Originally, experts predicted the 2020 linebacker prospects to be a weak group. Thankfully for the Cincinnati Bengals, the unit is now turning into a strength for the class.
It’s no secret the Cincinnati Bengals have a major need at the linebacker position. However, for a Bengal’s team that usually addresses their biggest needs through the draft, the outlook wasn’t bright, mostly because the prospect pool at the unit appeared to be fairly weak.
At the beginning of the draft process, only three linebackers showed the promise that they could be difference-makers immediately: Isaiah Simmons, Kenneth Murray, and Dylan Moses. With Simmons and Murray all but guaranteed to be gone by the time the Bengal’s second pick rolled around, and Moses opting to return to school, all hope seemed to be lost for the front office to address their weakest unit in April.
2020 LB class got sneaky good. Simmons, Queen, Murray are all first-rounders. Baun probably is too.
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) February 4, 2020
Then you have Jordyn Brooks and Malik Harrison, both really solid Round 2 guys.
Plus a lot of depth after that. Favorite "sleeper" is Wyoming's Logan Wilson
However, as you can see in the tweet above from draft expert Matt Miller, the consensus on the class has shifted significantly.
Starting with LSU star Patrick Queen, his college football playoff performance helped his stock skyrocket into first-round consideration. While that may not seem important to Bengals fans since he’ll likely be gone by pick 33, his presence means another quality player at the position may fall to them who otherwise would have been selected by another linebacker needy organization.
The class starts to get really interesting in the second round with Jordyn Brooks and Malik Harrison. Both are guys who have a high probability of being in stripes next season. Of note, neither is projected to be taken until the middle part of the second round currently. This situation may lend itself to the Bengals front office following their trend of trading back, picking up more draft capital, and still ending up with their guy. If the team can acquire an extra fourth-rounder and still get one of the two prospects previously mentioned, it’d be an ideal start to day two.
Miller goes on to mention the depth of the class after the big names, highlighting Logan Wilson. Wilson was featured as one of our four under-the-radar linebacker prospects last month, which can be found here.
Beyond Wilson, players such as Evan Weaver and Akeem Davis-Gaither are solid options in the third and fourth rounds. Weaver has the production and motor that fits the mold of exactly what the Bengals want in a player. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Duke Tobin and company fall in love with his tape and ensure he’s in Cincinnati. Davis-Gaither is a hybrid play-maker that would give defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo exactly what they’ve been missing at the position.
Overall, the Bengal’s will have plenty of opportunities to fix the linebacker room in one swing this off-season, whether it be through free agency or the draft. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see them double-dip at the position either, selecting top prospects in both rounds two and three.
Thankfully, after a grim initial outlook, the 2020 prospect pool looks like it can help the Bengals address their most dire need.