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Cincinnati Bengals land Texas DT in 2024 NFL mock draft

Kelsey Conway, Cincinnati Enquirer
·4 min read

The Cincinnati Bengals enter this year’s draft with 10 picks looking to reload their roster with talent in hopes to make another postseason run in the upcoming season. This year’s draft class is loaded with talent on the offensive line, an area the Bengals will always prioritize.

Based off the moves the Bengals made in free agency, it’s a little easier to try and predict who Cincinnati will draft over the three-day spectacle in Detroit. The Bengals’ biggest positional needs are: Defensive tackle, tackle, tight end, wide receiver and guard/center. Cincinnati will also likely add a cornerback at some point as head coach Zac Taylor and defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo often say a team can never have too many cornerbacks in today’s pass-happy NFL.

Here’s my three-round mock draft for the Cincinnati Bengals:

First round, pick No. 18: DT Byron Murphy, Texas

It’s starting to look like there’s a pretty good chance Byron Murphy won’t be on the board when the Bengals get on the clock, but if he is, Cincinnati must take him. After losing DJ Reader in free agency, the Bengals are without a versatile three-down nose tackle.

Texas' Byron Murphy II has seen his stock rising but should he be available with the 18th pick in the NFL Draft, the Bengals should select him, Bengals writer Kelsey Conway says.
Texas' Byron Murphy II has seen his stock rising but should he be available with the 18th pick in the NFL Draft, the Bengals should select him, Bengals writer Kelsey Conway says.

Murphy would immediately upgrade the Bengals’ defensive line and would pair well with newcomer Sheldon Rankins along the interior of Cincinnati’s defensive line. Rankins’ best attribute is his ability to rush the passer so asking him to do more in the run game might take away from what he does best. That’s where the pick of Murphy becomes so important. The 6-foot-1, 305-pounder brings elite athleticism and strength at the defensive tackle position.

In three years at Texas, Murphy recorded eight total sacks. He’s coming off his most promising campaign where he logged five sacks in the 2023 season and cemented his place as a first-round pick. This year’s draft class doesn’t feature many defensive tackles who are viewed as Round 1 picks so snagging Murphy would be ideal for the Bengals.

By drafting Murphy, the Bengals get an elite player at the position they have the biggest hole right now and will get him on a rookie deal. In recent years, the price tag for top-tier interior defensive linemen has continued to go up. That’s why this pick makes so much sense because next season is the first year when quarterback Joe Burrow’s cap hit balloons to more than $50 million a year.

Second round, pick No. 49: WR Keon Coleman, Florida State

Just go ahead and call this the Tee Higgins replacement pick for the Bengals. After two years of failed contract negotiations, all signs point to the Bengals and Higgins going their separate ways after this season. In order to prepare for life after Higgins, the Bengals draft wide receiver Keon Coleman. Coleman resembles Higgins in a number of ways.

With Ja’Marr Chase likely to get a massive deal from the Bengals in the next few years keeping him in Cincinnati as the No. 1 wide receiver, the front office will pair him with a bigger target for Burrow on the outside. Coleman is 6-foot-3 and 213 pounds and is a former star basketball player, just like Higgins. He is built like a true “X” receiver and the Bengals have shown with players like AJ Green and Higgins, they value size at the position.

Keon Clark of Florida State at 6-foot-3 and 213 pounds is the kind of big receivers the Bengals covet and could be in place as Tee Higgins' successor should he be selected.
Keon Clark of Florida State at 6-foot-3 and 213 pounds is the kind of big receivers the Bengals covet and could be in place as Tee Higgins' successor should he be selected.

During his final season at Florida State, Coleman caught 50 passes for 658 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Third round, pick No. 80: T Blake Fisher, Notre Dame

While it might seem strange that the Bengals don’t address arguably their second biggest need until Round 3, this is where taking the best player approach comes in. Murphy and Coleman are too good of prospects to reach for a position of need.

Notre Dame offensive lineman Blake Fisher can play both left and right tackle, something that is appealing to the Bengals. Fisher could be had in the third round, which would enable the Bengals to address other needs first.
Notre Dame offensive lineman Blake Fisher can play both left and right tackle, something that is appealing to the Bengals. Fisher could be had in the third round, which would enable the Bengals to address other needs first.

In Blake Fisher, the Bengals get a tackle who can play on the right and left side. This is important because right now it looks as if right tackle is the biggest area of need on the offensive line, having a player who start at left tackle is important.

With the way the Bengals structured Orlando Brown Jr.’s contract, the franchise has an out after this season if he doesn’t play well enough to match the high cap hit his contract brings after this season. That is not to say it will happen, the Bengals expect Brown to be a productive player this season, but the pick of Fisher gives Cincinnati an insurance plan. If Brown plays well and the Bengals keep him past this year, Fisher could slot in as the starting right tackle for the future after learning behind Trent Brown for a year.

Fisher spent the last two seasons starting at right tackle for the Irish. He’s 6-foot-6 and matches what the Bengals like at tackle with height and possess an imposing presence. One of the biggest strengths of Fisher’s game is his run-blocking ability – an area the Bengals must improve in. At the end of the day, Fisher has two years of starting experience at a high level and has the tools to be a quality tackle in the NFL with the right coaching and scheme.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Bengals land Texas DT Byron Murphy in 2024 NFL mock draft