxil, who could come in and play right away at that nickel spot, play a plenty of snaps with Jordan Battle, and Brian Cook. Next year, the Downs-Cook connection at safety makes a ton of sense. And so, like, short-term, makes sense, going to get a ton of snaps, long-term, makes sense. Weapon on defense, playmaker on defense, check, check. I love Jeremiah, love, pun intended.
Starting point is 00:05:44 But when this scenario, if it arises, do I look at it and say, yeah, I'm taking Caleb Downs over Mansour Delane or Jermad McCoy? I am and I'm using him as a defensive weapon and it's going to be a lot of fun to watch him develop. So yeah, I'm in because he makes an instant impact and you need that. And also there's plenty of ways to use him this year and then beyond from a long-term vision as well. So I would take Caleb Downs because of where the Bengals are at. They need a huge grand slam on defense.
Starting point is 00:06:20 And I think love would be that on offense, but obviously defense is the nethering. need. And so that's the tiebreaker. Yeah, and I think the other thing here is the leadership element that you're potentially getting with Caleb Downs. He could certainly very quickly grow into that role and be the face of your defense and has that versatility, like you said, to make that instant impact in the slot and to make them multiple and to help them do things without necessarily changing personnel. He has a good amount of college experience playing this slot, playing in multiple different positions, brings physicality, brings tackling to the defense that desperately needs it.
Starting point is 00:06:57 And I think you can make this case for any of those top five defensive guys in terms of impact they can make, right? Like if you're talking about Bailey, Bain, Stiles, Downs, and I guess you could throw Reese in because maybe there's some weird scenario where he falls. The reason I'm less inclined to include him is because he's so likely that he'll just be gone, as well, probably as in this case. four out of five of those guys in the best case for the Bengals, if they're targeting one of them,
Starting point is 00:07:26 you're probably getting that instant impact face of the future of the defense kind of player in any of those guys. And the fact that you have an opportunity to take one here, I think is just great news for you and sets you up for the rest of the draft. Now, it's a little weird, and I don't know how much we need to have this conversation, but the Bengals' biggest free agent addition, not for money, but in terms of quality of players,
Starting point is 00:07:52 as far as we all thought when we were doing our free agency tiering, was Brian Cook at safety. And you're right, it makes sense because there is a different role for Caleb Downs this year, and there's clearly a role for Caleb Downs in the future playing alongside Brian Cook. But I do wonder how that would sit in the front office if they're thinking about using the 10th overall pick,
Starting point is 00:08:13 which comes with a fairly significant financial commitment, and suddenly they go from paying near, the bottom of the league to their safety position to paying their top of the league to the safety position. Yeah. It's a good point. And I'll just address it, the elephant in the room right now. I'm the draft player's not positions guy. Caleb Downs is an example of that. A lot of times I have to use that when I'm talking about offensive weapons and the argument for them doesn't just apply there. It applies here. Like Delane, there's a lot of reasons to believe in him. McCoy. There's a lot of reasons to believe in him. And we haven't dove.
Starting point is 00:08:50 all the way into the cornerback scenarios and all of those things. But there's really no scenario where you should take either of those guys over Caleb Downs. Caleb Downs is a secondary weapon. And if that's what they need to put on him on the depth chart instead of safety, then fine. Put SW. We'll create a new term secondary weapon and you can use him that way. I know the coaching staff is very aware of how Kyle Hamilton, and I'm not comparing him to
Starting point is 00:09:19 Kyle Hamilton, but how Kyle Hamilton is used in Baltimore and is used in Baltimore. Having a guy that is versatile that can do multiple things for you that can play in the box, that can play nickel, that can play back, that's a good lead. Like there's just so much value there. And so hopefully they see that and they don't get cold feet and then take an outside corner that is either going to move Dax or not play a ton as a rookie. Like I'm all right. I want significant impact in not banking on.
Starting point is 00:09:49 an injury to happen for that impact to happen. And so I think that's important. Well, keep an eye on Caleb Downs Pro Day. That's Ohio State apparently scheduled for March 25th, a little bit later this week. We'll see how the Bengals are in attendance at Ohio State expecting that at least some of the Bengals brass will be there. A lot of players on that Ohio State team in this NFL draft. We're going to pick Caleb Downs.
Starting point is 00:10:12 We're going to come back and get to the second round coming up next. Today's show is brought to by Fandul. Fandle is America's number one sports book. And the tournament is in full swing. It's one of the best times of the year. And the perfect time to get to Fandle. Obviously, you have your brackets. Maybe your brackets busted.
