The Bengals plan to go into the draft ready to be flexible, but in the past they’ve leaned toward the “best player available,” rather than reaching for a need. This is a draft where value can be found in the middle rounds but there isn’t as much top-end talent, which also could factor into decisions in the first round.
“In general, what I prefer is staying with the bucket of player we evaluate as worthy of that pick and not going down,” Tobin said last month at the NFL Combine. “In that bucket, sometimes we’ll take need. It’s a conversation of is need more important. If there’s a glaring player we evaluated that we believe is at a level higher than everyone else, you probably just go with that guy. In a year, that might be something that looked really smart. In the past, we’ve done that. … Our philosophy is we want guys worthy of the pick we’re making.”
Tobin said if the Bengals aren’t satisfied with their options at No. 10, they would look to move back for more picks, but chances are another team isn’t excited about that spot either. They will be prepared to take “the best of the next” if needed and can’t eliminate any position when picking as high as they are.
Cincinnati has clear needs at safety and defensive line, but probably could address all levels of the defense in some fashion. The Bengals used two draft picks on linebackers a year ago and selected defensive end Shemar Stewart in the first round, but both position groups still need improved.
“There are definite areas of our football team that we’re looking to enhance, and it can come from within, but some of it has to come from external sources, and the draft is a big chance for us to really hit on guys that can be long-term contributors for us,” Tobin said. “And then we’ll look to free agency and maybe with some extensions, and, you know, we’ll try to fill it in the best we can.”
Tobin seemed less interested in giving up picks to move up in the first round, noting the Bengals have hopes for those second- and third-round selections they would have to trade. It’s still a conversation, but the depth of the draft makes it hard to part with the value picks in the Day 2 rounds.
Cincinnati has two sixth-round and two seventh-round picks this year that Tobin believes can still be useful in elevating his team in this particular draft.
“I think there’s a lot of D-linemen who are attractive guys for different roles, as you go through the whole season or the whole draft really,” Tobin said. “I think we have almost 400 ranked players on our board right now, guys who have enough talent to be considered draftable, which is probably a little bit heavier than normal. I always look at kind of the first five rounds. There’s enough players to satisfy our picks in all of those rounds with extra, which is good. We’re going to get one of them that way. Some years we’ve gotta keep forcing guys up the board. This year, we’re probably going to force some guys down the board a little bit. But I do think there’s depth.”
The NFL Combine provides teams an opportunity to interview up to 45 prospects, which can be helpful for learning more about the players on an individual level. The Bengals are looking for players who not only play well but also have strong physical traits and a clear love of football.
Finding players that meet those standards and fit the system is the challenge, but Bengals coach Zac Taylor said the scouts, coaches and front office personnel use every resource available to dig into who the prospects are on and off the field.
The interview process helps with identifying that as well.
“How they view the game and their football IQ, just when you hear them talk football,” Taylor said. “You kind of get their passion for the game sometimes from the people around them. Anyone you have a relationship with you’re trying to ask about a player, talk with our scouts to learn more about that guy. Ultimately, you want someone that loves football, but you want someone that elevates everyone around them. You put a guy at this spot, man, the two guys next to him are going to be better players, because of his football IQ, his communication skills, his talent level. When you can get a group of guys that are like that, it elevates the entire unit and it elevates the entire team. Those are the types of guys that we’re looking for.”
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