2017 NFL Mock Draft: The Final 7-Round Apocalypse

9. player. 56. The defensive line is what stirs the pot for the Cincinnati Bengals defense. The strong it is, the better they play. That’s what makes the selection of Jonathan Allen easy. Pairing him with Carlos Dunlap and Geno Atkins makes for a potentially devastating trio almost right away.. DE. Alabama. Jonathan Allen

Tyler Eifert has wasted too many chances already for the Bengals. The guy just can’t stay healthy. If that’s the case the team must explore alternatives. Adam Shaheen dominated Division II. A big tight end who moves way too fast somebody his size should be able to. A natural pass catcher as well.. TE. Ashland. Adam Shaheen . 41. player. 56

Brian Hill . 73. player. 56. Strong hints have been given that the Bengals intend to bring competition in at running back what with Jeremy Hill being a free agent next year. Brian Hill is another big back with power and ability to shed tackles. He finds the open lanes and can grind a defense down.. RB. Wyoming

Northwestern. Anthony Walker Jr. . 116. player. 56. His 2016 season was difficult due to weight issues but in the Bengals scheme Walker will be allowed to drop pounds and play lighter. That is when he’s at his most dangerous. A fast linebacker who chases down ball carriers, drops into coverage and can deliver timely blitzes to help the pass rush.. LB

56. The loss of Reggie Nelson as their deep safety really hurt the Bengals defense. Having somebody on the back end who can make teams pay for testing them deep is a critical component. Eddie Jackson was that guy for Alabama and can make quarterbacks pay with his solid ball skills.. S. Alabama. Eddie Jackson . 138. player

OG. USC. Damien Mama . 153. player. 56. Losing Kevin Zeitler was probably the toughest for the Bengals. It thinned out their offensive line and removed arguably their best blocker. Reloading up front is critical. Damien Mama is a big boy who doesn’t move great but ask him to plow open lanes or stand his ground? He does both very well.

56. More weapons equals fewer problems for Andy Dalton. Another piece in the receiving corps can’t hurt, particularly one who can work from the slot. Stacy Coley has the agility and quickness as a route runner to make that his home. Especially with A.J. Green on the outside pulling away coverages.. WR. Miami Fl.. Stacy Coley . 176. player

193. player. 56. A small school prospect who showed lots of promise as an edge rusher. He’ll have to add weight to handle bigger blockers but until then he can be a valuable part of the Bengals pass rush subpackages. The quickness, footwork and bend are all there.. DL. West Georgia. Dylan Donahue

Brad Seaton . 217. player. 56. More depth for the offensive line. The exit of Andrew Whitworth at tackle was another big loss. Brad Seaton is a large man with surprising athleticism. He’ll need time to hone his fundamentals. If he can do that and add some core strength, he can turn into a potential gem.. OT. Villanova

player. 56. Drafting local is always a popular thing for fans. In this case though Eric Wilson happens to be worth it. He has coverage limitations but the guy made tackles galore for his team and was also a big presence on special teams. The Bengals need help in both of those areas.. LB. Cincinnati. Eric Wilson . 227

Cincinnati had two different kickers in 2016. That pretty much says how unstable things were for them. Jake Elliott presents the opportunity to change that. He was accurate most of his career at Memphis and improved his distance each season as well. Definitely competition worth adding.. K. Memphis. Jake Elliott . 251. player. 56