Locked On Bengals - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Bengals - Staying Open Early | Bengals' pre-draft visits preparing for a multitude of possibilities, specifically in the trenches

Episode Date: April 14, 2025

Pre-draft visits for the Cincinnati Bengals suggest they're preparing contingencies for first round possibilities outside of the trenches, and that trend continued with DT T.J. Sanders and OL Jalen Ri...vers on reported visits this week. Jake Liscow and James Rapien break down how the latest visits fit in with their trends that continue to suggest they're preparing to address the trenches on day 2 if they need to, where Sanders would be a particularly exciting possibility.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!Amazon Fire TV Stick 4kDid you know your Fire TV is also an Xbox? Turn any TV into your gaming and entertainment hub with Fire TV Stick 4K devices — no console required. Head to Amazon.com/firetvlockedon to get started. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription and compatible controller required.GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNBA for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNFL at monarchmoney.com for 50% off your first year.FanDuelRight now, new customers can get TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS when 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.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 The Cincinnati Bengals are doing their due diligence to be prepared to strike in the trenches on day two if needed. Let's break it down. 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 Locked on Bengals podcast. Part of the Locked on podcast network, your team every day. I'm Jake Liskow. He's James Rapine and we've been locked on Bengals since 2016, providing you with daily coverage of your Cincinnati Bengals on YouTube and everywhere. You get your podcast. If you are new to the show and you're not already in every day or shout out to those of you who are.
Starting point is 00:00:53 You can hit that subscribe button to make sure you don't miss an episode. And welcome back to everyone who makes locked on Bengals their first listen as well. Today we've got a couple of new 30 visits to talk about. A couple of those pre-draft visits at the Bengals. can spend on prospects that they're particularly interested in seeing in person and getting to know a little bit better that continue to support this idea that, well, maybe there's a chance that they're preparing to address the trenches on day two and maybe even early day three of the 2025 NFL draft. And they want to keep their options potentially a little bit more open in the first round to whatever may happen, to falling value. We're going to dive into those topics today, but we're going to start with the two visits that have been reported most recently for the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday, April 14th, as we're recording this episode, James. And one of those is a draft sheet favorite in T.J. Sanders, defensive tackle from South Carolina. The other one, a potential mid-round option for the interior offensive line, Jalen Rivers, guy who played tackle most recently, but is most likely an NFL guard, also played a whole. lot of guard at Miami in college with the hurricanes. Yeah, it's it's one of those things where
Starting point is 00:02:10 the Bengals continue to look at the places that Bengals fans want them to look. T.J. Sanders is someone that's came up on multiple mock draft Mondays that we've discussed as a possible target. And so for them to bring him in on Tuesday, it's pretty intriguing. And it's one of those one of those indicators that their head is, it aligns with where we think it, it does. And it's that T.J. Sanders may give them some pass rest use, may be able to be that interior presence that they're missing. And they're probably only going to add, maybe they add two. I'd be kind of surprised at this point, probably only adding one defensive tackle in this draft. And so if they add one defensive tackle in this draft, what do we think that they're missing?
Starting point is 00:02:59 some juice, a guy that's going to get after the passer. I already looked up. I just put in T.J. Sanders to our images that we can use for thumbnails on YouTube. And guess what? One of the first images is him tackling a quarterback, sacking a quarterback, getting after the quarterback, heating up the quarterback. Well, it makes a lot of sense. And whether you look at the sheet, whether you look at a lot of draft evaluators, day two is where he's projected to go. So this is a guy that, let's say they go Kelvin Banks Jr. at 17.
Starting point is 00:03:32 Well, that doesn't mean they're not going to be able to address the pass rush. They could still do that with a guy like T.J. Sanders, who I think would be a candidate, much like Tate Ratlidge is. I think Tate Ratlidge is very much a favorite from a, oh, if you don't get a guard in round one, you take him at 49. Sanders could be that at defensive tackle, or if you don't address the past rush in round one, maybe you go with Sanders at 49 overall. Yeah, if Sanders is the option in round two for defensive tackle, if they don't get one of the Harmon or Nolan types in the first round,
Starting point is 00:04:05 and those guys are interested in as well. But maybe there's something that just feels like overwhelming value for them in the first round, and they go a different direction. T.J. Sanders, certainly in the second round, if they think that they can get one of those guys that PFF thinks, you can always get in the third round that we talked about on mock draft Monday yesterday, maybe that is the tiebreaker that pushes them in the direction of a guy like Sanders in the second round.
