Bengals focus on offensive line in way-too-early 2022 mock draft
Round 5: Pick 137 – Kyler Gordon (Washington), Defensive Back
Defensive Back. Huskies . Kyler Gordon. 137. player. 818.
The Bengals will begin this season without their number one cornerback Trae Waynes. After being sidelined for the full year in 2020, hamstring issues will prevent him from suiting up on Sunday. It’s been an auspicious start for the headline free agent, and he will need to turn things around, considering there is a team option at the end of the year.
Couple that with Darius Phillips’ contract expiring, and it’s reasonable to think the Bengals could search for a new cornerback in 2022. While that need could cause them to find one early in the draft, at this spot, Washington’s Kyler Gordon is good value.
Positionless football is becoming more prevalent in the NFL, making Gordon’s skillset even more valuable. This year, he will mostly line up as an outside corner but has been used across the defense as a slot, safety and down in the box. He will get a chance to show out on Saturday in front of a large TV audience when the Huskies take on Michigan.