$ell us on "your guy" to draft

[|BlackJesus|]

Ok, here is a thread with a few days before the draft for you to sell us on "your guy" or "guys".

 

Which players have you formed a draft crush on and want to convince us why they should be Bengals?

 

You can include your own scouting reports, highlight reels, or information that we should know.

 

And they don't need to just be first-round guys. Who are those late-round guys we should keep our eye out for? 

[|BlackJesus|]

I will start us off, with a non-first-rounder. Lately I have fallen in love with the tape of Texas S Andrew Mukuba. He is smaller at 5'11 186 lbs (2 inches taller and 20 lbs heavier and I think he's a top 12 pick), but I think his tape is actually the best of any DB in the draft. 

 

He simply flies in on run plays like a heat-seeking missile and is a good tackler for his size. Plus, he plays the ball in the air with ferocity. Everything he does pops and he plays with fluid hips and aggression, which is rare for a DB. I think he could play SS or even Nickelback and replace Mike Hilton in the Bengals defense. He is projected to go anywhere from Rd 2-3 in most mocks. He started for Clemson and Texas over 4 years.

 

Here is one highlight reel ...

 

 

NFL.com Overview

Four-year starter who plays the game with the instincts and awareness of a player who has seen a lot of football. Mukuba has the athleticism to play in the slot but is best when he’s able to read the field as a “robber” and use his instincts, burst and ball skills to make plays. He moves efficiently in coverage, but that efficiency can get away from him in run support, where he races in too hot and misses tackles. Mukuba possesses the character, physicality and playmaking instincts that will draw NFL teams to him as a future starter.

[BBR]

Two guys - 1 mid / late round safety and a mysteriously ignored late round / UDFA linebacker that should be going much higher.  Both guys would be fantastic special teams players which would be their path to the gameday roster and let's be honest - that's probably the best thing that you're getting with 4th round and later players most years unless you are really lucky with a guy that massively overperforms their draft slot:

 

Hunter Wohler:

2024:
Honorable Mention All-Big Ten
Nagurski Trophy watchlist for DPoY

 

2023:
Second-Team All-Big Ten
PFF's All-Conference First Team
Second highest graded safety in NCAA
PFF 86.9 Overall: run defense (82.1), tackling (88.2), pass coverage (89.1)

https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Player/Hunter-Wohler-S-Wisconsin

 

 

Shaun Dolac:

2024:
Consensus All-American 
MAC Defensive Player of the Year 
First-Team All-America (AP, FWAA, Walter Camp, Sporting News) 
First-team All-MAC 
Semifinalist for the Butkus Award 
Finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy 
Led the nation in tackles 
MAC Defensive Player of the Week five times (program record) 
Named Scholar-Athlete of the Week by the MAC 

PFF - highest graded slot coverage linebacker (90.4 overall)

2023:
Missed most of the season due to injury 

2022:
First-team All-MAC 
Led the MAC in tackles (147) 
Set a UB record with 97 solo tackles 

 

https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Player/Shaun-Dolac-LB-Buffalo

https://www.the33rdteam.com/shaun-dolac-2025-nfl-draft-scouting-report/

[sparky151]

I don't really have "a guy" in round 1 though my puke list is extensive. But there are half a dozen players likely to be available there who would be nice additions.

 

FWIW, Gridiron Grading doesn't like Mukuba, having him at 109 overall. They like his film and production but he tested poorly and is small. They do like Dolac and Wohler more than most, rating them at 115 and 106 overall. 

[BBR]

Yeah, evaluations are all over the place as people come up with more and more analytical models to compare players with.  Some of the draft sims have gone completely wacko the last several days too because of new information that has been getting added as all of the media folks finalize all of the boards.  Suddenly odd things like Kelvin Banks Jr. getting picked 7th in a sim I did as well as Jack Sawyer falling all the way to the end of the 4th round.

[sparky151]

Yeah, there's a mock draft engine whose big board has Sawyer outside the top 100 while others usually have him in the first 2 rounds.

