NFL Mock Draft: Week 13 Wednesday edition
By Staff
The Cincinnati Bengals have Reggie Nelson and George Iloka hitting free agency after this season, if they don’t re-sign them, they will need help. The Bengals re-signed A.J. Green early this season, but still leave Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu unsigned going into the later part of the 2015 season, Jones is a WR1 being asked for WR2 money. Russell Bodine has been the week link in Cincinnati on the offensive line and has been exposed in 3rd down rushing situations. They need to shore up some futures or draft their replacements if they expect to continue to be a playoff contender.
Tyler Boyd is a first-round talent who will fly largely under the radar due to a plethora of talent flooding the 2016 NFL Draft. It’s no fault of his own, but when the likes of Josh Doctson, Michael Thomas, Laquon Treadwell and Corey Coleman are hitting the scene, it’s hard to steal headlines. Especially when you’re the black sheep coming from Pitt.
Nevertheless, Boyd is a smooth hand with exceptional route-running abilities. He’s lean, can climb the ladder to snag jump balls, and is excellent running after the catch.
He’s not a certified No. 1 wideout in the A.J. Green, Julio Jones, Calvin Johnson mold, but if paired with the right quarterback, or in the right receiver stable, he’ll be more than dangerous.
Character concerns will crop up during the interview process due to a DUI charge prior to the 2015 season. However, those are the tidbits NFL GMs flesh out well before the draft, and if it was a one-time mistake (see: not a Justin Blackmon situation) then the topic should die quickly.
Next: No. 31 New England Patriots*