The Cincinnati Bengals addressed the offensive line once during the 2022 NFL draft in what was otherwise a defensive-minded class for the team.
But that only seemed to guarantee the Bengals would go after the unit again once undrafted free agency started. Sure enough, one of the first names reported to the Bengals was Ole Miss G/C Ben Brown.
Brown, 6’5″ and 312 pounds, was commonly projected as a fifth or sixth-round pick but a biceps injury that cost him half of 2021 potentially played a role in his falling out of the draft.
Either way, as NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein broke down, he’s got some traits the Bengals will really like:
“Backup-caliber prospect with good size and two-position roster flexibility. Brown plays with a firm anchor against face-up rushers and uses his length and strength effectively to redirect rushers who find his edge. However, he lacks the foot quickness to recover quickly against twists or sudden, backside blitzers. Brown can neutralize average players at the point of attack, but he doesn’t improve his positioning often enough and lacks the skill to consistently hold his own against above-average defenders.”
Brown will get to come in and compete with the likes of Trey Hill and Hakeem Adeniji for a final roster spot at an interior position. Based on what evaluators see, there’s a good chance he can make the 53 — and the fact he chose the Bengals out of all teams says he knows it, too.
Media:
Very excited to see Ben Brown coming to Cincinnati as a UDFA!
Feels like a player who easily could’ve been a 4th-5th rounder.
Instead, @Ben_Brown55 joins the #Bengals with a good shot to make the roster! WHO DEY! pic.twitter.com/FpTs32YxPN
— Willie Lutz (@willie_lutz) April 30, 2022
.@Ben_Brown55 ➡️ @Bengals
Big #️⃣5️⃣5️⃣ is headed to Cincinnati as an undrafted free agent. pic.twitter.com/WiWp9lg0Ei
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) April 30, 2022
