Bengals land impact player in latest mock draft
Picking late in the first round didn’t hurt Cincinnati here.
Will the Cincinnati Bengals finally fix the offensive tackle position? The jury is still out.
Free agency should provide the club chances to grab a veteran starter at right tackle in case they need a Week 1 starter while La'el Collins recovers from his torn ACL. But there's also a major long-term question at left tackle with Jonah Williams entering the last year of his contract.
One first-round draft pick can solve both problems.
In his third mock draft of the year, The Athletic's Dane Brugler slotted Oklahoma tackle Anton Harrison to the Bengals with the 28th overall pick.
Not only does Harrison play both tackle spots, he's an ideal player for the Bengals to develop. At just 21 years old, the former Sooner blew people away at last week's NFL combine. Harrison ran a 4.98 40-yard dash, the second-fastest out of all o-linemen, and measured in at 315 pounds with just over 34" arms.
Youth, athleticism, and size are all qualities the Bengals need to prioritize.
Harrison would be a pick for the present and the future. Because of his experience at both left and right tackle, he could serve as a swing tackle as a rookie while he continues to develop — especially his play strength. Then, with Jonah Williams in the final year of his deal, Harrison also would give the organization a long-term plan at left tackle.
Free agency will play a factor in the Bengals' offensive tackle plans, but Harrison makes sense either way. He can develop at both spots as a rookie and take on a full-time starting role in 2024 and beyond.
Harrison's impressive combine performance might just elevate him higher up in the first round. For now, the Bengals can hardly expect a better first pick.
