Bengals three round 2021 mock draft including a trade in round two

Despite moving back nine spots from their original selection, the Bengals still pick up one of the most exciting edge rushers in the entire draft: Joe Tryon. Good news for a team that finished dead last in terms of sack count in 2020.

Tryon has the athletic profile and potential of a first-round prospect. However, his decision to opt-out of the season has caused a noticeable lack of experience on his resume, which allows him to fall to the Bengals in the second round in this mock draft.

As a sophomore, the former Washington Husky accumulated eight sacks, along with 12.5 tackles for a loss. While solid numbers, they still don’t tell the whole story. Flip on his tape, and you’ll witness an explosive player that makes you believe he’s only going to get better once he hits the professional ranks.

Funnily enough, this pick could wind up being a lot like the Jessie Bates selection from a few years ago. Both players have tremendous upside, showed flashes in college but didn’t reach their maximum potential, and were/are under-discussed due to a lack of experience. Could they share another commonality by being selected in the second round by the Bengals after the team traded back?