NFL Draft: 5 players Bengals must target in the first round

2. Bernhard Raimann

Raimann continues to intrigue scouts around the league due to his exceptional athleticism for the left tackle position. The fact that he’s only played tackle for a couple of years after arriving at Central Michigan as a tight end only adds to the potential room for growth left in his game.

The downside to that untapped potential is that Raimann probably isn’t ready to be a plug-and-play starter at left tackle when Week 1 rolls around. His lack of strength and polish will make him look bad against more accomplished prospects and professionals early during his rookie campaign.

That lack of readiness is the only reason a player with Raimann’s talent stands a chance of being available at the end of Round 1. The Bengals might not want to exercise this kind of patience but they shouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger on Raimann. The chance to land a high-quality starter at left tackle at No. 31 is too good for Cincinnati to pass up.

The one caveat here is that the Bengals can’t afford to run Raimann’s confidence by putting him on the field too early. Drafting him would be a terrific move, but it should only be done if they’re prepared to let him spend some time on the bench during the first half of his inaugural season as a professional.