Locked On Bengals - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Bengals - Why Dan Pitcher Could Leave Bengals for New OC Job

Episode Date: January 20, 2026

A day after Dan Pitcher's return to Cincinnati looked full steam ahead, Zac Taylor has granted him permission to interview for a play calling OC job in Tampa Bay. Jake Liscow and James Rapien break down why Taylor and the Bengals aren't blocking the interview, and what it could mean for the future of Taylor's coaching staff (especially if Brian Callahan also gets a play calling job elsewhere).Plus, we react to Joe Burrow's sudden social media commentary on NFL catch rulings and Rueben Bain's standout performance in the national championship game.Everydayer ClubIf 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/everydayerclubJoin 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!TurboTaxFor a limited time, you can have your taxes done by a local TurboTax expert for just $150 — all in, if a TurboTax expert didn’t file for you last year. Just file by February 28. Visit http://TurboTax.com/local to book your appointment today. DripDropRight now, DripDrop is offering podcast listeners 20% off your first order. Go to http://dripdrop.com and use promo code lockedonnfl.Ultimate QBUltimate QB is totally free to play, has no ads, and works 100% offline — perfect for when you want to sneak in a quick game or two on the go. Just head over to http://ULTIMATE-QB.COM.FanDuelToday's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. FanDuel is officially in Playoff Mode. Every game day during the NFL playoffs, FanDuel is giving customers even more ways to get in on the action. Visit Fanduel.com to get started.   PrizePicksDownload the PrizePicks app today and use code LOCKEDONNFL to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup.Click Here: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LOCKEDONNFLGametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.RobinhoodTrade 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 firmIndeedListeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/lockedonnfl.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.

Turns out Dan pitcher has options. Bengals are letting their current offensive coordinator interview for play calling jobs, and that might change things. 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.

Part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, the number one sports podcast network. He's James Rapine. I'm Jake Liscoe. We've been Locked on Bengals. for 10 years since 2016, almost since 16 years, and that would have been incorrect. But since 2016 on this podcast, bringing you daily coverage of your Cincinnati Bengals. And yesterday, your daily coverage of the Cincinnati Bengals included us recording before

news broke that Zach Taylor has given teams permission, at least Tampa Bay, to interview Dan Pitcher for a play-calling offensive coordinator title, which at the time we didn't think was in the cards. We thought it was head coach or bust for Dan Pitcher, and it looked like the head coaching opportunity he had was not necessarily something that looked likely at that point. So the tune has changed on Dan Pitcher's future a little bit today, and so we revisit that news.

And the national championship last night on Monday night, something that James and I watched, we'll discuss some of the standouts and some of the takeaways from that game today as well. Welcome back, by the way, to all the everydayers out there who make Lockdown Bengals part of their daily routine and everyone who makes Locked on Bengals their first listen. And Jay's, it was like

two minutes after we got this episode posted yesterday. For those of you watching on YouTube, you see that it was like right after yesterday's show that the outlook for Dan pitcher changed and suddenly news broke that Dan pitcher was interviewing for a play calling job with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Yeah, I like the way you put it because an instant reaction where people in Cleveland, and saying, oh, well, he would go to the Browns. And it's like, well, no, he will not go to the Browns because the Bengals have to allow him to. And that's a big factor here. And that's a big part of it. And that's what I think is really, really interesting is what they're doing is they're allowing

Dan Pitcher to interview for a job that has gotten interviews with Mike McDaniel, Brian Callahan, who naturally would be potentially Dan Pitcher's replacement. And it's a sought-after job. Like, I think the Tampa OC job, you look at it and you look at it. the talent they have on offense and you're calling plays. And you look at what Liam Cohen did. And it's like, oh, well, if I go there and I do a good job and I win with Baker and Mike Evans and Bucky Irving and all the talent that they have there and, well, I might be a head

coach here for now. And so, yeah, I think that's why Dan Pitcher is interested. There's layers to this. There's so many layers. And I think the first one that a lot of people look at is, well, should Zach continue to call plays? And I agree. I think that's kind of where it starts is if you value Dan Pitcher that much and he gets the offer.

