Bengals Draft: Shermari Jones is intriguing possible addition
The Cincinnati Bengals have a solid running back room but they could be looking to add more names in the 2022 NFL Draft. The team met virtually with Coastal Carolina’s Shermari Jones on Friday, per Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network.
If the Bengals decided to draft Jones, this would be yet another promising running back on their roster.
Jones, a 6’1″, 220-pound running back, spent the past two years at Coastal Carolina. This past year he rushed for 1,040 yards and a whopping 13 touchdowns. He isn’t much of a pass-catcher, however, only grabbing three receptions during his entire senior season with the Chanticleers.
Source: Coastal Carolina @CoastalFootball running back Shermari Jones met virtually with Bengals after originally set for top-30 visit; visited Broncos, Chiefs @PFN365 #Bengals #Chiefs #Broncos #NFLDraft2022 #NFLDraft https://t.co/pCJ6bm3E21
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) April 22, 2022
Bengals Draft: Shermari Jones has met with team
Jones proved during the 2021 season that he can put up big numbers and be the prominent rusher for an offense. Of course, it’s easier to do that in the SunBelt Conference but Jones still is an intriguing player and could make a splash with the Bengals if he joined them either in the draft or signed as a UDFA.
Joe Mixon is the starting running back and behind him, as of now, are Samaje Perine and Chris Evans. I’d be okay with the team pushing Evans into the RB2 role but Zac Taylor is infatuated with Perine so it wouldn’t be shocking if he’s still in that role when the season gets underway.
Realistically, Jones would be more of a special teams talent in year one but would have the ability to work his way up the depth chart, especially with Perine nearing the end of his contract.
During his Pro Day at school where Shermari Jones ran 4.55, bench pressed 225 pounds 20 times, 10-2 broad jump with 33 1/2 inch vertical leap, Bengals running backs coach Justin Hill, a former Rice Football @RiceFootball player, ran the on-field drills #Bengals
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) April 22, 2022
While Jones’ rushing numbers pop off the page, I don’t love that he’s not much of a pass-catching back. The Bengals love to get Mixon involved in the passing game and its part of why their offense is so dangerous. That could be a big reason why Jones goes later in the draft or slips out of the seventh round altogether.
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I’m curious to hear your thoughts on Shermari Jones and the idea of adding another running back in the draft process. What do you all think?