The Cincinnati Bengals surprised fans by avoiding an offensive player in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft, instead opting for Alabama safety Jordan Battle.
But as a note from Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com shows, the team had multiple offensive players up and ready — but the grade difference was too much:
At No. 92, the Bengals talked about taking a couple of offensive players and one was even something they needed. But here’s another principle that has translated to success in their 2020 draft rooms. Talent beats need when the grades are so disparate. Battle’s grade was so much higher and that’s why he’s here.
Why Battle over a limited-snap offensive player? Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo summed it up.
“He’s in position a lot to make plays. He’s very rarely out of position,” Anarumo said, per Hobson. “You can see him communicating, which is really important back there obviously, so you can trust him. You can tell his teammates to trust him. He’s rarely out of position, (he) gets guys on the ground, and his character is off the charts. That’s why he’s so intriguing.”
Translation: The Bengals think they got a guy in Battle who can potentially start — and maybe soon. Even if he doesn’t, he’ll probably see the field more than any offensive player they could have picked.
The Bengals traded out of that No. 92 spot, though candidates they were looking at could have been tight end Darnell Washington (Steelers), Cincinnati wideout Tre Tucker (Raiders) or any number of running backs or other great prospects left on the board entering Day 3.
