Locked On Bengals - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Bengals - Cincinnati Bengals Draft Primer: Mike Renner breaks down the 2025 class's strengths and weaknesses for Bengals needs

Episode Date: February 23, 2025

Can the Cincinnati Bengals leverage the 2025 NFL Draft to enhance their team? CBS Sports Draft analyst Mike Renner joins us to discuss top prospects who could transform the Bengals' lineup. From defensive line standouts to tight end Colson Loveland, we explore potential game-changers. We also highlight key linebacker and safety prospects like Malachi Starks and Xavier Watts. Discover the draft strategies that could define Cincinnati's future success.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.

Somehow, Locked-on Bengals has made it deep into February without really getting to the NFL draft. So today, let's welcome Mike Renner to get a primer on the draft ahead of the combine. You are Locked-on Bengals, your daily Cincinnati Bengals podcast. Part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. What a Bengals fan. And welcome to another episode of the Locked-on Bengals podcast. I'm your host, Jake Liscoe, joined today by Mike Renner of CBS Sports, where he is a draft analyst and an NFL analyst. And he's been on this show many times before in his capacity as a draft

analyst in the past for Pro Football Focus, now doing it with CBS, was briefly a member of the lockdown podcast network as well. So glad to have him back. And of course, we're part of the lockdown podcast network, as you've heard me say, your team every day on YouTube and everywhere you get your podcast. So shout out to all of you who make us your everyday listen. And I'm sorry to all of you that are everydayers. This is going to be something new. We haven't really talked about this 2025 draft class. And so if you're new to the show, you're here where we're covering a new topic just ahead of the Combine.

And Mike Venter, who does a great job of putting together a great depth of draft analysis every year with currently a top 50 up over at CBS Sports. If you want to check that out, he's going to be at the Combine as well. And Mike, I want to start with an overall feel for this draft class. My sense and the things that I've heard is that it's not necessarily the strongest draft class at the top, it seems like there's a solid amount of day two depth. Am I on the right track here? What's your general feeling when thinking about this class?

Yeah, I don't think it's completely bereft of talent. It's much better than like 2022, which was the last draft class we were talking about. It's like a down year. That was when Trayvon Walker went number one overall. So it's better than that. I think it's the problem is where it's strong at or maybe not your position you draft Highley, running back. It's a great running back class. Tight end. It's a great tight end class. It's a great tight end class. It's a good defensive line class too. That obviously gets drafted highly.

But those are probably the three strongest positions in the draft. And two of them are just ones that more often than not, don't go in the first round. So quarterbacks, wide receivers, the sexier, quote, unquote positions, there's not as many top end blue chip prospects at those positions. There's not a lot of surefire guys. So I think that's why it's getting poo-poed. But I just, I think because of that, it's going to make a lot of scouts have to do their work. This is a year where they're still good players. You just may have to really do your due diligence and, you know, to find one of them. So, again, to reiterate, it's not a bad draft class by any means. It's just at different positions than you probably normally used to seeing headlines about. You often hear about plateaus or true first round grades and then a section of the class where, you know,

players from, say, 20 to 40 are going to have roughly the same grade for a lot of people. Where is that bright line for you at this point as you look at this class? Yeah, I think once you get to around 22 on my board, it really starts to get muddy. And maybe even before that, I think you could go as high as 15, 16. And it starts to get like muddy. And it starts to be like, again, like running backs, tight ends are the guys I'm putting there that are really good prospects at those positions. but it's like, do you draft those guys 15th, 16th overall? It's just a lot of, you know, the best run franchises in the NFL wouldn't even consider that those positions that highly just because of the impact they make.

So I think that's the sort of conundrum in this draft class is there's a lot of tight ends that people are going to fall in love with. There's a lot of running backs that people are going to fall in love with. But are we going to draft them in the first round? There might be like five guys realistically at the end of the day between those two positions, maybe even six, that could go in the first round, realistically, just because there's not that first round talent at other positions. Well, the Detroit Lions exist.

So clearly there's one team that was seen as a Super Bowl favorite that's willing to do it. But the Bengals not really in that position, although I think there is a need for the Bengals at tight end. It may be a mild surprise to me. It would be a mild surprise to me to put it lightly if they drafted a first round tight end that wasn't 44. at the Penn State tight end. Like, if they were to go Colston Loveland,

and you have Colston Loveland ahead of Tyler Warren, so maybe this is where we can start talking about some specific players, but there is a lot of hype for these tight ends this year. What makes you put Colston Loveland ahead of Tyler Warren, though? Let's talk about that one specifically. What is younger? He's still only 20 years old.

