The 2024 NFL season is in the books, which means that draft season is officially upon us and the mock drafts will be coming out fast and furious.
Bengals select defensive tackle Walter Nolen in first round of latest ESPN mock draft
The Cincinnati Bengals possess the No. 17 overall pick in the draft and they have several major areas of need. They address one of those areas in ESPN's first post-Super Bowl mock draft. Knowing that the Bengals need some major help along the defensive line, Field Yates of ESPN mocked defensive tackle Walter Nolen to the Bengals in the first round, providing the following rationale:
"The Bengals have potentially huge holes opening on offense -- receiver Tee Higgins is a free agent, for one -- but they need to hit defense hard this offseason. They gave up 25.5 points per game in 2024, more than all but six teams. Nolen, meanwhile, is an elite disruptor with a combination of active hands and strength to routinely cause negative plays for opponents. He could take free agent B.J. Hill's spot on the interior in Cincinnati."
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Nolen is coming off of an excellent season for Ole Miss in which he was named a consensus All-American and First-team All-SEC for his productive play. He had 48 total tackles, 14 tackles for a loss, 6.5 sacks, three passes defended and two fumbles recovered.
The idea of bolstering the defensive line in the first round of the draft definitely makes sense for Cincinnati. Outside of Trey Hendrickson, who led the league in sacks in 2024, the entire D-line struggled to stop the run and generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks last season. Plus, defensive tackle B.J. Hill is headed for free agency and could end up signing elsewhere, so Cincy could be looking for a long-term replacement in the draft.
Other key areas of need for the Bengals include the offensive line, both spots in the secondary, and potentially wide receiver, depending on what happens with Tee Higgins in free agency. They might also need to add a tight end, depending on what happens with Mike Gesicki, as Erik All Jr. is expected to miss the entirety of the 2025 season.
No matter what position they go with, the Bengals have to nail their top pick. The roster is going to become increasingly expensive if players like Ja'Marr Chase and Trey Hendrickson are given the extensions they deserve, and so identifying relatively cheap talent in the draft that can contribute immediately will be even more of a priority. The pressure is on.