NFL Mock Draft Roundup: Bengals finally address TE with Brock Bowers

While we're only three weeks into the NFL season, it's never too early to start thinking about the NFL Draft. If the season ended today, the Cincinnati Bengals would own the ninth overall pick in the draft. If we're going off Super Bowl odds, however, they'd be picking 25th.

One of the biggest needs the Bengals should have addressed last season was tight end and despite a star-studded cast of tight ends in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Bengals didn't select one. They signed Irv Smith Jr. in free agency but he's been a major disappointment so far, only appearing in two games.

If the Bengals manage to have a disheartening season, the good news is that they'd own a high draft pick for the first time since 2021 and could add a stud to their roster. In one mock draft that I'll discuss below, Cincinnati nabs Georgia's Brock Bowers with the ninth overall pick. Just imagine how crazy good he'd be in this offense catching passes from Joe Burrow!

Bengals mock draft roundup

2024 NFL Mock Draft [Tankathon]

In the only mock draft listed here to have the draft order based on teams' win-loss records so far, Tankathon has the Bengals selecting ninth and they grab Brock Bowers, a tight end out of Georgia. Through four games, he has 22 catches for 256 yards and two touchdowns for the number-one-ranked Bulldogs and averages over 11 yards per catch.

2024 NFL Mock Draft: Bears draft QB to replace Justin Fields, six receivers picked in Round 1 [Chris Trapasso, CBS Sports]

Trapasso has the Bengals going with Houston offensive tackle Patrick Paul. The Bengals are likely not going to re-sign Jonah Williams following this season, meaning they'll have an opening at right tackle. Paul could Williams' replacement.

"The Bengals should continue to add versatile blockers to their blocking contingent in front of Joe Burrow."

- Chris Trapasso

2024 NFL Mock Draft: Trio of WRs Infiltrate Top 10 [Damian Parson, The Draft Network]

The pick for the Bengals here is Johnny Wilson, a wide receiver out of Florida State. The Bengals have both Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd playing on the final year of their current contracts and the chances of keeping both is basically non-existent. Heck, even keeping one of them would be tough, as Higgins is going to get paid like a WR1 and Boyd doesn't appear to be in the team's future plans.

In four games, Wilson has 16 catches for 303 yards and is averaging 18.9 yards per catch. He hasn't found the end zone yet for the Seminoles but Wilson would be a nightmare for opposing teams to stop, especially in this Bengals offense.

"Johnny Wilson is 6-foot-7, 230 pounds, and plays wide receiver. His catch radius, body control, and ball skills are an outstanding combination to have. Wilson would pair well with Chase to create a duo that Burrow would love to target and trust."

- Damian Parson