Two, he's more athletic. I think Tyler Warren, he's not a bad athlete by any means to the tight end position, but he's not going to break four-six. you know, he's going to be mid to high four sixes at best. In my opinion, in terms of the 40, he's an all-round good athlete, but not usually the guys who you're like, Kyle Pitts or, you know, Evan Ingram that go in the first round that are running like four-fours. So he's just behind that.

I mean, he's a very, very good football player. Don't get me wrong. But Colson Loveland is a separator at the tight end position. And that's a rarity. He's just very fluid. And he's still young. You know, Tyler Warren, when he was a junior, when he was Colson-Levelin's age, people hadn't heard of this guy.

So once he fills into his body, once he gets stronger, you know, once he looks like an NFL tight end, what's that going to look like? I'm just very much intrigued by what he could be. He's very much in like the Dalton Kincaid mold from a couple years ago. And I think Dalton Kincaid have been on the board. I think the Bengals would have made that pick, truthfully. I think that's the kind of tight end they want in their offense.

Obviously, that's the kind of tight end. They targeted with Mike Kazicki. But I think Colson-11 is a much, much more dynamic weapon than a Mike Kizki and a guy you could truly feature in your offense to the next level. That is compelling when you put it that way because Mike Asicki as the third option in the Bengals offense and the passing offense was something that they haven't really had in that spot. But they also showed, I think, with the Eric All selection and the way they used Eric All last year before the ACL injury that they want both. And you can't necessarily get both in the same guy, but they might want both kinds of players. I wonder how that would impact their evaluation of a guy like Colson Loveland in the first round where they have so many needs on the defensive side of the ball,

is probably where we're going to spend a lot of time talking today. But can they justify taking a receiving tight end in the first round where last year they took a chance on Eric Hall in the fourth round? And he added this element to their offense. Paid Mike Gaseki pennies on the dollar to do that role. And he's going to get paid a little bit more, maybe a lot more than last year, certainly, this offseason. So the Bengals do have a need at tight end,

but I still wonder if it'll be enough to justify that first round pick, considering you're talking about the strength and the defensive line. part of this draft class. How does that stack up in the first round around the Bengals pick at 17? Yeah, there's just whether defensive end, defensive tackle, there's a lot of guys. Now in terms of like true first rounders, you know, there's, I'm trying to look at my draft board right now. I got one, two, three, four, five, six, seven in my top 16.

So almost half the top 16 is defensive linemen. And realistically, you know, everyone's going to cover the trenches after the Eagles won Super Bowl, right? Like everyone's going to want O line D line. It's going to be the wave all off season. Those guys are going to get paid. They're going to get draft highly. But you're going to get seven off the board before pick 17.

I just think that'd be a lot to happen. So I think one of those guys that have in my top 16 falls to them. Now, I don't think all those guys are necessarily their type. Like I don't see them drafting a Jalen Walker. I don't see them drafting a Mike Green, right? That's just not the guys they've gone for historically. But, you know, I could see them definitely drafting in Michael Williams. If we follow them, I could definitely see them drafting a Derek Harmon from Oregon

if you've lost them. So there's just a ton of talent. And like you mentioned, if you're looking at tight end versus defensive line, usually defensive line talent, especially edge talent, it doesn't last long. The guy that you're drafted in the third round at defensive end is nowhere close to the guy you draft in the first round, whereas the tight end, there may not be that big a difference. Let's take that opportunity to talk a little bit about the depth in this class as well outside of the first round. We can talk about those positions for sure, specifically this year where to me it feels like a relatively deep class, at least for defensive interior, where last year we were talking to you asking about, are there any offense or any nose tackles worth taking before

day three? Let's talk a little bit about the depth in this class, and we'll start with those positions coming up next. Today's show is brought to you by Fandall. Fandall is America's number one sports book. An NBA action, well, it's here. It's back and it's a sprint to the playoffs. And when the game tips off, NBA action is just going to. getting started and it's time to get in on all the action with Fandul, America's number one sports book. You can place live bets throughout the game, even if you miss the opening tip off or you want to bet on a fourth quarter comeback, which let's be honest here, it's the NBA.