And I think that's the important part. He might not get the offer. Mike McDaniel may get that job. He also may be a head coach by the time people see this. If Dan Pitcher gets an offer to call plays and be an offensive coordinator, is that enough for the Bengals to change the. their tune when it comes to Zach Taylor and him play call it calling the offensive plays or is it the other way? Are they all the way dug in where they're like, okay, well,

you go ahead, Dan and we'll figure it out from here. I don't know the answer to that, but I think that's an interesting wrinkle here if Dan does get an offer what the Bengals do from there. Because I do think that they could keep him. If you have the chance to call plays for Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase, it is the best offensive coordinator job in the league, I think. And so what do you do? How do you go about it if you're the Bengals, assuming Dan does get an offer from someone, and it won't be the Browns unless it's for head coach.

I think that's interesting. A few things, but let's start with this. The other side of the best offensive coordinator job in the NFL, probably in terms of a, we have a very clear-cut vision of how we're going to put this thing together. We're going to build this thing around Jamar Chase, around T. Higgins, and around our elite quarterback in Joe Burrow. And we're going to go.

and it's been very successful when they've done that. The other side of that is, and I think Paul Danaer just wrote about this for the athletic, and I've had some conversations that have kind of shed some light on this as well, other teams in the NFL see what Joe Burrow, Jamar, Chase, and D. Higgins do and ask, well, how much of this is the offensive coordinator, and how much of this is Joe Burrow, Jamar, Chase, and T. Higgins. So as part of this, you get an opportunity to go call plays. Maybe it's a raise.

Maybe Tampa offers you more money. And that's part of why you would go take that job if you're damn pitcher and you get that offer. And you get to go do it at a place that has produced two head coaches in the last two years. And like, or last three years, two years, something like that. Well, they just fired their OC. Yeah. But before that, it was Liam Cohen and Dave Canales, right? Liam Cohen. Sure. Yeah. I'm also fired. Right. So like that I get what you're saying. You better go there and you better do it. And if Baker pisses down his leg, which Joe Burrell won't do, there's a risk involved, I guess is my point. For sure. But I think there's also, you know, you always have confidence in yourself as a coach in this league, right? Like we've seen that time and time again. These guys believe in their systems and the way they teach things and the way they run things. They believe in.

their ability to get the most out of anybody, whether it's Baker Mayfield, whether it's Joe Burrow, whether it's Jake Browning. I mean, we've heard that from coaches through the years is like their job is to go out there and figure out how to get this thing to work. And they all think that they have the ability to do that. And obviously there's varying degrees of difficulty, but this idea that you can show that you can do it without Joe Burrough, Jamar Chase, and T. Higginson. And I know there's talent in Tampa, too.

You talked about some of that talent could be potentially. alluring to someone who's trying to continue to build their resume in addition to things like play calling duties and that sort of thing. All right. Fair. I say this with at least a chance knowing it could get back to Dan. If the Bengals offer him play calling duties and he takes the Tampa job and it's within a couple hundred grand money wise, he's an idiot. I'll say it because there's no way if he calls plays for Joe Burrow, Jamar, Chase, and T. Higgins and does everything that he plans on in Tampa in Cincinnati, that a team is going to be like, they haven't had that. There's no example.

And so you're just, I get the logic of being like, oh, well, how much of it is the shadow of arguably the best quarterback in the league and I think inarguably in my mind, the best receiver in the league and T. Higgins and Chase Brown. I get it. They haven't had a no see that calls plays. Yeah. It's never happened. We see it with Zach, though, too.

It's like they win in spite of Zach, not because of, you know, so that that does happen for sure around the league around Bengals fans even. Well, sure, because no one in the league thinks that Zach is Sean McVeigh or or insert whatever offensive mind, Kyle Shannon, like he has not gotten to that level. And whether that's fair or not, fine, I think Dan pitcher is held in pretty high regard in the league. And so maybe that's how he feels. Maybe he views it and he says, you know what?

it looks at it. He says, if Joe gets hurt, they just, they can't operate. Flackers not coming back. They haven't fixed this defense. We've told him for years. Like, maybe it's that. But like, this idea that the shadow of, like, I just think that would be a, a dumb thing to do. Now, we have no indication that the Bengals would be willing to let him call plays and give that up to keep him and retain him because Zach is their guy. And so that hypothetical I put out there, it's kind of irrelevant until the Bengals show a willingness. And I say Bengals, because I assume Zach wants to call plays, but I don't think it's necessarily just him.

