Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Chris Roling

Instant analysis of Bengals picking Cedric Johnson in the sixth round

The inevitable-feeling defensive end pick for the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2024 NFL draft arrived late in the sixth round when they selected Ole Miss edge rusher Cedric Johnson.

Johnson might remind some fans of Jeff Gunter, another recent late-round pick by the Bengals who eventually broke onto the final 53-man roster.

A 6’3″, 260-pound edge, Johnson has impressive athletic testing numbers and had at least four sacks in each of his last three seasons.

The Atheltic’s Dane Brugler offered this summary (h/t Paul Dehner Jr.):

Still learning how to build an efficient rush sequence, but he has interesting athletic tools, and an NFL team should be able to coach more out of him. Although he might never reach three-down-starter status, he can develop into a serviceable subpackage rusher.

There’s a lot the Bengals like here: Big program, loads of experience, solid production and numbers, in addition to however interviews went.

This late in the draft, adding a Gunter-styled pressure creator who could scrap together a fight for a final roster while developing as a pro is nothing short of a good thing.

Overall, when the only blatantly ignored positions throughout the draft are interior offensive line and running back, it’s hard to complain — especially when pass-rushing is at such a premium in the league these days.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.