Bengals find a perfect Tee Higgins replacement in latest 7-Round Mock Draft
By Ryan Heckman
This offseason has been dominated by big wide receiver storylines, and the Cincinnati Bengals are a part of that.
Tee Higgins was given the franchise tag, but the Bengals have yet to truly decide his future. Will Higgins end up playing out the season? Or, will the Bengals opt to trade him?
The Buffalo Bills just made a huge move involving wide receiver Stefon Diggs, dealing him to the Houston Texans. In addition, we've seen Keenan Allen move to Chicago and Calvin Ridley sign with Tennessee.
For the Bengals, they can address wide receiver in the 2024 NFL Draft and choose to move on from Higgins. That might be the way to go, in the end, so let's take a shot at what that might look like.
The Bengals make out like bandits in this mock draft, proving they don't need a Stefon Diggs trade and can even afford to deal Tee Higgins
Brian Thomas Jr.. 529. Brian Thomas Jr.. . WR. . player. . Brian Thomas Jr.. 1
With their first pick at no. 18, the Bengals go with LSU's "other" receiver, Brian Thomas Jr. If it wasn't for Malik Nabers, Thomas would be getting a whole lot more attention. Standing 6-foot-3, Thomas ran a 4.33 at the Combine and is coming off a season which saw him score a touchdown every four passes he caught -- absolutely unreal production. Thomas joins another former LSU Tiger in Ja'Marr Chase, and the Bengals can feel free to trade Higgins at any point.
. Ja'Tavion Sanders. 2. . player. 467. Ja'Tavion Sanders. Ja'Tavion Sanders. . TE
In Round 2, the Bengals grab their bonafide starting tight end by getting the second-best at his position within this draft class, Texas' Ja'Tavion Sanders. At 6-foot-4, Sanders presents a similar type to the Browns' David Njoku, whom the Bengals know well. Now Cincinnati doesn't have to worry about the tight end position any longer. They've got their guy.
Malachi Corley. . player. . Malachi Corley. Malachi Corley. . WR. 3. 2192
In Round 3, the Bengals go offense once again, and they can forget about Tyler Boyd altogether if need be. Western Kentucky's Malachi Corley is the clear-cut no. 1 player, in terms of yards after the catch, this draft has to offer. He is a walking, talking first down. The guy takes being tackled personally, and very rarely is the first attempt successful.