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Starting point is 00:12:14 by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. That's Indeed.com slash podcast. Terms the conditions apply. If you need to hire, this is a job for Indeed's sponsor jobs. All right. We ran the simulator and, well, there's some interesting options for the Bengals at Pick 41, Jake. And the first thing you pointed out to me is like, yeah, there's some safeties available. And I do think that that will be in consideration for the Bengals.
Starting point is 00:12:42 Like, who do they think they can potentially get at safety? On day two, especially at Pick 41, Emmanuel McNeill Warren is available, AJ Halsey's available, DeAngelo Ponds at Corner available. And who knows? Obviously, we're not in the safety market. I think that taking downs takes you out of the Pons market, if you were, in on him, because he's going to play Nickel Corner, a significant amount. And so for me, once you take the safety round one and the defensive weapon,
Starting point is 00:13:13 Well, what have we been talking about? Past Russian linebacker. That's what you're hoping falls here and is in the mix. Jacob Rodriguez, one of the best linebackers in this draft, and he's on the board. And I think that's really intriguing. I think Lee Hunter out of Texas Tech, another guy, obviously, one of the running mates with Rodriguez in Texas, is someone that they could consider at 41. The one that I just am on, and I think could be in the mix. And because he's big and strong and has the measurables,
Starting point is 00:13:46 and I know the foot issue is a major concern, but the Bengals will have the medicals. They will have done their homework. If Caleb Banks is here at 41, I think he's going to get extreme consideration because of how rare he is, because of how hard it is to find those big, strong, physical freaks on the of the defensive front. So I don't want to downplay that.
Starting point is 00:14:09 Other guys like Anthony Hill out of Texas available. But yeah, Caleb Banks is the one I want to mention because he's 55 on PFN's mock simulator. But I think if he's there at 41, he's going to be in consideration, serious consideration by the Bengals. I think it's going to come down to the medicals for him, right? He's got this foot thing that has come back up at the combine.
Starting point is 00:14:30 He tested, put up elite numbers at the combine, despite that foot thing coming from. back up with the combine and apparently him doing the testing with the foot being injured but more important than the testing for a lot of NFL teams is going to be because they can see that on tape right like they can see the flashes of the athleticism they can see the rare size and and burst for a player of that size at 35 inch arm 6 6 6 327 putting up good numbers at that size is just crazy right like it's rare he's also a little bit older 23 years old but I think the medical factor here that we don't know about is going to be one of the things that from the outside looking in, we have no idea.
Starting point is 00:15:14 So I do wonder how they feel about Lee Hunter. He's, again, older, going to be 24 as a rookie, more of a nose tackle in terms of his year one contributions, different kind of player, very strong, bursty, but still a nose tackle in terms of. play style in terms of limitations, not the high-end athlete that Caleb Banks is, not that that stopped the Bengals in the past, but has been a more consistent player in terms of the on-field production for what you ask him to do. So I wonder, James, do they look to the defensive interior here? They signed John Allen. Jonathan Allen is a short-term addition to help their pass rush out here a little bit, but
Starting point is 00:16:02 that doesn't eliminate the long-term need. they have two guys over the age of 30 on the defensive interior to go with T.J. Slayton and Chris Jenkins, who needs to take a massive, massive step and of course, McKinley Jackson, but they didn't address linebacker. And so when you are considering Jacob Rodriguez and Anthony Hill in the second round, I wonder how they delineate between those guys if they see them as similar level of prospects. Jacob Rodriguez, again, going to be 24 as a rookie, a fifth-year player, Anthony Hill. So 21 years old, three years in college, Tate maybe not quite as refined.
Starting point is 00:16:41 Or, yeah, Tate not quite as refined as Jacob Rodriguez, who also had a great senior ball. What are you thinking when you think about that idea of linebacker versus defensive tackle on the second round? I think it's, this is why addressing linebacker and free agency would have in the need-based element of this. because I think in an ideal world, you look at it, and you brought up the good point. BJ Hill, John Allen, you're banking on two 30-plus-year-olds. But you're banking on those guys.
