The Cincinnati Bengals surprised some fans with the pick of Alabama safety Jordan Battle in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft.
After all, the Bengals drafted Dax Hill in the first round the year prior, then went out and added Nick Scott in free agency to a room that already has Michael Thomas and Tycen Anderson.
But maybe it’s not so surprising, either. The Bengals traded down three spots before making Battle the pick, picking up an extra sixth-rounder from the Chiefs in the process. It was probably a sign the team wasn’t overly thrilled with the way the board fell, or at least thought they could get their guy a handful of picks later.
And Battle does have Bengals written all over him. He’s from a huge program, started 44 games there, and rarely made mistakes while racking up 252 tackles and six interceptions with three defensive touchdowns and 10 passes defended over 44 starts.
Battle has ranked as high as the fifth overall safety in the class for some, with The Athletic’s Dane Brugler writing the following:
Battle plays aware in zone coverage and assignment sound in the run game with accurate fits and the physical nature of a linebacker. However, he is a linear athlete with limited playmaking range and tackling inconsistencies. Overall, Battle’s tape and skill set scream “average,” but he is a smart, experienced safety with reliable football character and competitive toughness. He projects as a low-ceiling post/box starter in the NFL with core special teams skills.
Jordan Battle note from The Beast speaks to the "A+ character" Taylor mentioned: "Voted a 2022 team captain, and his coaches said they had to force him off the practice field … played in every game (54) the past four seasons, finishing his career with 37-straight starts."
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) April 29, 2023
Lou Anarumo loves his three-safety looks, just overloading the field with defensive backs. Battle is always where he needs to be and reliable, which is what the unit needs after the major losses of Vonn Bell and Jessie Bates.
Safety was always a possibility for the Bengals even though it looks like the position was set with its two starters. Like Myles Murphy in the first and DJ Turner in the second, Battle is about getting younger and cheaper for the long-term at a time the franchise has to shift more money to the offense.
There were some other big names available for the Bengals before they traded down and even after, but none so overpowering that it dings the outlook of this move. This is the sort of pick a team can make when trying to find that now-later balance after hitting all needs well in free agency. Given his resume, Battle might just make the…battle for the starting safety jobs interesting, too.