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All right, Mike, tell me about the depth of this class. Obviously, a lot of tight ends that we're talking about here, a lot of defensive linemen. And you mentioned you can often find tight ends later. There's obviously a falloff. But what's day two and day three look like a defensive line to you? So many more run defenders in this track class at DT. It's just so much, just compared to last year, I mean, I think I was on this show a year ago. You asked me the question.

I was like, dude, it's bad. It's like, Tavondre Sweat and then like, that's it. And then he comes off the board so early because of that because there is not anyone. This class is night and day difference. Just I'm trying to think off top of head, like Tileak Williams from Ohio State, Alfred Collins from Texas, Joshua Farmer from Florida State, Jordan Phillips from Maryland, and all guys that can be three down run defenders, or not three down, run defenders,

but three position run defenders. They can play three-four defensive end. They can play three tech. They can play nose tackle and they can stuff the run. CJ West from Indiana, like these are all guys that, whether it's their second or third round pick, depending on the name I said,

that you would take at those positions and feel good about it and think they could be players at the next level. So there is a fruitful day two at the defensive tackle position in particular, especially when it comes to run defense. Now, are any of those guys that you think also have some pass rush upside? Like Tileak Williams is a guy that has some first round hype around him. I don't know if hype is the right word, but is associated with the first round, maybe first, second round turn. And when you see him on tape, the run defense upside is obvious.

And he has some athleticism to him for a guy as big as he is. But the pass rush doesn't seem to land terribly often for him from a plan perspective, from string and moves together. Or any of these guys that you see with a pass rush upside? I think of the names I mentioned, Joshua Farmer might have the most. I think he had some untapped potential there at Florida State. But there's some guys who are trend more towards past rushers on the interior in this draft class. Aeneas Peebles from Virginia Tech. He's an undersized guy very much in the mold of like a Sheldon Rankins at the next level,

but can get after the pastor. He should, in my opinion, be one of the top performers at the combine. Dionne Walker, the Kentucky defensive tackle is very interesting. He's only 20 years old. probably heard about him. He's six, seven, three, 40. And it's just like, the guy has unique movement skills at that size. But six, seven is a really tall defensive tackle. It's hard to play the run at six foot seven in the NFL on the interior. So he's a guy, though, that can definitely rush the passer. He had like 50 pressures as a sophomore at Kentucky. So he could do it. Shemar Turner from Texas A&M was a guy who kind of played outside, inside, probably more inside at the next level is a great first step. He should be a day two pick and can rush the pastor. So, uh, there's just there's a lot of guys. It really is a unique class in terms of defensive tackle depth. And so there will be kind of a pick your poison of what you really want to covet on day two.

But there will be someone there for the Cincinnati Bengals, unlike last year. Let's talk a little bit more about Diem Walker. I think this is a player that will be of particular interest to some Bengals fans. There's a lot of UK Cincinnati Bengals crossover. Obviously a lot of Ohio State Cincinnati Bengals crossover. But this is a relatively polarizing prospect, which is why I wanted to spend a little bit of extra time here. You're talking about the unique movement skills, the incredible size, 67344. And yet, depending on what game you watch, it looks like he's either going to be a game

record in the NFL or a guy that disappears. And so how do you kind of put that together when you think about where you would be comfortable picking Walker? It's tough, man, because if he would have just come out last year, say like this was COVID year, he has to sit out this year. And you just saw a sophomore take when he gave 51 pressures that year. He was super impactful and played a lot of snaps. You would be like, you know, you could sit out a year

and that guy probably still would have been a first rounder. But he came back. I mean, obviously, he played football the way, you know, prospect does. And just still play a ton of snaps. Maybe he was banged up a little bit. Some really loafing reps at the end of games. It's hard to put freaking when you're 345 pounds. That's like to be expected.

But more than you would like even still. And just nowhere near the impact. And just every time he got double teamed, it was just a disaster. And so you put that on tape and NFL teams, you're going to see that. And, you know, NFL coaches aren't dumb. They know if a guy can't hold up to double teams, they attack him specifically in the running game. And so he's just a guy you really can't put out there right now. But it's still a trade-driven league.