 

[dex]

Arizona State RB Cam Skattebo will likely go mid to late 3rd round, but if he is still available with Cincinnati's 4th round slot, I would love Skattebo. He is a human bowling ball that would absolutely excel in short yardage situations and take advantage of light boxes that the Bengals will likely see. He would be a perfect compliment to Chase Brown. If the Bengals had taken care of more of their more glaring needs in free agency, I wouldn't have minded him as a 3rd round pick.

[|BlackJesus|]

Since Mykel Williams (#13) is my first guy for pick 17, I'll make the case for him here. 

 

To me he's the "cleanest" of the DEs, who has the size to be an every down strong side edge (replace Hubbard). 

 

He's also only 20 years old, has really long arms, huge hands, 7 foot wingspan, adequate speed (4.68 40), was a 5 star #1 top recruit out of high school, played in the SEC for Georgia, and has stated that he only played this past year at 60% after suffering an injury in week 1. 

 

Height

6’ 5’’

Weight

265 lbs

Arm

34 3/8’’

Hand

10 1/4’’

 

To me he plays the run even better than the pass.

 

Highlights of him playing the run 

 

Highlights of his sacks (playing the pass)

 

A look at his vines (arms) 

 

Daniel Jeremiah's analysis 

[texbengal]

Quite a few evaluators think Mykiel is significantly underrated. He basically played one one leg for a lot of the last season. There’s a lot to like about him. 

[Le Tigre]

Jihaad Campbell. All day…every day…twice on Sunday. Instant impact. 
 

Sales pitch/off 
 

 

[|BlackJesus|]

49 minutes ago, Le Tigre said:

Jihaad Campbell. All day…every day

 

He's probably the biggest riser of any prospect in the entire class. To the point that I now think he may go in the top 12 and surprise everyone. 

 

It's a shame that right as many Bengals fans started to want him, so did the rest of the league. I would place his chance at being there at 17 at only around 25%. 

[New Jersey Bengal]

We always have had good fortune with Georgia players so how about Malik starks and Tate  or Mykel williams

[|BlackJesus|]

14 hours ago, New Jersey Bengal said:

We always have had good fortune with Georgia players so how about Malik Starks and Tate Ratledge or Mykel Williams

 

I'm always down to draft from Georgia and LSU ... really any SEC school. 

 

I think you could draft your entire NFL team just from the SEC and probably do better than half the league every year.

[sparky151]

15 hours ago, BlackJesus said:

 

He's probably the biggest riser of any prospect in the entire class. To the point that I now think he may go in the top 12 and surprise everyone. 

 

It's a shame that right as many Bengals fans started to want him, so did the rest of the league. I would place his chance at being there at 17 at only around 25%. 

 

Jay Morrison did a test of various mock draft simulators to see how often various candidates were available at 17. In his test Campbell was on the board at 17 about 45% of the time. Basically if Campbell's injuries check out and the Bengals want him at 17, someone else may have grabbed him earlier. 

 

https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/stat-of-the-jay-using-mock-draft-simulators-to-gauge-which-bengals-top-options-will-won-t-be-available-at-no-17-01js2m32p15h

[Jason]

My first preference at 17 is Jihad Campbell if he is there.  He can cover and rush and is a solid tackler.  He can be the playmaker this defense has needed for a while.  It's a deep DL class, but not so much at LB.

[Le Tigre]

2 hours ago, sparky151 said:

 

Jay Morrison did a test of various mock draft simulators to see how often various candidates were available at 17. In his test Campbell was on the board at 17 about 45% of the time. Basically if Campbell's injuries check out and the Bengals want him at 17, someone else may have grabbed him earlier. 

 

https://www.si.com/nfl/bengals/stat-of-the-jay-using-mock-draft-simulators-to-gauge-which-bengals-top-options-will-won-t-be-available-at-no-17-01js2m32p15h

The labrum is iffy. I have read any number of evaluations from “watch it” to “no problemo”. I am more inclined to see it somewhere in between. 
 

