We are already well into NFL mock draft season. Every week, dozens of analysts are publishing their own mocks. Take them with a grain of salt, as they will likely change month by month.
The latest notable mock draft comes from Matt Miller at ESPN, who has the Bengals taking LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane at pick No. 10.
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It’s no secret that the Cincinnati Bengals defense has underwhelmed over the last two years, and the cornerback position has been a big part of the problem. The only cornerback that has shown real consistency is DJ Turner II, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal, while Dax Hill has shown flashes but is also entering the final year of his contract.
If the Bengals don’t do anything in free agency, Delane would be a major upgrade for Golden’s defense. Several outlets have Delane ranked as the top cornerback entering the draft. He could help transform the Bengals’ defense back to what it was when they made their Super Bowl run.
With Miller’s second pick for the Bengals, he’s sticking with the defense, going with Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods. It’s frankly a shocking selection since Woods is widely projected to go in Round 1 and has been routinely mocked to the Bengals at No. 10, so getting him here looks like a tremendous steal.
Though Woods isn’t an edge guy, he can hold the middle strong. He’s ranked as the top defensive tackle according to Pro Football Focus, and he’s ranked as the second best on Mel Kiper’s Big Board.
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This offseason, fixing the defense should be a top priority for the Bengals, as they have finished in the bottom five over the last two seasons. There’s a good chance they won’t fill every need this offseason, but this would be a pretty good start, as they would grab two of the best defensive players in this year’s draft.
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