It’s always interesting when the official website of the Cincinnati Bengals issues a mock draft before the real thing.
The site is, after all, directly linked with the team and it’s safe to say they’re much more in tune with the organization than some of the bigger national outlets.
Bengals fans will find it interesting to see that Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com has the team taking Georgia tight end Darnell Washington in the first round:
But the imposing 6-7, 265-pound Washington has a lot of things the Bengals have chosen in Duke Tobin’s draft room during the Roaring ’20s. He’s big (some publications think he could eventually play tackle), athletic (he played high school basketball in Las Vegas) and is fast with a 4.6 40-yard dash. They also love players from winning programs and Washington has one more national title than Burrow, Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase. And production. Yes, just 45 catches. But he got them in 27 games for 17.2 yards per catch.
Washington is one of the most interesting players in the draft outright given his combination of size and ability. His frame as a weapon in the passing game is game-breaking, and yet teams will find a ton of value in him as a blocker (even as an extra “offensive lineman” in heavy sets, perhaps?).
Generally, mock drafts have the Bengals grabbing someone like Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer if addressing the position.
But while names like Mayer represent more of a traditional route, it’s hard to deny the appealing upside Washington would prevent in the current offense.
