2021 NFL Draft: Cincinnati Bengals seven-round mock draft
By Ian Higgins
Cincinnati Bengals 2021 NFL Draft: Round 3
Paulson Adebo. CB. Stanford. 69. player. 56. Scouting Report. College Statistics
Already possessing one of the weakest secondaries in football, the Cincinnati Bengals will also be losing lead cornerback William Jackson to free agency unless they dedicate a healthy helping of hard to come by cap-space in the offseason. In a 2021 NFL Draft containing a deep cornerbacks class, the Bengals can still find their guy with a third-round selection.
The lead-cornerback of the Stanford defense since 2018, Paulson Adebo is a lengthy off-man corner with prime ball skills. Sound familiar? Drawing numerous comparisons to Stanford product Richard Sherman, Adebo has displayed some of his brightest moments with a five to ten-yard cushion, keeping his distance until instinctively breaking down on the play with commitment and physicality.
Issues will arise on day one against quicker, more savvy wideouts who can bait him with double-moves along the boundary. Adebo is not going to be an isolation-star in the mold of Stephon Gilmore, but rather a key cog in a cohesive zone-defense reminiscent of the ‘Legion of Boom’ with their cover-three coverage scheme.
Cincinnati Bengals 2021 NFL Draft: Round 4
Hunter Long. 56. Scouting Report. College Statistics. 102. player. TE. Boston College
Although the Cincinnati Bengals have done an impressive job of surrounding Joe Burrow with weapons, including follow-up draft selection Tee Higgins in the 2020 NFL draft, there is still a distinct element missing to the passing offense.
The universal favorite target for any young quarterback is a safety-blanket tight end who can turn a simple five-yard crossing-route into a 15-yard chunk gain. In a tight end class dominated by the ACC, Boston College Eagle Hunter Long could prove to be the most prolific of the conference’s products during his time in the NFL.
Despite coming up short of fellow prospects such as Miami’s Brevin Jordan in terms of measurables, Long is the most quarterback-friendly target of the 2021 NFL draft with his six-foot-five frame, wide catch-radius, and a knack for stemming routes to the benefit of his quarterback.
On a team without a true safety-blanket for their franchise quarterback, Hunter Long is a welcome addition who can use the 2021 season to further develop his run-blocking in aid of Mixon, and eventually as a chip-blocker for Burrow.