The Oregon State product would give Cincinnati another physical blocker across from Orlando Brown Jr.
In his latest mock draft, Mel Kiper Jr. has the Cincinnati Bengals selecting Oregon State right tackle Taliese Fuaga.
Mel Kiper Jr. has the Bengals taking Taliese Fuaga
Daniel Jeremiah has the Bengals selecting JC Latham
Both draft analysts released their post free agency mock drafts and it’s clear most believe the Bengals will take a tackle at pick 18
But what if Byron Murphy is…
— Kelsey Conway (@KelseyLConway) March 19, 2024
The good: Fuaga measured at 6’ 6” and 324 pounds. He is known for packing a big punch (literally). He’s outstanding in pass protection and a powerful run blocker, even if he’s not as technically sound in that department.
According to NFLDraftBuzz.com, Fuaga allowed just eight QB hurries, two hits, and had zero sacks his sophomore year. Last year, he only gave up 12 hurries, two hits, and again had zero sacks. And he has positional versatility, so he could be moved around if necessary.
The bad: While Fuaga has above-average height and weight, his arm strength is below average, at 33 and 1/8 inches. That could impact how he handles some of the elite pass rushers in the NFL. He has also been criticized for being too upright in pass plays, which can make him vulnerable to bull rushes. Lastly, NFLDraftBuzz.com notes that he can be a bit too aggressive.
You can see some of those strengths and weaknesses in the highlight reel below:
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