Starting point is 00:17:13 Those guys will play, pun intended. So the bank, as in banking on banks, you don't necessarily need to do that from the jump. Obviously, he could come in and beat out Chris Jenkins Jr. I don't think that that's insane to think. But this isn't a Shamar situation where, like, from the jump, the moment they picked Shemar, it's like, man, he, he needs to hit the ground running right now
Starting point is 00:17:36 because they did not address pass rush enough. They have guys ahead of him that are going to play. And so I think that part of it will matter. I think Banks developing and then in playing some this year and then the long-term view of him having a much bigger starter level plus role next year will be intriguing. But linebacker is the bigger need. Like they need that now. It is deep.
Starting point is 00:18:03 It's a deep linebacker draft. I think there's a scenario where they like some guys in round three that could potentially be there in round three. And so that's the juggle. If it were me, I would be really tempted to take Rodriguez because I do think he's going to be a heck of a player and plug and play and do that instant impact. At the same time, when I think from a Bengals perspective, all the measurables, the ceiling of a Caleb Banks is so tempting. Like I told you, before this foot injury, I thought he was going to be in real consideration at 10. Yeah. Now with this foot injury, I think if he falls to 41 and the medicals are clear, I think that's who they take.
Starting point is 00:18:41 So that's, if I'm predicting what the Bengals do, I would say Caleb Banks in this scenario for sure. And you can really sell me on Caleb Banks in the second round with that tool set, with the flash. Agreed. Agreed. And the value that you get there in the second round, I think is pretty significant. He's lower on the pro football network board here all the way down at 55. I think by consensus, he's 56 or sorry, he's 30 by consensus. He's a little bit lower on the early stages board that we work on with Joe Goodberry every year.
Starting point is 00:19:19 And Jacob Rodriguez is higher on the Goodberry board of 50th by consensus. So Rodriguez lower by consensus, Anthony Hill, the other linebacker that we were. we're talking about from Texas is 44th by consensus. I kind of want to explore the Caleb Banks idea here, James, and see where that takes us. And it would be hard for me to argue that they shouldn't do that. Like, that's why free agency is important. In the second round, yeah. Well, that's what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:19:49 Because if what if he's 85% of Chris Jones and he reaches that potential? Like, then you're stealing him. And I think that they would look at that and say, I'm not saying Chris Jones, but 85%. There's a reason I said it that way. Like, that's so hard to find. They haven't had that since Gino. Of course you roll the dice.
Starting point is 00:20:06 Like, I'm sure that's how they feel. So let's pick Caleb Banks and see what we can do in round three. Today's show is brought to by five-hour energy. We're talking drafts here on the Lockdown Bengals podcast. Well, it's time for the five-hour energy flavor draft with over 18 different flavors to choose from, including confetti craze, fruity rainbow, cotton candy. There's something for everyone. And you guys are probably six.
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Starting point is 00:21:01 get in on the flavor draft, and again, find out all of the new flavors at 5hourenergy.com or on Amazon. As we dive back into round three here, James, just want to shout out the Everydayers and those of you who are part of the Lockdown Bengals Insider Group. The Everydayers and the EveryDayer Club have access to a member's only Discord channel that's starting to fill up with Lockdown Bengals listeners talking about the draft, talking about free agency last week. And if you're interested in getting an ad-free episode of this podcast, interested in hopping in the group chat with us and other Lockdown Bengals listeners, check out LockdownBengals. com. There's also a link in the show notes.
Starting point is 00:21:40 And for the Lockdown Bengals Insiders who are getting updates from James and I straight to their phones via a text message, you can check out that group if you're interested in joining at join subtext.com slash locked on Bengals. And Jake, the hope with this mock, when you go downs, you go banks. And I like that combo. I think that's a pretty fun combo with high upside and instant impact.
Starting point is 00:22:07 You're hoping linebacker now. And did a linebacker, will a linebacker fall to pick 72 overall, the Bengals third round pick? You're hoping for Logan Wilson 2.0. Let's see who's available. And right away, there is a linebacker near the top of the best players available board. Just reviewing who we just missed, who I would have considered here real quick. Caleb Tiernan from a Northwestern offensive lineman with some versatility goes at the top of the third round.
Starting point is 00:22:33 Oscar Delp goes 69 to the Texans, the Georgia tight end who had a crazy pro day, and also has some good blocking ability. I think he has some serious upside as an every down kind of player in the NFL. And Grayson Halton, the defensive tackle from Oklahoma, who honestly we could have talked about in the second round, as a very different kind of defensive tackle prospect, but a guy who could be in consideration in the second round had great productivity in college and is a very interesting prospect as well.