I think the organization loves the Zach Joe duo and how close they are and all of those things. And that doesn't leave. The Bengals saw it firsthand what happens when you put a lot on your offensive coordinator's plate and Hugh Jackson and people laugh at Hugh now. The Bengals didn't forget that. He left. their offense stunk and it didn't work and a j green hated it and they had to fire the OC and it just it went down this whole path and you see it everywhere you see this happen where

you have OC there's 16 new offensive coordinator jobs this year 16 there's what 10 new head coaches 13 not including the Bengals and and like I said on twitter when I talked about that number could go up if if damn pitcher takes a job elsewhere right because there's so many moving chairs moving pieces at OC this year. Having the continuity in your head coach is something that this ownership group probably values pretty highly with Zach Taylor for right or wrong. And I can hear all of you groaning as I say that, as I talk about this ownership group in Zach Taylor again.

But if you go back to the reason he was hired, it was to have the offensive guy be your head coach. And I think that that play calling conversation is something that we can continue to dive into here as we continue to unpack the damn pitcher news and what it could mean about potential replacement candidates as well as far as if Zach were to keep play calling duties, what does that mean for their options on the market if Dan pitcher were to leave? We'll get into all of those things coming up next. Today's show is brought to you by drip drop.

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I do think it's interesting because I don't think the Bengals will let him go to Cleveland, but why wouldn't the Chargers want to talk to Dan Pitcher? Depending on who the bills hire for their head coaching job, if pitcher isn't there, would they be interested in pairing pitcher with Josh Allen? I think Dan Pitcher, the offensive coordinator is certainly going to get plenty of looks. and who knows what ends up happening. But if that did happen, and he did leave for a nice little raise or a nice big raise, who knows,

in play calling duties, is it as simple as Brian Callahan will return? Will Brian get a job? He's in the running for that Tampa Bay job. He's in the running still for the Chargers job. There's still a lot of things that are up in the air, offensive coordinator-wise. I don't think it's just this foregone conclusion that, oh,

Brian's going to come back because he'll want to call plays too. And if he can call plays somewhere for Justin Herbert, for example, you're going to say no to that to go be Zach Taylor's wingman again? I think that that's, it's such an important wrinkle here. And it starts to really unfold if Dan pitcher gets an offer to call plays. Because then you'll see what the Bengals, how they really, really feel about him, how they really feel about Zach Taylor, if they're going to change anything at all,

or if they're going to say, hey, Brad Craigsorp, you're up, Zach Taylor, keep calling plays. Troy Walters. Justin Ruscati. Somebody, you know. I don't like that. I don't like that plan, by the way.

Like, Troy Walters is the best of that bunch for me, and I want him coaching the young wide receiver that you draft this year, which they probably will. Conversation for later in the show or another day. Something that I certainly open that can of worms on social, media late Monday. Yeah, you did. Some people were not happy with me, James.

I was. It wasn't even you. I did a little dance. I ordered some lemons. Woo! Go ahead. There are, like I said, a ton of offensive coordinators changing in the NFL

this year. So you mentioned a few teams with like, would Zach turn down or block Dan pitcher from interviewing from like any NFC job that involved play calling? Arizona. What about the Titans?

potentially the Titans. Arizona is going to open up. Atlanta's going to open up. There are a bunch of openings in the AFC, as we discussed, obviously. The Giants, I don't think John Harbaugh goes that way, but another NFC team, the Eagles, another NFC team talked about the Bucks. There's a bunch of NFC teams out there. And that's just looking at the NFC, assuming that, you know,

Zach says, oh, you know what, if you go to the NFC, it's okay. We only have to see it once every two to four years. if it's an AFC team, maybe a little bit more stringent on what he allows. Like, yeah, don't really want to face you every year. Maybe. Who knows? But if they were to lose pitch, I do think still that Callahan is the very logical, very likely outcome in that situation.

But to your point, if Callahan does get an offer from the Chargers, say, to call plays, I don't know how that goes. I would think that would be very tempting for Brian Callahan, assuming all else is equal. What about the Falcons? His dad's there? I'm just saying his dad. If Callahan gets an offer to call play somewhere.

Yeah. Yeah, then the Bengals, what are their options? Because I think given the opportunity for Dan pitcher to go elsewhere to call plays, you can reasonably conclude from that and maybe not maybe if he gets the offer like you said earlier maybe the Bengals change her mind and say you know what Dan will let you call plays to keep you maybe but you can reasonably infer

from Zach Taylor giving pitcher permission to seek a play calling job elsewhere that the organization whether that's Zach whether that's Zach and Duke whether that's ownership is is convinced that Zach is going to keep play calling duties and if that's the case Joe Brady's in high demand

he's getting head coaching jobs like this Joe Brady idea we talked about yesterday I mean that that feels like a pipe dream to me it felt like a pipe dream to me an hour later as soon as we learned that the reason for this is like Zach's keeping play calling duties that's probably the direction they go so like who's even an option externally for them to bring in

probably not someone we've talked about certainly not Mike McDaniel unless like the caliber of coach changes this for the Bengals. But like their options probably look like those internal guys at that point or someone else that we haven't heard of or talked about that is willing to go take a job that doesn't involve play calling. Yeah.

