Cincinnati Bengals full 2020 NFL mock draft

The Bengals have already made it clear they intend to overhaul their defense in a major way next season, as evidenced by spending almost $100 million to bring in nose tackle D.J. Reader and cornerback Trae Waynes. The second level of the defense can still stand to be improved, which is why LSU linebacker Patrick Queen makes sense for the first pick in the second round.

Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo spoke at the Combine about finding do-it-all type players for his scheme and Queen fits that mold perfectly. Not only is he an explosive player when playing downhill and with physicality, but Queen is also outstanding in coverage. His Combine testing has many thinking he could be a first-round selection, but I think his positional value and a shorter track record of production likely pushes him to the top of the second round.

As good as Joe Burrow is, he’s gonna need a lot of help from the defense to have success in his rookie year. Adding the versatility and playmaking ability of Queen to the Cincy defense should pair well with their recent free agent additions as the Bengals defense continues to improve.

If Queen isn’t the choice, expect receiver Justin Jefferson, EDGE Zack Baun, and offensive tackles Josh Jones and Isaiah Wilson to also be options here. At linebacker, Wyoming’s Logan Wilson could also be an option in the later rounds.