Projecting Cincinnati Bengals Rookie Roles – D’Ante Smith (OT)
At 6’5”, 305 pounds with 35” arms, D’Ante Smith has all the measurables fans could ask for in an offensive lineman. The Bengals took a flier on Smith in the fourth round with the potential to be the future starting right tackle, which is a position that needs stability, as Riley Reiff is only signed to a one-year deal.
As Jonah Williams continues to develop at left tackle, Reiff will be able to take Smith under his wing and show him what it takes to start at right tackle. Smith could easily play either tackle spot and with the injury to Hakeem Adeniji, Smith looks to be the swing tackle behind Williams and Reiff.
The ideal scenario for Smith is to develop under Frank Pollack’s direction to be the other long-term bookend opposite of Williams. In a perfect world, Smith sits on the bench for his entire rookie season and takes the reins in one to two years.
This was a sneaky good pick for the Bengals though because even though he was a Day 3 pick, Smith could definitely become a starter on Cincinnati’s o-line in the coming years.