Starting point is 00:04:27 I'm just going to read his little conclusion blurb in The Beast. I think this reflects pretty well what the data reflects for T.J. Sanders. And Dane wrote, with his initial burst, T.J. Sanders can maneuver through gaps with abrupt hands and feet, and change the line of scrimmage by quickly getting into a blocker's chest. He has the tools as a long, twitchy big man to make consistent plays in the backfield with continued technical and awareness improvements. His promising skill set will fit both even an odd.
Starting point is 00:04:57 fronts with surprising stoutness at the point of attack and flashes of power and hand use to stack and shed against the run. When you combine that with the 95th percentile plus pass rush win rate that we saw in 2024 from T.J. Sanders, according to PFF, 12.6 percent, which is right up there with the best of them in this class. And an 8.8 percent run stop rate, which again is around the 80th percentile plus, you have a prospect whose data profile is strong, 94th percentile athlete, according to RAS. He actually added weight before he went and did his 40 at his pro day and his 10-yard split,
Starting point is 00:05:38 which is the most important number for a defensive tackle in terms of the 40-yard dash was excellent after adding weight for that pro day. You get a really good athlete going to be younger than 22 at the time of the draft, so he's going to be 21 years old and some change with really good. rush win rate data and solid run defense data. There are a lot of reasons to really like T.J. Sanders. And if he's a guy in the second round, that is a pick that the data would absolutely love. The data says he's a first round guy.
Starting point is 00:06:10 And so the fact that we're talking about him in the second round, Dane Brugler has him as a second to third round player, I think would be a pretty exciting second round pick for the Bengals. Yeah. Yeah, if you can marry, need, data, athleticism, how he projects, all of those things, well, then that's the win, win, win, Michael Scott Voice. And that's what they could potentially do with Sanders. And at the same time, let's say they go.
Starting point is 00:06:42 And we're going to discuss scenarios. I think that the other option here, the other visit is intriguing too. And maybe he's at Paycor Stadium right now. I'm not sure. Maybe that's the case. I know he's here or there on Monday, but Jalen Rivers, the Miami offensive lineman is in town on Monday, visiting the Bengals. This is guard all day long.
Starting point is 00:07:04 And you read evaluations about him. And a lot of people think that he's going to be a guard, probably a quality guard in the NFL, projected to go in the fourth round. You mentioned his arm length right before we started recording, 35 plus inch, arms and someone that I think the Bengals, let's say the board falls a certain way and they, and I think people would be really scared if this happened. But what if they didn't get an offensive lineman on the first two days of the draft? It's happened before when we thought that they were going to and that it didn't happen. Well, I think Rivers is one of those guys that
Starting point is 00:07:40 they would target at pick 119 and have pretty high on their board. Yeah, a guy that fits the Bengals in terms of size. He's a giant. He's especially for a guard. And to the point where like he's playing a little bit high at times, I think, and that is to his detriment. He's listed at 6-6-319, 35 and a quarter-inch arms. And like I said, played a lot of tackle. I just don't think he sticks there in the NFL. But then you wonder about that height playing on the inside with guys that could get underneath him. But at least he has a long arm. So you're not going to out leverage him with length because he can match just about anybody in the NFL for arm length on the interior. This one to me, James, makes me think more of,
Starting point is 00:08:23 is this a double-dip option? Is this a, you got Tate Ratledge in the second round, or you got Kelvin Banks in the first round, and you want to circle back to a guy on early day three, in the early part of day three, who you think can be an early contributor, or maybe doesn't have the ceiling that one of those guys you would pick earlier would have. Maybe isn't ever going to be quite that high level of a player. At the same time, I wonder if they are thinking about him as a potential flex tackle as well. This is still a need for this team.
Starting point is 00:08:55 There is not really a swing tackle on the roster right now that looks like it's Cody Ford. And if Cody Ford is in a competition right now to start at one of the guard spots, then who are we talking about for swing tackle on this team? I wonder if they're thinking about Jaylon Rivers that way at all with his size, with him having that experience, the tackle is well played. all of his games of tackle in 2023 and split them a little bit more in 2024 most recently. But I do wonder if there is some sort of tie in here to swing tackle. He also snapped at center at the combine, or not at the combine at the Senior Bowl.