And that's that's it. What do you want to be? What are you trying to be? And by the way, if you do go that route, you promote, insert whoever. And this really has nothing to do with the internal hire. But let's be honest here, Joe Brady, Mike McDaniel, Brian Callahan, Dan pitch. there's levels to this all of those guys are ahead of any of the internal guys and should be on the offensive coordinator rankings chart that doesn't exist but certainly does uh among NFL teams

if you do that you are trusting Zach to turn this around this year and if he doesn't everybody should be gone like if if that's what you do because you're saying Zach is it he's the the the straw that stirs the drink. And so if that doesn't work and that drink isn't getting stirred the way it should be, what are you going to do? And so I guess that would be the one benefit is you get your answer. There isn't the built-in excuse of first-year play caller or this guy or that guy or the turnover, the lack of continuity, all of those things that the Bengals could hide behind.

But to your point, if you want quality, offensive coordinators that have options, that obviously have confidence in what they do. If it's calling plays or not calling plays, you're going to pick calling plays in nine out of the ten scenarios and probably more than that, 9.9 out of the 10. Yeah. Especially if that employer that you're potentially going to,

Zach Taylor and the Bengals, just let a really good up-and-coming offensive coordinator go because he wanted to call plays, and they said no. Like that's a hell of a spot to be in to try to attract. So you're right. You're going to have to go with the up-and-comer, not the established guy, and more times than not.

Yeah. That definitely looks like the direction it would go. Now, we'll see if Dan Pitcher gets other job opportunities or not. If he interviews for other OC jobs or not, I think that door being opened, we'll see if other teams come calling. Maybe other teams have come calling, and Zach has turned them down. And this is the first one that he's open. open up, especially because pitcher did talk to Tampa a couple of years ago before the Bengals promoted him too.

Maybe that's part of it as well. But certainly interesting to keep an eye on as I thought this thing was done. I thought we were done talking about Dan pitcher yesterday. And then like I said, right after we put that episode up, boy, did things change. The national championship game was pretty interesting to watch from an NFL draft scouting perspective, from a Bengals perspective. Let's dive into the title game that we watched on Monday night to finish the show coming up next. Fandall is brought you by Fandall. Go, Jake. Playoff mode. Fandle's in playoff mode every game day during the NFL playoffs. Fandle is giving customers even more ways to get in on the action

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James, we had two major football events happened yesterday on Monday. We're recording this on Tuesday. first the national championship game but perhaps even more important Joe Burrow dusted off his Twitter account and I didn't tell you you were going to talk about this it occurred to me I'm ready in the last couple of minutes and Joe Burrow tweeted James about the the catch rulings and apparently Joe Burroughs as annoyed as I am with the discourse around look at that you're on it man on it just ready to go the amount on you I just flash the, yeah, I just flash the, the tweet up for those that are listening.

So there you go. Yeah. Joe Burrow tweeted the amount of people that don't understand what it catches and the rulebook flabbergasts me. And it's not the officials. The two plays yesterday were not difficult calls and they got both of them right. Now, I assume this refers to the last couple of days because it wasn't all Sunday. Saturday.

Yeah. It's definitely bills. It starts there. Yeah. Yes. Burrow apparently as annoyed as me with the reaction to the calls. And I'm just amused. And I'm glad that once again, I get to agree with Joe Burrow about something related to football.

Yeah, Devante Adams caught it, made a football move, got tackled. His knee was down and then the ball was ripped away. That's different than Brandon Cook's diving to make a catch, being in the air, having the ball in his hands. And as he's coming down, even though he's down, as he's coming down, the ball gets ripped. it's two completely different things. I really didn't have an issue with either one of these calls, and I'm surprised. The bills, when I get it because of the result,

it makes you matter, because it was that close to being the game-winning catch. But it wasn't. It was a heck of a play by the corner, and that's it. So, Joe's right. Soccer.

