Bengals ignore superior Cincinnati WR to draft Georgia's Colbie Young in Round 4

The Cincinnati Bengals have had a strong 2026 NFL Draft overall, but they watered down their masterful Day 3 trade on Saturday by reaching on a dubious wide receiver prospect.

Granted, if nothing else, the Bengals' scouting department boasts a strong track record of evaluating receiver talent. Doubting their evaluations at that particular position can seem a little silly on the surface.

But in this case, Cincinnati took an unnecessary, too-early risk on Georgia wideout Colbie Young. That's especially so when you consider who was still on the board. One specific local product sticks out like a sore thumb.

Bengals pass on Cincinnati draft prospect Jeff Caldwell in favor of Colbie Young with 140th pick

Not that PFF's big board is the end-all, be-all of NFL Draft talent evaluation. That said, Young checks in at No. 230 overall, whereas Cincinnati Bearcats standout Jeff Caldwell was at No. 181.

Maybe the Bengals know something us outsiders don't about Caldwell. If they were doing their homework on Day 3 wide receiver prospects, it stands to reason they collected plenty of information on an extremely explosive weapon from their own backyard.

But just look at Caldwell's athletic profile. We're talking about a legit historic athlete at the position.

If you're keeping any company whatsoever with the likes of Calvin Johnson, you might be a decent draft prospect.

My thought was, if the Bengals did draft a receiver, they might go for Caldwell's teammate Cyrus Allen, or another slot-specific type to complement Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins on the perimeter. Adding some WR3 competition to challenge Andrei Iosivas isn't a surprise. Who the Bengals chose most definitely is.

Is it possible that Cincinnati's brain trust could double-dip at the position to add yet another weapon for superstar quarterback Joe Burrow? Yes, but it feels unlikely, with swing tackle and linebacker as clearer, more pressing needs.

Not to just dunk all over Colbie Young before he has a chance to prove himself. It's just that this feels like a huge missed opportunity. We're talking about a player who was overdrafted by 90 to 100 slots depending on where you look.

I had Caldwell inside the top 90 prospects overall in this class. His physical tools and long speed are a great match for Burrow's lethal downfield accuracy. Any rawness to his game could've been ironed out whilst learning behind the likes of elite playmakers in Chase and Higgins.

Who knows? Maybe Caldwell hears his name called by the Bengals in the later rounds. I just can't get on board with this pick.

While it may seem trivial to get worked up over this, bear in mind that Cincinnati is counting on 2025 fourth-round pick Barrett Carter as its green-dot linebacker as things stand right now. This wasn't an asset the Bengals could afford to squander on a massive projection.

At least there's this highlight from Young's 2023 season with the Miami Hurricanes making the rounds.

Young just never really popped in his final two years of college after transferring to Georgia. He appeared in 13 total games, with 37 receptions, 507 yards and three TDs. A fractured leg cut Young's 2025 campaign short, too.

As much as I loved (and correctly predicted) the selection of Auburn center Connor Lew at No. 128 overall in Round 4, I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around this subsequent SEC selection.

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