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

The Bengals spend the second of their third-round picks solidifying the secondary, a unit that has a ton of uncertainty surrounding it this offseason. William Jackson III is a free agent, and it’s far from a guarantee he will come back. The only other solidified outside corner on the roster is Trae Waynes, who spent his first season with Cincinnati sidelined as a result of injury.

Regardless of what happens with Jackson, the Bengals would be wise to add talent at corner. There is no such thing as too many good defensive backs. This fact holds especially true when considering how often the injury bug has bitten the position group over the past few years.

In a lot of ways, Israel Mukuamu is the perfect corner prospect to add to the pipeline. He’s talented enough to play right away if he has to. Plus, as noted by The Draft Network, he played in a number of different roles, including outside, in the slot, as a safety, and between the tackles.

The versatility certainly helps the Bengals because they can plug him in wherever they need until they figure out their long-term plan. All of this before getting to his incredible size for the position. He stands at 6’3 and weighs in at 205-pounds without forfeiting speed. That makes him a good option to match up with bigger receivers, especially a guy like Chase Claypool within the division.

All in all, Cincinnati not only secured their left tackle of the future in this draft but also got a difference-maker at every level of the defense. In this scenario, they would be free to target additional lineman or speedy receivers and tight ends for the offense throughout the remaining rounds.