We agree with Bill Bill. And he's like really good friends with Josh Allen, by the way. Yeah. You know? Like, I just personally was amused because like the day after that, I was like, I feel like I'm getting gaslit today. Like Richard Sherman, Dan Orlowski, all these people in the national media, former players were like, I can't believe that wasn't called a catch. I've never seen it ruled that way.

And to me, it was very obvious in the moment what direction it should go. And it was called that way. They reviewed it in New York. You know, Sean McDermott's fighting for Buffalo, whatever, wants it to be slowed down so the head official can take a look. Like, they reviewed it in Buffalo in New York, man. Anyway, big tangent there. Glad I agree to Joe Burrow. Mike McCarthy did the Steelers.

I hope it happens. Just throwing that out there. I don't want to talk about the Steelers. Let's talk about the national championship game. Is that news? He's just interviewing. He's interviewing. I hope it happens.

I hope this will make so much sense. He's proven. You need proven. Go with Mike. If you want to get it right, go with Mike. It would be another annoying in-season team. Like, I think Mike McCarthy is a good regular season coach. Anyway, let's talk about this national championship game.

A lot of draft eligible prospects in this game, Fernando Mendoza, obviously going to go first. I think the Raiders were there in person to watch him play, and he was impressive. Some receivers, some mid-round receivers on that Indiana offense, just while we're on the topic of the Indiana offense, in addition to Mendoza, Elijah Serrat and Omar Cooper. And I was personally thinking about Carter Smith before I watched this game. Carter Smith was the Hoosiers left tackle. And I thought of him as again, like a round three, round four swing, developmental tackle kind of player.

And he had his lunch ate and eaten pretty well by Ruben Bain and Akeem Mesedor on the Miami side of things. And Ahmad Moten was somebody that I learned about watching this game, somebody that I became a fan of, I think helped himself. but apparently he's going back to Miami or there's a strong feeling that Moten will return for a fifth season in Miami, but certainly some standout players in this game, especially when Miami's defense was on the field. That's what I was watching for,

primarily James. I don't know about you as far as draft eligible guys. What stood out to you as you watched the national championship? Yeah, first things first. You look at the first round guys and guys that the Bengals would consider, and it starts with Rubin Bain, and it's like, check, check, check.

I know he doesn't play defensive tackle, right? But you know how Gino Atkins kind of looked? Like people would say, oh, Gino's small. And then you look at him. And you're like, no, he's short, but he's not small. Short, not small. Like, but you know what I'm saying? You've seen Gino.

You remember what he, like, he's like, man, he's built like a fire hydrant. Like, it's just, and it obviously worked to his advantage. Ruben Bain gives me those kind of, kind of vibes. He's not the Miles Garrett look-a-looker. like where he's built in a lab. But I don't think he's small. I really, if you're the Bengals and you watch his game, I get it. The arm length stuff matters, but you just thrived for five years.

Well, four years. I would say last year you didn't really thrive with, with Trey in 2025. But before that, he had 31-inch arms. So 32-inch arms, whatever it was, the short arms for pass-rusher. And so Ruben Bain, I just think he's so powerful and quick. that it's going to work. And he's good against the run. He's physical.

I'm in. I'm in on Ruben Bain. And so if he gets there at 10, sign me up. And I still think there is a chance. I think there's a chance. The NFL is going to put these guys through a microscope. He may be there at 10. And if he's there, I wouldn't overthink.

I think he's a plug-in-play, instant impact type of rookie. Here's what Dave Buegler said about Rubin-Bain. December 17th. Ruben Bain will be one of the more polarizing prospects in the class. Plenty of day two grades from NFL scouts. viewed as a defensive tackle

by several teams due to his size. 6-2-277, 30-and-three-quarters-inch arms. That may be 31-inched at his pro-day, maybe at the combine, who knows, but 33-quarters-inch arms. And did you mention Trey, 32-inch arms?

Yeah, Trey. Yeah. 9-and-a-quarter-inch hands. And obviously there are guys that have been successful with that build in the NFL. There are also guys that have not been able to translate that into NFL success. But the compact power that Bain brings to bear was on display in that national championship game. That left tackle for Indiana will be drafted. Carter Smith, he will be drafted. He in many times when I was watching that matchup specifically had no chance against Ruben Bain,

whether it was turning the corner, whether was Bain running through him, whether was Bain knocking hands down, the guy looked like he was certainly worthy of the 10th pick. And you're right, that is where it starts. The only other guy in this game that you're probably considering at 10 is all the defensive players are gone that you like and Francis Magoa, the Miami right tackle.

