NFL insider believes Bengals are not afraid of group of players other teams may avoid drafting in the first round
The Cincinnati Bengals have had their moments drafting talented players with complicated backgrounds. Last year's third-round pick Jermaine Burton immediately comes to mind, but Jackson Carman, Joe Mixon, and others from the last few decades have instilled the trend Cincinnati has consistently embodied.At least one NFL Draft insider believes the Bengals would make a similar […]
The Cincinnati Bengals have had their moments drafting talented players with complicated backgrounds. Last year's third-round pick Jermaine Burton immediately comes to mind, but Jackson Carman, Joe Mixon, and others from the last few decades have instilled the trend Cincinnati has consistently embodied.
At least one NFL Draft insider believes the Bengals would make a similar decision in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Todd McShay revealed on The McShay Show the Atlanta Falcons and Bengals are two teams to watch for where Tennessee's James Pearce Jr., Marshall's Mike Green, and Ole Miss' Walter Nolen could go off the board. All three players have questions surrounding their football character or off-field history, but both teams figure to be in on taking a chance on them.
"James Pierce and Walter Nolan, two guys I keep hearing they've got some red flags, some football character red flags attached with them," McShay said. "I'm hearing Atlanta is maybe perfectly fine to overlook those things. You know, another organization that does? The Cincinnati Bengals pick at 17.
"Whichever guys aren't there. Mike Green, James Pierce. . .I'm told those two organizations would be willing to overlook it and Walter Nolan's another guy to keep into consideration at 15."
The Bengals met with Pearce and Nolen multiple times throughout the pre-draft process. They also met with Green at the NFL Scouting Combine and attended his Pro Day. It's unknown if Green also took a 30 visit to Cincinnati like Pearce and Nolen both did.
Despite the Burton pick happening just last year and the initial return on investment not being very much of anything, the Bengals don't group all character concerns together.
"It's completely an independent study for every player we talk about," Tobin said Monday afternoon to reporters. "And we try to put as much work into those guys as as we humanly possibly can. And we talk to a lot of people, we do a lot of background research, and then ultimately, it's is this worth the risk? And every every player is a little different in that. And sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes the answer is no."
Getting multiple impressions of each player is important toward putting in the work from their end. References from other parties who know them well are one thing, but the Bengals aren't going to invest in a player they weren't impressed by when personally meeting with them.
McShay's report appears to have weight behind it based on how the Bengals managed their time leading up to the draft. All three players could be left on the board when pick No. 17 arrives, or maybe one or two will be gone thanks to the Falcons picking two spots ahead of them at 15th overall.
It would not be shocking to see any of them land in Cincinnati.