Fansided

Top 20 NFL breakout candidates in 2017

By John Buhler

Oct 23, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (95) is introduced prior to a game against the New Orleans Saints at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs won 27-21. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 23, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (95) is introduced prior to a game against the New Orleans Saints at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs won 27-21. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 25, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals running back Jeremy Hill (32) and offensive tackle Cedric Ogbuehi (70) celebrate in the game against the Denver Broncos in the first half at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 25, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals running back Jeremy Hill (32) and offensive tackle Cedric Ogbuehi (70) celebrate in the game against the Denver Broncos in the first half at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports /
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Cedric Ogbuehi

Offensive Tackle, Cincinnati Bengals

For better or worse, the Cincinnati Bengals are all in on their two young offensive line prospects Jake Fisher and Cedric Ogbuehi. The Bengals went back-to-back with the offensive line picks in the first two rounds of the 2015 Draft, taking Ogbuehi out of Texas A&M and Fisher out of Oregon.

Fisher has had the better NFL career through two years over Ogbuehi. He was able to prove that he can play all five positions on the Bengals offensive line. Ogbuehi has had to deal with a pair of injuries in the form of an ACL tear and a torn rotator cuff. However, he does seem to be a project that noted Bengals offensive line coach Paul Alexander hasn’t given up on just yet.

Alexander teaches different blocking techniques up front in Cincinnati than the way most NFL teams do. Ogbuehi played in an up-tempo spread in college at Texas A&M, the same system that produced Luke Joeckel and Jake Matthews. Joeckel failed in Jacksonville, while Matthews has come on in Atlanta.

Ogbuehi needs to rise to the occasion because the Bengals need him to. Keep in mind that their two best offensive linemen from 2016 now play on different teams. Tackle Andrew Whitworth plays for the Los Angeles Rams and guard Kevin Zeitler joined the arch rival Cleveland Browns to be reunited with head coach Hue Jackson. The opportunity for Ogbuehi to succeed is there. Will he answer the call?

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