Assuming he’s OK…there will be very few players of this impact to be the most beneficial playing the AFCN teams. His downhill speed is other worldly…meaning he can get to the Derrick Henry’s on a dime. Not to mention the abilities to keep Lemur in check. Pass defense is always going to be an issue with any LB, but I see a young Thurman (without the detractions)

[esjbh2]

1 hour ago, Le Tigre said:

The labrum is iffy. I have read any number of evaluations from “watch it” to “no problemo”. I am more inclined to see it somewhere in between. 
 

Assuming he’s OK…there will be very few players of this impact to be the most beneficial playing the AFCN teams. His downhill speed is other worldly…meaning he can get to the Derrick Henry’s on a dime. Not to mention the abilities to keep Lemur in check. Pass defense is always going to be an issue with any LB, but I see a young Thurman (without the detractions)

 

Would love to see a LB of that style on our defense again.  I'm a big fan of Logan Wilson and think he's a real talent, but I also see Logan as more of a "technician" whereas guys like Thurman, Spikes, Queen, etc. are "thumpers" who aggressively kick ass and take names.  Guys who are difference makers, flying around, and who opponents have to game-plan around.  Assuming Campbell is anything like that and will be healthy soon, sign me up please.

 

[sparky151]

Part of the concerns about Campbell are that his shoulder and knee problems might pop up again in the future. So the medical analysis goes well beyond whether he can play week 1.

 

[texbengal]

9 hours ago, Jason said:

My first preference at 17 is Jihad Campbell if he is there.  He can cover and rush and is a solid tackler.  He can be the playmaker this defense has needed for a while.  It's a deep DL class, but not so much at LB.

It’s  either Campbell or Starks for me. LB makes more sense there because there’s less depth, as you indicate. Bengals know the UGA program well and they have had a lot of success with it. Hell, most of the Eagles’ SB defense is UGA guys too. 
 

I saw an interview on YT where (there’s no question!) Lap talked with Steven Radecevic (pro scouting director), who said that there’s a lot of depth at DT… which makes me double down on the relative position depth thing.  Unless there’s some interior DL  guy that is there and he’s clearly the best option at 17, those guys make too much sense. 

[New Jersey Bengal]

I see them drafting a dt later in the draft

[alleycat]

12 hours ago, New Jersey Bengal said:

I see them drafting a dt later in the draft

A guy whose tape I loved, who seems to be on no radars (NFL.com doesn't even register him), except the 49ers who had him in for an official visit, is Coziah Izzard from Penn State. He has super high RAS, but his tape screams Geno Atkins to me. I'm taking that guy all day long in the 4th round or later. 

[texbengal]

A couple of later in the draft guys I really like…

 

1. Vernon Broughton, DL Texas. Played behind DTs Murphy and Sweat until last year. He played some, but wasn’t a full time starter until last year. He’s got good size as a 3T - 6-4, 310ish - and has some versatility to play DE too. 
 

He’s got long arms, and is a very good interior pass rusher. As a day 3 guy, especially if the Bengals wait until then to get interior DL help, he’d be a great pickup IMO. 
 

2. Devin Neal, RB-Kansas. Had a really nice final year at Kansas… 5-11, 215 ish. Runs hard, has good contact balance and is decisive. Can catch too. Was extremely productive on the field at KU and he was a team leader/high character guy. Not gonna win a lot of foot races but he’s not a plodder either. Just a really good all-around player. 

 

 

[claptonrocks]

On 4/18/2025 at 8:02 PM, texbengal said:

Quite a few evaluators think Mykiel is significantly underrated. He basically played one one leg for a lot of the last season. There’s a lot to like about him. 

He'll be gone before we draft.

Too bad ..

 

[claptonrocks]

On 4/18/2025 at 10:24 PM, New Jersey Bengal said:

We always have had good fortune with Georgia players so how about Malik starks and Tate  or Mykel williams

Any of the 3 

.yes

[claptonrocks]

On 4/19/2025 at 1:20 PM, BlackJesus said:

 

I'm always down to draft from Georgia and LSU ... really any SEC school. 

 

I think you could draft your entire NFL team just from the SEC and probably do better than half the league every year.

Don't overlook OSU players..