The Cincinnati Bengals have a few prominent needs when one considers the 2025 NFL draft.
Wideout, typically, isn’t one of those, though.
Even so, a new mock draft from ESPN’s Matt Miller has the Bengals picking Texas wideout Isaiah Bond at No. 25:
Tee Higgins may have signed his franchise-tag tender, but that doesn’t mean the Bengals have a long-term resolution yet for the talented WR2. The Bengals drafted Jermaine Burton to replace Tyler Boyd but could still have receiver high on the list of needs during the next draft. Bond, a transfer from Alabama, will fill the Xavier Worthy role in the Texas offense with his elite downfield speed. He averaged 13.9 yards per catch with four touchdowns last season, even as the Alabama offense struggled to find consistency in the pass game. And in Steve Sarkisian’s system, Bond has huge potential.
Generally speaking, it is a fool’s errand to rule out anything in an upcoming draft, especially this far out.
But the Bengals have poured many resources into wideout over the last two years. Both rookie Jermaine Burton and sophomore Andrei Iosivas could be eventual Tee Higgins replacements on the boundary, while sophomore Charlie Jones could eat snaps in the slot.
Even so, a speedy, field-stretching wideout is also something the team could end up needing, so who knows? Right now, offensive line and pass-rush look like bigger concerns, but that’s well before the 2024 season even starts.