Starting point is 00:09:35 And so just at least one coach at one point or another, one evaluator wanted to see that. And at 6-6, that's, you never know, put it that way. But yeah, I think the double-dip option is very real. We've seen this time and time again. I'm sure we're going to talk about it a lot over the next 10 days going into the draft. Would not shock me one bit if they double-dip at offensive line. And maybe it's not round one, round four, round two, round four. Maybe it's rounds three and four.
Starting point is 00:10:06 Who knows? Last year they did it rounds two and three at defensive tackle. So we'll see there. but what do a lot of these pre-draft visits have to do? What does it say about what the Bengals are preparing for on draft day? We'll get to that coming up next. Ever check your bank account and wonder, where did all my money go? Well, April 15th is tax day, so you might do that anyways.
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Starting point is 00:11:38 a clearer idea of the Bengals draft plans in the last few years. And what stands out to me is where they're using those visits, especially on the interior offensive line, they're using these visits and they've had a lot of contact with players at the combine and throughout the process with guys that are expected to be day two picks. And it makes me wonder how much Kelvin Banks is in consideration. Is there going to be a final week, visit in Kelvin Banks where we see that Kelvin Banks is flying into Paycourt or Gray's
Starting point is 00:12:13 able if that's a player that you think has positional versatility obviously playing tackle all the way into center at the senior bowl and it's out a player that we see a late visit that could indicate potentially a tradeback option in the first round if the Bengals weren't comfortable with him potentially at 17 because I think if they do trade back in the first round some of these players, the fringier guys, Donovan Jackson kind of players of the world, or even Tyler
Starting point is 00:12:41 Bookers of the world, if they're in the late part of the first round, become more appealing options. And so I wonder if we'll see some of those guys pop up for visits. But Arionte Ursari, Charles Grant, Jonas Savi Anaya, Jalen Rivers, all 30 visits for the Bengals
Starting point is 00:12:58 at the guard position. They had Combine contact and had Scott Peters down at the Pro Day. for Georgia, Jared Wilson, Tate Ratledge, notables there. Obviously, Tate Rattlidge, a guy we've talked about quite a bit. They met with Jackson Slater at the Combine, had presence at Marcus and Bose Pro Day at Purdue, Dylan Fairchild, another Georgia lineman.
Starting point is 00:13:21 The common trend here is a lot of day two guys, some day three guys, but not necessarily spending those meetings with guys that you would have to pick in the first round. Not that there's a ton of them, but what we see, the Kelvin Banks visit. Meanwhile, when you look at the Edge class, a few visits with those early guys, James Pierce, most notably,
Starting point is 00:13:44 but contact throughout the draft. I think maybe more of a focus on Edge Guys at the Combine. First round Edge Guys, also for the Interior Defensive line, Walter Nolan, we've talked about quite a bit, obviously, but homework throughout the draft class on the Interior Defensive line, preparing themselves potentially to stay open in the first round. It's exactly what they should do. They should be wide open.
Starting point is 00:14:08 And what if Jahad Campbell and everything that comes with him from a clear standpoint, the knee that Dane mentioned in The Beast? And it doesn't seem like it was his serious knee thing, but I don't know. But if all those medicals check out, and Jihad Campbell's there at 17, I think it's going to be hard for the Bengals to pass on him. I think that they really like Malachi Starks and Nick Eamonwary. And Eamon Worry was one of those 30 visits. And so would they go that route?
Starting point is 00:14:38 You mentioned trade down possibilities. I would take Colston Loveland every single time over Tyler Booker. And I presently constructed. I wouldn't even think twice. Don't need to see what they do, what else they do, what they do in free agency. And so putting themselves in position to be open to a non- guard or defensive lineman is what they need to be doing. And so it feels like they're doing that.
Starting point is 00:15:06 That doesn't mean they won't go with James Pierce. It doesn't mean they won't go with one of these edge guys and feel really good about it. Maybe they love Mike Green and they're not worried about the off the field stuff. I think that's unrealistic and I don't think I plan on mocking Mike Green to the Bengals at all at 17. But maybe that happens and they're comfortable with it. Great. But on the chance that it's not there and that safety is the top player on their board or linebacker or, and I might be the only one mentioning tight end right now, but I will. Tight end.