It's still a genetics-driven league and what he can do at his size. I find it difficult that if you trust your defensive line coach, or heck, even your offensive line coach with how unique this guy's build is, that you can't find a spot for him to develop him because he's super coordinated. I mean, he has a lot of moves at his disposal. You see him do a spin move and you're like, yeah, this guy's got it. So I'm still high on them. I'd still probably take him somewhere in the second round,

but it wouldn't surprise me if he falls far as than that. Speaking of spin moves, I think it was a spin move that Caldwell busted out of the senior bowl that caught a lot of attention. And then you go watch a tape on him again for a guy that's that big, The movement ability, the burst for him was impressive. And this is not necessarily a household name outside of maybe Locked on Bengals listeners because I can get over John Marie Colvo. Like this is my first draft crush this year. But when I look at various boards on all the simulators and all the big boards that are out there,

this is a guy that's being projected by many to be a round five to seven player, despite to me looking pretty appealing on tape. Where are you on Colba? I have his top 100 guy. I think his movement skills at that size are exactly what you want for like a penetrating scheme along your defensive line. Like he can get into backfields. Three and forty two pounds though. I mean, he's not he's not a big long nose tackle.

People love length on the interior and he's really not quite that. Yeah. Shorter arms. So it's difficult for him to shed and really finish plays. And I think that was, you know, one of my big. just worries watching his tape was like you can kind of get in the back field but then that was it like then it was like okay someone else got to make the play which is fine you can get away with that nose tackle just pure disruption but you know if you're going to go higher than that like just going

to devander sweats tape a year ago he had much more prototypical traits in terms of length you know 34 inch arms and his ability to then get off a block at will was better but called well well And like, that's why I said you want to be more penetrating team because he can just get you with that first step. He has a truly at his size, a really unique first step. So, yeah, I'm, I would be surprised just because, again, how much I think teams will be coveting line of scrimmage if that guy lasts till day three at this point. His senior bowl was better than that. As you describe him, he doesn't necessarily sound like a fit for what we're expecting for the Al Golden defense, slow playing the run, not necessarily firing up field. but the traits there are just so appealing to me.

And it's not like abnormally bad length. It's a little bit below average, right? He's a little bit longer than CJ West, for example, or Peebles, who's a much smaller player in general. But as you're describing him, what comes to mind to me, as a bengal in the past, it was a similar kind of physical build as Andrew Billings, who's still kicking around in the NFL, a bigger guy,

but always had length issues and was always a guy that could get around the ball, and then the length showed up in not finishing plays and coined this idea for us back in the day when he was a Bengal and it was the first time he really thought about it, I think, or crystallized the thought of tackle radius and the ability to actually finish plays when you don't have that length. Is that in the ballpark?

Yeah, I think that's, that's a, Billings was a little bit different in terms of just, he was very linear. Whereas I think, I think Caldwell's got like some nimble agility to his feet where he can cross face on a guy. But yeah, I see the same thing in terms of just like, and it's especially more just like getting off the blocks. I thought he just got stuck on more than you would like in when he did try to shed. It was just difficult for him to do some.

There are more positions that we need to talk about here, Mike, outside of just defensive tackles, even though it is certainly a prominent position of need for the Bengals this year where they spent two draft picks there last year, but have many, many questions on the defense. Let's talk a little bit more about this edge class. Let's talk about some linebackers, perhaps, some of these DBs in this class and some of the Al Golden connections as we try to wrap up the show by trying to figure out how this class aligns with the Bengals needs coming up next. You mentioned Mike Green as a guy that doesn't necessarily seem like the Bengals type, and I don't want to hear that.

I would like them to break their mold. You're not wrong, but after watching Nolan Smith and the slow development so far for Miles Murphy, who were picked, very close price. proximity to one another, it's hard for me to think that you can't learn a lesson from that. And regardless, maybe you have to rule that guy out. Maybe you have to rule a guy like James Pierce out, these guys that are sub-250, especially. I hold out hope that Mike Green at 250, 251 at the Senior Bowl is just big enough. But are there guys that you see in this class at the edge position that hit the Bengals mold,

