2021 NFL Draft: Penei Sewell will fall right into Bengals lap at No. 5

After Friday’s trade activity, the Cincinnati Bengals are even more lined up to take their ideal player with the No. 5 overall pick.

On Friday, the top-10 of the 2021 NFL Draft changed quickly. The San Francisco 49ers moved up from No. 12 to No. 3 in a trade with the Miami Dolphins. Then Miami moved back up to No. 6 in a deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. Sitting at No. 5, the Cincinnati Bengals could just watch the flurry of activity.

It now seems likely the first four picks in next month’s draft will be quarterbacks. Trevor Lawrence to the Jaguars at No. 1 is a virtual lock, followed by Zach Wilson to the New York Jets at No. 2 feeling similarly inevitable now. Whichever quarterback the 49ers are targeting will go No. 3, and and the Atlanta Falcons may start their plan for life after Matt Ryan with the fourth pick.

The Bengals have their quarterback of the future in Joe Burrow, last year’s No. 1 overall pick. Last season’s 4-11-1 mark was better than it looked, with a chunk of close losses and Burrow missing the last six games with a torn ACL.

Penei Sewell will fall into the Bengals’ lap at No. 5

Burrow was hit more than any quarterback in the league before he was injured, and he was sacked 32 times in 10 games. So upgrading his protection is a priority, and they made a move to do it by signing Riley Reiff in free agency. Reiff quickly said he will be playing right tackle though.

Many mock drafts have given the Bengals Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell with the fifth pick. He opted out of the 2020 season, but that has done nothing to diminish his stock. Mock drafts that haven’t had Sewell to Cincinnati have had him going to the Jets at No. 2 or to the Dolphins when they had the third pick. The Dolphins were far more likely, and now they’re one pick behind the Bengals (assuming they’re done making deals).

Signing Reiff widened the possibilities for the Bengals at No. 5, including Florida tight end Kyle Pitts and LSU wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. Trading down is also an option, but it doesn’t have to be hard. If Sewell is available, and the stars are aligning that way, Cincinnati shouldn’t be on the clock long once the first four picks are done.