Bengals sign 5 NFL Draft picks

Five down, and five to go.

The Cincinnati Bengals signed five of their 2024 NFL Draft picks on Friday. They are defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson, cornerback Josh Newton, tight end Tanner McLachlan, safety Daijahn Anthony, and center Matt Lee.

That leaves five remaining draft picks to be signed to their rookie contracts.

The 6-foot-4, 301-pound Lee was taken in the seventh round (237th overall) out of Miami (Fla.). He played in 12 games (all starts) in his lone season with the Hurricanes after spending his first four seasons (2020-23) at the University of Central Florida. He was a second-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection in 2023.

Anthony, a 6-foot, 195-pound defensive back, was a seventh-round pick (224th overall) out of Ole Miss. He played in 13 games with 10 starts in one season (2023) with the Rebels, recording 61 tackles (28 solos), 2.5 TFLs, three INTs, eight pass breakups and one FF. He began his collegiate career at Shepherd University (Division II), then spent two seasons (2021-22) at Liberty University before transferring to Mississippi.

The 6-foot-5, 244-pound McLachlan was taken in the sixth round (194th overall) out of Arizona. He played in 25 games with 18 starts in two seasons (2022-23) with the Wildcats after spending three years (’18-21) at Southern Utah University. At Arizona, he caught 79 passes for 984 yards and six touchdowns and was a second-team All-Pac-12 selection in 2023.

The 6-foot-2, 326-pound Jackson was a third-round pick (97th overall) out of Texas A&M. He played in 40 games with 24 starts in four seasons (2020-23) and served as a team captain in each of his final two years. He totaled 91 tackles (43 solos), 7.5 sacks, 15.5 TFLs, one FF, two FRs, one PD, and one blocked kick.

Newton, weighing in at 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, was selected in the fifth round (149th overall) out of TCU. He spent two seasons (2022-23) with the Horned Frogs, following three years (’19-21) at the University of Louisiana Monroe. In 27 games played (all starts) at TCU, he recorded 68 tackles (52 solos), 2.5 TFLs, four INTs, and 24 pass deflections.