Cincinnati Bengals: 7 Round 2020 Mock Draft
Austin Jackson. 2. player. 808. . Offensive Tackle. Trojans
What the Bengals do or don’t do in free agency will determine how much freedom they have at the top of round two. As things stand right now, they almost have to take an offensive lineman. The good news is, Austin Jackson out of USC is absolutely worthy of the pick here.
The 6’6″, 310 pounder has prototypical size to play left tackle, but would probably be asked to anchor the right side of the offensive line for the Bengals. He has great athleticism to hold down the right tackle spot while going up against the league’s premiere pass rushers. For a Bengals team that has been weak at the position for years, having Jackson would almost seem like a luxury.
Bleacher reports Matt Miller has Jackson as the biggest riser among the offensive tackle prospects. He is starting to put all the attributes that made him a five star recruit coming out of high school together.
His strength lies in pass protection, which is key in Zac Taylor’s offense that seems to prefer an air attack over the ground game. As far as run blocking, his agility allows him to get to the second level and he has the frame to improve his strength as well.
It is vital that the Bengals solve the offensive line puzzle this offseason to protect their next franchise quarterback, whoever it may be. Adding Jackson and getting last year’s top tackle prospect Jonah Williams healthy could jolt the unit back to respectability quickly.