Bengals spend top two picks on defense in 7-round mock draft
By Aaron Burd
. Cornerback. Cornhuskers . Cam Taylor-Britt. 63. player. 810
Round 2: Pick 63 – Cam Taylor-Britt, CB (Nebraska)
If defensive tackle is the Bengals’ biggest need, then cornerback is a close second.
While they have Chidobe Awuzie and Mike Hilton at the No. 1 and slot/nickel positions, they could use a No. 2 cornerback other than Eli Apple. The much-criticized Apple actually had a much better season in 2021 than many give him credit for, but he could at least use some competition instead of being handed the starting spot.
Nebraska cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt would be a great choice in the second round for the Bengals. Taylor-Britt lacks the ideal size for a cornerback, but he more than makes up for it with his athleticism, zone coverage, and run support.
In his first year with the Bengals, Taylor-Britt could compete with Apple for the No. 2 spot opposite Awuzie, and he would certainly become a key contributor down the line.
837. . Tight End. Cyclones . Charlie Kolar. 95. player
Round 3: Pick 95 – Charlie Kolar, TE (Iowa State)
With their first two picks being spent on defensive players, the Bengals finally add a player to their already-dangerous offense by selecting Iowa State tight end, Charlie Kolar.
Cincinnati brought in veteran tight end Hayden Hurst to replace the fan-favorite C.J. Uzomah, but they still need to add young talent at the position. Hurst is only under contract for one season and the Drew Sample experiment has been a failure up to this point, so it’s crucial to bring in a young player to develop at tight end.
Kolar is an intriguing prospect because of his good size and great athletic testing. In addition to his athletic profile, the young tight end had a very productive career, totaling 2,181 yards and 23 touchdowns during his four years with the Cyclones.
Probably the most surprising, in a good way, RAS so far!
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 23, 2022
Charlie Kolar is a TE prospect in the 2022 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.76 RAS out of a possible 10.00 at his pro day. This ranked 24 out of 965 TE from 1987 to 2022. https://t.co/ItAG94bUnO #RAS pic.twitter.com/VHkCYycnoa
In the Bengals’ already explosive offense, a game-changing tight end would make it nearly impossible to stop Joe Burrow and his weapons. Kolar has the tools to develop into that type of player, and he would be stepping into a great situation to grow into the player the stripes need him to be.