that 260 plus and also have the production and athleticism to actually be a relatively quick impact edge rusher where they've got Troy Hendrickson as a past rusher for really not a whole lot else unless they're drafting like a Walter Nolan in the first round looking for disruption on the inside. Yeah, there's not like, there's not a lot of guys in this class that I see being like a Jared verse. Like this is very talented edge guys in this class. There's going to be, and you'll see out the comment, there's going to be some like freak, freak athletes. But I don't see a lot of guys in this class who are like day one, that guy knows how to rush the pastor. So in the Bengals

mold, you said like bigger, longer has kind of been there dating back to like Carlos Dunlap and Michael Johnson. Like they've always loved these just monsters off the edge. Miles Murphy fits that mold. So the guy I think that I

really like and I think if he's there for the Cincinnati Bengals, I'd be surprised. He's not the pick is Mikel Williams from Georgia. Evaluation on him are all over the map. I I did and people have brought up Trayvon walk with him because they're going to have like similarly long arms. I don't think he's quite the freak athlete that Trayvon was from like a testing perspective.

But I watch his tape. I think he's more translatable as an athlete. So I like his tape a lot more than I like Trayvon's coming out and actually have a higher ground on him. I did Trayvon. Trayvon went number one overall because I think he knows what he's doing from a how to attack Block's perspective. And he's had reps throughout his career that I can point to that. I'm like that, if you just could do that, that can beat NFL off to tackles consistently. One of them came against Kelvin Banks.

And I believe the first matchup against Texas, because I don't think Banks played an SEC championship game. Banks is a guy who's going to be off the board before the Bengals even picked. So reps where, you know, he really knows how to use the length. He knows how to play at an angle. And he knows how to basically attack and get off blocks. Now is he, does he have a lot of moves at his disposal? No. Does he like, is he consistent?

I wouldn't say so either. But he's also in that stupid Georgia scheme where at no point is he given these one-on-ones and told like, I can go rush the passer. I mean, even like Nolan Smith coming out, he had to do, you know, you have to contain rush. You have to do a lot of things that are scheme first. And so you watch a tape and you're like, he's not even getting chances. So he's the guy that I think if you're looking at that mold, I think he's perfect for what the Bengals have coveted over the years.

And looking just down the draft, there's not a whole lot of guys that have the size. Landon Jackson is a guy that has a size. I think you mentioned earlier, Nick Scarton, Scouting, Scorton? How do you say that last time? I did not, but I like his tape, Scorton. Scorton from Texas A&M, 64280, has a production. And so that's the thing with Mikel Williams is the production isn't going to be there from an analytical perspective, which is part of what, you know, the

process we do every year that I think I've told you about before where we've got our own board that we're working on. The production flag there for Williams stands out where some of the guys that were more productive in this class don't hit the production thresholds you're looking for and skirt and stands out as a guy that maybe does a little bit of both. Yeah, he's the one where I think Evalzer on him are going to be all over the map because his tape this past year was not that great because and you flip on the tape, he's kind of got like a gut. Like he was not in shape. And he did not have that the year prior at Purdue. He transferred for a bag to Texas A&M after, I get double-digit sacks as a sophomore at Purdue.

Still a super young guy, but it's like, that's kind of a red flag for people that he put on some weight, wasn't as productive. But he's so talented. I had him as a top 10 player going into this past season. I thought he was the – actually, I think I might have had him as the best edge in the entire draft class. I thought this guy was uniquely gifted. And at 285 pounds, I was like, damn, the way he moves and the way he can rush as a stand-up outside linebacker. I think that guy is going to be coveted in like every scheme going forward. But then obviously, when he gained weight and you put what he put on tape, it's like, okay, well, you got to reevaluate.

But if interviews pass, if you can tell, if you can get that guy locked in at the next level, he is as talented as anyone probably not named Abdul Carter in this draft class. So a big if, but the guy, the guy is gifted off the edge. I'm hearing things that are going to set off alarm bells for Bengals fans, talking about motivation, talking about pass rush moves and this need for development. And these are things that the Bengals have struggled with. As recently as Jermain Burton and keeping him pointed in the right direction in the most recent draft class, but I think back to Tyler Shelvin, who wasn't like terrible tape, right? Like his battle with Landon Dickerson when those guys went at it in college was fun tape.

And I thought it was a fun battle. And then they just couldn't get that out of him in the NFL. So there's some things setting off some alarms there. But what about linebacker? This is a position that I think is under the radar. So I don't want to spend a ton of time here. But a position where we're expecting overhaul, Jermaine Pratt requested a trade.