But the thing about Magoa is he's only played right tackle. And Amarius Mims has only played right tackle. and you're talking about drafting a potential developmental guy to replace Orlando Brown on the left side, maybe in a year. How do you feel about doing that with a right tackle you got to switch positions with and all those things, if that's the direction you go? Yeah, and that's it. And maybe they love them and they feel like they could do that and they think he could play some guard and then move over. like who knows right i i think it would be tough can you imagine if they're like negotiating with risner and then they took him and you know you know that he's going to start at guard yeah for a year

and then i i don't think that happens but if you're taking him 10 you feel like he can play tackle right away and whether or not he does is different but um yeah you're right outside of that It was the Rubin Bain show from a 10th overall standpoint. Yeah. And then we're talking about day two, day three guys. Yeah, Keen Mezzador is going to be really interesting on day two. He's going to be fascinating throughout the process. For similar reasons that Bain, like for he,

Bain is going to be polarizing. I think Mezzador is going to be polarizing a little bit as well. Just because he's 25 years old. I've been playing college football for a really long time. I think there was an injury one year in there when he went to Miami. Had good production when he was younger as well. had the injury and then he's back from the injury now and he had a ton of production he was really good in the national championship game as well but he's 25 years old and and that'll be a factor

kiante scottes another guy on that miami defense i mentioned i'm on moton and we'll see if he declares or not i posted a mock draft that drafted amad moton in the second round and people were very unhappy because of the first round pick being a wide receiver that'll be a conversation for another day also be interesting to see if any of these guys that were standouts on the Indiana defense come out and primarily I'm thinking about DeAngelo Pons. I think Amari Farrell, the

safety for Indiana also somebody to think about as potential day two players there. Some day two guys on Indiana in general that could be interesting. But yeah, I mean, Ruben Bain going to be very interesting to watch the draft process for that guy, man. Like

is he going to get picked three or is it, as I joked about again on socials, you can't draft a guy that's got less than 32-inch arms in the top nine. I'm sorry, going to have to pick him on 10. Bengals are going to have to pick him in the double digits because it's just the rules. I don't make the rules. It's just the rules.

Yeah. And by the way, maybe he could play a little three tech. You know, maybe he could do that for you a little bit. Fine. But I think he's going to matter. Like some guys, you just overthink it. And maybe the Jets don't. And he goes second.

you're right you said three i i could see him being being second and so it's uh it's wild oh my gosh is this real i just looked up i was just kind of curious i know he's not aaron donald but aridonald six one two eighty five right was he really given a an average backup yeah i'm i'm reading his nfl dot com evaluation it's crazy marginal height and frame maxed out hands are more active than strong could play with more pop and power power overpowered in the run game. They gave him a fourth or fifth round grade NFL.com did on Aaron Donald. He went 13th overall, by the way.

It's proof that some overthink this process. Well, Geneal asking is a fourth rounder. And Gino helped Aaron get drafted for sure. I mean, that was part of it. No doubt. I just, it will be overthought because there's going to be a lot of our listeners that say, there's no chance he's going to make it to 10th. I think there's a decent chance he's there.

And if he's there, you certainly don't want the Bengals to overthink it. And we'll see. We'll see how they evaluate him. The good news is we have a few months to evaluate this and try to put the pieces together. But obviously, Ruben Bain on the short list as of January 20th. Here's my fear, as you say that. Like, the NFL overthinks. Don't you think the Bengals are also overthinking it?

Look at the guys they've drafted in that position. It's very scary. It's very scary. Yes. And the way they haven't drafted a Gino-Ackins since they drafted Gino-Ackins, despite having opportunities to do so, like that mold of player, that archetype of player. Yeah. But maybe they think, hey, he is the interior, he's got that versatility to be an interior

past rush or two that we've been looking for it because they have been looking. It doesn't feel like that. I mean, they obviously think that Samar Stewart can kick inside. And they think that that's part of the, that's part of the future. Anyway, like you said, James, we have plenty of time. to unpack that. Just fun to watch these guys in the national championship game. Always fun to watch them on the biggest stage, right?

That's something that the Bengals do care about. I think I mentioned that yesterday. The Bengals care about how these guys perform when the lights are the brightest, when the competitiveness or the competition is at its peak. And so you know the Bengals were paying attention to that game as well. But that's going to do it for this episode of the Lockdown Bengals podcast. Until next time, thanks for listening. Ho da.

And have a good. It said Aaron Donald has the quickness and athletic. to earn a rotational spot.