Late-round draft picks don’t usually have a great shot at making the final roster for the Cincinnati Bengals right now given the team’s well-established, contending core with minimal turnover.
But coaches will always be open to having their minds changed on this front and seventh-round pick D.J. Ivey is certainly starting down the right path.
Tucked behind reports of solid outings, quick learners and impressive guys from practice last week were multiple instances of Ivey making a big play.
For example, here’s a quick note from Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com:
Here’s a guy to watch in training camp, seventh-round pick DJ Ivey, the University of Miami cornerback. They’re really hjgh on this guy because of his size (6-1, 192 pounds) and his 4.4 speed. And Thursday he sent a warning to camp when he had an interception in the red zone …
The Cincinnati Enquirer’s Charlie Goldsmith put him right beside another summer hype-machine, rising rookie wideout Charlie Jones:
Charlie Jones ran a really nice choice route to create separation for a TD. Chase Brown won a one on one matchup vs the linebacker for a catch.
DJ Turner made a really nice PBU/tipped pass in the back of the end zone vs Iosivas. DJ Ivey with a pick six.
— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) June 15, 2023
Ivey, the 246th overall pick, was a bit of an afterthought for fans. That’s typical for seventh-rounders, but especially this year when the team used second and third-round picks on defensive backs already and signed Sidney Jones in free agency.
But given his physical intangibles and otherwise, if Ivey can keep this pace up, those 53-man roster projections might have a few surprises.
