4 Players that could Sneak into being the Bengals 2nd Round Pick
. Linebacker. Bulldogs . Willie Gay Jr.. 1. player. 893
If the Bengals are serious about infusing some much-needed athleticism to a linebacker unit that has floundered the past several years, Willie Gay Jr. may be their best option to do so if the big three at the position (Queen, Murray, Simmons) are all off the board by the time their pick rolls around.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Miss State LB Willie Gay Jr goes in early 2nd round. His interviews have been really good and he’s extremely explosive on tape.
— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) April 6, 2020
Draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah believes the Mississippi State linebacker could go early round two, and when looking at his testing numbers, it’s easy to see why. He stands at 6’1 and weighs 240 pounds while pairing that size with incredible athleticism. He runs a 4.46 40, has a 39.5 inch vertical, and 11’6″ broad jump, all attributing to his explosion.
He comes with significant risk, however. He was suspended multiple times throughout his collegiate career and lacks the production many franchises need to see, mostly due to missing time.
Still, if the Bengals think they can keep him on the right path and coach him up, he has an astounding ceiling and could turn into an absolute star one day. If properly developed, he could completely revitalize the team’s weakest position, which has to have the front office at least considering it at this point.
The Bengals should and probably will look at other options before considering Willie Gay Jr. but fans would be doing themselves a disservice if they weren’t at least aware of his name before going into day two of the draft.
The front office has gambled on talented linebackers with concerns in the past and it has paid off for them, at least initially.