He was expected to be cut if he's not traded anyway. Logan Wilson will be back. But Al Golden talking about going to a more traditional four three where the Bengals have been a five-man surface in recent years under Lou Anarumo. So potential to add two linebackers are going to play in the base for Al Golden's defense. And a defense that prioritizes blitzing, perhaps, more than Lou Anna Rimo did. What's the texture of this linebacker class looked like? I don't, I don't think it's a great group this year, unfortunately.

There's, jihad camel from Alabama's probably the guy who's going to get drafted first out of it, depending on how you evaluate Georgia's Jalen Walker, who I think is a net. dredger so I think he'll he's like a different animal all together but he's probably the only one who's even like sniffing around one and truthfully maybe the only one who's sniffing like the top 50 well just not a great draft class in that regard there's no edry cooper there's no guy who put like great tape out there with traits or vice versa the best tape truly might have been Chris paul from old miss but he's like tiny he's going to be six foot 225 or something he was awesome this last year, but that's just a profile that not a lot of people want at the linebacker position

when projecting the NFL. So there's like a lot of really small guys in this linebacker class. The guy probably I have next after Gide Gamble, though, is Demetris Knight from South Carolina. Another guy who like, the tape's good, but he's 25 years old. So every linebacker that you point to who's like, this guy has something, there's like some big glaring red flag. They're like, well, she didn't have that, yeah.

So I think that's the linebacker class. You're going to really have to find scheme fits for this linebacker class. There's not a lot of guys who are true scheme agnostic can do it all type of linebackers, unfortunately. Speaking of scheme fits, a couple of guys on that Notre Dame defense that are potential Bengals draft targets because of the obvious connection with their new defensive coordinator, Jack Kaiser at the linebacker spot and at safety, Xavier Watts. Watts is a much more exciting of those two prospects. there's some exciting players in this safety group between Stark,

Samanahari, Watts, Andrew McCuba from Texas. What's your feelings? And Lathen Ransom has some fun tape at times as well. What's your feeling about the safety group? And you can throw us some thoughts on Jack Kaiser if you like. Kaiser could be like, gosh, why might blank me on the other Notre Dame? Drew Tranquil. He's a little Drew Trankel-ish.

He could be like your sub-packagey, weakside linebacker. I don't think you want him taking on blocks. but his GPS numbers at the senior bowl were impressive. I think he's getting underrated as an athlete because we all know why. I don't have to say it, but he's getting underrated as an athlete. So I kind of like Jack Kaiser. But Notre Dame, safety Xavier Watts, going to get drafted higher. The safety class as a whole, going to have more guys who are, in my opinion,

impact players in this lineback class. It's a good safety class led by Malachi Stark from Georgia, who if the Bengals picked him at 17, I wouldn't be surprised. Like he is an awesome, do-it-all safety, reliable, day-one starter. A guy just like does not have a lot of mishaps on tape. And maybe doesn't have a lot of plays on the football, but he does not have a lot of plays. We're like, ooh, that was ugly.

We don't want that when we're projecting the NFL. So him and Xavier Watts to a degree. I think Watts and him are very similar players in terms of their reliability. Watts is nowhere near the athlete that starts. In my opinion, I think he's just. just like a little lesser, but he has great ball skills. The guy finds the football, 13 picks the past two years. I think he's going to be one of the first, I'd probably say three safeties off the board

if I had to bet. The guy I love in this safety class, who's not getting talked about a ton, probably because he got hurt. Kevin Winston, Jr., Jr., coming out of Penn State, played 74 snaps before tearing his ACL early this season, but still came out because his sophomore tape was that good. And he is a true, I think he's what everyone wants at safety nowadays and what he can do in the running game. Like his ability to fill from depth and limit, you know, bounce out to like two or three yards from, you know, quarters or even deeper alignment is unique in this draft class.

And I think a lot of people will fall in love with this tape the more they watch it. So this safety class, there's a lot of guys that I really like. Lathen Ransom, Nicky and Worry as well. Jonas Sanker from Virginia, Andrew McCuba from Texas. There are guys that all of those guys that I've just mentioned are all top 100 players in my draft board right now. I kind of like the Watts fit just because of the clear need the Bengals have for a post safety, single high safety.