Starting point is 00:15:39 Then they can go that route and be prepared to go with a guard on day two, find a way to bolster their pass rush on day two. And I think there are guys that can do that. I hope that Ashton Jalati visit is coming soon. We got Ty Robinson. Now it's Ashton Jalati's turn. Hopefully he can squeeze his way in there. But yeah, I think it may be not because it's just they're clean. Like if you're a clean prospect and there's no concerns, there's no medical questions,
Starting point is 00:16:11 there's no character things and it's just like green flag, green flag, green flag, green flag, there's no real need to bring you in for one of those 30 visits and spend a 30 visit on you. So I think that that's worth noting as well. There's also a lot of pre-draft contact that we never see reported. certain prospects will have interviews with, you know, Justin, Justin Mello does a great job of this with the draft network. They'll do interviews and they'll be like, oh, yeah, I've had a meeting with the Bengals. Because there's all these zooms, you know. And so because of that, sometimes you hear about some of those virtual contact guys.
Starting point is 00:16:44 Sometimes you don't hear about virtual contact. And then we hear about it after the draft. And we're talking to Mike Potts or when we hear the prospect and their introductory press conference with you guys. and you'll hear like, oh, yeah, you know, we met over Zoom several times throughout the process. And we hear about it after the fact. So it's not like we're getting all contact, but the reported 30 visits that we do have do tend to paint a certain picture that is some degree of openness in the first round. Now, you look at the combine meetings, combine meetings at tight end with Tyler Warren, Colston Lovelland, to your point about not ruling out a tight end entirely. But here is where I struggle with that.
Starting point is 00:17:21 The same way I struggle with running back at this point. These are positions that could help you. These are players that can help you. But you have these glaring needs after free agency where you need help on the defensive front. You need help at guard. You need a linebacker. You would like a safety. That's a lot of things.
Starting point is 00:17:42 They only have three picks in those first three rounds right now. Already you're giving up one of those things. Right. So if it is a linebacker in the first round, you can be assured or safety, pick one. you can be assured that a guard is coming on day two, unless something goes terribly awry in a world that we don't even want to consider, right? And so you've got your linebacker or safety in the first round, potentially,
Starting point is 00:18:05 your guard in the second or third round, that leaves you one pick with your early picks that you can expect to be a potential impact player for you early on at one of those other spots, whether it's defensive tackle, edge rusher, the other of linebacker or safety, or if you have that wild card running back or tight end pick, then what are you giving up?
Starting point is 00:18:28 And that's a conversation that we've had over and over and over throughout this process because of how free agency went and the needs that they've left themselves going into the draft. Sure. It would be signed Brandon Sheriff. Right. Like that's what they would have to do if you're punning on some of these areas. I wonder how they feel about the safety class
Starting point is 00:18:50 in where they think. they need to address it to be much improved there because there is a line where it's like, all right, well, Gino's just better than insert whatever player. And I don't know the answer to that, but I think that's interesting. And that's also going to be true at Guard, which is why we're in agreement that like Guard needs to happen early, right? Well, you would hope it would happen early. I never go into, it's like an interview. I never go into an interview like, all right, well, these are the questions I'm definitely asking.
Starting point is 00:19:21 Like I hope that they can get a guard in one of those first three picks that makes sense. But I'm not taking, like, unless you take Tyler Booker at 17, you're not guaranteed that. Like if Kelvin Banks doesn't fall, Tate Ratledge could be gone by 49. They may have a third round grade on Joe Sava and I. So it's easy to see the path where it hasn't, it doesn't happen just because we've seen that with them. but to your point, it feels like they're preparing themselves to make sure that they leave day two
Starting point is 00:19:54 if they don't get one on day one with an offensive lineman that they think can start at guard. And so, yeah, hopefully they're able to do that. I think the Loveland thing is so intriguing because I bet they love him as a prospect. And would they open themselves to that door? I think they'll probably ignore it because they've ignored tight end in the past when they've loved guys.
Starting point is 00:20:20 Love for Loveland, pun intended. But maybe there's a little bit more here. And certainly we have a local pro day to get to as well. We'll do that coming up next. Today's show is brought to you by Fandul. The NBA playoffs are here. And boy, oh boy, I'm excited for the playoffs because you have the Western Conference, things are going insane.
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Starting point is 00:21:46 Let's wrap up this topic of what happens essentially if they can't take a guard early. I wonder, James, if that gets themselves in a situation where they just feel like they have to force it. And that's where we see a reach happen in the third round. And it's like, you know what? We didn't get the guy we wanted in the second round where we've done the homework. And now in the third round, oh, we just missed on Jonas Savanaya. And now it's desperation time. And that's where you see maybe, maybe that's where this Jalen Rivers visit comes back up, for example.
