Who to watch for in Indy.
On Thursday, February 29th, the defensive lineman will take the field for the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Which prospects should Bengals fanatics be keeping a close eye on?
History Under Zac Taylor
Since Zac Taylor became the team’s head coach in 2019, the Bengals have drafted three defensive tackles and six defensive ends.
The highest pick was defensive end Myles Murphy, who the team selected in the first round a year ago.
They used third-round picks on one defensive end (Joseph Ossai) in 2021 and one defensive tackle (Zach Carter) in 2022.
They drafted both a defensive end (Cam Sample) and a defensive tackle (Tyler Shelvin) in the fourth round in 2021 and after taking defensive tackle Renell Wren in the fourth in 2019.
Khalid Kareem was a fifth-round defensive end in 2020. A year later, defensive end Wyatt Hubert was selected in the seventh, and a year after that, the team made defensive end Jeff Gunter a seventh-round selection.
Needs
With D.J. Reader potentially becoming a free agent, the Bengals may have a very large hole to fill smack-dab in the middle of their defense. Some of us may have blocked it out, but we can all remember how much difficulty this team had stopping the run before Reader got here.
Although BJ Hill is an excellent player, the team was in a much better position when they were able to rotate in Larry Ogunjobi, particularly for his ability to rush the pass from the interior. They need to find a way to generate more interior pressure.
The Bengals are actually in a pretty good position at defensive end. Trey Hendrickson is coming off of a fantastic season. Sam Hubbard had some injury struggles, resulting in a down year, but should have a resurgence in 2024. Myles Murphy showed some quick development as a pass-rusher in his rookie campaign. Having said that, they could always improve in this area.
Fit and Prospects to Watch
The Bengals like bigger defensive ends, usually at least 265 pounds, who can stop the run and hold the edge in both run and pass defense. They don’t seem to value bend as much as other teams. So, guys who are tweeners tend to be seen as edge players by the Bengals’ scouting department.
Having said that, it was a surprise to see them draft Zach Carter to play defensive tackle. They may be willing to compromise a bit of size at three-tech in order to generate more pass rush.
Oregon’s Brandon Dorlus is getting a lot of talk as a defensive end, but I find the 290-pounder’s work on the interior even more impressive. He destroys blocks.
Missouri’s Darius Robinson and Washington’s Bralen Trice are also versatile players who could make sense for the Bengals inside. This trio couple be in play for the Bengals on Day 2 regardless of where they project their alignments.
Texas A&M’s McKinnley Jackson and Florida State’s Braden Fiske both have incredible motors that will catch the eye of the Bengals’ coaching staff. Both could be options for the Bengals as three techniques on Day 2.
Another option at that position is Ohio State’s Michael Hall. He has shown some great flashes. He is smooth and does excellent work on stunts.
Nose tackle is a little tougher. Texas’s T’Vondre Sweat shows some serious potential, but there are concerns about his weight. His participation in the combine is crucial.
18
The two defensive tackles who will be in Round 1 of the conversation for the Bengals are Illinois’ Johnny Newton and Texas’ Byron Murphy II. Both are built like three-techniques, but Newton has been a more productive pass-rusher, and Murphy is a stronger run defender. Murphy could actually project as a nose tackle, despite being a little undersized for that position.
While it may not be the team’s biggest need, defensive end could be the best player available at 18, so keep a close eye on UCLA’s Laiatu Latu and Florida State’s Jared Verse. Both fit the Bengals’ profile and should be long gone before the Bengals pick, but you never know how many quarterbacks will sneak in front of more talented players.
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