Starting point is 00:23:07 So looking at linebacker, Josiah Trotter is the top of the pro football network board here. We're going to talk about local University of Cincinnati, linebacker Jake Golda, and a couple of jakes at linebacker this year, which is fun for me, as a fellow Jake name haveer. And Golda, as a blitzer,
Starting point is 00:23:28 kind of does some interesting things for you in that regard in terms of Algold and wanting to put guys on the surface on the line of scrimmage a little bit more. I also want to shout out Max Flair here at Tide End and a couple of Eddrushers that really stand out. Danny Dennis Sutton or Denai, I'm not sure how his name is pronounced from Penn State, the Edrusher.
Starting point is 00:23:50 and I also had Derek Moore's name here really low on the pro football network board, but by consensus would be value picks, I think, in the third round. Yeah, yeah. Look, I think that this is one of those really good scenarios where you took the swing on a really high upside player that you're not going to get later with banks. You get your stabilizer and downs. and then Jake Golda I think he fits a lot of what they do want at linebacker.
Starting point is 00:24:24 He's explosive. He has good size. He can blitz. He is going to be effective in that role, to your point. And so when I was deciding in putting my brain inside the Bengals' minds in their draft room of going with Banks in round two, like in my head, I'm like, oh, well, will Goldae potentially be there in round three? And there are a lot of NFL personnel that don't think he would be.
Starting point is 00:24:48 But he is in this mock. And so I think it works out that way where you probably go that route. You know, if there's an edge rush that you just have to have to go with, that's another option. I think this is when wide receiver tight end, to your point, starts to become a discussion realistically for the Bengals. Of course, you never say never earlier. But I think that round three is when that starts to open it up a bit. But to me, there's a reason we've talked about linebacker so darn much, Jake. like is he the top linebacker on the board?
Starting point is 00:25:20 I think he probably would be. And so Gold Day for me is probably the guy that I think they would take now. Are they comfortable with a Harold Perkins later in round four? Do they like Kyle Lewis out of Pittsburgh and think he'll be there with their fourth round pick? Like those are guys that maybe they like later. But Golda for me, I would take here. And I'd feel really darn good about the reinforcements I added on defense. Just to run down some of these names at linebacker because they're all pretty attractive names in the third round, in my opinion, in terms of linebacker targets.
Starting point is 00:25:54 The reason for that, I think, is because this is much lower than consensus right now. So, yeah. Reilly Trotter is pretty close. Josiah Trotter is 65 on consensus. But when you see Kyle Lewis at 1.30 here, you talk about him in the fourth round. He's 77th on the consensus board right now. Jake Golda is 57th on the consensus board right now. So these are guys that are available here today,
Starting point is 00:26:20 and maybe we're going to pick one of them. But by consensus, like maybe the expectation wouldn't be that they're available to you in the third round. Also want to look at Edge because, again, where you see these rankings, Cassius Howell is 60th on the Pro Football Network board here. And I don't think the Bengals would pick him because he's so small, such a designated pass-fisher type of player.
Starting point is 00:26:42 I think it would be really fun in that rotation, throw them out there in those pass-downs, but not really the every down player that they typically would prefer at the position. And Dennis Sutton, 96 on the Pro Football Network Board, 73rd on consensus. Derek Moore, 109th on this board, is 62nd by consensus.
Starting point is 00:27:01 A little bit older for Derek Moore and Dennis Sutton, 22 and 23. Dennis Sutton 22, Moore 23. But those are guys that I'm strongly considering here. part of that is like what if you could get kail lewis or caleb elms or later and and those linebacker names a little bit later those are really interesting targets at linebacker as well where you can get into the depth of the draft a little bit but maybe it gets picked over by the time you're picking uh in in the in the fourth round i did want to shout out tight end as well we talked
Starting point is 00:27:35 about this a little bit eli raridon and max claire both really really interesting prospects and I do think this is where the strength of the burden is on yeah starts to show up where you have guys that can move who can do things as a receiver who are also guys that have the ability to play in line and I think that's what you're looking for and like I mentioned in some show recently dame brugler said like this this tight end class late day two early day three there's going to be a lot of guys get picked around there that are going to be able to make an impact in the NFL. But I can hear the people screaming at us through the internet
Starting point is 00:28:15 to stay on the defensive side of the ball. Oh, yeah. I mean, it's tough. It is. But I think the Bengals have kind of put themselves in this position. And the good news is if the board does fall this way, like, you're right. Like maybe it's Trotter.
