This time around for our latest mock draft, we decided to veer away from PFF and use Joe Goodberry’sBig Board on Fanspeak’s simulator. Let’s see how we get on…
Words: Andrew Dockerell
ROUND ONE, PICK 28
Dalton Kincaid, TE (Utah)
Do I see the Bengals making this pick? No. Would I absolutely love it? Yes.
I’ve seen a LOT of Bengals fans mocking TE at 28… a lot of Mayer and Washington but very few with this name. Being a PAC-12 lover (Sco Ducks!), I’ve seen Kincaid obliterate defences (check the USC game tape) and, watching the rest of this TE class, his hands stand out (two drops in a five-year collegiate career). Calling him a TE is really a misnomer- he’s a receiving mismatch who spent more time detached than inline (64.6% of snaps as a slot or wide).
Kincaid is one of the new generation of former basketballers (he only played one year of HS Football) who, at 6’5, 240 just doesn’t have a spot in the new collegiate/NBA style these days. This is good for the NFL – expect more exciting box-out athletes at the TE position to continue to flow through the pipeline. Kincaid was an FCS All-American at San Diego (11 touchdowns on only 24 catches as a freshman) before transferring to Utah in the COVID season where he blew up onto the NFL prospects scene.
Kincaid caught 75.3% of his targets this year as the far and away number one weapon on this Utah Utes offense. His 16 TDs in the past two seasons and Yards After Catch numbers led all tight ends not called Brock Bowers and all TEs (including Bowers) in catches for first downs. All this production in between the trio of Chase, Higgins and Boyd is a SCARY proposition.
Watching Kincaid run routes you see a great burst off the snap for a TE and really nice fluid movements and a natural talent to break and cut into separation from coverage. The hands, as I mentioned, are impressively reliable as is the ball tracking and catch radius. The comp I want to make is somewhere between Zach Ertz and well… (watch this blow up in my face) Travis Kelce.
The reasons to downplay Kincaid? Kincaid was not put inline to block much for a reason. He’s pretty mediocre at it. He struggles to consistently find and hold blocks in pass pro and was near a liability in the run game due to his lighter size. Some physical defenders are able to stunt and slow his routes, that’s something Kelce doesn’t really allow to happen.
Kincaid is simply my favourite offensive weapon in this class and despite the downsides listed above, a back injury stopping us see him put up combine and pro day numbers and his age (turns 24 this coming season), I would be a big fan of this pick at 28.
ROUND TWO, PICK 60:
Sydney Brown, S (Illinois)
The Canadian-born Brown twins, Chase (RB, also Illinois) and Sydney look like they were born in a gym, or at the least, their parents (mum: figure skater, dad: played for the London Beefeaters in the Canadian Junior Football League) used it as a creche facility.
An Illinois Captain, Brown led the Big Ten in interceptions (six), second nationally and was PFF’s highest graded safety in the nation in man coverage. Brown’s athleticism translates both in single high and in the box safety, although size questions (5’10, 210) will put pressure on that versatility-particularly in run game and man coverage versus physical TEs. Given the turnaround in the Safety room, I’d certainly be happy to add another versatile athlete to the room.
ROUND THREE, PICK 92:
Kendre Miller, RB (TCU)
Kendre being injured this draft season has really prevented his hype climbing into early-round RB discussions for me. He was one of the key catalysts on a wild ride for Andy Dalton’s alma mater, TCU.
Miller mixes speed with power, neither at elite levels but showcasing a nice blend that, along with decent balance and some creativity, created a lot of yards for the TCU back, albeit without hitting true workhouse rep numbers. Despite not having top-end speed, he still hit top-five numbers in the nation for 15-yard plus runs, partly aided but how quickly he’s able to bounce in and outside the tackles. As much as we love the big ‘home run’ runs, Miller also isn’t afraid to do the dirty work and take the tough yard up the gut.
The injury will need a serious review (MCL) and, as with most college RBs, the pass protection needs work as he has a tendency to get overextended, but the most exciting bit with Miller? He will only be 21 for all of his first NFL season.
ROUND FOUR, PICK 131:
Jakorian Bennett, CB (Maryland)
My Senior Bowl note on Bennett? 21.22 mph.
That was his GPS speed recorded during one-v-one drills, the second fastest speed across all Senior Bowl practices. One thing you can’t coach is pure speed and recovery speed at CB is a necessity is the pass hungry, gun-slinging, modern NFL.
Bennett isn’t getting the hype of his Terrapins’ teammate Deonte Banks (who we drafted in our last mock) but he certainly still projects to the NFL for me. Bennett is a handsy (13 penalties since 2021) DB who plays aggressive and fights tremendously at the catch point – he leads all FBS players in passes defended since the beginning of the 2021 season. He takes that aggression into the run game, too, where he’s happy to get downhill and tackle.
Bennett offers some nice versatility with reps at safety, nickel as well as his mainstay at boundary CB. There’s a worrying lack of anticipatory play for a senior but I’m more than happy to add an athletic, keen and versatile tackling DB here at the end of the fourth.
ROUND FIVE, PICK 163:
Jalen Redmond, DL (Oklahoma)
A former five-star recruit, Redmond entered Oklahoma as an Edge at around 230lb. It’s been far from smooth sailing as he moved up to a near 300lb DT in college, where he’s struggled to really make a consistent impact on the D-line (along with off field red flags and the flag Redmond will turn 24 during his first NFL season).
However, the outstanding combine testing (4.81 40, 7.3 3 cone) keeps us interested and on day three I’ll take a stab at coaxing up some of that untapped potential out of him. There’s certainly an argument whether he should be seen as more of a run stopper or penetrative rusher. He certainly has the twitch and has had the flashes to suggest he has the speed for QB pursuit. But it’s been a shift to snaps in the A gap in 2022 that found the most production for Redmond. Either way, an exciting athlete to have added to the DT rotation.
ROUND SIX, PICK 206:
Puka Nacua, WR (BYU)
PFF is a BIG fan of Nacua, grading him highest of any draft-eligible WR (90.1) and his Yards-Per-Route-Run (3.53), second highest statistically. Nacua, Utah HS player of the year in his senior year, originally signed with the Washington Huskies. After moving to BYU, he went on to lead them in receiving yards in both 2021 and 2022.
He’s an adequate athlete who doesn’t wow with speed and can struggle versus press but has a good hands and a 6’2, 200lb NFL-ready frame and ability to play snaps both inside and out (and even had 39 carries). I’d be happy to add in Nacua as a late round WR4/5 and make him earn his active roster spot on Special Teams.
ROUND SEVEN, PICK 246:
Atonio Mafi, G (UCLA)
A nose tackle out of HS, Mafi is a behemoth of a man nearing 360lb, who only became a full-time starter at guard this past season. Mafi is not a man you want flying out in space but in a gap power scheme, he has the size and sheer… well, power to blow any player backwards. He has good bend and balance for his size but his rawness at the position shows up in his hand work, where his placement and overextension is an issue. If Mafi is to become an NFL professional he’ll have to continue to reform his body mass and work on his hand placement and technique. If he can do this, he can certainly be an NFL level mauling guard.
Random fun fact: Devin Asiasi is his cousin.
Bengals UK 