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Cincinnati Bengals Draft Profile: Mack Wilson, Linebacker, Alabama

By Justin Fischer

NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 01: Mack Wilson #30 of the Alabama Crimson Tide returns an interception for a touchdown in the second half of the AllState Sugar Bowl against the Clemson Tigers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 1, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 01: Mack Wilson #30 of the Alabama Crimson Tide returns an interception for a touchdown in the second half of the AllState Sugar Bowl against the Clemson Tigers at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 1, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

With the Cincinnati Bengals having arguably the worst linebacking core in the NFL, it’s imperative they take an extensive look at the best linebackers. Mack Wilson is one of the top linebackers this year’s class has to offer.

Mack Wilson fits the mold of today’s NFL linebackers. At 6’0 230 pounds Wilson carries his body like a safety. He flashes on and off the field displaying great leadership and character. Let’s take a look at the strengths, weaknesses, and why Wilson would be a fit for the Bengals.

The Good

Mack is a linebacker playing with a safety’s like instinct. His ability to play in pass coverage is elite as he diagnoses rout concepts and covers his zones well. As a linebacker, he had 6 career interceptions to go along with 7 passes defended. When tackling, he arrives violent laying the hammer on opposing runners. Mack’s best trait doesn’t appear on the stat sheet; it’s his heart, passion, and leadership qualities that stand out the most.

The Bad

Although Mack displays elite level speed, it often gets the best of him as he overshoots and misses tackles. Once a blocker gets their hands on him it’s a wrap, because he struggles to shrug off blocks. He’s seen getting washed out of the play too often as well. His aggressiveness will often cause him to overrun the play, making him a non-factor on certain run plays.

Final Verdict

As stated before, the Bengals have arguably the NFL’s worst linebacking cores. Mack Wilson would come in an start immediately serving as an every-down backer. Some of the Bengals most notable flaws were not having a linebacker with the ability to cover tight ends downfield or running backs out of the backfield. With questions surrounding Vontaze Burfict’s career, Wilson could ease the pressure off of the front office if they opted to move on from the often troubled Burfict. Wilson would bring leadership and passion to a group in need of a voice to lead them for years to come.

Want to read more about Cincinnati’s offseason? Check out all of our Bengals coverage on Stripe Hype!

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