Starting point is 00:28:32 Maybe it's not Golda. Maybe it's Kyle Lewis. But like, that's a good problem to have. I do think, though, that Golda, like if he was here, fits what they're looking for in a lot of ways. And his best ball is probably at his next stop, not here, or not what he did here in Cincinnati for the Bearcats, even though he's really good for the Bearcats. So, yeah, I think if you're waiting until round three to pick a linebacker, this would be a fun scenario to play out. How are you deciding linebacker versus Edge?
Starting point is 00:29:05 Here we talked about the desire for them to attack both of these in free agency. The two positions where we talked the most about them not adding in free agency or not positions that we've hit either of, right? We've had safety and defensive tackle. So how are you thinking about like Derek Moore versus Golda here? If say, for example, they're roughly equal prospects in terms of the overall of value. Yeah. Well, that's what's tough is in that's why maybe they do pass on linebacker and punt even again,
Starting point is 00:29:34 because I said this, I've said this multiple times, but like Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter aren't even close to hearing their name called until day three in this year's linebacker class, right? And the Bengals had round two grades on both of those guys. And so obviously they got Carter in round four and it was a day three guy, but want to point that out. So would they wait a little bit longer because they believe in one of the other guys at linebacker, the Harold Perkinses of the world? I'll name him because I think a lot of people know him. him. Maybe, like, maybe they do. And they just say, you know what? We're going to go that route. That's not their plan. That hasn't been their plan. They've wanted to address linebacker. They
Starting point is 00:30:14 wanted to address linebacker with a real dude in free agency. And so I think that's what makes it tough is I just think that that's something that they've really for two years been wanting to try to fix. And if you wait until day three of even a good linebacker draft again, I wonder. They'll look at that edge room and they'll see two big first rounders. They'll see Boye Maffei. You know, they'll see guys that they believe in at least enough. That's the theory. It might not be.
Starting point is 00:30:44 They may say, let's go get this guy who brings some juice and howl and try to go that route. It's still, I'm fine with that. I love juice. I want juice off the edge and as much pass rush help as you can get. So I would be fine if they did that. But I also wonder if they're like, yeah, we're going to get that with Caleb Banks. too. And that's why we did that to help defensive line. I really like Derek Moore. And, and I'm going to, I'm going to lean into position value here.
Starting point is 00:31:09 I think Derek, if you get Derek Moore in the third round, adding him to your past rush rotation, I think, I think that's a big asset. I'm going toward defensive line here. If I'm, or the edge specifically, if I'm trying to break a tie between those guys. Yeah, I, we'll see. We'll see on draft A. I'm fine with that. I don't care. I'm not going to stand on it. I just passed on Jeremiah Love. So whatever. I'd be surprised if they passed on one of these lines.
Starting point is 00:31:38 Like if they get a shot at Rodriguez in round two and they have Golda in round three and all these guys in round two and three that we were talking about, they're taking a linebacker. Well, we can explore both of these scenarios. We can revisit this draft. Let's go Golda here. Let's get an Ohio state guy and a University of Cincinnati guy in the first three rounds. in the same draft. The Bengals haven't taken a player from any school as small as Cincinnati, anything that's not in the Big Ten or SEC in the first three rounds in quite a while.
Starting point is 00:32:13 But let's explore it. James, let's go Gold Day here. It's Big 12. Like, what do you, it's Big 12. Like what are you? The only, the only school they've drafted out of in the Big 12, I think, is Texas. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:32:25 I, by the way, I'm not saying when Texas wasn't the Big 12th. Is Texas still a big 12? no but yeah they're in the SEC right yeah yeah so I don't I think that's by just like I don't think that that's like a thing we find patterns in their drafting
Starting point is 00:32:42 that I don't think is necessary like I think they like players that play in big big games but I think that's where it kind of ends so the group is Caleb Caleb and Jake Caleb Downs Caleb Banks Jake Golda in three rounds addressing safety defensive tackle linebacker
Starting point is 00:32:59 and because of the way that free agency went and the way this draft went, the two positions, like I said, that we talked about looking for the one more move on defense. Well, we only got to address one of them here, the way this went. And maybe we explore the alternative universe of certain picks in the future as we can revisit this draft class.
Starting point is 00:33:21 That's going to do it, though, for this episode of the Lockdown Bengals podcast. Until next time, thanks for listening. Hoodee and have a go. Thank you.

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