The Cincinnati Bengals aren’t strangers to a best-player available approach in the NFL draft and at times, panicking and drafting for need has resulted in big misses (see: Billy Price).
So while offensive line, cornerback and tight end look like major needs before free agency, there’s always a chance they hit a position of strength in the first round out of sheer value.
That’s just what the Bengals do by taking Pittsburgh defensive tackle Calijah Kancey at No. 28 in a new mock draft from NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein:
“Let’s step outside of the box here. Kancey is right at 280 pounds but is ridiculously explosive with A+ rush talent. He can’t play every down, but he can impact games from the interior.”
The biggest problem here is that Kancey is a surefire bet to keep rising up draft boards, especially when he charts near some uber-productive NFL names:
This is how Pittsburgh DT Calijah Kancey compares production wise to other sub-290 pound DTs: pic.twitter.com/53v1Cwms1E
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) January 26, 2023
But besides that, this would be an amazing pick for the Bengals. The defensive line already boasts one of the best nose tackles in football with DJ Reader. In a dream scenario, a prospect like Kancey could come in and add a Geno Atkins-styled rush next to him.
Adding Kancey to a rotation with the likes of B.J. Hill and Zach Carter would have a positive ripple effect on the entire defense. Provided they hit other needs in free agency, the Bengals would net an A grade for this one.
