Cincinnati Bengals 7-round mock draft
By Dani Bostick
Round 1: Michael Thomas, Wide Receiver, Ohio State
Ohio State is poised to have several players drafted in the first round. Receiver Michael Thomas should be one of them. Laquan Treadwell of Ole Miss is the most talented receiver on the board, and there is little to no chance he will still be around when the Cincinnati Bengals take their pick.
After Treadwell, Michael Thomas is arguably the best receiver in the mix. At 6’3″, 210 is sturdy enough to play a very physical game against big cornerbacks, yet he is still agile enough to be a dynamic, accurate route-runner. His size and speed allow him to accumulate yards after the catch, a quality that will pose a challenge to teams whose defensive backs struggle in open field.
Why should the Bengals take a receiver in the first round? A.J. Green is an amazingly talented asset to the Bengals, but the team could still benefit from more depth. The Steelers wide receiver corps is proof that you can never have too much talent at that position. The combination of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and receivers Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant, and Markus Wheaton has rendered the Steelers offense nearly unstoppable.
Andy Dalton is also a very talented quarterback. Through Week 14, he has thrown for 25 touchdowns with only 7 interceptions. When his thumb isn’t broken, he is on the field throwing making smart decisions and throwing accurate passes to his receivers.
After A.J. Green, however, there is a steep dropoff in wide receiver productivity. Green is averages 15.4 yards per play and racked up 1,169 yards through Week 14. Marvin Jones is the second-most productive receiver on the list with 656 yards. Tight end Tyler Eifert has the third most yards, and the most touchdowns, on the team.
To complicate matters, both receiver Mohammed Sanu and Marvin Jones are in contract years, along with key players at other positions to include Adam “Pacman” Jones, George Iloka, Wallace Gilberry, and Vinny Rey. If the Bengals opt not to retain Sanu or Jones, the case for a first-round receiver in 2016 is more compelling.
Adding a first-round receiver who is ready to contribute would make the Bengals even more of a force in the AFC North, and around the league. The Pittsburgh Steelers secondary will likely take more than a season to rebuild, and if the Bengals expand their arsenal of receivers, it could be a nightmare for the Steelers, and other teams around the league.
Corey Coleman of Baylor is another possibility for a first-round pick. At 5-10 and 190-lbs he is more acrobatic and ninja-like than Thomas and would also be a strong choice.
Next: Round 2: FS Jalen Mills