Bengals' boldest draft pick is proving them right at camp

Cincinnati Bengals training camp is well underway, and whether there's a true competition for the No. 3 wide receiver spot behind Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins isn't terribly important. What is key is for rookie fourth-round pick Colbie Young to make the most of his opportunities. So far, he has.

Young was widely considered a reach who came with character concerns in addition to middling on-field production. The Bengals have struck gold on wideouts in the draft over the years. One of the few steady strengths of their still-under-resourced scouting department.

At least to this point, though, the 140th overall pick is helping Cincinnati's talent evaluators get past the debacle that was Jermaine Burton in the third round of the 2024 draft.

How Colbie Young is making a statement at Bengals training camp

Bengals radio voice Dan Hoard captured some footage of Colbie Young high-pointing a ball on the sidelines in the latest practice, and hauling in a red-zone TD from elite QB2 Joe Flacco.

Hoard also highlighted a key quote that suggests Young "gets it" in terms of what it takes to be a pro more than Burton ever did (or will):

“I think I’m one of the luckiest receivers to get drafted...I’ve got two Hall of Famers in front of me who I get to learn from. I’m not rushed into a system where I’ve got to perform right now. But when my number is called, I’ve got to be ready to perform.”

This is the mindset fans love to see. A humble, hard-working guy with high football character and a self-evident wealth of talent to go with those intangibles.

I wasn't a fan of the Young draft pick. Linebacker seemed mighty appealing, even with the last pick in the fourth round, because my faith in Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter is still shaken from last year. Nevertheless, it's nice that Cincinnati might have a reliable boundary option in the event that Chase or Higgins get dinged up or need the occasional rest.

As for what Young's continuing ascent means for incumbent WR3 Andrei Iosivas, well, probably not a whole lot.

Iosivas is a slot receiver for the most part, and Young's 6'5" frame is best suited to play on the perimeter. Yoshi has better short-area quickness, or at least he tested really well coming out of Princeton, whereas Young opted out of agility drills.

For Young to thrive like he is in his reps with the No. 2 offense shows that the coaching staff's trust in him is growing. There's no doubting that he has more upside than fellow WR4 contenders like Mitchell Tinsley and Charlie Jones.

The question is, what is Colbie Young's ceiling as a rookie? Too early to tell, but the fact that he's flashing high-end potential already implies the Bengals' bold call to fade the consensus and draft Young may very well have been the right one. And I'll gladly eat crow if Young balls out in the NFL!

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