Day 3 prospects the Bengals should seriously consider in the 2024 NFL Draft

Tahj Washington - Wide Receiver, USC

Although Tee Higgins will likely be around for at least one more year, Tyler Boyd is almost certainly gone. While his role wasn't as big as the other two in the Bengals' great trio of wideouts, Cincinnati will need to find someone who can fit in the slot to replace his underrated production. Andrei Iosivas is more of an outside threat and Charlie Jones didn't show all that much as a receiver in his rookie campaign, so it wouldn't be a bad idea for Cincinnati's front office to have a few wideouts on their draft board again this year.

Tahj Washington is one Duke Tobin and the front office should keep an eye out for. Washington finished his collegiate career on a high note, putting together a solid 2023 season that included 59 receptions, 1,062 yards, and eight touchdowns. Better yet, he did all this while lined up mostly at the slot receiver position, which is exactly the hole Boyd will leave behind if he does find a new team this offseason as expected.

Putting together these numbers at a big-name school would suggest he'd be selected in the first three rounds, so why is he projected to go late on the third day of the draft? Well, one reason is his size. Washington stands at just 5'10, a couple of inches below the league average of 6'0 for the position, and with a short wingspan to pair, the USC prospect's catch radius is very limited.

Still, he's quick, shifty, and on the smaller side, which makes him a prime candidate for the slot as defenders may lose him over the middle of the field.