I mean, if Al Golden wants to run, cover 1, 50% of the time in the NFL, which you won't, like you can't. But if you want to do anything approximating that, having a guy that you trust to be in the right place at the right time with the various ways they're running very simple, man free. having a guy like that could make sense. But I'm trying to resist and talk about some other guys

instead of saying, well, Xavier Watts is there in the second round, the Bengals are going to pick him. Because honestly, if he's there, it's hard to talk myself out of that. But they do have a plethora of needs in a position that we haven't talked about, despite it being a significant need. And probably some fans are like, why didn't you start with this? Is offensive line that Bengals need a couple of new guards? Tyler Booker potentially worthy of a first-round pick.

I'm on Membo. I noticed you have him. listed as an interior offensive lineman as well. Those are a couple of guys that are particularly compelling to me, younger players, incredibly productive in college. What are your general thoughts on the guard class? And is there depth? Are there guys you can find round three,

round four that you think can be starters? No, unfortunately. I think guards the weakest position in this draft class, unfortunately. There's some like converts that are maybe intriguing. I thought it was terrible. until I started counting some guys that could kick in. And then I was like, okay, maybe there's some guys.

That's your best bet, in my opinion. Like, not even my opinion, like, far away, it's your best bet. There's just not a lot of guys who were guards or centers in the college football scene last year that will be starting guards of centers in the NFL, like two or three. And fortunately, they're just like, there's not names out there. But Tyler Booker is 100% one of them. That guy, I would be willing to take it 17. I mean, thought of him next to Orlando Brown on the left side, just two monsters, mammoth, that the pockets that Joe Burrow would have.

Like, he is a guy that is one of the best of past protecting guards. Or next to Amarius on the right side. They got two guys. Yeah, I mean, like either way, right? Yeah. You have that tackle deal that's so physically imposing that he fits right at. You know, that guy's an off the bus. You would lead with those three if you're showing up on the road because, I mean, he's very polished in Passbro, too.

So I'm a big fan of his game. I think I have been as top 20 player on my newest update in my draft board. I think he's that good. Membo is a little more interesting because he's a right tackle at Missouri. Real squatty build, six three, but still has long arms. I mean, if you're the bangles and drafting him, you're playing a guard, right? You're not playing a tackle. You got the tackles.

But he's really athletic. I mean, for a guy at his size, he moves really well, just such easy power on contact. And you've just seen him just improve. by leaps and bounds at all three of his years at Missouri. So like that guy, the sky, the ceiling for him, I got a little higher grade on him than I do Booker. But just because I think he could play tackle too, whereas Booker's probably for sure guard. But if he's a guard at the next level, probably a pro-ball caliber guard within his

rookie contract. I would bet money on. Yeah. And that would be a welcome site. Some athleticism at that spot. Also something that's pretty appealing. Last guy I want to talk about here is Tate Ratledge, who notably, different after an ankle injury?

Where are your thoughts on Vatledge in terms of visibility to be a starter in the NFL and where he gets drafted? Yeah, I mean, I think he's pretty polished. I just don't think he's that impressive to me physically, unfortunately, just watching his tape. I was like, okay, he's just like, just a guy physically, which is fine. You can be a starter in the league.

And with guard, again, you don't need to have all pro guards. But I think I was actually more impressed with this. teammate. I'm blanking as Dylan Fairchild was his teammate. I think when I was stacking up the guards, I had him ahead. And I actually had the former Georgia guard who transferred to Jacksonville State.

I think I had him ahead of him too. Clay Webb. Clay Webb. There you go. Yeah. Yes. So, but all those guys are like, not even top hundred. You know, those are, none of those

were top hundred guys for me. Got it. That's where you're at. So if you want a guard, probably try to find one in free agency and if you need to draft one, it's probably going to be one of those early picks if you're the Cincinnati Bengals. Mike, appreciate it.

We're going to learn a lot more about these players over the next week or two throughout the Combine and some of the pro days and all the interviews and stuff like that. So appreciate the primer. Maybe we'll talk to you again when we have a little bit more information

can dive a little bit deeper on some of these specific positions. But you can find his work, like I said, CBS Sports. And we appreciate it, Mike. Until next time, thanks for listening to this episode of the Lockdown Bengals podcast, Hootay. Have a good.