Breaking down the Bengals’ selection of Cedric Johnson in Round 6

Will Johnson make the 53-man roster?

The NFL Draft is almost complete. With Day 3 wrapping up, the Cincinnati Bengals have rounded out a few positions on the depth chart and added another edge rusher with the selection of Ole Miss defender Cedric Johnson with the 214th pick.

Let’s break down the pick.

What are the Bengals getting in Johnson?

Out of Ole Miss, Johnson has the frame of an NFL edge at 6-foot-3 and 260 pounds. Add that in with a top-10 athleticism score during the NFL Combine, and drafting him this late might seem like a steal.

Well, it might be if a few things improve.

Johnson put up some impressive numbers for the Rebels last season, in which he totaled 40 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 5.5 sacks, and three pass deflections.

Solid production, but it was the inconsistent play in the rush that has made him slide to this point. With some problems shedding blockers and shifting speeds, he would disappear at times during his four years in Oxford.

At this point of the draft, you pick measurables, and Johnson has those. Now, it seems that the Front Office is betting that they can get the production numbers up.

Here’s a look at where Johnson lined up in college, according to Pro Football Focus.

What will Johnson do for the Bengals?

Johnson projects to be a backup to start off his career in the Queen City, battling the likes of Jeff Gunter for the final defensive end spot on the 53-man roster.

However, with not a ton of quality depth off the edge after Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard, it is plausible that Johnson could break his way into more reps as the season progresses. Once again, it will take some more consistency overall, though.

Still, it is a great find this late in the draft to get a player with the proto-typical build for a top edge rusher at the NFL level.

If Johnson puts it together, it will be a diamond in the rough type of pick. Let’s hope that’s the case.

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