Amarius Mims filled a glaring need.
Talk about an embarrassment of riches.
Troy Fautanu, Jared Verse, Chop Robinson, Jer’Zhan Newton, Amarius Mims, and Brian Thomas Jr. were all on the board for the Cincinnati Bengals at pick No. 18.
Defensive ends, offensive tackles, defensive tackle, and wide receiver were there for the taking. With this kind of talent available at pick No. 18 of the 2024 NFL Draft, it was hard to go wrong.
And the Cincinnati Bengals ‘probably’ got it right.
Mims, at 6-foot-7 and 340 pounds, was probably the most logical choice, especially with the need at right tackle after Jonah Williams moved on to Arizona and with Trent Brown only signed to a one-year contract.
But the choice was not necessarily an easy one.
Most would argue that the Cincinnati Bengals are pretty well set at defensive end with Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard leading the way.
However, with Hendrickson requesting a trade and even suggesting the possibility of retirement, the Bengals could easily have turned to someone like Verse, who was one of this past season’s most talented edge defenders while at Florida State. Not only is Verse an accomplished pass rusher, but he also is able to get off bigger blockers and defend against the run. In fact, many observers compare him to a young Hendrickson. Verse ended up going 19th overall to the Rams.
Or, there was Chop Robinson of Penn State who, at 6-foot-3 and 254 pounds, turned in the fastest 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine at 4.48. Robinson has great upside as a pass rusher but is more of a project, though he still ended up going 21st to Miami.
The Bengals were also looking to shore up a run defense that ranked among the bottom of the league, and the loss of DJ Reader made procuring a talented defensive tackle almost a must.
And there was Newton, who, at 6-foot-2 and 304 pounds, is a disruptive run defender with tremendous instincts. He also has the ability to push the pocket and make opposing quarterbacks uncomfortable. However, injury concerns with his foot led to Newton slipping out of Day 1 before he went to Washington with the 36th pick.
On the offensive side, Washington’s Fautanu, at 6-foot-4 and 317 pounds, was widely regarded as one of the top offensive linemen available. Although offensive guard is probably his best fit in the pros, Fautanu started 29 games at left tackle for the Huskies and offered the kind of flexibility the Bengals covet. He ended up going 20th to Pittsburgh.
Finally, Cincinnati was also in the market for a wide receiver, with Tee Higgins operating under the franchise tag and slot receiver Tyler Boyd still unsigned. Thomas, who led the FBS in receiving touchdowns with 17 in 2023, would have made an excellent option. At 6-foot-3 and 209 pounds, Thomas not only has an outstanding catch radius, he also turned in the second-fastest 40 time at the NFL Combine with a 4.33. He was drafted 23rd by Jacksonville.
There was certainly plenty to choose from when the Bengals stepped up to the podium. Hopefully, they made the right one.
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