Starting point is 00:22:24 Not saying that it's specifically him, but they're going to be feeling, I think, a heap load of pressure in that third round. If they haven't addressed the guard position yet to do something to replace and bolster the pass protection on that interior to protect Joe Burrow where they've had issues. As you've pointed out numerous times in the last month where the guard position is in one way or another ended their seasons. in painful fashion too often. Yeah, that's where I would instantly be on the phone during the draft. I'd say, hey, Mike, get on the phone and call, insert whatever veteran. Because then you're like, yeah, Shaq Mason, come on. Yeah, insert.
Starting point is 00:23:05 Like, it's not just Brandon Scherf. You're talking about just needing bodies at that point. And really, even if it would come with a third round reach, like, that doesn't feel great. Like, we're not going to be sitting here on May 1 like, yeah, they did. it. They solved it. It would be the other way. We'd be like, uh, doesn't like, was there ever a moment going into the 2021 season where we were like, yeah, Jackson, Carmen. Like, there was never a moment, never ever, never a moment where we felt good about that pick. And so obviously you don't, it's going to be really hard for them to go that bad and take a pick and be that poor with their decision making.
Starting point is 00:23:44 but to your point and going back to what I said in our open five minutes in talking about Sanders, you just hope that it marries and that it lines up. And that's why you do due diligence with all these guys. So you can have them rank properly and you say, all right, well, these are the guys we're willing to take it 49. These are the guys we're willing to take it at 81. And you hope that it just lines up to where you can get one of those guys. I will say, just to end the tight end element, that has taken a backseat. I know there have been tight ends that have been in the same bucket as other players,
Starting point is 00:24:22 right? The Miles Murphys or the DJ Turner's. And they've gone with Miles Murphy and DJ Turner. They have not gone the other way. They have not forced it at tight end. So for those like cringing when I bring it up, I'm just bringing it up because you want to prepare yourself like they are for every possibility. At the same time, I think it's.
Starting point is 00:24:41 pretty unlikely. I think that they're going to see the positional value side take it into consideration and that will impact who's BPA where. And I do think, even though they haven't historically valued guard, I think they clearly feel like this guard class can produce a starter right now and are going to go into it with a putting a premium on finding the right guard for them. And that's why I think it could happen at 17 and that's why I think you're so bullish that it's going to happen before the end of date. Yeah, it's just such a clear, glaring need
Starting point is 00:25:17 for such an important position in this offense, even though you're right, like the way they've treated it in the past has been how they've treated it in the past. But even then, they've picked first round guards. It's just been frustrating them when they haven't extended. Kevin Sightler. It's the only one.
Starting point is 00:25:31 Is that actually, okay, yeah, some of the second round guards I'm thinking of in addition. Jackson, Carmen, felt like a first, like, it felt like a first round way like there was weight on it because of the first round element but yeah Kevin Zitler but still to your point
Starting point is 00:25:48 they've taken guards early Eric Steinbach was a 33rd pick so fringe very very close to a first rounder but not quite a first rounder I thought Steinbach was snuck into the end of the first round but he did not alas stud by the way
Starting point is 00:26:06 where's Eric Steinbach would you need them? Prime Eric. Oh, baby. Yeah. Well, if you're picking it 33, there's some really good options for you at Guard this year, I think, or some, you feel better about your chances of getting one. We end day one and they've traded out of the first round. Day one of the draft is concluded and here is our day two mock draft. Welcome in to Locked-on Bengals. We haven't had to do that, but I know they're like hosts. of locked on shows that have like oh they're not they're not picking today let's it would be exciting but but the thing is is you'd have to wait until the end of the draft because
Starting point is 00:26:48 even if they trade out of 70 they could trade back in right and so it's like oh i mean oh man you're talking about like howie roseman level draft maneuvering at that point that is not something the bengals too much but maybe they sticks maybe they just turn it over the last the last yeah the last one the last uh topic here or summary of this that I wanted to get to is essentially you have to take these different visits they've had and preparing themselves to say okay these are the guys that were comfortable with at 49 maybe there's some guards there maybe there's some defensive tackles there maybe there's a safety or two there maybe there's a linebacker in there these are the players we're comfortable with the 17 you got your buckets and then you start
Starting point is 00:27:31 play and choose your own adventure okay is this a combo of three players in rounds one through three we like. Is this a combo that we like better? You have your various, okay, we're taking Kelvin Banks in round one. What do we need then in rounds two and three to feel good about getting Kelvin Banks in the first round? Okay, we're taking Walter Nolan in the first round. We'd really love to get Tate Ratlidge then in the second round or Johnus of Anaya in the second or third round or whatever round it is. And you're putting together those packages of players and you're deciding, okay, which of these scenarios is where we're comfortable? Or what are the multiple scenarios that we're comfortable with in the world that we're doing these different picks and these different rounds
Starting point is 00:28:06 to prepare yourself for the unexpected that always happens in the NFL draft where players are always going in spots where you're not expecting them to. And that's the game that the Bengals are playing between now and the draft and a game that we're going to play almost certainly on Lockdown Bengals at some point between now and the draft because those Choose Your Adventure packages of players are always interesting. Will they include any of the players the local pro day going on for the Bengals this week. Most notable attendees, Luke Condra from the University of Cincinnati and quarterback Jordan Hancock from Ohio State University. Also would mention John Williams, a tackle from University of Cincinnati, who's probably
Starting point is 00:28:49 a draftable player as well. Any thoughts from you, James, as the Bengals have a ton of guys getting ready to work out from UC, from Miami, and from local high schools? Yeah, I think maybe this is the year they end up with a bear cat. I'm not sure. Obviously, that would have to be at the guard position. That would probably involve double dipping and taking Canra later or going with a John Williams. Not against it.
