2022 NFL DRAFT DEEP DIVE: CINCINNATI BENGALS
By Rory Daniels
The NFL Draft is over, and we cannot head into the three-month abyss that is the offseason without looking at what all 262 selections mean for each franchise. Whilst too early to judge just how successful a draft class each team’s was, we can look at how rookies fit within schemes, where they stand on depth charts, and who we can expect to make an impact in 2022. We continue our team by team series with the Cincinnati Bengals:
Draft Haul
| RND | PICK | PROSPECT | POS | SCHOOL |
| 1 | 31 | Daxton Hill | S | Michigan |
| 2 | 60 | Cam Taylor-Britt | CB | Nebraska |
| 3 | 95 | Zachary Carter | IDL | Florida |
| 4 | 136 | Cordell Volson | OT | North Dakota State |
| 5 | 166 | Tycen Anderson | S | Toledo |
| 7 | 252 | Jeffrey Gunther | EDGE | Coastal Carolina |
Day One
The Jessie Bates contract situation is the only minor bump in the road for the current AFC Champions. With negotiations at a standstill it wasn’t a complete surprise to see the Bengals land one of the top safeties on the opening night of the draft.
With Vonn Bell and Bates presumed starters there were certainly eyebrows raised with the selection of Daxton Hill out of Michigan. In truth, he was seen as one of few remaining blue-chip talents still available by the team. Lou Anarumo’s versatile defense should have room for all three if Bates can be cajoled back to training camp ahead of the league’s kickoff.
The selection would likely have been different had one of George Karlaftis or Kaiir Elam remained on the board. With both selected, the Bengals made the sensible choice of not reaching and landed themselves an athletic, defensive weapon.
Day Two
Cincinnati returned to the secondary in round 2, trading up to land Nebraska corner Cam Taylor-Britt. The move was fuelled by their board being decimated swiftly in the five picks beforehand. If there was a consideration that Hill was selected to be trialled as an outside corner, this pick killed that discussion.
Taylor-Britt comes from head coach Zac Taylor’s alma mater Nebraska and those links gave this match legs in the days prior to drafting. The player even said himself he had a good feeling that the Bengals would be his final destination. He should put pressure on Eli Apple who shocked the NFL with his solid performances as CB2 in this defense.
Florida’s Zach Carter appeared a bit of a reach in the third round but the Bengals were laser focussed on players that fit the scheme rather than the noise created by media big boards. Carter was one of the few truly versatile defensive line options. The former Gator flashed as a physical, edge rusher but will primarily see snaps at 3-tech for the Bengals. SEC experience, solid production (17 career sacks) and position versatility made it a strong fit with the defense being built in Cincy.
Day Three
It was the last day before the Bengals addressed the offense with one of their picks. North Dakota State’s Cordell Volson received high praise from Eric Galko, director of the Shrine Bowl, but was generally considered a sixth round pick. The Bengals see Volson as a tackle they can convert to guard which should allow his athleticism to show up better and put pressure on last year’s second round selection Jackson Carman.
There was another move up the board in round 5. The Bengals reportedly had a third-round grade on Tycen Anderson of Toledo so were desperate to go get him when he came within range. If ever there was a nail in the coffin for Jessie Bates’ long-term future as a Bengal, Anderson may be it. His speed is excellent and while he should serve as a backup initially, he will get reps while Bates holds out and could be the long-term answer at free safety.
The Bengals made it five out of six picks for the defensive side with the long and twitchy Jeffrey Gunter out of Coastal Carolina. He too, was used in various spots on the Chanticleers defense and will do battle with the likes of Cam Sample and Wyatt Hubert for an edge position.
One To Watch: Tycen Anderson
Of course the hype will surround Hill as the replacement for Jessie Bates but don’t be surprised if Tycen Anderson makes an impression early. He has all the athletic traits you look for in a safety and could fill in for Bates in the deep role. This would allow Hill to move around the formation, utilising his experience as a strong safety and nickel.
Tycen Anderson is a FS prospect in the 2022 draft class. He scored a 9.73 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 23 out of 803 FS from 1987 to 2022. https://t.co/azwgNFBa2k #RAS pic.twitter.com/KkpR0llYQm
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 18, 2022
The vibe from defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo is that he is excited to have a chess piece like Hill, pigeon-holing him to the deep role to replace Bates seems unlikely. That means Anderson will get early opportunities and could be the real heir to Bates’ throne.
UDFA Tracker
| Shermari Jones | RB | Coastal Carolina |
| Devin Cochran | IOL | Georgia Tech |
| Brendan Radley-Hiles | CB | Washington |
| Cal Adomitis | LS | Pitt |
| Justin Rigg | TE | Kentucky |
| Clarence Hicks | LB | UTSA |
| Desmond Noel | IOL | FAU |
| Carson Wells | LB | Colorado |
| Jaivon Heiligh | WR | Coastal Carolina |
| Ben Brown | IOL | Ole Miss |
The undrafted free agent portion of the draft was undoubtedly the Coastal Carolina show. The Bengals bring in Shermari Jones (running back) and Jaivon Heiligh (wide receiver) to join seventh rounder Gunter. Heiligh has a chance to crack the roster if he can provide some juice on kick returns, considering the lack of depth at receiver behind the big three.
Ben Brown from Ole Miss was a well regarded guard and knowing the trouble the Bengals had along the line in 2021, don’t discount him from displacing one of the more experienced backups. As a rare nod to special teams, Pitt’s Cal Adomitis will compete for the long snapper role against seasoned veteran Clark Harris in camp, if that’s your kind of thing!
Conclusion
On the face of it, it appears to be a bit of a ‘reachy’ draft from the Bengals. However, when you inspect each pick, it’s clear why the players selected fit for the Bengals regardless of perceived value. The loss of Larry Ogunjobi gives Zach Carter an immediate spot in the defensive front rotation.
Hill should be a playmaker from Day 1, hopefully allowed to roam and create mismatches with the reliable Bates covering behind him, even if only for one year. Much of the success of this draft hinges on Cam Taylor-Britt. The cornerback spot was a glaring need and if the Bengals have found the solution on Day 2, it will be hailed a triumph.
Cordell Volson could be the boot up the backside Jackson Carman needs to realise his potential and watching the athletically superior Carman battle the road-grading Volson will be one of the more intriguing camp battles.
While the Bengals didn’t add multiple Day 1 starters the success of this draft could be seen in future years when the roster will depend on cheap rookie deals to surround Joe Burrow with a team that can compete at the sharp end once more.
RORY-JOE DANIELS
CFB CONTRIBUTOR
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