2018 NFL Draft: Cincinnati Bengals 7-round mock
By Conor Dorney
In this mock, the Bengals opt to wait until round two to address their issues at offensive tackles, selecting Pitt’s Brian O’Neill.
O’Neill possesses some of the best athleticism of this tackle class and also has the length and size that Cincinnati has seemed to value in the past. O’Neill most recently displayed his talents for scouts at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, measuring at 6-foot-6, 298 pounds with 34 1/8-inch arms. He faced a gauntlet of talented pass rushers in the ACC over the past several seasons and more than held his own.
While there’s no doubting his athleticism, O’Neill’s technique can get sloppy at times and he seemed to hurt his stock after a rough week of practice at the Senior Bowl. He doesn’t have the same gargantuan size (see Orlando Brown, Mike McGlinchey) as other tackles in the class, meaning his strength is going to be a concern at the next level.
If O’Neill is about to put those concerns in the rearview mirror with a strong performance at the Combine, he could land anywhere from the early second to late third round. Paired with first-rounder Will Hernandez, O’Neill would give the Bengals two high-ceiling prospects on the offensive line with their first two selections.