Starting point is 00:29:16 Certainly not against it. It would have liked for their start tight end to come out, but he's waiting another year. So we'll wait on him. But yeah, I look at this group. and by the way, this Pro Day is going to happen on Tuesday. It might have already happened Tuesday morning, depending on when you're listening to this. But yeah, there aren't a ton of guys.
Starting point is 00:29:37 Like, I think there was a guard that I want to pay attention to from one of the local high schools. Who was it? It was Jake Gideon. Okay. It's out of Ryle into Western Michigan. could be someone that maybe gets drafted. I don't know if it's going to be by the Bengals,
Starting point is 00:30:03 but could certainly get drafted. So yeah, local pro day. I'm going to miss that this year. I'm not going to be there. Corey Kiner going to be there, though. What's crazy about Corey Kiner, the running back for the Bearcat, so he had an awful combine, right? But I remember him in high school,
Starting point is 00:30:20 and he was like a superstar. And then he committed to LSU when Joe was there. goes to LSU, they have the coaching change, comes back to UC. And I was surprised at how poor of a combine he had, because I just kind of assumed he'd be one of those. And I know Dane has a draftable grade on him, one of those guys that would be an under the radar type of guy that would go in the sixth or seventh round.
Starting point is 00:30:45 But who knows, maybe he goes undrafted. Maybe he stays in Cincinnati as an undrafted player. Wouldn't be mad at that. I do think in a tough, really deep running back class, I'm not sure he gets picked. Do you think that Is there a notable player The Bengals have ended up acquiring
Starting point is 00:31:02 from these local pro day lists in recent years that comes to mind for you? There's a lot of attention paid to Mike Brown talking to John Briggs. Briggs last year. And then he didn't end up in Cincinnati,
Starting point is 00:31:14 obviously. Not that I can remember. Obviously, you know, you could go back to Kevin Huber. He would have been won. But that's, you know, you're talking 15 years ago now. You know, more than that.
Starting point is 00:31:27 So no, not many. And I also think that's why you saw these local visits with these bigger prospects last week because they weren't coming to a local pro day. And bigger prospects never do. And so bringing in the Travian-Henderson's of the world made sense when they did. So we'll see. Wouldn't shock me. If you throw those three running backs in as well, wouldn't shock me if one of these guys
Starting point is 00:31:53 ended up with the Bengals at some point. Well, and Jack Sawyer also a local visit to throw into the next from Ohio State. A couple of day three guys, though, this year. And you don't always see necessarily a bunch of draftable players of these local pro days. Because like you said, a lot of the players that are sure they're going to get drafted, just don't do them. They just skip them. They have more important things to be doing it this time of year.
Starting point is 00:32:15 But a couple of draftable grades in there potentially with some of those names you mentioned at the local pro day on day. and we'll have plenty more draft conversation here, getting into strategies, getting into some of the players we hope they don't take that we haven't really talked about a ton. That's probably a topic for us to discuss in the next couple of weeks as well before we get into our predictions late next week just before the draft. But for now, that's going to do it for this episode of the Lockdown Bengals podcast.
Starting point is 00:32:49 Until next time, thanks for listening. Hoodey. And have a go.

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