Bengals finish the draft offensively

The Cincinnati Bengals finish the 2018 NFL Draft with three selections in the seventh round on the offensive side of the ball.

The Cincinnati Bengals started their trio of picks in the seventh round by selecting Toledo quarterback Logan Woodside. Holding the school’s career record in passing yards (10,514), touchdowns (93), and efficiency rating (162.9). Woodside threw for 45 of those touchdowns in 2016.

During the 2014 season, Woodside got his first chance to start for Toledo for four games as a freshman when Alabama transfer Phillip Ely tore his ACL. He led the Rockets to a MAC West Division co-championship. Unfortunately, the coaches asked him to redshirt the following season still so that Ely could start. Starting in his final two seasons with Toledo, Woodside was named MAC West offensive player of the year in 2017.

While he was rated to be drafted in the sixth or seventh round, Mel Kiper stated that a team would be getting a steal if they could grab him in the fifth round. There are multiple analysts like Kiper who believe Woodside is severely underrated and one of the better middle-round quarterbacks in the class. Could Woodside become the number two in a year or two behind quarterback Andy Dalton?

With the second pick in the seventh round, Cincinnati selected Ole Miss guard Rod Taylor. After not selecting an offensive lineman since round one of the draft when they selected Ohio State Billy Price, the Bengals finally went and grabbed a developmental guard prospect. Playing both tackle positions and a couple seasons at guard, Taylor will likely move inside in the NFL. I wouldn’t be surprised if Taylor is a practice squad player.

To finish off the seventh round trio, the Bengals select wide receiver Auden Tate out of Florida State. Tate is a 6’5” and 228-pound receiver with 33 3/4” arms and 9 3/8” hands. Running a 4.68-second 40-yard dash at the combine he is not the fastest receiver but his 31.0” vertical jump and 112” broad jump make him a solid red zone target. During his three seasons at Florida State, Tate hauled in 957 yards and 16 touchdowns. 10 of those touchdowns came in 2017.

Next: Bengals draft cornerback Darius Phillips

He will join a group of very young wide receivers as the Bengals already have five receivers with two or fewer years of experience. Tate could turn into a solid red zone target if he can work his way up the ladder but most likely will be a developmental project that we only see in preseason games. Either way, it was interesting to see the Bengals go all offensive in the final round after spending most of the draft on the defensive side of the ball.